Kramer Pickguard- Where can I get one?

[doublemuff216]

Hey all,

I have a Kramer bass from the 70s with an aluminum neck. It has a humbucker in the neck position and a p-style pickup in the bridge position. It currently has a gaping hole where the pickguard was. (I bought it without the pickguard. Just an ugly, chunky piece of Plexi covering the pots and holding the jack in place. Got the bass right cheap, though.) It plays like a dream, but I'm afraid to gig with it while the electronics are wide open.

Any thoughts on where I can get a replacement? I've searched high and low and can't even find a similar model of the bass.

Thanks!

[grendle]

might have to make one or check the bay

[doublemuff216]

Originally Posted by grendle

might have to make one or check the bay

Thought about making one--I'm a little hesitant because I lost access to my band saw/drill press. Could do it by hand maybe with a Dremel Trio, but I fear I'd be less accurate than I want. I know there are places that will make one based on a tracing--I guess I'm just hoping for a vintage bass accessory miracle.

[Chasarms]

I think your best bet would to google as many photos as possible and use them to create a tracing as true to the original design as possible.

I think PG Heaven does the best work, but they are not the only folks who'll make a PG from a tracing. Find one you want to use and mail them the tracing.

[doublemuff216]

Originally Posted by Chasarms

I think your best bet would to google as many photos as possible and use them to create a tracing as true to the original design as possible.

I think PG Heaven does the best work, but they are not the only folks who'll make a PG from a tracing. Find one you want to use and mail them the tracing.

Yeah... looks like I'll be making a tracing, but pickguard heaven refused the work so I'll either be making it myself or looking for another company that would do it. If you know of any, that'd be a huge help.

The bass is definitely a 250B, but it has an extra split coil pickup below the humbucker. LUCKILY, the old pickguard covered the area it was on long enough for there to be color differences in the varnish, so the tracing will be VERY easy to make. However, sans bandsaw and scroll saw, I'm left to my handhelds to make the thing...

[Pilgrim]

If you know a Kramer owner or can get in contact with one, see if they'll make you a tracing of their PG. A kind Univox owner once did this for me, and I am grateful.

There are a number of companies that make pickguards.

[grisezd]

I just finished up making a pickguard for a project using a hand drill and a dremel. I did it in some plexi I had laying around, then applied some aluminum tape (like copper shielding tape) to the back side for a cool effect. I was replacing three separate pickguards on this beast, so I drew their outlines on the bass body in pencil, placed the plexi over top, and traced it out. I cut it out nearly close with the dremel, chucked a sanding drum in the hand drill and clamped it in my workmate table to get to the lines, then cut the cutouts with the dremel cutoff wheel. I drilled the corners of the pickup holes before using the cutoff wheel to minimize over-cutting the corners. It's good enough for now (might change pickup configuration later) and if I decide that I'm in love with it I can send a tracing of it to a proper pickguard maker.

But yea, finding an angel who can trace a pickguard is the easier bet!