Installing P-bass pickup/bridge covers

LeChuck · #1 10-22-2006, 11:19 PM

I finally picked up a 62RI MIA P-bass today, but the pickup and bridge covers weren't installed yet (no holes drilled). I was going to drop it back off at the store and let them do this, but wanted to check first: Are there any gotchas to the installation (I'm mainly thinking of placement/positioning problems)? Or is it fairly foolproof?

Also, I notice the pickup cover holes don't line up with the pickguard holes (the cover is slightly bowed out, so it lines up a little wide). Should this be a perfect fit, or is some manual "massaging" of the cover normal?

LeChuck

EDIT - Naturally, 20 minutes of forum searching didn't pull up the other thread here about installing the bridge cover. Anyway, if anyone has anything to add to the advice in that thread (re: drilling, placement, etc) let me know. Any info on the second item above would be great also

cubinicano · #2 05-04-2011, 03:21 PM

im really interested in this too, i dnt see any how to as far as installing them

fourstringdrums · #3 05-04-2011, 03:33 PM

It's fairly fool proof:

Pickup Cover:

Position it so that it's centered and even over the pickup. Mark the holes with a pencil and then drill with a 1/16" bit. Only drill the depth of the screw, and go slow. Look at a picture, the pickup cover screws don't line up with the pickguard existing screws. They need their own screws.

Bridge Cover:

Place the cover over the bridge and make sure again it's centered and even on both sides, and level with the bridge. As far as how far forward or back to put it, I put it on until the cover hits the end of the bridge and then back it off like a 1/16" of an inch.

Drill again with the 1/16" bit after marking with a pencil. Go slow, and double check everything twice, three times, four times before drilling.

john grey · #4 05-05-2011, 09:07 AM

Limit the hole depth when doing something of that nature as it's one of the only "gotcha's" that can happen (aside from using too large a drill bit. If you don't have a depth limiting drill chuck then place a small piece of tape around the drill bit at the 1/4" mark (or whatever) so you don't drill too deeply. Drilling too deeply or using too wide a drill are really the only issues I could imagine. Some covers are pressure fit (on some instruments) so there's a few methods to diminish vibration with that. However, check to see if you have a solid fit in any event. One of the main reasons why you want a slim screw hole is to get a firm bite from the screw. Anything that could affect that can also turn into a problem later on.

I rarely, if ever, use a power screw-driver on any musical instrument. I feel strongly about this; as it can create real problems where none existed before. It's VERY easy to over-drive a screw and pull the threads! It's also a very poor idea to use a power unit on the NECK! Too much force in the screws are one of the major reasons why cracking appears in both the finish and the wood itself at the neck junction of the body. Use hand held screw drivers!

SurferJoe46 · #5 05-05-2011, 03:45 PM

The cover hardware is subject to being squashed in shipping and handling.

There absolutely IS a correct dimension and if you don't get to that point you may find that the strings hit the cover(s).

Some basses won't have body wood under the place where the p'up cover goes, so beware that you might have to create a place under the PG to install the screw on the D-G side of the cover.

Although this is a Jazz, you can see what I mean here:::

stratovani · #6 05-05-2011, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john grey

I rarely, if ever, use a power screw-driver on any musical instrument. I feel strongly about this; as it can create real problems where none existed before. It's VERY easy to over-drive a screw and pull the threads! It's also a very poor idea to use a power unit on the NECK! Too much force in the screws are one of the major reasons why cracking appears in both the finish and the wood itself at the neck junction of the body. Use hand held screw drivers!

Just out of curiosity, are you referring to a real power screwdriver, or a power drill with a screwdriver bit attached? The reason I ask is because I have a Black and Decker power screwdriver, and I use it all the time for screwing or unscrewing the pickguard and covers on my P. It doesn't have a high RPM like a drill, and it doesn't have a lot of torque either. It works well on small screws with well-defined screw holes, but like you, I wouldn't use it on neck screws simply because it doesn't have much torque.

Pilgrim · #7 05-05-2011, 07:54 PM

I agree with John Grey. The wood on most basses is so soft that overdriving any screw JUST a bit usually results in stripping out the wood - or in the case of the tiny screws that secure tuners, snapping the screw off.

None of the screws on a bass are so long that I run out of patience inserting and removing them manually, and I have much better feel for what's going on while I do so.

I like power gear for most other tasks, but I use manual skills for the screws on instruments.

Evil Undead · #8 06-18-2011, 05:30 AM

I have a question along the lines of this... when installing a bridge cover, it is easy to avoid the grounding wire? I'm a little concerned I might drill through it...

SurferJoe46 · #9 06-18-2011, 08:07 AM

I've never had any troubles that way - but I think that wire is about 1/2 way down or diving at a pretty steep angle by the time you'd get to the depth necessary to hit it - if you're even in the same locale.

Mark your drill bit with some tape so you only go as deep as the length of the screw that you'll use to mount the cover(s) or any accessory that screws on and I don't foresee any problems.

Come to think of it - even if you hit the grounding wire with the screw, that'd ground the cover too - so I see a Win/Win there.

C.Linton · #10 06-18-2011, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evil Undead

I have a question along the lines of this... when installing a bridge cover, it is easy to avoid the grounding wire? I'm a little concerned I might drill through it...

As long as you limit how deep the hole goes (to the length of the screw, no more), you should be fine.
One more thing, before you try positioning your covers when marking the bass for drilling, take a file or a piece of sandpaper to the underside of the holes on the covers, sometimes there are burrs which will scratch up your finish/pickguard. (I learned this the hard way on my SX Ursa 1) Also a good idea to lay down masking tape on the bass first when marking and drilling.

SurferJoe46 · #11 06-18-2011, 08:20 AM

^^ Good point and reminder, Cliff.

MiniMoose234 · #12 06-18-2011, 03:15 PM

Do't make the mistake I did and use bridge screws to attach them >.< i made a lot of stupid mistakes when I added some bling to my bass. Ugh still feel dumb.

Evil Undead · #13 06-18-2011, 03:19 PM

I was just going to use pick guard screws. Will they be ok?

SurferJoe46 · #14 06-18-2011, 04:52 PM

PG screws are the right gauge, but the heads are a tad smaller.

But yeah - they'll be fine except to a purist.

JB696 · #15 06-18-2011, 05:16 PM

Just a thought. If you've played a bass with bridge and pickup covers on, and like the feel and possible restrictions of right hand placement, great. Install the covers. Some players find that they don't like them. That's why most of them on the older basses were taken off and thrown away. If you're not sure which way to go you might try installing them temporarily. Put a 3/4 inch wide strip of masking tape on the body where the covers sit and a couple of strips of double back carpet tape on the sides of the covers. Try it out for a couple of days. That way if it turns out the covers don't work out for you there aren't four nasty holes in the front of your beautiful bass.