I agree, some guitars look better with no pickguard, and if you are going to drop some coin on a fancy top, the pickguard seems out of place. On the other hand, a Strat just doesn't look like a Strat without a pickguard. It can still be a beautiful instrument, but it just doesn't look/feel like a Strat. Also, I have always thought the Jaguar looks great largely because of its big pickguard and assortment of chrome plates.