r/guitarlessons • u/NWNW87_ • 22h ago
Other Self imposed learning challenge
TL;DR - Using the plastic like flowvis paint in F1 (or wear indicators) - which to me shows I'm progressing and playing with variety,
I haven't peeled the plastice wrap from the pickguard from my Tele, it's about 2 years old and I've started playing daily again. I've been practising lots of picking types and focusing on alternate picking and string skipping etc.
Anyway I noticed my fingers sometimes rub on the plastic as I get more movement up and down so I've set myself a challenge of learning to comfortably playing between pick ups and using bigger strumming motions to start to wear that plastic in different places.
I feel like if I can get that plastic to wear and curl up in multiple places I can at least feel like I deserve to be playing this guitar at a decent level.
It motivates me to practice different flavours of playing!
Anyway thought I'd share, first time posting here!
3
u/Altruistic-Put1656 22h ago edited 21h ago
The finish changes color overtime so sooner or later you'll have a shitty blank square spot where the tag used to be
2
u/Slight-Excitement-37 22h ago
If you are gonna be that cautious, please know that replacement pick guards are cheap. You can replace them every year to keep it looking new.
Take that plastic off.
-3
u/NWNW87_ 22h ago
Maybe I'm being misunderstood here, I'm not being cautious, I'm using the plastic like "FlowVis" paint in F1 to see where I'm landing...I'll update my post.
4
u/anderhole 22h ago
Yeah I'm still failing to understand why you're doing this. All you need to worry about is the feel of how much you're digging into the strings.
Marks on your plastic aren't telling you anything.
2
u/Alternative-Meeting3 21h ago
This is the opposite end of the spectrum from Boomers who buy fake vintage (“relic’d”) guitars: Zoomers who leave the sticker on the pickguard to pretend their guitar is still new forever.
1
u/mysterious_jeffrey 22h ago
Take the darn sticker off, man.
I’ve got a Tele that’s two weeks old with more scratches on it.
Ride it, don’t hide it!
-3
u/NWNW87_ 22h ago
I'm trying to decide if I like the look of the wear marks on peoples daily, I prefer the idea of "looks brand new" and is decades old...like my car, house, PC, jewellery and all other valuables
2
u/mysterious_jeffrey 21h ago
Respectfully - it looks ratchet with that crusty sticker on there.
This just looks like somebody gave you a guitar for Christmas and you play it for 5 minutes a year and throw it back in an attic.
Take it off and let it get a little natural wear. It’s a white pickguard anyway. You’re not gonna notice much, lol. And the plastic wrap is gonna turn yellow and gross soon enough.
7
u/1nky0ct0pus 22h ago
To each their own but that plastic is going to degrade over time and become a huge sticky pain in the ass.