Mojojonesing
Tele-Meister
Why are the pickguards so darn big on Thinline Tele's? Is all that plastic covering up something unsightly?
Why are the pickguards so darn big on Thinline Tele's?
- Thread starter Mojojonesing
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Mounting the controls in the pickguard is less expensive than a separate chromed steel plate.
Whgo knows, maybe Leo wanted it to be more like a Strat, but still a Tele.
Whgo knows, maybe Leo wanted it to be more like a Strat, but still a Tele.
kuch
Poster Extraordinaire
It's a USA G&L Asat, but one of the reasons I got it was because of the "standard" tele pickguard and control plate 
Funny, just this evening at a local jam, one of the other guitarists there was showing me a decal he put on the pickguard of his AO/AV 70s Tele Custom. He said, “This decal takes up most of the pickguard.” I replied, “Dude, your pickguard takes up most of the guitar anyway!”
Cool looks, whether it’s the smaller traditional Tele pickguard, the large pickguard of the Tele Thinline, or the even larger pickguard of the Tele Custom/Deluxe. Gotta love variety.
Cool looks, whether it’s the smaller traditional Tele pickguard, the large pickguard of the Tele Thinline, or the even larger pickguard of the Tele Custom/Deluxe. Gotta love variety.
ahiddentableau
Friend of Leo's
Wasn't it a cost cutting measure? That was my take, although I can't point to anything to prove it.
Apart from the cost-cutting angle, it looks like the corner of a "normal" Tele pickguard would hit/come too close to the F-hole. So maybe they started designing a new shape for the pickguard and got carried away.
Personally, I like the shape. It has kind of a Far West/cowboy vibe, doesn't it?
Personally, I like the shape. It has kind of a Far West/cowboy vibe, doesn't it?
black_doug
Poster Extraordinaire
String Tree
Telefied
Only one way to find out.
It was the same modular approach Fender used to make the Strat: assemble all the electronics on a plate, drop it into the body, and solder the jack connection. It's faster and cleaner from a production perspective.
I have no idea what you're talking about
I have no idea what you're talking about
I tried a minimalist version on this build.
Minivan Megafun
Tele-Afflicted
Except the Thinline was not a Leo design. CBS was well in control by '68.
The entire concept of the Thinline was a way to shave weight from the heavy ash bodies they were getting at the time.
Mojojonesing
Tele-Meister
I think my real reason for asking this question is that if wanted to trim down the expanse of pickguard, particularly over by the control plate to expose the mahogany underneath. I couldn't just pop in a standard tele control plate as the rout on the thinlines is on an angle and that would look weird. Any thoughts or clarifications here?
Some real beautiful thinlines on display here by the way!
Some real beautiful thinlines on display here by the way!
Mojojonesing
Tele-Meister
Quite a beauty!
Reminds me of luthier T. K. Smith's Paul Bigsby inspired guitars.
Mojojonesing
Tele-Meister
absolutely gorgeous. who makes the vibrato? It looks like it work like a bigsby...
AAT65
Doctor of Teleocity
That looks so much better than the Fender Thinline scratchplate tho!I have no idea what you're talking about
Dostradamas
Poster Extraordinaire
The paranormals are pretty small
The mad scientist (or perhaps mad industrial designer) in me says, leave the outline/ screw holes of the pickguard as-is, and cut a see-through window somewhere between the two pickups and the pickup switch.
Mojojonesing
Tele-Meister
Interesting, thereby leaving me with two floating islands of plastic on the top...The mad scientist (or perhaps mad industrial designer) in me says, leave the outline/ screw holes of the pickguard as-is, and cut a see-through window somewhere between the two pickups and the pickup switch.
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