Hate your White pickguard? Try this...

[Zoffy]

I'm way too impatient to keep a pickguard in my widow sill for 6-9 months. I get impatient waiting for the toast to pop out of the toaster.

 

[3684799953275]

Hey Mike G!

Hey dude! Good to see you and glad your still on the Low End of thangs!

 

[CatchaCuda]

I had a broken neck sit in my firepit for 2 weeks, it went from stark white maple to a lovely vintage tint. The end result wasn't so nice.

 

[wraub]

I have a hardtail Strat that a PO put a Warmoth white pearloid guard on, then somebody put decals on the pickguard. These left outline halos.
I put the pickguard on a piece of wood, under a piece of glass, and left that all outside in desert heat for a couple weeks. It evened out the color, but the guard is now aged/gold pearloid.
Imo it's the perfect hue of snotty grossness the guitar deserves... Tom Delonge Strat in surf green with a bilious yellow pickguard.

 

[WillyW]

i've soaked them in coffee for 24-48 hours and got the same yellow effect.

The coffee/tea thing has never worked for me. I tried once to sand/scratch up the pg first, as suggested by others on here, but I don't like the rougher surface it's left with. Sunlight has worked for me, but very time consuming.

it helps to take the pickguard off the bass AND plastic off the pickguard first.... don't ask me how I know...

 

[Rip Van Dan]

My Sunburst Affinity Jazz V body came with a bleach-white pickguard. I hated it. At first I tossed it into a box for 2 years, then after looking at some vintage white PG's I decided to try something.
I screwed the PG onto a piece of plywood to try and keep it flat. Then placed the piece of plywood with PG screwed to it in a place that sees constant sunlight - not outside, but behind glass inside. I left it there for about 6 to 9 months...I really don't remember...
The result Is this weird sun-colored off-cream color that seems to be darker near the neck than towards the bridge side.
I noticed it shrank a little, too, so I had to fight it around the neck pickup and a couple of screw holes weren't perfectly lined up... it that Squier screw holes ever are.

it's difficult to get a good photo with a phone as it tries to adjust exposure for the "best" looking photo. I had to make adjustments to try and get it to look as it does in person.

View attachment 3969984

View attachment 3969986

this idea was inspired by a custom motorcycle builder from Ohio (forget the name) who wanted natural patina on the valve head covers of a build, and he left them outside all winter long, and poured beer and pee'd on them occasionally.
I wouldn't recommend Pee'ing on your PG...unless you want to see what happens...

I love my white pickguard just as it is. it matches the white pickups, and white control knobs on my, 82 Jazz. It also sets off nicely the cream color that my Olympic White Jazz has turned over the last 35-years (bought it in 1985).

 

[captainofsmooth]

it helps to take the pickguard off the bass AND plastic off the pickguard first.... don't ask me how I know...

I'm pretty sure that's a given.... hopefully...

 

[eastcoasteddie]

I love my white pickguard just as it is. it matches the white pickups, and white control knobs on my, 82 Jazz. It also sets off nicely the cream color that my Olympic White Jazz has turned over the last 35-years (bought it in 1985).
View attachment 3970738

So then don't do what I did...

 

[Kukulkan61]

A long time ago, before I ditched all my Fender Jazz Basses, i was doing some gigs with an all Cholo Version Led Zeppelin Tribute Band called "Led Mexican" i painted the pickguard like the Mexican Flag. It wss a funny gimmick... Its the only thing i saved from my Jazz Basses...

View attachment 3970179

I like that, Led Mexican!
I've always wanted to call one of my bands this!

 

[wraub]

Warmoth white pearl, on a Tele-

After 3 weeks outside-
Warmoth white pearl, on my Strat-

I have a hardtail Strat that a PO put a Warmoth white pearloid guard on, then somebody put decals on the pickguard. These left outline halos.
I put the pickguard on a piece of wood, under a piece of glass, and left that all outside in desert heat for a couple weeks. It evened out the color, but the guard is now aged/gold pearloid.
Imo it's the perfect hue of snotty grossness the guitar deserves... Tom Delonge Strat in surf green with a bilious yellow pickguard.

 

[Big Shrek]

I thought the only folks who got white pickguards on purpose
were those who intended to paint 'em or put stickers on 'em??

 

[3684799953275]

I like that, Led Mexican!
I've always wanted to call one of my bands this!
View attachment 3970791

You NEEED to do it!!!! Thats a funny name.

We would tell the Audience names of songs we were about to play, but with Mexicano twist. Like "Houses of Frijoles" "When the Border Breaks" "No Pesos" etc.....it was a fun Act and in a mixed community like SoCal it went over well. Hell, even legit gangbangers started coming out! Lol

 

[Relsom]

I like the white PG on this. It's a '50s Vintera who's original owner swapped it out and notched it for truss rod access. Those gold anodized guards feel kind of icky to me anyway. I had those old plastic knobs laying around for years. I think they came on a early MIM P-Bass, if I'm not mistaken. *why does seafoam green always look blue in photos?*

 

[Ostie]

Florescent lights will age plastic quickly.

It's the UV rays that discolor it, so a UV light would probably accomplish the same effect in less time.

 

[Ostie]

A long time ago, before I ditched all my Fender Jazz Basses, i was doing some gigs with an all Cholo Version Led Zeppelin Tribute Band called "Led Mexican" i painted the pickguard like the Mexican Flag. It wss a funny gimmick... Its the only thing i saved from my Jazz Basses...

View attachment 3970179

That's awesome! Remember that LZ reggae cover band called Dread Zeppelin?

 

[EatS1stBassist]

What a great idea, I'm trying this tonight!

Lol!

 

[Dynacord]

Warmoth white pearl, on a Tele- View attachment 3970793

After 3 weeks outside-
Warmoth white pearl, on my Strat-



View attachment 3970792

Wow, really dramatic difference!

Those gold anodized guards feel kind of icky to me anyway.

This was why the originals in the 50's were sprayed with clear nitro. Feels much better. I don't know why they skip this on most of the various reissues.

 

[Jim C]

It's the UV rays that discolor it, so a UV light would probably accomplish the same effect in less time.

Someone had responded to an old post of mine a few days ago who also agreed with unfiltered black light (meaning the dangerous type used in industry and not the home use black light). One of these days I'm going to get around to trying this.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

My musicmaster is very colorful so I like the bright white pickguard to offset those. The aging process you did looks good though.

But I'm all for whatever you like on a pickguard.

 

[Ric5]