This is the pickguard most of us will be familiar with then it comes to working with the Fender® Stratocaster® and it represents the final stages of the plate’s evolution.

Essentially, it’s a slight improvement on the early 60s spec plate, with the only real difference being the mounting screw between the neck and middle pickup routes has been moved move towards the middle pickup, rather than being slap bang in between. Presumably this was done to combat that last trouble area on 60s models which where prone to warping.

Either way, this spec plate came into production around about 1983 and has lasted through until the modern on most USA and Mexican produced guitars (with the exception of a couple of re-issues and signature models which are mimicking guitars from before that period). One thing to watch out for though, and we field countless emails on this one – Squier® and Fender® Japan do not always work to this standard.

No idea why they never switched over to the standard hole pattern entirely (some do turn up, and modern models do seem to be much better for this), but they often turn up with all sorts of weird and wonderful spec plates on them - as always with this, if you’re in any doubt what so ever, check out the Technical Specifications, we made up some detailed diagrams showing the sizes, shapes and screw placement to make matching up plates as simple as we could.

But enough about the history and the manufacturers little niggles – how about a bit about the plate?

The plate itself is made for a 3 ply laminate of PVC, purely because it’s the best material for the job. Whilst it’s true to say that various other plastics have been used, most had their draw backs sadly – fine for historical accuracy, but a bit of a pig in day to day life. PVC is heat resistant to avoid warping, its colour fast, so will never change colour as it ages (although, as with most things, it’ll still nicotine stain, it’ll still bleach in the sun if you leave it there for a few weeks!).

So all in all, if you’re looking for a modern spec plate for your Strat® and you’re rocking a cool set of single coils, then chances are this is the one you want.

A Closer Look and what to look out for

Control - Customisation

A few years back, we changed how we approached pickguards. For a while, we ran a full “custom pickguard” service — and to be honest, it was a headache from start to finish. Interestingly, the most common requests weren’t for wild custom shapes — just standard plates with slightly different control layouts.

So, when the full custom work wound down, we took a more practical approach: we started stocking “half-finished” pickguards — fully cut and finished, but without the control pot holes drilled. This allows us to offer a wide range of pickup and control options, drilling the holes in-house to your spec. It’s quick, simple, and keeps costs down — no need for a full custom build.

What’s Custom, and What Isn’t?

Let’s be clear — this isn’t a full-blown custom shop service. We’re not cutting new shapes, routing entirely new cavities, or making major structural changes.

Instead, we’re simply drilling different control layouts using jigs and a pillar drill. While that technically makes these pickguards “custom” (since they’re made to order), the scope is intentionally limited.

You’re choosing a pre-made plate — often something like a covered or uncovered HH layout — and we’re customising the pot holes, and occasionally routing a pickup if needed.

Any Extra Costs?

• Pot hole drilling: Free of charge. It’s quick work, done in-house.

• Routing a pickup: This may carry an additional charge, depending on the pickup combination and complexity. It involves extra handling and setup, so pricing is determined on a case-by-case basis.

You Can Have Three Hole Sizes Drilled

We offer three sizes of holes, depending on your needs:

• 10 mm – for standard pots

• ½" – for full-size toggle switches

• ¼" – for mini toggle switches

The positions stay the same; only the diameters change depending on what you’re adding.

So — with all that in mind — let’s walk through how to understand where the holes go and how to get the layout you want.

This is, probably, easier with a diagram, but, be warned, whilst it makes sense - its pretty cluttered.

• 10 mm Pot Holes: White

• ¼" Mini Switch Holes: Pink

• ½" Toggle Switch Holes: Grey

• UFO Knobs (~1" diameter) and Switch Tips (9 mm over the slot): Green

The system is smart enough to prevent most overlap issues, but some combinations sneak through. For example, fitting a 10 mm pot in the Offset 2 position alongside any switch will get really tight once the knob is installed.

And in closing - Pickguards, once drilled away from the standard hole plan, come under the remit of Custom work and as always, if you've got any questions what so ever, please feel free to get in touch with us and we can talk through all the finer details of your proposed build.

Pickup - Customisation

You’ll have to forgive the slightly grumpy tone here—but, truth be told? Custom pickguards aren’t exactly “fun.” From the stock side, the manufacturing side, or even routing them myself, it’s a headache. Years of “I don’t want to pay that” emails haven’t helped either.

