Is WDMUSIC my only option for a mint green pickguard for a 72 deluxe RI tele?

[WilburBufferson]

I've searched high and low on the internet and this seems to be the only place that can do it. CONTEXT: I really wanted one of those Fender FSR Aqua Blue Flake teles that were just released, but couldn't find one in Canada, so I bought a aqua flake body from reliablefender and married it to a regular black 72 tele deluxe that I found locally for a good deal. But... it just doesn't look right with a black guard. I think Fender got it right with the mint green (or is it?) but I can't readily find one. I didn't think it would be this hard, but all of my guitar quests seem to turn out this way... Help... anyone? Thanks.

[kubiakl]

Have you checked Warmoth? They make pickguards to your specs and have a Tele Deluxe option. I have a Warmoth pickguard on my Strat and like it, and I just checked the website - they do mint green.

http://www.warmoth.com/Pickguard/Tel...Pickguard.aspx

[Chautauqua]

Beat me to it...

Couple things: I don't think that the PG on the FSR 72 RI's is Mint, I think it's white like the rest of them and the blue is just making it look mint. Pretty sure they're single ply white. And I think you may end up vastly ahead "building your own" as I keep hearing that they done yet another redesign of the WRHB and they're not being liked all that much. The Orange FSR I played sounded "brittle" and thin compared to my Walnut RI stock some years ago. I have a Vintage 73 and a 72 RI and the pups are VERY different (even with all the mods I've done to the RI they're still different sounding guitars) and now if indeed a third re-design has been done it's gonna be "really fun" to sort through what pups are what when time comes to do a final build and I have to buy new pups.

Dear Fender... Why not remake a vintage 72 Deluxe and while you're at it bring back the natural finish??? Those of us who love WRHB's don't want them to sound like Gibson Humbuckers. Also, you have "American Vintage Re-issues" of every other "72" model BUT the Deluxe so you're either saving it for something or you're missing the boat greatly.

Anyway, hope you get your PG sorted out. I made the mistake of "custom building" a 72 Deluxe on Warmouth's site and spent 4 hours just fiddling with the options. You've been warned, a trip to their site can suddenly make you think you need all kinds of new things

Cheers

Dave

[Chet Johnson]

Or www.pickguardian.com

[WilburBufferson]

Mint green, 3-ply?

[WilburBufferson]

Originally Posted by kubiakl

Have you checked Warmoth? They make pickguards to your specs and have a Tele Deluxe option. I have a Warmoth pickguard on my Strat and like it, and I just checked the website - they do mint green.

http://www.warmoth.com/Pickguard/Tel...Pickguard.aspx

Thanks -- this appears to be the cheapest option, but when you build the guard and go to the cart, there is a disclaimer that says that it will only fit warmoth bodies. Do they put that in for legal reasons, or does it mean that it won't fit my MIM RI body? Are they actually a different size/layout?

[kubiakl]

Originally Posted by WilburBufferson

Thanks -- this appears to be the cheapest option, but when you build the guard and go to the cart, there is a disclaimer that says that it will only fit warmoth bodies. Do they put that in for legal reasons, or does it mean that it won't fit my MIM RI body? Are they actually a different size/layout?

Ah man, sorry, I didn't see that - it wasn't there for the Strat pickguard I did. After a little searching it looks like they're being honest, the screw holes won't line up. (http://www.tdpri.com/forum/archive/i.../t-136093.html) So you'd have to drill new holes and possibly fill the old ones if they are really close.

Pickguardian would be good to check out, also have a look at Terrapin:

http://www.terrapinguitars.com/index...ntent#electric

They have the '72 Deluxe template, and it looks like Mint/Black/Mint would run $44. You can also send in your original pickguard if you want to be extra super duper sure it fits.

[boris bubbanov]

Originally Posted by Chautauqua

Couple things: I don't think that the PG on the FSR 72 RI's is Mint,

You could easily be right, Dave,

But the other FSRs using this style of pickguard from FMIC are all Mint, that I am thinking of. Or 3 ply black.

I would be anxious, trying to get a Mint guard from these other sources. They use blanks that are too pistachio for me. I like that strong gray element that only the Fender sourced material has.

[morgankelly]

Originally Posted by WilburBufferson

Thanks -- this appears to be the cheapest option, but when you build the guard and go to the cart, there is a disclaimer that says that it will only fit warmoth bodies. Do they put that in for legal reasons, or does it mean that it won't fit my MIM RI body? Are they actually a different size/layout?

I don't know about the Deluxe, but I bought a '72RI pickguard from Warmoth a few years back and it was a different size.

