Why no pickguards

littlemark

I am wondering why so few selmer style guitars have pick guards.

I know they do dampen the top a bit... But I would also think a hole in the top might also effect the tone.

I know many busatos have guards.

*Edit double negative.

rarely_plays

I've been tempted to put the pick guard on, that came with my guitar, but I'm worried that it might reduce the sound in some small imperceptible way?

paulmcevoy75

I like the static cling plastic stuff, comes right off but does a nice job protecting the top.

If you're a finger dragger, a pick guard doesn't really get into the place where you might want it (under the E and B strings) I don't think.

lucky

I guess that’s what you get when you hire a fingerstyle player to design it!

pdg

You can get very thin clear mylar sheets with peel-off paper and self-stick (spray water, put on, "bleed" air pockets with a big eraser). You can cut out a pickguard shape that also goes under the E and B strings. I don't think it affects the tone (so thin, weighs nothing).

B25Gib

My '08 Holo busato has a very thin clear 1 mm or less "stick on pick guard". Very durable and doesn't show any wear. However, I don't hit chords with the power like Tchavolo Schmidt!

I don't hear any reduction in tone, volume or EQ quality with this thin pick guard application.

wim

They are ugly and they are unnecessary.

littlemark

Ugly is subjective. I will think Willie Nelson's Trigger, would have benefited some.

littlemark

Nothing ugly about that... To me.

This is under the b and e strings to thwart finger dragers. Infact, the gold isn't even worn under the strings.

littlemark

I put this on a former guitar of mine.

MichaelHorowitz

Dupont includes a translucent pickguard on all their guitars. We end up installing similar ones on just about everything else as inevitably that area of the top will get heavily worn overtime.