Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 (edited) We've had threads about ugly headstocks, but I don't recall seeing one about hideous pickguards. A few that I consider to be absolute munters: something based on the shape of the pickguard on a Les Paul jnr or special double cut would have been so much better This one gets extra points for the horrible grey pearloid apologies if any of these are amongst your favourites Edited December 10 by Jean-Luc Pickguard 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 Most,much prefer rear rout control cavity neat 'n simple 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 Since using Mustang basses I`ve found that I far prefer having basses where the electrics aren`t under the pick-guard but under a separate panel, makes much more sense to me to have 3 screws and no strings to remove than 13 and all strings. I`m not that keen on any of the above but particularly dislike the Variax one. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 That straight line below the neck pickup. Ugh. Everything else flows beautifully, then it was 5 o'clock and the ruler came out. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 7 minutes ago, Lozz196 said: I`m not that keen on any of the above but particularly dislike the Variax one. I like the Variax one. My own Variax is sunburst with tort though. I've also got a Ray5 which is very like the second one. None of the other 30 or so have pickguards. Still, to add to the ugly pickguards: and especially 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tegs07 Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 22 minutes ago, Lozz196 said: Since using Mustang basses I`ve found that I far prefer having basses where the electrics aren`t under the pick-guard but under a separate panel, makes much more sense to me to have 3 screws and no strings to remove than 13 and all strings. I`m not that keen on any of the above but particularly dislike the Variax one. At least Sandberg thought about thiss 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 I'm sure that if I returned in half an hour, every bass ever made with a scratchplate will have been listed here 😀 2 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phill Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 This Fender abomination of a pickguard 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted December 10 Author Share Posted December 10 Just thought of another 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted December 10 Author Share Posted December 10 The Rickenbacker 4001/3 pickguard shape works on a Ric as it is an iconic design, however on the Jackson X series, it is ridiculous. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 2 minutes ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said: The Rickenbacker 4001/3 pickguard shape works on a Ric as it is an iconic design, however on the Jackson X series, it is ridiculous. Indeed, it's truly appalling how they've made it a constant distance from the edge of the bass all round the curve instead of going drunkenly right to the edge halfway round. What were they thinking? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfrasho Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 2 hours ago, ahpook said: That straight line below the neck pickup. Ugh. Everything else flows beautifully, then it was 5 o'clock and the ruler came out. I own this very bass and in this exact finish and I've never once noticed that straight cut. Il never unsee that! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 1 hour ago, Elfrasho said: I own this very bass and in this exact finish and I've never once noticed that straight cut. Il never unsee that! I really am quite sorry. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 2 hours ago, Phill said: This Fender abomination of a pickguard Ouch...It's like they tried to put a scratchplate on and missed ! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 2 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said: The Rickenbacker 4001/3 pickguard shape works on a Ric as it is an iconic design Objection! It doesn't, and it's not. It's an ugly, throwaway afterthought slapped on to cover up some holes. Even John Hall thought it was so rubbish he didn't bother trademarking it, unlike every other aspect of the 4001/4003 design! Compare & contrast the original 1957 Roger Rossmeisl design, perhaps a bit oversized by modern standards, but it flows with & is sympathetic to the shape of the body. It was clearly designed at the same time on the same drawing board, by the same person. By the time the 'deluxe' 2-pickup 4001 was launched, Rossmeisl had cleared off to Fender, so had no part in the redesign. F.C. Hall presumably got the tea boy to do it! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 I had one of these and hated the pg. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meterman Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 5 hours ago, Phill said: This Fender abomination of a pickguard Gooooooaaaaaallllll!!!!! Stevie Wonder and his trusty CNC machine really knocked that one out of the park (and into the nearest bin, hopefully)🤮 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted December 10 Author Share Posted December 10 That's nothing compared to the Fender JP-90 1 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meterman Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 I haven't got any decent pictures of it, but surely someone's going to post the original cut-down homemade bass that Bill Wyman made (Dallas-Arbiter with the frets pulled out?) in the early 60's that had a hilariously bad DIY pickguard. Same goes for some of the early (late 50's / early 60's UK made basses. And some late 60's or early 70's plywood MIJ basses too. The pre-lawsuit "we're not really sure what we're doing but we're doing it anyway" ones. Teisco were repeat offenders. Italian company Meazzi also made some pretty wild looking basses, the Jupiter models in particular. I sort of admire their Italian bonkers-ness in a way. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 4 hours ago, Bassassin said: Objection! It doesn't, and it's not. It's an ugly, throwaway afterthought slapped on to cover up some holes. Even John Hall thought it was so rubbish he didn't bother trademarking it, unlike every other aspect of the 4001/4003 design! Compare & contrast the original 1957 Roger Rossmeisl design, perhaps a bit oversized by modern standards, but it flows with & is sympathetic to the shape of the body. It was clearly designed at the same time on the same drawing board, by the same person. By the time the 'deluxe' 2-pickup 4001 was launched, Rossmeisl had cleared off to Fender, so had no part in the redesign. F.C. Hall presumably got the tea boy to do it! Mainly works but there's a conflict between the way the bit above the neck flows into the horn while the bit below that doesn't follow the line into the lower horn. Other than that, far superior to the Rick slap any old thing on approach. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 1 hour ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said: That's nothing compared to the Fender JP-90 I think we have a winner here. 🤮 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted December 10 Share Posted December 10 36 minutes ago, tauzero said: Mainly works but there's a conflict between the way the bit above the neck flows into the horn while the bit below that doesn't follow the line into the lower horn. Other than that, far superior to the Rick slap any old thing on approach. I agree. I'd have the lower horn corner coming to a point to mirror the top, dunno why Roger R didn't do that. And he's not telling now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolo Posted December 11 Share Posted December 11 14 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said: Just thought of another The Dimension is the only pickguard fender got right. The standard P and J are gruesome fails of design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted December 11 Share Posted December 11 Fugly Pickguard Jean-Luc... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted December 11 Author Share Posted December 11 How very dare you 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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