1-ply or 3-ply pickguard?

[Atticus 3 8 97]

whats really the difference besides the obvious fact that one is a 1 ply and the other is a 3-ply... any effect on sound or which is better for whatever reasons?

 

[bowlfreshener]

I have heard that one of the main differences is that sometimes a 1-ply pickguard can warp over time...

 

[TNO]

The multi-ply ones can get charged with static electricity in the winter and sound scratchy.

 

[Alamo]

3-ply is good for winter


k...I was only kiddin' - but I haven't encountered static electricity on my 3- ply yet.

 

[Atticus 3 8 97]

i figured the 3-ply is probably the better choice, since they seem to be the norm these days, when searching on the internet i find 3-ply's come up a lot more often

but i dont know, i live in the new england so the winter's do suck here

 

[surfoverb]

I'm not sure there is a 'better' choice. I care more about the thickness than the plyness...On Tele's I like the guard to be flush with the control plate otherwise it looks odd...My Jag has a 3 -ply yet it still is flush with the control plates.

I have read about perloid guards sounding better on rosewood fretboard guitars but that seems rather suspect.

 

[Lance]

To me - it's more about looking right for the period of the guitar. 1-ply is for the 50's and 3-ply is for the 60's and newer.
I hadn't thought about the static thing...but come to think of it....maybe there's something to that.

 

[McFly]

If your guitar is a 50's replica of any kind, you can pull off a 1 ply. If not 3 ply is the norm and looks better IMHO.

 

[stxrus]

both my 50s MIM tele & strat came with a period correct 1 ply. i hated the way they warped and looked. i replaced them both with 3 ply and they look better. can't say they sound any different.

i replaced the white one on my white blonde tele with a nice redish tortoise and the surn green strat has a W/B/W.

steve

 

[Jack Wells]

Cosmetics ............. it's all about cosmetics and how you wan't it to look.

 

[Axis29]

The multi-ply ones can get charged with static electricity in the winter and sound scratchy.

I will beg to differ....

I have a three ply aged pearl on my Nashville tele, and a single ply white on my CP 50's strat... and they both give me fits with static!!!

It's driving me nuts actually.

I keep dryer sheets in the cases and wipe them down occasionally, I've tried waxing them, I've got copper sheild to stick to the back of them the next time I'm willing to stop playing them for very long and I'm thinking about shooting the pickguards with clear poly or something to try and put a barrier in there!

 

[nrps]

 

[boris bubbanov]

I like the single ply kind better.

I have a better feel for what's going' on, ya know.

 

[mellecaster]

I like the single ply kind better.

I have a better feel for what's going' on, ya know.

Here Ya go Boris......

(link removed)

 

[6942]

I had a 1 ply that warped badly.....lesson learned.

Steve

 

[boris bubbanov]

Here Ya go Boris......

(link removed)

Good thing I didn't say what I almost said, about going without!

 

[shades]

Whichever ply pickguard you decide to use is more dependent on the look you're going after than anything else. Like Jack said, it's all cosmetics... I haven't encountered static or warping issues with the single ply bakelite guards that I prefer to use but YMMV.

 

[stevieboy]

One ply is certainly prone to warping a little, but also consider that period correct one ply pickguards also only have five screws versus eight.

I guess it bothered Muddy Waters, because he had screws added and he had nine!

It's all about cosmetics IMO and doesn't affect playing, including the warping part.

 

[tjalla]

The way I see it:

50's = meat & potatoes, simple and functional, maple neck, barroom/roadhouse vibe = single ply
60's = classier version, sunburst, custom colours, rosewood, binding = 3 ply

 

[Colt W. Knight]

hmm... no long drawn out bakelite versus plastic yet? hmmm....