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Manufacturer: Callaham
Country of Manufacture: USA
HOLE PATTERN
Over the years, Fender has used different numbers and placements of perimeter screws on Strat pickguards (click here for some images showing the differences):
| Acme's Terminology | Fender's Terminology | Fits These Guitars | # Perimeter Holes |
| Vintage 8-Hole | '57 Reissue | 1954 through mid-1959 | 8 |
| Vintage 11-Hole | '62 Reissue | Mid-1959 through mid-1964 | 11 |
| Modern 11-Hole | American Series | Mid-1964 to present; American Standard, Deluxe, etc; Mexican Standard | 11 |
BRIDGE HUMBUCKER
We order these pickguards from Callaham with no bridge pickup opening. We rout the opening here, which allows us to customize the opening to your pickup selection. We have four different openings available (the 53mm Suhr and 52mm Fralin use the same opening). We have a sophisticated templating system to do the humbucker openings, the quality of the work is as good as any factory.
Select the opening you need from the menu above.
Be sure you consider not only the pickup spacing, but also whether the pickup is covered or uncovered.
SHIELDING
Shielding means to provide a barrier between electronic components and the environment at large. The barrier's purpose is to intercept stray electromagnetic and radio-frequency interference (EMI/RFI) and send it to ground, so that it doesn't get into your signal path and come through your amp in the form of hum. For best results you should always shield your pickguard unless it's made of metal, in which case it needs no shielding, as it will inherently provide shielding.
Callaham's pickguards have no shielding attached, however, we adhere a full aluminum foil shield to the back of these SSH pickguards. Callaham makes a separate aluminum shield plate with a universal hole pattern that will fit their SSS Strat pickguards, but it won't accommodate a humbucker in the bridge, hence the foil. Foil provides a solid membrane of conductive material, so it's completely effective as shielding, every bit as effective as the thicker shield plates that both Callaham and Fender make.
SCREWS
All of Callaham's Strat pickguards have countersunk screw holes for the switch and pickup screws, as well as for the perimeter screws. These require oval-head screws, available here.