Clear Pickguard / No Pickguard - Thoughts?

[uberschall]

After having worn a huge hole through the top of my cedar Tak, I'll always have at least a clear pickguard on every guitar I own! I think the Taylor shape is great, too.

[sitedrifter]

I am a 1 year veteran  of playing the guitar so I am a little dangerous while strumming. I purchased the universal clear pick guard from Taylor and it is the best 9 bucks I have spent. You cannot see it unless you are 12" or closer to the guitar and I now have the confidence that I will not mar the finish while attacking the 6 string with the pick!

[MexicoMike]

To check out some clear pick guards on my GS-5, I posted a pic of it for a different purpose under the thread  about "cutting up my GS-5"  Look at the 2nd pic of the four There are flamenco style pick guards on both sides of the sound hole, a large one on the e side and a small one on the E side.  The material came from StewMac and I cut it to the shape I wanted.  So take a look at the pic to see them...oh, right...you CAN"T see them! 

http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=3667.0

[GSMC Bob]

I've seen a few players over the years that might require a pickguard, but I'm not among them.  They should be optional.

They ARE optional.  Any Taylor 300 series & up can be ordered without a pickguard, with a clear, black, or tortoise pickguard, or with the pickguard of your choice included, but uninstalled.

Fingerstyle player here and "scratch" style strummer.  Even though I never use a pick or fingerpicks, I still opt for the Taylor clear pickguard when ordering.  I like to have a safe spot on the top to tap without dinging it up with my fingernails!  As many have noted, the clear factory-applied Taylor guard is darn near invisible!