guildzilla
Senior Member
My boys need a house, d-rock.
I've tried the sans pickguard manuever on a few archtops and have tended to believe I could hear a positive difference.
But I've always changed my mind and put the pickguard back in place for a few reasons. I like being able to anchor my pinkie. I don't like seeing and feeling the screw holes. The pickguard typically won't fit in the case compartment, so you have to store it somewhere else, and things stored somewhere else tend to get lost or boogered. And I generally like the look of an archtop with a pickguard.
However, I'm very glad that my Bluesbird came without a pickguard installed and would never consider adding one. The holes would be a bummer.
Also, the unusual X-700 (no electronics) that I currently have also has never had a pickguard. I like it all the better for that, because it has a carved spruce top and is just a pure acoustic archtop.
I've tried the sans pickguard manuever on a few archtops and have tended to believe I could hear a positive difference.
But I've always changed my mind and put the pickguard back in place for a few reasons. I like being able to anchor my pinkie. I don't like seeing and feeling the screw holes. The pickguard typically won't fit in the case compartment, so you have to store it somewhere else, and things stored somewhere else tend to get lost or boogered. And I generally like the look of an archtop with a pickguard.
However, I'm very glad that my Bluesbird came without a pickguard installed and would never consider adding one. The holes would be a bummer.
Also, the unusual X-700 (no electronics) that I currently have also has never had a pickguard. I like it all the better for that, because it has a carved spruce top and is just a pure acoustic archtop.