What colour scratchplate for off-white tele?

robinbowes

I recently bought a "project" telecaster from this very site.

I'm trying to build it out with parts I have kicking around, eg. I have a Kinman Broadcaster pickup and a Kinman Strat neck pickup. So, I bought a pickguard with a slot that fits a Strat single coil. I went for a Tortoise Shell colour but am having second thoughts.

What do you reckon?

This is the guitar with no guard:



This is the original black guard:



This is the new Tortoise shell guard:

guitarfishbay

Black

guitars4you

I prefer the look of the T/Shell in this case - black 3 ply makes me think 70's - only other to look at for me is an off white 3ply to go on a solid finish - translucent finish maybe then one ply black - but of those 2 pics go t/shell

robinbowes

The black one is for a Tele-sized neck pickup, and I'm wanting to use a Strat neck pickup.

Anything other than Tortoise shell will require me to buy another guard!

I have Tortoise shell on my other (black) Tele and my (black) Strat.

R.

p90fool

Black just works. The tort would be ok with a rosewood board, but not maple IMO.

Sassafras

BLACK.
There is no alternative.

downbytheriver

I like the tortoiseshell but check out https://spitfiretortoiseshellpickguards.wordpress.com/ and thank you 4.52am!

TTBZ

Black without a doubt.

Sesh

They both look good, but black probably edges it for me.

Voxman

Black is classic. I've never liked t'shell scratch plates on any guitar - fine if you play both types of music (Country & Western) 

RocknRollDave

Black for me. Tortoiseshell only looks right on a tortoise.

My first reaction, however, was "Whatever colour plate matches the colour you respray the Tele to be"...as off-white wouldn't be my first choice Tele colour L)

Majorscale

Easy:

With maple - black
With rosewood - Tort

usedtobe

Black

robinbowes

Off-white or even white was my other thought. 

As I've got the torty, I think I'll go with that for now. Not a big job to swap it. 

R. 

meltedbuzzbox

Black

Put that corned beef hideousness in the bin where it belongs

usedtobe

I was thinking about white, but I assumed it had to be one or the other..

robinbowes

No, just a general question. Black seems like the favourite. I'm going to see what the torty guard looks like. 

R. 

Voxman

robinbowes said:

No, just a general question. Black seems like the favourite. I'm going to see what the torty guard looks like. 

R. 

So, you've met my wife - asks for opinions but then always does what she wanted to do in the first place! lol 

robinbowes

Heh.

I will always do what I like  

Right now, I have the torty guard so I may as well fit it. If I decide to try something else,  it's just a £15 order from Axesrus  

R. 

Panama_Jack666

Black! 

spark240

This...

https://1drv.ms/i/s!Ape7XEUKg7v_glqKqMowc_ELrkqx