Question: About shielding on the SR5 pickguard

I am restoring a 1996 SR5, and while keeping the old electronics and hardware, we wanted to add a transparent pickguard, which by the way looks great. But as seen, there is a small bit of shielding beneath the area intended for the knobs. My question is if anyone has ever tried to use a pickguard without it. We were planning to simply put the new pguard on (I love how the circuit board just shows in there), or else using a similar piece but painted in the same new color as the instrument on the upside of it and keeping the shielding edge on the lower side of it.

Any inputs will be welcomed, thank you all.