After market pickguard doesn't fit - is that normal?

[walknbluez]

I have a MARS "universal parts" pickguard that says "Jazz bass - Pearl White" and then Cort that I bought of an Ebay seller. Before I purchased I asked the seller if it will fit my "Made in Mexico Fender Jazz manufactured in 2000-2001. His reply was "If it has ten screw holes, it will fit".

So I just got it and without even taking off the old white pickguard, I can tell it doesn't fit just by placing this over the one that's on there now.

I'm thinking this is for a Cort bass and that the seller should have said that. Am I wrong or is he?

I'm new to "Ebaying" and so I'm not sure what my recourse is.

Thanks

[walknbluez]

Response I got from ebay seller:

"I'm not really sure why it doesn't fit. It is not for a "Cort" bass guitar, that is just the manufacturer. I have put one on my Fender bass with no problem. Normally I do not accept returns, as it states on the listing. However, if you wish to mail the pickguard back I will refund your payment less the shipping cost. I'm very sorry it did not work out for you."

shipping was $5.00 and so another $5.00 back for a total of $10.00

[Marton]

If it's just some screws that don't match, that's a MIM Fender. You can make some other holes !

[bongomania]

Sounds like it's too late, but just for future reference there is a lot of incompatibility between not only different brands of P and J basses, but even between the different years, models, and countries of origin of Fenders. It sounds like the seller didn't know that info, so you couldn't expect them to put that info in their auction. Honestly, the fault is with you for not researching it before buying it.

[nothumb]

this has happened to me with aftermarket pickguards before. i bought a couple of all parts guards for a jazz bass and the holes were too small to fit over the pickups (yes they are stock).

[walknbluez]

Originally Posted by Marton

If it's just some screws that don't match, that's a MIM Fender. You can make some other holes !

I'll have to take a closer look, it may fit with new holes in certain places. I was hoping to not have to do that.

[walknbluez]

Originally Posted by bongomania

Sounds like it's too late, but just for future reference there is a lot of incompatibility between not only different brands of P and J basses, but even between the different years, models, and countries of origin of Fenders. It sounds like the seller didn't know that info, so you couldn't expect them to put that info in their auction. Honestly, the fault is with you for not researching it before buying it.

So how does one determine if a pickguard someone has for sale with fit their bass? If the seller doesn't know and I don't know, how do you determine it?

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by walknbluez

So how does one determine if a pickguard someone has for sale with fit their bass? If the seller doesn't know and I don't know, how do you determine it?

You don't. You either take a wild gamble, hope for the best, and plan to do a little surgery to make it fit; or you only buy from a seller that knows exactly which model/year/country of bass their pg was made for.

[walknbluez]

Originally Posted by bongomania

You don't. You either take a wild gamble, hope for the best, and plan to do a little surgery to make it fit; or you only buy from a seller that knows exactly which model/year/country of bass their pg was made for.

Ok, I see. What type of surgery is possible? Can the edge that goes against the neck be sanded down a bit perhaps?

[michael_atw]

I've had a very recent, very similar situation.

A couple months ago I managed to pick up a sunburst '75 Reissue Japanese J-bass from the mid-late 90's. It had a white pickguard and I knew right off that I would be switching it out. I wanted tort and was very wary of the fact that it was a '75 Reissue and that it would be hard to find something that wasn't $50 on ebay. Well, I succumbed to the risk and got a generic Mighty Mite for $13 or so and tried to put it on. Turns out it didn't really fit...but that wasn't really a bad thing since it was an ugly, cheap, sorry excuse for a tort pg. So I put that one back up on ebay to sell and got $10 of my $13 back. I kept looking and stumbled across a nice MIM pickguard off ebay which I got for a little more. When I threw it on it fit better but not perfect. I was determined so I just jimmied with it and put the screws in as best as possible and it ended up turning out pretty good.

So my question is, do the holes sort of match up? That's what I had to deal with and it worked out fine.

[hdracer]

I got one for my P bass from the same guy I think ( same responce) The cut hot for the neck was not even close) I sent it back and waited 2 weeks to get the refund and lost out on the shipping both ways. I left him negitive feedback. Live and learn.

[Ric5]

After market pickguard doesn't fit - is that normal?

Yes ... Even Fender parts don't fit all Fenders ...

There must be at least 100 slightly different versions of the jazz bass pickguard.

[walknbluez]

Originally Posted by michael_atw

I've had a very recent, very similar situation.

A couple months ago I managed to pick up a sunburst '75 Reissue Japanese J-bass from the mid-late 90's. It had a white pickguard and I knew right off that I would be switching it out. I wanted tort and was very wary of the fact that it was a '75 Reissue and that it would be hard to find something that wasn't $50 on ebay. Well, I succumbed to the risk and got a generic Mighty Mite for $13 or so and tried to put it on. Turns out it didn't really fit...but that wasn't really a bad thing since it was an ugly, cheap, sorry excuse for a tort pg. So I put that one back up on ebay to sell and got $10 of my $13 back. I kept looking and stumbled across a nice MIM pickguard off ebay which I got for a little more. When I threw it on it fit better but not perfect. I was determined so I just jimmied with it and put the screws in as best as possible and it ended up turning out pretty good.

So my question is, do the holes sort of match up? That's what I had to deal with and it worked out fine.

This is a mighty mite as well. To get a better idea of how it really lines up I would need to take off the current pickguard. But from what you are saying it sounds like if I was holding another brand pickguard up against this mighty mite, I would see a difference in how it looks quality wise.

[michael_atw]

Originally Posted by walknbluez

Ok, I see. What type of surgery is possible? Can the edge that goes against the neck be sanded down a bit perhaps?

Nope. If you try to sand pickguards you run the risk of having them burst into flames.

[pica]

I've had luck at www.wdmusic.com just send them a tracing of your pickguard and tell them what bass it is and they'll make it from their stock of patterns.

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by walknbluez

Ok, I see. What type of surgery is possible? Can the edge that goes against the neck be sanded down a bit perhaps?

Yes, pickguard material sands very easily. You can also use a fine-toothed, thin-bladed hand saw, or a Dremel tool with the rotary cutting emery discs. The other thing is deciding whether to drill new screw holes in the PG to fit the holes already in the bass, or whether to drill new holes in the bass to fit the ones in the PG.

[walknbluez]

Originally Posted by bongomania

Yes, pickguard material sands very easily. You can also use a fine-toothed, thin-bladed hand saw, or a Dremel tool with the rotary cutting emery discs. The other thing is deciding whether to drill new screw holes in the PG to fit the holes already in the bass, or whether to drill new holes in the bass to fit the ones in the PG.

Thanks. I'll either do that or just sell it to someone who could actually use it and try to find one that already fits.

[stratovani]

A couple of years ago I got a used pickguard from an eBay seller which fit my Squier Affinity P, but the holes didn't line up and the pickup holes were too small. No problem, some of the existing holes lined up, so I filled the ones that didn't with toothpicks and epoxy, drilled some new holes, took a file to the pickup holes, and when everything was done it fit like a glove. Easy as pie!

[hdracer]

Originally Posted by pica

I've had luck at www.wdmusic.com just send them a tracing of your pickguard and tell them what bass it is and they'll make it from their stock of patterns.

+1 They are great. They made the pickguard for my CIJ Aero & it fit perfectly, and nothing fits that

[walknbluez]

Well it sounds like to upgrade you either roll the dice on a cheaper used one or if you want 100% certainty that it will fit, that you need to spend about fifty bucks That's an expensive upgrade for looks.