So this section isn’t about showing off a dazzling product range. It’s more like: here’s what we can actually do—it might not be glamorous, but it’ll get you out of a jam.

First things first: we’re not actually making “custom” pickguards from scratch.

What we are doing is modding existing plates—re-routing, tweaking, adding extra holes. Basically, taking a pre-cut guard that already mostly matches what you need, and nudging it closer to your spec.

What we can’t do:

• Change the outer shape

• Move the mounting holes

• Mess with trem/neck routes

What we can do:
We can take a plate that’s as close as possible to your spec and drill in extra pickups if you need them.

A Couple of Examples:

• Covered HSS plate? That’s standard. No extra charge—grab it, pack it, ship it.

• Covered HH plate, but with an extra uncovered humbucker in the middle? Now we’re talking. We take the stock plate, slot it into the jig, and drill the extra pickup ourselves. Not a huge job, but it’s dusty, it takes time, and there’s a bit of wear on tools—so yes, there’s a small extra charge.

So, what’s the deal?

• Standard plate: If you spec something we already make (highly likely if it’s a common layout), there’s no upcharge—grab it, ship it, job done.

• Modded stock plate: If it’s basically a stock plate but with an extra pickup (or two) routed in, there will be a small upcharge. Simple, quick, and not too painful, but still extra work.

• Blank or heavily customised plate: If your spec means starting with a “blank” plate and routing multiple pickups, the job can be done—but the charges start to creep up. The more pickups, the more complicated, the more expensive.

• Outside our scope: Anything that involves changing the outer shape, moving mounting holes, messing with bevels, or similar? Sorry, we can’t do it.

Pot holes, colours, and quirks:
Most plates can be customised for pot hole size and layout—especially Covered HH, SCSCSC, and Covered HSS. Older stock may already be pre-drilled. Colour availability is a little hit and miss, but the builder will guide you.

The Bottom Line:
This isn’t a full-blown custom shop. It’s a practical way to fill gaps in our range and give you a bit of flexibility. It’s not glamorous, it’s not free, but it works.

This product page is built on the foundation of our Pickguard Customiser, to ensure no one misses out on the full range of options we offer. That said, I’ve streamlined things slightly here to keep the process quick and straightforward.

Just like with the main Customiser, we can take a standard stock plate and route in extra pickups if needed — so you still have plenty of flexibility. To keep things simple, though, this version is limited to single-coil configurations only.

There are two main reasons for that:

1. Many of the popular single-coil combinations are already available as stock plates, so they don’t require any custom upcharge.

2. It keeps this page focused and relevant, without letting the 1983–Modern Strat guard make every other pickguard product page redundant!

In short — it’s all fairly straightforward. There’s still loads to explore and customise, but just be aware that some combinations will require custom routing, which does carry a higher cost.

Single Coils

“The Normal Stratocaster® Pickup”

It’s a bit of an oversimplification to call these just “single coils.” Strictly speaking, Telecaster®, Jazzmaster®, Jaguar®, and even P90 pickups are all single coils as well. But for whatever reason, when someone says “single coil,” most of us immediately picture a Strat® pickup.

Strat-style pickups are very much “Fender®” in how they’re built — and unmistakably Fender® in how they sound. I think most of us know what a Strat-style single coil does, so I’ll spare you a full-length deep dive.

That said, there are a few quirks unique to the Stratocaster® layout that are worth touching on, along with some interesting alternative options we offer.

Customisation – How We Do It

Bear with me here — this is a bit of a “peek behind the magician’s curtain.” I’m happy to share it, but I’ll admit: this write-up is slightly coloured by recent frustrations. Maybe my own doing, maybe not, but frustration nonetheless.

Between you, me, and the fence post, I am constantly baffled that people sometimes ignore the numerous flashing-red warnings: by and large, all Strat pickguards we make are custom built. And by “custom built,” I mean that each part is customised and modified to match the specifications you select from the drop-downs.

So, before I start ranting and raving, I think it’s best if I just show you what we’re actually doing!

A Note on Returns and Custom Work

We never set out to be hard-nosed about this stuff — quite the opposite, really. We started drilling and routing plates to order because we enjoy doing it. It opens up a world of creative options for players who love modding guitars as much as we do.

