New pickgaurd for my P-bass?

[fleabass89]

Heylo, I'm in the market for a new pickgaurd, just to spice up the looks of my bass. Where can I get a good pickgaurd for a reasonable price? (no $40+ pickgaurds) My bass is white, and I'd like a tortoise shell color..

So why is this in setup? Well Im also wondering what's involved in doing this. I know on the p-bass I have to remove the output jack and knobs somehow...but how?

[snyderz]

fleabass,
I only know where to get $40+ pickguards. There have been some P and J guards show up on ebay lately, but be careful, as they can be ill-fitting.
Doc

[fleabass89]

Originally posted by snyderz
fleabass,
I only know where to get $40+ pickguards. There have been some P and J guards show up on ebay lately, but be careful, as they can be ill-fitting.
Doc

well do you know how to remove the knobs and output jack? thanks

[snyderz]

Sorry I didn't address the rest of your question. Unfortunately, I don't, as my only Fender is a jazz.
Doc

[notduane]

Originally posted by fleabass89
...I'm in the market for a new pickgaurd...Where
can I get a good pickgaurd for a reasonable price?
(no $40+ pickgaurds) My bass is white, and I'd like
a tortoise shell color..

Stew-Mac has a tortoise-shell for a P-bass at ~$32.

Warmoth's range from $16 to $36.

Your local G/C or Mars may have `em too.

...Well I'm also wondering what's involved in doing
this. I know on the p-bass I have to remove the
output jack and knobs somehow...but how?

I ain't sure about the P-bass knobs. If they got a
set-screw, you'll need a small, flat blade screwdriver.
Otherwise, there's an old, sorta' effective trick...
put some electrical tape on the jaws of a pair of
channel-locks (so's not to scratch anything). If ya'
use the channel-locks to pull off the knobs (that is,
if they're the push-on type) make dang sure you
pull straight UP. Then, you can use the same tool
to remove the nuts of the pots and output jack.

TB'r Mr. Hambone probably has a better solution .

[good fella]

don't buy a new one!!!! paint it!!!!! there are a few steps to painting it. i painted mine, and it looks great! if you want to paint it, private message me for the instructions.

[Hambone]

Hey good fella,

That's what this forum is for! Go ahead and give us the lowdown on your painted pickguard. We would all like to know.

[Rockin John]

There are two basic ways a control knob can be fixed to the pot' shaft:

1) That the pot shaft is splined so that the knob simply pull upwards and off.

2) That the shaft is cylindrical (sometimes they have a flat, too) that requires the knob to have a grub-screw to attach it to the shaft. The grub-screw is usually operated by a flat bladed screwdriver or else it will require a hexagon wrench (AKA Allen Key).

A third option I've seen and used is the collet knob which closes collets around a cylindrical shaft. These, as far as I know, were never used on a P. But if you can't figure it from my 1) and 2) then try to see if the top of the knob will come off with (say) a knife: being very careful!!! Under the knob cap there'll usually be a hexagon nut with a screwdriver slot to loosen it. The just pull off the control knob.

***************

With the bass in bits why not apply some screening to the control cut-out in the body and on a likewise position on the underside of the new pick guard?

Adhesive backed aluminium foil (copper is better cos you can solder to it) is good. Or check out the relatively new graphite based aerosol paints that are used for screening purposes in the electronics industry. I suggest spraying the aerosol into a container THEN painting the liquid onto the bass with a brush to aviod messing up y' axe when spray's flying about.

Hope that helps.

Rockin John