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Pickguard/Body Shape Aesthetics

M-Mittlesteadt

M-Mittlesteadt

Sep 6, 2024
1,076
3,374
65
Central WI
#1
I know this is a very trivial thing for most people and we all have different ideas about what we like/dislike in the looks of our bass.

As an artist, I love the shapes/designs of a lot of basses and some I have a strong dislike and as petty as it might be, there are some basses that I really like visually, but the shape/color of the pickguard either flows with the curves of the body or it (IMO) ruins the looks.

I love the classic Precision/Jazz pickguards. But...I really hate the '51 Precision pickguard (what's with the need for it on the upper horn? and why does the other end have a control plate that doesn't flow into anything?). I like the MM Sting Ray guard, but hate the Sterling pickguard shape. I also dislike the toilet seat body shape of the Bongo. I prefer the body shape of a Precision over the droopy Jazz body. I also dislike the short upper horns of Mustangs and Jaguars. Why is the upper horn so short?

Most are all excellent basses, but visually there just some bass body and pickguard shapes that turn me off visually. I also understand that others either don't care of really love them. To each his own, obviously. Don't take my opinion personally...just a quirk of mine. I'm more interested in what others' favorite shapes/designs are.

I either prefer no pickguard (especially on natural finishes) or a pickguard the flows with the body shape, like the eternally classic Precision pickguard change in 1957 to today...

Discuss...;)🍿

What are some of your favorite body and/or pickguard shapes?

LPB-Tort-PG2.jpg
 
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#4
Aesthetics are important. I think if it you find it visually appealing it's more fun to pick it up and play.

I don't like violin shaped basses, flying V's, pointy horns/headstocks, or anything other than inline tuners. 2x2? Nope, not for me. I've never thought much about pickguards.

And I like colors. Black and 3 tone burst have been so overdone for so many years.

But that's my opinion, for my basses, your mileage may vary.
 
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#6
WI Short Scaler said:
Aesthetics are important. I think if it you find it visually appealing it's more fun to pick it up and play.

I don't like violin shaped basses, flying V's, pointy horns/headstocks, or anything other than inline tuners. 2x2? Nope, not for me. I've never thought much about pickguards.

And I like colors. Black and 3 tone burst have been so overdone for so many years.

But that's my opinion, for my basses, your mileage may vary.
Click to expand...
I never used to like colors. For 45 years, I always liked either natural wood finishes, sunburst or basic black. Until I got my new Squier P/J in Lake Placid Blue. Even then it had to grow on me. Now? LOL.

full-counter-horizontal-rotated.jpg

Mark-SRV-Blue-PJ.jpg
 
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#7
Ok, you asked for it. Not sure why Leo thought it proper to fill almost half the front of his newfangled electric bass w/ lacquer covered black phenolic plastic but he did and I like it. I suspect the integration of the PG w/ the control plate might be due to already having these plates on hand [originally used on early Tele design] and as we know Leo did not like to waste.
IMG_1821.JPG


The other side of the coin. Not sure why Fender thought a minimalist pg that didn't really protect the body for most bass players, other than from heavy pickers, was the right call either. But I like it too.
IMG_6713.JPG
 
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#8
2saddleslab said:
Ok, you asked for it. Not sure why Leo thought it proper to fill almost half the front of his newfangled electric bass w/ lacquer covered black phenolic plastic but he did and I like it. I suspect the integration of the PG w/ the control plate might be due to already having these plates on hand [originally used on early Tele design] and as we know Leo did not like to waste.
View attachment 7271327

The other side of the coin. Not sure why Fender thought a minimalist pg that didn't really protect the body for most bass players, other than from heavy pickers, was the right call either. But I like it too.
View attachment 7271329
Click to expand...
Maybe that early P-Bass pickguard was for heavy "strummers" protecting it from wide sweeping strumming both up and down? Ya' got me. :)
 
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#13
The one and only bass that I've had with a pickguard was my very first bass.
A Pre Ernie Ball Musicman Sabre.
And I took that pickguard off immediately!

I asked myself"Why does a bass need a pickguard?Most who do use a pick don't get really wild and scratch the surface"

So from then on every single bass I bought had no pickguard.
 
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#17
I'm fine with whatever pickguard/front cavity cover comes with a purchased bass (I have a Fender J and a Yamaha TRBX 604 with guards; a couple Dean Edges with none). But on my own designs/builds, I veer strongly toward exposed wood, usually with rear-access control cavities. My oldest build that I am keeping (avatar photo) started with a plan for a pickguard that would, P-style, encompass the neck pickup and control cavity, but I just could not come up with a design that didn't suck. I whittled away bit by bit until I landed at the cover in the pic. My very first build of my own suffered from too-large a cavity and a pickguard I was never happy with, so I built a new body with no guard. Between my designs sucking on one hand and my appreciation of exposed, natural or lightly stained wood and rear-routed cavities on the other, I have no room for pickguards on my own builds.
 
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