But as the customiser has grown, so too has the confusion about what “custom” actually means. Recently we’ve seen a rise in messages like “I don’t like the colour, so I’d like to return it” or “I’ve changed my mind on the routing, can I exchange it?” — and it never ends well for anyone. We don’t enjoy saying no, and customers don’t enjoy hearing it.

The reality is simple: every plate is made to your specifications. Even if you pick a “standard” Strat layout, we’re still physically drilling and routing a blank plate to match what you’ve chosen. Once that’s done, it can’t be un-done or re-sold — it’s yours, built for your guitar.

I know this feels at odds with the era of big-box stores and no-quibble returns, but this is a small workshop run by people who genuinely love what they do. Please take a moment to read the notes and double-check your specs before you order — not because we want to catch anyone out, but because we want you to be happy before we start cutting plastic.

Custom pickguards — even if you select “standard” layouts — are not returnable or refundable.

Colours

Ok, even I’ll concede this isn’t the most thrilling topic at this stage — but there’s a surprising amount of confusion around the various “off-white” pickguard colours. And seeing as we’re already ticking off pearls and tortoise shell variants, we might as well tackle the parchments, mints and creams too.

So, let’s get stuck in.

Mint Green Notes

Before we dive any deeper into colours, a few things are worth flagging about Mint Green — it’s a tricky shade and often comes across completely differently in photos.

First, if you’ve looked at the “real” photos of Mint A and Mint B, you’ve probably noticed they look almost identical. That’s not a mistake — cameras genuinely struggle to capture the subtle differences. They tend to auto-correct everything toward a washed-out Mint A, regardless of the actual plate.

So, why bother showing photos at all? Well, the unedited images highlight how misleading camera shots can be. From here, you have to trust the edited examples above, or the colour swatch in the pickguard customiser — that’s a very accurate representation of what the plates look like in real life.

The takeaway? Don’t rely on photos when judging Mint Green. If I’ve had this problem, so has everyone else. A quick search online will show you at least ten subtly different mint shades on Fender guitars — but in reality, Fender almost always used Mint B (with the exception of Fender Japan). Over the last 20 years, I’ve come across just four actual Mint Green shades: B, A, a very bright “snot” green, and a slightly lighter version of B that’s still pretty close.

Pearloids Explained

Pearloid pickguards are often lumped in with tortoiseshells, but they occupy their own, slightly shinier niche. They’re not as subtle as tortoiseshells — the swirls and patterns are more pronounced, with a pearlescent effect that catches the light beautifully. Historically, they’ve been a relatively straightforward affair: virtually all pearloid pickguards are made from PVC, and there isn’t a deep, mysterious backstory like some of the vintage materials.

What makes them interesting is less about origin and more about aesthetics. The colour and pattern variations are deliberate but consistent, making it fairly easy to anticipate how they’ll look on a finished guitar. Unlike tortoiseshell, which can shift dramatically from manufacturer to manufacturer, pearloid maintains a stable palette. That said, the swirl direction, density, and shine can give each plate a little personality — no two are ever perfectly identical.

In short, if you’re after a classic, eye-catching pickguard with a bit of sparkle, pearloid is a solid, no-fuss choice that’s stood the test of time.

Pearloid Quirks

Pearloid plates do have a few quirks of their own. While the material is relatively consistent, the way the “pearl” swirls are distributed can vary a lot from sheet to sheet. You might find sections with tight, dense pearling or areas that are more open and sparse. This isn’t a defect—just the nature of how the pattern is formed.

Additionally, colors can shift slightly depending on lighting and viewing angle, so a plate that looks crisp under one light may appear softer or more muted under another. It’s worth keeping this in mind when matching to existing finishes or other pickguards.

Tortoise Shells

You’ve probably noticed that we do a huge variety of tortoise shell pickguards – and even then, we barely scratch the surface of the available styles.

Originally, tortoise shell pickguards were made from actual tortoise shell – pieces carefully shaped, joined, and polished until semi-transparent. Some of the earliest acoustic pickguards were made this way. Of course, nobody wants to go back to that practice, but people loved the look. When plastics came along in the early 20th century, they offered a much cheaper and more practical alternative. (Trade in hawksbill turtle shells didn’t become illegal until the 1970s.)

