changing pickguards: HELP!

thunderbyrd · June 10th, 2006, 06:47 AM

i recently bought myself a brand-new SRV sig. model - this guitar is Divine! i have heard/read many negative things about this model and none of them apply to mine. i feel like this is the stratocaster perfected.

however, there is one minor defect: i've got to switch out that pickguard. i just can't feel right with someone else's initials on my sweet baby, even if he was one of the great masters.

so i checked at Warmoth and found out what i need to know and am going to order a new pickguard sometime this month from them. but i've never switched guards before, can anybody tell me what to beware of? does anybody know if this model has a metal backplate behind the pickguard? am i going to have to solder anything?
thanks for any advice! :D

GuitarSlinger · June 19th, 2006, 12:11 AM

I believe that model has the older style pickguard, which has less screws. Modern pickguards have 11 screwholes, while the older style has 7 or 8. Just make sure whichever one you order isn't the 11 hole version or else it may look funny. Sorry if you already knew that!

Congrats on the new strat!! You should post a pic after you swap guards

Stratosaurus · June 19th, 2006, 01:08 AM

I've heard of some people cutting the heads off the extra screws and gluing them onto the hole on the pickguard. That's not too bad.

But I believe Warmoth gives you a bunch of options for hole patterns.

I don't know about a metal shield on the pickguard, but you shouldn't have to solder/desolder anything unless you want to pull the electronics away from the body to work with it easier. In that case just the jack and ground wires.

Post some before/after pics! Or at least after.