[drb1346]

Go with Warmoth. I've bought half a dozen pickguards there, all have been a perfect fit.

[hongaku]

You folks who keep saying Warmoth for this type of guard are unfortunately incorrect. Their regular tele style guards will fit your regular kind of Fender tele; however, the guards for 70s style deluxes, customs, and thinlines offered by Warmoth will NOT properly fit the Fender versions of these guitars (MIA or MIM) - period.

You will need to go with WD, Terrapin, Pickguardian, etc.

[Chautauqua]

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

You could easily be right, Dave,

But the other FSRs using this style of pickguard from FMIC are all Mint, that I am thinking of. Or 3 ply black.

I would be anxious, trying to get a Mint guard from these other sources. They use blanks that are too pistachio for me. I like that strong gray element that only the Fender sourced material has.

I just thought I remembered them being 3 ply white... I could have SWORN the one (orange flake) I looked at was White, but that looks mint-ish to me from the pics. We all know how confused I get aye It's like the "other FSR Deluxe" confusion all over again. HAHAHAHAHA Clearly I just need to shut up and listen more aye.

Good info too on the color palate of Warmouth. Thanks for the heads up mate. I'm gearing up to start making my own guitars (got all the tools and wood-working skills, just need the supplies) and I'm trying to sus. out who is truly the best parts suppliers for any one thing/part.

Originally Posted by hongaku

You folks who keep saying Warmoth for this type of guard are unfortunately incorrect. Their regular tele style guards will fit your regular kind of Fender tele; however, the guards for 70s style deluxes, customs, and thinlines offered by Warmoth will NOT properly fit the Fender versions of these guitars (MIA or MIM) - period.

You will need to go with WD, Terrapin, Pickguardian, etc.

That's a big deal aye. thanks for the heads up aye. So are they cut for "their" 72 Deluxe bodies that are then just a little different size/dimensions???

Cheers

DAve

[RussBert]

http://pickguards.us/index.html


I bought a replacement for my MIM '72 Thinline, and it was a perfect fit. I also bought one for a '96 ASAT that was also a perfect fit.

[WilburBufferson]

So... currently looking at Terrapin. It's a tossup between mint and parchment, although I think it is the former. When you google images this particular guitar, the guard looks like it could be either, plus plain old white. I find it mysterious that with the internet, I can't spot a source that unambiguously lists the specification.

[kubiakl]

I tried some searches but couldn't find anyone that explicitly stated the color either... however I did look at this Ebay listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-FSR-C...-/320884318607

And there's a ProGuitarShop.com listing that will allow you to zoom pretty close on the pickguard:

http://proguitarshop.com/fender-fsr-...er-deluxe.html

It's a tough call brother, sorry I couldn't be more help. Let us know what you end up going with please!

[WilburBufferson]

Kubiakl - thanks for the second link from PGS. Those are the best pics I've seen yet. Man, this is tough. All the samples I have seen online of mint green look too "pistachio" as Boris points out. I am now wondering whether parchment makes more sense. Take a look at this sample gallery:

http://www.terrapinisland.com/materi...Materials.html

and the one from PGS:

http://proguitarshop.com/fender-fsr-...er-deluxe.html

Parchment might make more sense because the gold and tangerine versions of this guitar don't look mint green to my eye -- but more white. Parchment seems to split the difference.

What do you think?

[kubiakl]

I'm personally biased towards parchment. Those PGS pictures look more white than mint to me as well. Plus if you go mint and it turns out too green it could clash with the Aqua Flake finish.

But I'm far from an expert. Just my opinion based on a few pictures on my computer.

Another thing I will say is that, fortunately, pickguards aren't crazy expensive. If you want to try the mint and it doesn't turn out for you, you'll be out a little money but at least you'll know it didn't work.

[WilburBufferson]

Update(s):

I found some European sites selling the guitar and they list it as a mint guard. Before that, I contacted an ebay seller who had the guitar in hand and they said it looked more parchment to them. Ha ha ha. Could it be that Fender is slapping both colours on and this would account for the variation? Or it could be variation in the plastic stock colour? Or (and most likely) the colour is a tricky one because one's perception changes greatly depending on the lighting what colour you put behind it.

In the end, I ordered a mint guard from WD. I almost bought one from Terrapin but the PDF template (which I correctly printed) didn't match up -- it was too small. Glad I did that. Here is a picture as things stand with the black guard:

[kubiakl]

Probably a tricky color to nail down, but I hope the mint guard works out for you. Will you post some updated pictures once it comes in? I'd love to see it man.

[beaugatlin]

I just bought a new FSR aqua flake 72 tele, and the pickguard is most definitely mint and 3 ply.