Pickguard
It is a thin plate screwed into the body. It is normally in plastic or, rarely, aluminium. Different materials influence the sound in different ways. The original purpose of the pickguard is to prevent the pick from scratching the body, but as we have already seen, it also provides a support for potentiometers and output jack, as well as to cover any holes carved in the wood. It is almost superfluous to underline the influence that the pickguard exerts on the aesthetic aspect of the instrument.
FENDER PRECISION PICKGUARD
FENDER JAZZ PICKGUARD