Tort guard hate?

[smogg]

In a word, yes. The real original tortoiseshell was shell of, not a tortoise, but turtle, usually hawksbill sea turtle. Was used for pickguards on acoustic guitars, guitar picks, eyeglass frames, hairbrushes, hand mirrors....lots of consumer products...to the point the animals became critically endangered. They're now protected under US and international laws. Acoustic players value the real deal highly for picks.

Well then I have no use for "real" tort. Just like I have no use for "real" Ivory. I'm good with synesthetic replacements.

 

[bkbirge]

There's ugly and then there's ugly.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Apologies if this has been covered ad naseum here, but I’m new to the fold and lazy about searching, so here goes: why all the tort guard hate? Personally, I’ve always been a huge fan of tort guards; probably my favorite guard option. Am I in the minority? Lay it on me, TalkBass, what say y’all?

I have a tort on my PJ...and too cheap to replace it.

 

[TinyE]

i vote no more tort....ever!

 

[juancaminos]

I've picked up on a bit of Tort bashing. I like tort on the right bass...like my Jazz. But I'll be the first to admit that it doesn't look good on every bass. Oh and I don't like the real fine tort, it looks fake to me.

 

[JGbassman]

Tort? you would never catch me playing a bass with such a pickgua......


Wait, don't look at my sig pic....

Ok, nevermind

 

[Mvilmany]

What’s not to like?

 

[maplenecked]

Love tort

 

[JaseyT]

I don't hate that style/color of pickguard. What I do hate is calling it that, instead of "tortoiseshell". Come on, people. It's three syllables, and we aren't kindergartners.

 

[Yahboy]

View attachment 2996959

What’s not to like?

I hate the Les Paul knobs !!!

 

[Yahboy]

View attachment 2996959

What’s not to like?

I hate the Les Paul knobs !!!

 

[Jeff K]

Tort look great with fiesta red, lake placid blue, Olym white, sunburst ,burgundy mist body, but I never like tort with maple fingerboard.

My2cents

Generally, I agree with you insofar as I usually don't like a tort guard with a maple board. But there are exceptions. For example, here's a Honey Blonde Classic '50s that I used to own. When I found it used at a GC, it was wearing tort. Knowing that they came with the gold anodized, I jotted down the S/N, stepped outside and called Fender. They verified that it was indeed a Classic '50s.

I love tort, but not on everything. Here are but a few of mine from over the years (with probably at least a dozen more I could have posted). But I have also had or have basses with black, cream, and others. I even have white guards on a couple. (An E-Series '80s MIJ P in Vintage White/maple, and a MIM P-Bass Deluxe in Seafoam Pearl Metallic. I'm open-minded about pickguards, but have always had an affinity for tort. (Yes, even on certain Red/rosewood basses!)

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

Tort hate?? What did you smoke?

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

I'll honestly admit, I hate tort pguards. There I said it (typed it?). I just don't like brown period.

All good. I'm not a big fan of flats.. there I said

I like tort thoigh.

 

[GIBrat51]

What exactly is "real" tort? Did somebody slaughter a poor defenseless tortoise for it's shell?

Well... actually, yeah, that's where it came from, originally. Early in the 20th century, somebody figured out how to make it out of celluloid; along with ping pong balls, and cheap billiard balls. To most people, that's "real" tortoise shell. And, that stuff can be really good looking. I have an old pocket knife with celluloid tort scales; they're gorgeous. And, so were most of the original tort pick guards. But, celluloid degrades badly over time; and, given the right conditions, it can literally "burst" into flame. Modern plastic tort is safer, more stable over time, and cheaper to make; unfortunately, a lot of it looks cheaper, too. I personally don't hate tort, but... IMO, a little of it goes a very long way. Except for my pocket knife, this is all of the tort I have...

 

[Maynjo]

I've been told putting a tort guard on your bass greatly improves clarity, sustain, playability and sometimes even tone wood.

 

[fretno]

For the record I love turtles. I probably have never even had a real piece of shell in my hand unless it was a living turtle. Thinking only guitar minded real deal to me is
nitrate celluloid tort. It has a depth to it the cheap stuff doesn’t. The richness of color is worlds better as well. Sure maybe a couple feet away maybe hard to tell but boy the real stuff can be incredibly beautiful

 

[Blaze Barlow]

I had a 1966 american fender jazz that had a tortoise shell pickguard..it was a natural wood body with a rosewood fingerboard..I currently have a 1999 american fender jazz with sunburst body and rosewood fingerboard.. but it came with a white pickguard which I changed to a mother of pearl..and it really looks sharp..

 

[juancaminos]

I've been told putting a tort guard on your bass greatly improves clarity, sustain, playability and sometimes even tone wood.

That is exactly why I use it.

 

[el_Bajo_Verde]

It's just ugly (in my opinion) and its design doesn't really make sense to me on a bass guitar. It looks out of place and clashes with every color and burst.