GPR's new Gold Guards, info here.

[fuzzking]

Hey i just received my GPR gold guard for Vintage US/AVRI. I suppose it's the same as Allparts, as they both started selling these just a few days ago.

I compared it to the Ishibashi one (for CIJ) I got from Doug (Top: Ishibashi, Bottom: GPR)



The colors in the pics should be quite representative as I shot them in not too bright daylight.
It's hue is kind of copper-ish, I think that's much closer to the original color, but I can only judge from pictures as I don't have an original.
The overall shape is quite pleasing, I aligned it to an AVRI guard and I couldn't spot a difference. I haven't aligned it to my '63 guard yet,
as I didn't feel like tearing the guitar apart last night. I test-fitted a pair of replacement pup covers from GPR, and it was a very tight fit,
but I'm not sure if it's the covers a tad too wide or the guard contour too small. But nothing that could be handled with a file in 20 mins.


Thickness is pleasing: It's almost twice the Ishibashi's, about 1.5mm which translates to about the original spec of 0.062" (thanks Doug)!



The macro function on my digicam is crap, but you get the idea. Oh, and it is NOT shot with nitro.


Cheers,

Michael

[pullover]

This also shows the differences between a Japanese Guard and an AVRI Guard. Assuming the Japanese Gold Guard overlays with their other guards...
The two main differences that I noticed were the curvature of the horns.

[flatfiver]

Note also the difference in the placement of the screw hole next to the treble side bridge post hole.  Also the different contour of the lower bass side of the guard, along the edge of the lead pickup.  The Japan guard looks almost like it flares out (or is at least parallel to the pickup edge), whereas the USA guard has a gentle slope to it.

[Soiouz]

Thanks for those comparison pics. Those differences are exactly what mynameisjonas and I were referring to here:

index.php?topic=4776.0

[fuzzking]

Yeah I didn't feel like it was really neccessary to start yet another thread on this, but I thought it was good news that the thickness is much more accurate.