chrisanthony1211 Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Quick question, in the course of researching vintage precisions I found little on pickguards, when did fender start using the three ply WBW on Precisions, could you get them as far back as 1960? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 (edited) [list] [*]Here you go: [*] [*]Multi-layer pickguards: starting in mid-1959 Fender switched to a 3 layer pickguard (w/b/w) made from Celluloid on most models. The Pbass and Jazzmaster used a 4 layer pickguard of Tortoise/w/b/w (except on certain custom colors which used a 3 layer w/b/w pickguard). These celluloid 'guards had an outer white layer with a mint green/yellow tint, thus giving them the name "green 'guard". The amount of green/yellow depends on the abuse and UV the pickguard was subject to. To some degree the effect is not only caused by age and sun, but the "felting" of the black layer below the white layer. This material was used till January 1965 when Fender switched to vinyl or ABS for their multilayer pickguards (Celluloid was dangerous and very flamable, and shrunk with time causing cracks). Sometimes these pickguards are called "nitrate 'guards" because nitric acid is one of the key ingredients used to make celluloid. The 1965 and later white pickguards do yellow a bit with age. But even aged white 'guards look much different than the older "green" 'guards. In the late 1960s, white Stratocaster pickguards change slightly (not sure about other models). Though from the front they look identical to the 1965 to 1967 variety, the 1968/1969 white Strat pickguards had a bottom layer (the layer not seen unless the pickguard is removed from the body) of "pearloid". [/list] Edited June 24, 2015 by gary mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisanthony1211 Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 (edited) Thanks, I think that answers my question, they were available in 1960! Really love the way these pickguards age to a mint green, very beautiful ! Im actually eyeing up a 59/60 precision at the moment with three ply white pick guard and wasn't sure it was original as all the ones I could find on the web had the gold aluminium. It could fit quite nicely as the serial number puts it 59/60, slab neck and no date pencilled on the neck which is correct for the period! If they started using these pickguards around this time too..... Edited June 24, 2015 by chrisanthony1211 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Will look forward to the pics if you get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiliwailer Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 (edited) It'd be more appropriate on a Custom Colour to stay period correct. Though in 1959/60 Fender did provide Chas McDevitt's wife with a w/b/w guard for her s/b P Bass to match his Strat Edited June 24, 2015 by Chiliwailer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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