Question: I’m from the UK and walked into my local guitar shop in Harlow, in Essex. I’ve fallen in love with one of your guitars. I noticed it doesn’t have a scratch plate. Can you tell me why some of your top-range guitars do not have a scratch plate? Is it due to sound? Aesthetic reasons?
Tich

Answer: Tich, it’s purely aesthetic. Nothing else. Most guitars don’t need pickguards, because most people don’t harm their guitar with a guitar pick. We make thousands of guitars without them each year, and people don’t have trouble. Even those with pickguards have them for cosmetic reasons. While most players won’t damage their guitar’s finish with standard use, those with an aggressive attack using heavy guitar picks may find a pickguard to be a necessary safeguard.