Ramblings on the LP pickguard.

[BGood]

It always makes me wince when someone wants to add a pickguard to a nice top LP. Pains me even worst to see they still drill most of them at the factory to fit one.

The guy that designed it surely was a D student at the design school. Or maybe just couple of bored Friday night employees. I can hear them:

- Hey Jack, what's that scrap piece of plastic sticking out from under the mill there ?
- Uh ... dunno.
- Well, pick it up dumb ass.
- OK OK, don't get on your high horses, here it is.

- Hey, what you say we try to fit it on that guitar over there and put it in the showroom, to see if Monday morning when the boss comes in, he notices anything ?
- Won't fit ...

- Here gimmie that X-Acto knife and file. I'll make it fit.
- Duh ... that looks goofy, but so is the boss ... gna gna.


What if Antonio Stradivari was played the same joke ?

​

 

[Norton]

I’d have to disagree with you on the design aspect.

From both a functional standpoint, and the time period when the LP was launched, the pickguard is actually pushing towards “space age”.

It’s minimal, very effective and has just enough of a nod to the past (mounting bracket etc) to have one foot in the familiar and one pushing towards the “modern era” 1950’s...high tech: television, satellites, electric guitars !!!!etc.

But I totally understand your preference.

 

[Norton]

I like it on the standup. In that visual context the lp pickguard is a preview of the Flying V, yet to be born.

 

[Davis Sharp]

Not just the LP, the pickguard disfigures and vandalizes every archtop.

 

[AJ6stringsting]

I'm buying a Black Epi LPC with chrome hardware, adding in a chrome Schaller tailpiece with fine tuners , pulling out the Seymour Duncan 59's and putting in a Carvin M22SD or Dimarzio X2N in the bridge possition and a Seymour Duncan Screamin' Demon or a 11. 28 k ohms Bill Lawrence XL500 in the neck .... I ordered a chrome pickguard , to give it a John Sykes vibe.

 

[Davis Sharp]

.... I ordered a chrome pickguard

 

[A_ChordWithNoName]

You cant be serious LOL

 

[BGood]

 

[Raiyn]

Carvin M22SD

I've got the Carvin S22 J&B set in my G400 and AP11s in my Strat. Good stuff. Pity they only make the Kiesel stuff now. I'm a big fan of their 11 pole per coil pickups.

 

[AJ6stringsting]

I've got the Carvin S22 J&B set in my G400 and AP11s in my Strat. Good stuff. Pity they only make the Kiesel stuff now. I'm a big fan of their 11 pole per coil pickups.

They stopped making the M22SD, C22 and AP 11 ?
Those pickups really connected with me. The M22SD was one of my favorite bridge pickups for a Heavy Metal tone, it had a Dimarzio Evolution - Bill Lawrence XL 500 vibe. C22's had a more PAF on steroids kick to my ears.
A former bandmate let me borrow a traditional Strat with AP 11, it had a thicker bass, mids and not too much ear piercing treble, like most Stat bridge pickups.
I'm going to cruise the web to see if Kiesel still makes those three pickups.

 

[Raiyn]

They stopped making the M22SD, C22 and AP 11 ?

Let me revise my statement, last time I looked, there were no 11 per coil pickups other than the AP11. As of today, the missing pickups seem to be limited to the covered S-series. Might have been a website issue, (happened before) but the C&M series seem to be intact as of today.

 

[AJ6stringsting]

Maybe you should call Keisel to see if they could do a custom job for you.