The first plastic tortoise shells were made from celluloid. It’s semi-transparent, with a kind of leopard-skin effect, and it looked gorgeous. Celluloid made its way onto guitars, mostly acoustics, and eventually electrics by the late ’50s and early ’60s. The problem? Celluloid is extremely flammable. Cutting it generates heat, storage is risky, and it’s generally unstable – prone to warping, shrinking, and colour changes under sunlight.

Today, tortoise shells are mostly made from Polyoxymethylene (more stable, but still flammable) or PVC (extremely durable, though it gives off toxic fumes if burned).

For modern pickguards, we typically work with five main variants (ignoring the rare, historical celluloid options). While celluloid still exists and looks incredible for historical accuracy, it’s extremely expensive, difficult to source, and high risk to work with. As a rough guide, sourcing a single celluloid plate could cost upwards of £150.

Sizes, Shapes, and Quantity.

I’ve never been a massive fan of “all-in-one” kits when it comes to guitar parts — mainly because it suggests everything’s a simple “one size fits all,” and that’s just not how guitars work!

As you can imagine, I’m caught between the devil and the deep blue sea when I do try to make something “kit-adjacent.” If I include every single possible variable, it quickly becomes unwieldy — and, frankly, it tends to freak people out.

So, somewhat against my better judgement, we’re now offering pickguards with “extra parts.” The idea isn’t to oversimplify things, but to make the process a bit smoother — everything on one page, and maybe save you a few quid in the process.

That said, I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I didn’t give you the details on what those parts actually are. You’ll also find links to the individual listings in case you’d like to dig a little deeper.

Covers

Plain and simple — these are your standard 52 mm-spaced PVC single-coil covers.

We’re not offering mix-and-match options here. No 50 mm, no 52.5 mm, no nylon, no metal, no Mustang, and no mixing colours. Just the same spec Fender® have been using on Stratocasters® for decades — the classic, no-nonsense single-coil cover.

They’ll drop neatly into any pickup routing available with this plate, and come supplied as a set of three — one each for bridge, middle, and neck.

I can’t guarantee they’ll fit your pickups, and I’m not able to confirm or deny suitability — there’s just too much variation out there.

Knobs

Once again — bog-standard ABS “UFO”-style knobs.

They’re supplied as a set of three: one volume, two tone. Thankfully they’re a universal fit, so there’s no need to worry about CTS vs. Alpha pot shafts or anything along those lines.

It’s worth noting that this “extra parts” option keeps things deliberately simple — it doesn’t take into account whatever control layout you’ve chosen. So, if you’ve specced something that doesn’t need three knobs, I completely understand it’s not ideal. But for the sake of keeping things manageable, we can only ever supply them as the standard 1V / 2T set.

Switch Tips

Tear-drop style tip, designed for 5 mm lever-arm switches — that’s CRL, Oak Grigsby, and just about every other full-sized open-frame switch out there.

This one’s pretty straightforward: if your plate includes a switch, you might want a fresh tip — or you might not. Just make sure that if you’re ordering a “5 mm lever-arm” tip, your switch actually has a 5 mm lever arm.

Supplied as a single tip.

Mounting Screws

Standard #4 x ½" cross-head screws — electroplated in your chosen colour and made from mild steel. A very normal, very boring pickguard screw, just as Leo intended.

Supplied in sets of 11, though you’ll probably find a few extras in there — because let’s be honest, there’s nothing better than a “just in case” screw in this line of work.

Returns and Refunds on Custom Pickguards and Extra Parts

Our pickguards are made to order, often drilled, cut, or routed to your specifications. Because of this, they are classed as custom-made items under UK consumer law and are non-returnable and non-refundable once the order has been placed.

Any optional or extra parts (such as pickup covers, knobs, screws, or switch tips) offered alongside your pickguard are supplied as part of the same order and are priced as a package. Even though these items are not modified, their cost is factored into the custom product — meaning we are unable to accept them back for refund, exchange, or replacement once the order has been confirmed.

Please note that the optional parts we supply are standard spec items (for example, 52 mm single coil covers or standard 5 mm switch tips).
We cannot guarantee that these parts will fit your existing components, as pickup and hardware dimensions vary widely between manufacturers and models.
If you’re unsure about compatibility, please double-check measurements or contact us before ordering — we’re happy to help confirm fitment where possible, but we can’t take responsibility for mismatches.

