Scratchplates... Do we need them?

Watersilk

Watersilk

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I guess that the reason most PRS' don't have sctratchplates, is that they would spoil the tone and sustain, and secondly the look if it's a fancy top? Is there even a need for a scratchplate?

While my Singlecut Mc Carty has a nice arched profiled body, my Singlecut SE is only bevelled, therefore flatter beneath the strings.... the lacquer feels very exposed to plectrum contact.

I'm considering designing a scratchplate for my SE Singlecut and having it fitted Les Paul style with a bracket.

Has anyone had an aftermarket scratchplate fitted to their SE? If so, please post pictures of how it looks :)

Perhaps you will scare me from taking this crazy idea further...???? or... encourage me to start drilling!:girl:
 
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Well, I pick a lot and find yes, it is necessary on a Strat, mine is scratched to death by fingernails but Strats are a different animal as it's part of the electronics set up, there's not a lot you can do. I was fortunate enough to buy a Les Paul second hand without the scratch plate fitted and I've never felt the need to fit it. Most likely it's to do with the shape of the body and the fact that it 'drops away' from the area normally attacked by the plectrum. My Tremonti SE is the same as the Gibson, I find no need for a scratch-plate for it. Personally I wouldn't fit a scratch-plate to any guitar if it wasn't 100% required and the way they are fitted to LP's is shocking, a bit of plastic, a couple of screws, extra holes in the body and a bit of tin yuchhh!!! My Tremonti SE looks fabulous naked and I intend to keep it like that.
 
Mixstar said:
Well, I pick a lot and find yes, it is necessary on a Strat, mine is scratched to death by fingernails but Strats are a different animal as it's part of the electronics set up, there's not a lot you can do. I was fortunate enough to buy a Les Paul second hand without the scratch plate fitted and I've never felt the need to fit it. Most likely it's to do with the shape of the body and the fact that it 'drops away' from the area normally attacked by the plectrum. My Tremonti SE is the same as the Gibson, I find no need for a scratch-plate for it. Personally I wouldn't fit a scratch-plate to any guitar if it wasn't 100% required and the way they are fitted to LP's is shocking, a bit of plastic, a couple of screws, extra holes in the body and a bit of tin yuchhh!!! My Tremonti SE looks fabulous naked and I intend to keep it like that.
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Yes I agree, naked also my favourite look! However, back to guitars, yes the strat is flat and quite a different animal. The reason I was wondering, is because my SE was terribly scratched from pick strike when I bought her. I polished out most of the surface scratches, I was just wondering if this is something others have come across, or perhaps it was just an enthusiastic strummer who last owned this guitar.

Les Paul's..... far worse than the scratchplate (visually) has to be the Klusen tuners.... yes they are functional, but they look so 'crude', an ugly piece of wire with a cheap bit of plastic stuck on the end.... yuk! Personal taste I know; just my feelings :)

Drilling holes in my baby is not something I want to do.... thank you for your advice Quickstar :)
 
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Surface abrasions and other scratches in the finish are often the result of aggressive picking. Some styles of music (and some styles of performing the music) tend to invoke that aggressive pick abuse, so it may depend on how/what you play. I don't have that issue, but I don't play punk-thrash style all that much.

There are clear plastic pickguards you can install onto almost any guitar without drilling - the plastic sticks to the body like a thicker version of that protective film you get on new electronics. They don't last as long as a true pick guard, but you can remove them whenever you want.
 
I use stone picks and I'm an aggressive picker; I have no noticeable damage on any of my PRSi. I notice the scratch plate vibrates on my Les Paul Custom and it drives me nuts.
 
shinksma said:
Surface abrasions and other scratches in the finish are often the result of aggressive picking. Some styles of music (and some styles of performing the music) tend to invoke that aggressive pick abuse, so it may depend on how/what you play. I don't have that issue, but I don't play punk-thrash style all that much.

There are clear plastic pickguards you can install onto almost any guitar without drilling - the plastic sticks to the body like a thicker version of that protective film you get on new electronics. They don't last as long as a true pick guard, but you can remove them whenever you want.
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I never thought of that! Like you buy for an acoustic guitar!! Brilliant idea!

Yes, I thought of that too..... perhaps the last owner was doing Pete Townsend impressions.. ha! It's just that I'm now very aware of the 'possibility' of scratching my darling :) You could never write about these things on the Gibson forum, their philosophy is the more scratches the better! We PRS owners just appreciate beauty...... but I must let go and play this thing!
 
Pfloyd57 said:
I use stone picks and I'm an aggressive picker; I have no noticeable damage on any of my PRSi. I notice the scratch plate vibrates on my Les Paul Custom and it drives me nuts.
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I have a bit of a thing with vibrators..... but if my Les Paul was doing that it would also drive me nuts... or someone's nuts.

Did you try screwing it...... I mean checking the .............. (sorry) I suppose Gibson thought of that one, they rusted the screws on my LP VOS, so I think it would even be difficult to get it off... the scratchplate... I mean

But seriously, you have a point, an unnecessary complication that can cause problems... thank you.
 
