Verified answer

Hello there,

I do agree with the other 2 answers. However as I recall, one of EVH's early project guitars did that. He cut away the pickguard from the pickups. He left the portion of the pickguard that had the pots and switch. He also used just a single humbucker and left the other two pickup cavities empty. So, yes it can be done.

I would think that either Telecaster neck pickup screws or bass pickup screws would work. Those are two different lengths. Which would work depends on your pickup(s). Just use trial and error to see which will work for you. Those screws have sharp points that screw into the wood. You should probably put a foam strip under the pickup(s). Strat style single coils will be a problem. The cover will be loose or come off. A humbucker at the bridge would be an easy mount. If you want neck and mid pickups, I would switch to rails (no covers to deal with).

Later,

I believe you'll find that all the components are mounted to the pickguard. In other words, when you remove the pickguard, all the wiring, pots, switch, and pickups come off with it. Once removed, there are just some huge ugly routed out cavities. If you want to re-mount the components without a pickguard, you'll need to get real creative with some sort of home-made mounting brackets. Everything will be exposed to dust and the elements. I can't imagine any scenario where it would be aesthetically pleasing.

If you really want the no-pickguard look, the most practical solution would be to use your old pickguard as a template to cut a new one from clear plexiglass....or buy one here: http://www.axetremecreations.com/products/141/456/...

Here's a discussion on the topic that you may find interesting: http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php...

It's possible, yes. It's not advisable, though. Those components are covered for a reason. How long do you think your computer would last if all the circuitry was exposed?