Countersunk holes in pickguard?

I don't think they had been on standard model guitars... at least not for some time as this is a link to a standard. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/...erican_Standard_Stratocaster_(5847940497).jpg

However, they do on the Eric Johnson model stratocaster, because I was reading the specs on those and noted that feature.

To clarify : the body mounting holes are countersunk (even in yours). On the EJ model the pickup ones are also.

 

So then you've got a pickguard off of an older standard series guitar. At any rate that doesn't really help you countersink them. And I don't really have any advice on that. Maybe a dremel with the cone bit. But then you run the risk of making the hole too large.

 

Use a countersink bit on a drill. just don't go too deep. You could even turn it with your fingers since the material is pretty soft.

 

I'd try a countersink bit with my fingers, or the hand drill. Make sure it's a sharp bit though.

 

From what I know pick up screw holes aren't countersunk unless you go Stevie Ray Vaughan. Maybe the others like someone mentioned, too, but for sure SRV had them countersunk on his famous Strat.

 

They've been countersunk on every Strat I've had. What Fender do with the modern ones I don't know.

 

I bought a new mint pickguard last month and the holes were all countersunk. I'll definitely pay closer attention if I need another.

 

I think my old Strat Plus was not countersunk. But, the underside of the screw heads were flat, not tapered, like in the above picture.

 

Wrong type of screw.

 

Wrong type of scratchplate.

 

When I've come across that I've countersunk by using a drill bit with the same tip taper as the screws (usually around a 1/2" standard bit). Using only the bit light hand pressure it takes like 30 sec per hole. If the bit is sharp and you're even reasonably careful it sorts it all out painlessly.

 

Oval head pickup and switch mounting screws, and therefore countersunk pickguard holes, were used from 1954 until some point in the 1970s CBS years.
So this is a vintage vs modern characteristic.

The oval/countersunk scheme returned in 1982 for the reissues, and has been used on vintage styled instruments since.

Use a chamfer bit and go slowly to convert your pickguard to countersunk vintage style or just use the correct modern round head screws.

Nothing looks worse to me than oval screws on a non-countersunk pickguard.
"Round peg in a square hole"

 

I have PGs with both countersunk and non-countersunk holes. the ones with countersunk get tapered head screws and the ones without get pan head screws.

 

My EJ pickup holes are not countersunk on the 2018 Thinline which has a 1 ply guard and they don’t look like they were on the RW model which is 3 ply but I can’t tell from the pic I have and I sold the guitar a few weeks ago so I can’t check it.