I think they're less necessary on an arch top guitar because your pick is less likely to hit the top. But they can also be nice to rest your pinky on if you're used to resting your pinky on a flat top.

On a les paul, I like the the way they look either way. I can't imagine one on a custom 24 though. They already look so perfect as is.
 
EveryAxeAGem said:
Many people feel a LP looks better with a pick guard. Others also use them as a finger rest.

As for holes, any electric guitar top already has multiple gaping holes for pickups, controls, bridge, trem etc. Therefore a lot of people don't mind.

I personally can appreciate both looks. With a really figured top, it doesn't make sense to have its beauty obscured. With a plain top, a pickguard can actually enhance the guitar's look. A customized wood pickguard can always be made to replace the cheap looking plastic one.
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Yes! Personally I think a Les Paul looks like my avatar if it doesn't have a pickgaurd (indecently dressed)..... at least the traditional ones.... horror of horrors.... I even wondered what a Bernie Marsden (SE) would look like with a pickgaurd...... !

Can you imagine a beautiful 10 top with a pickgaurd...... ??? It wouldn't look right at all.

You are right, it doesn't have to be plastic, I've even seen them made of metal....... it would be interesting to see if some SE owner's have made their own...
 
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Gibson also use that crappy pink plastic, the same, I believe, they use for the binding. The reason they use that is that that was the colour of all plastic back in the early days and they want it to look 'original'. I bought a Godin a few weeks back and asked if I could have it without the pick guard and was told it was an option!
 
Mixstar said:
Gibson also use that crappy pink plastic, the same, I believe, they use for the binding. The reason they use that is that that was the colour of all plastic back in the early days and they want it to look 'original'. I bought a Godin a few weeks back and asked if I could have it without the pick guard and was told it was an option!
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When I bought my Les Paul, I asked if the pickgaurd came with a guitar, apparently that's also an option ;) The quality variables from the Custom Shop are sometimes astonishing.... but that's detracting from the subject.. :)
 
Gibson is now offering a pick guard that does not require holes on the guitar (Les Pauls - Removable Pick Guards).
LPCS15SFNH1_NF_12.jpg

But it seems you still got to deal with their asinine "Gibson G FORCE™" robotic tuner nonsense...but that's another issue.
 
Just my opinion but i think those Gibson pick guards make the entire guitar look ugly.
 
Paul doesn't want you to put ugly plastic on his pretty guitars. :D They'd be on there already if they were needed! I'm just not a fan of them in general. I like the PRS that have them on stock well enough. First thing I did to every LP I ever owned was ripped that ugly crap off! Hahaha. It's really not necessary unless you use a hunk of broken glass as your pick:)
 
Campbell said:
Gibson is now offering a pick guard that does not require holes on the guitar (Les Pauls - Removable Pick Guards).
LPCS15SFNH1_NF_12.jpg

But it seems you still got to deal with their asinine "Gibson G FORCE™" robotic tuner nonsense...but that's another issue.
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Gibson R&D works tirelessly for weenies that can't tune their guitar or operate a phillips head screwdriver.
 
sergiodeblanc said:
Gibson R&D works tirelessly for weenies that can't tune their guitar or operate a phillips head screwdriver.
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Hahahahaahaha!

I noticed this the other day..... the absence of that bracket..... I really don't understand Gibson's new direction, for want of better words..... the Les Paul must have had 'something' going for it, otherwise why would it be copied by so many other manufacturers.....

I do love my Les Paul, it's uncomfortable to play, and my fingers get a bit crowded on the fretboard, but personally I think that scratchplate goes with the period look.... after all, it is an old-fashioned looking guitar...

So Gibson take this iconic design... and ruin it! If modernisation was the goal, why not produce an entirely new guitar... and if they still hadn't seen the light, fit that beast with automatic tuners, holograms and rubbish detachable scratch plates? I haven't seen any positive comments on the Gibson forum for the 2015 specs.......

Surely good news for pre 2015 secondhand Les Paul prices!

Shame on you Gibson!!!!
 
Mikegarveyblues said:
I think Gibson likes to follow The Microsoft route of good, not so good, terrible, good, terrible....

That robotic tuner is downright daft.
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I saw Whitesnake in concert this past Monday. (Good concert, well played songs, etc.) Both guitarists usually played Gibson Les Pauls, getting them swapped out between songs quite often. At one point during one of the songs with a keyboard heavy interlude, with neither guitar playing, they both tuned up. Really?! Mid-song, when you have techs at the side of the stage handing you a tuned guitar at the start of the song? I check my tuning before I gig with my PRSi, but I rarely have to actually tune more than a couple of strings (usually because they get tweaked going into the case or gig bag) unless the weather has really changed, and I never seem to have to tune mid-gig, much less mid-song.

So when I saw both of those guys tuning frantically, I LOLed. Yay for Gibson quality!

I dunno, maybe it's because they put fresh strings on before every single gig, so the strings don't get a chance to stretch out...
 
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