Telecaster Pickguards

One of the greatest ways to both protect your Fender Telecaster and inject a personal sense of style into its appearance is to experiment with different Telecaster pickguards. Cheaper than a paint job and easier to do on your own, you can spice up your old guitar quickly and easily by simply replacing a boring pickguard with one that has a bit more flair. The following article will help you find resources on the Internet where you can purchase some unique and exciting protective accessories for your trusty Tele.

If you're even remotely good with your hands, you can change pickguards on your Telecaster. You simply need a screwdriver that will fit the screws that hold the pickguard to your guitar. The only wrinkle in this process that makes it a bit more difficult is that Telecaster pickguards typically come in five-hole or eight-hole varieties. The five-hole varieties are the easiest to replace; you simply remove the five screws, take the old guard off and replace it with the new one. On pickguards that have eight holes, the neck pickup is screwed into the pickguard itself. While this might seem complicated, it really isn't. After you remove the first five screws and remove the pickguard from the guitar, you simply need to take three more screws out and remove the front pickup from the pickguard. You don't need to deal with any of the electronics in this process. If you can change a light bulb, you can unscrew the pickup from the pickguard. Before you purchase a replacement pickguard, make sure that you know whether you need a five-hole or an eight-hole variety.

Thanks to the Internet, the global marketplace really is at your fingertips. As little as ten or fifteen years ago, your options for finding pickguards like the ones listed below would have been greatly limited unless you lived in a large metropolitan area. Now, no matter where you are in the world, you can search for the perfect pickguard and have it shipped to your door. Check out the variety of options at your disposal.

• Adirondack Guitar – Adirondack Guitar sells ColoRiffic Telecaster pickguards that are guaranteed to blow your mind. They are also guaranteed to not scratch, stain or fade for a lifetime, and those that are returned to ColoRiffic will be replaced free of charge. The patterns and colors that are available are truly amazing. You'll find sheet metal finishes, American bald eagles, skulls, crosses, fire and every color you can imagine. In fact, you really need to see these to believe them. They are almost beyond description.

• Music Land Central – Music Land Central has a much more traditional selection of Telecaster pickguards. For those of you who want to create a more vintage feel for your guitar, check out the classic options available here.

• WD Music – Just when you thought you had seen it all, along comes a company with a truly unique idea. WD Music actually sells a leather pickguard for your Telecaster. They are made of tanned saddle leather, hand-tooled and backed by a sturdy material that ensures they will be durable. The pattern on the front is truly beautiful, and they look amazing mounted to a guitar. These are more expensive than some of the other replacement pickguard options, but if you really want something different, consider this as an option.

• Guitar Parts Resource – Another large collection of Telecaster pickguards can be found at Guitar Parts Resource. These after-market pickguards tend toward the traditional, and they are available in classic finishes like tortoise shell and pearloid as well as colors like mint green and parchment.

• Warmoth – Warmoth is one of the most respected replacement guitar parts companies in the world. One unique thing about their replacement Telecaster pickguards section is that you can specify different pickup routing configurations. For example, if you have replaced your neck pickguard in your Telecaster with a humbucker pickup, you can specify this and have your pickguard custom cut to look completely professional. Many colors and finishes are also available.

Once you get comfortable with changing pickguards, you could change them like you change your shoes or your sunglasses. Some people go so far as to have a pickguard that matches different outfits that they perform in! Once you see how many options are available to you for pickguards, you might want to really start having fun with dressing up your Telecaster.

• Bass Guitar Wallpaper
• Famous Bass Guitar Players
• Ibanez Electric Guitars

• Basic Guitar Chord Charts
• Printable Guitar Chord Charts
• How to Read Guitar Sheet Music
• Bass Guitar Note Charts
• Guitar Amplifier Kits

• Pick Guards Guitar
• Bass Guitar Cases
• Cheap Guitar Amps
• Leather Guitar Straps
• Custom Guitar Straps