Whats your preference basses with or without pickguards ?

[Knives]

Seeing as I dont play with a pick and strongly prefer clear or translucent finishes over woods I think are simple and elegant (ash, walnut,redwood ...) I voted without. For my next bass I am thinking 6 string alder with walnut top. I think it would criminally insane for me to put a pickgaurd on that.
Kevin W.

 

[ptidwell]

Although Major Metal, did not specify, I hope it is safe to assume that he is talking about a P or J body basses. I did not vote because I believe it depends on the bass and the style, for the modern look I would not put a pickguard on it, if I were going for the vintage look I would in deed want a pg. For example I have a couple of Skjold's Lions Pride in the current batch each with fabulos tops (although its not offered) I would not think of putting a top on it. I have a Nordy vJ5 on order that I have two pg made for it. Non J's like the F Bass or a MTD should IMO never have a pg on it. But to each his own.

 

[Nikoubis]

I like good basses that play and sound good.

 

[Thunder_Fingers]

With, With out.


I have both, and they look quite nice all 3 of em.

 

[SUNNyday r.]

I prefer a highly figured Warwick custom with a tort shell.

 

[Shoewreck]

Pickguards make basses unpopable. Without or at least with a very thin one. I don't care much about looks, though.

 

[*smb]

I only like pickguards on Fenders really. My first bass had a pickguard but none of the rest. I voted without

But did anyone else notice \MM/ answered his own question? He doesn't do that often!

 

[stedtale]

It really depends on the bass. It looks good one some basses, and not on others. I'm having one built right now with a wenge/maple/wenge pickguard, it'll be my only pickgarded/scratchplated bass.

 

[lpdeluxe]

For years I loved the look of a bass with a natural finish and no pickguard, like my Tribute L2000 (natural ash/maple fb) or Carvin LB20 (natural mahogany/ebony fb) but now I've gone over to the other side, with a '51 P RI with the black amoeba guard, a '50s P with the gold aluminum piece, and a fretless Jazz in blue agave with a black one.

Coming up next: a natural ash/rosewood fb P with a tortoise pickguard.

 

[lowselfesteem]

without - classy AND sexy

 

[Danger Deez]

Another vote for without... pickguards are almost always tacky and ugly.

 

[Phil230]

if jazz bass have pickguard, its because its important
god bless fender

 

[John Wentzien]

The less plastic, the better for me. I think is chokes the sound a little bit.. kind of like duct tape on a drum head.. Might be all in my head

 

[Fealach]

Generally, without, but a Fender or "Fender inspired" absolutely NEEDS one.

 

[dancehallclasher]

It doesn't much matter to me. I use a pick maybe half the time, but I never hit the pickguard. Basses just aren't generally played that way. Guards are necessary with guitars because of the large follow-through of the strumming motion... not so with pickstyle bass.

But I do like retro, art-deco looking stuff, and pickguards certainly add to that. If I ever got me a "fancy" bass, though, I don't think I'd want a guard.

 

[Jazzin']

With. Even though I never use picks. But it really doesn't matter to me. Whatever the bass looks better with. i.e. it depends on the bass.

 

[evilgingergoat]

im not really bothered

 

[nonohmic]

I've ripped up the wood already on my SR505 by popping without cutting my fingernails first! --> if i had a pickguard there would be no problem.

 

[Liko]

My favorite bass (TRB-1005) does not have a pickguard. My second favorite bass (MIM Jazz) does. I went ahead and voted for "without", but really it all depends on the overall design of the bass. Fender Jazz Basses need a pickguard; it's part of the look, and removing it makes me feel like something's missing (they're also LARGE bodies, so that's a lot of plain ol bass).

However, if a bass needs a pickguard, it needs a good one. None of this white stuff, give me something interesting to look at. Pearloid, Tort, cracked mirror, anything.