In short:

• Custom-made pickguards are non-returnable.

• Optional extras are sold as part of that custom package and also non-returnable.

• It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure compatibility with their own components prior to ordering.

We’ve tried to make this as clear and upfront as possible so there are no surprises later on — we’d much rather you get exactly what you need first time round!

A Quick Note on Returns for These Plates

These plates are made to order, based entirely on the specifications you choose—pot hole positioning, pickup routing, and any other tweaks. Because of this, they’re classed as custom work and fall under the relevant section of our Terms & Conditions.

Once we’ve made a plate to your chosen spec, it becomes non-returnable and non-refundable. Even if the product page shows a “standard” configuration, that’s just a starting point—every plate is individually built to your selections.

Before hitting “buy,” please double-check that everything is exactly how you want it. We’ve made it as easy as possible to be confident in your order:

• Spec diagrams are available under the Technical Specification tab

• Colour photos can be found under Colours Explained

We want you to feel confident in your order—and we’re here to help if you have any questions.

Once it’s made, it’s yours: no returns, no refunds.

FAQs

Will this pickguard fit <INSERT GUITAR MODEL HERE>?

Alright, I’ve typed this out in emails tens of thousands of times, and honestly? The answer is still the same:

“I DON’T KNOW.”

No one really does—not with total, unwavering certainty. And here’s why:

1. The sheer variety of guitars

I (and any guitar tech, shop employee, or parts specialist) see a tiny cross-section of guitars each year. There are models I’ve never seen in the flesh, let alone held in my hands for a pickguard swap. Some makes and models won’t even come onto my radar until an email or call mentions them.

There’s no “Haynes manual” for pickguards. Even Fender® doesn’t publish a spec sheet for every Strat®, Tele®, or Les Paul®. Knowledge here is largely a hive mind thing—shared between techs, enthusiasts, and shop staff. I generally only know if a pickguard fits when someone tells me it worked (or didn’t). Feedback is everything.

2. Pickguards aren’t truly standardized

It’s a common assumption, but not entirely true. There are recognized specs—take Stratocasters®, for example: 1954–57, 1958–62, and 1963 onward. Mounting screw positions remain consistent in those ranges.

But even within those ranges, guitars can be slightly “off.” A hole might move 2 mm, a tremolo cavity might be 1 mm smaller, or a humbucker route could shift 5–6 mm. Sometimes these changes are factory experiments, sometimes they’re just quirks. By the next production run, everything might snap back to the standard.

So yes—a pickguard that fits one guitar of the same model may not fit another produced a week later.

What’s the best advice for checking fit?

1. Measure it yourself.
   Click the Technical Specification tab for diagrams. Measure centre-to-centre on holes, edge-to-edge on the shortest sides, and allow a small tolerance for measurement error. It’s a two-minute job.

2. What if it fits physically, but screw holes don’t line up?
   This happens more often than you think. Most aftermarket pickguards assume the “official” spec. If your guitar is out-of-spec, the screw holes might not match.

   Options:

   Option 1 – Modify your guitar:
   Fill and redrill mounting holes (Epoxy works well), adjust routing if needed. Easy, tidy, and future pickguard swaps remain simple. Could technically reduce resale value, but practically? Rarely a problem.

   Option 2 – Custom pickguards:
   These do exist. A sheet of plastic is cut to match your individual guitar. They’re labor-intensive, expensive, and have a high failure rate. Expect a £100–200 job. Don’t fall for anyone offering to do it for £30—it’s not realistic.

“I’ve received my pickguard and it’s VERY scratched.”

Chances are, what you’re seeing isn’t actually scratches on the pickguard itself—it’s the protective plastic film applied to the surface during manufacturing and shipping.

This thin sheet is designed to shield your pickguard from scuffs, scratches, and dust while it’s being made, packed, and shipped. It’s completely normal for this film to look a bit worn or scratched—the good news is, that means the pickguard underneath is still pristine.

What to do: Carefully peel off the protective film before installing your pickguard. You’ll reveal the flawless, shiny surface underneath.

If you do spot any marks after removing the film, please get in touch—we want to make sure every pickguard leaves here looking perfect.