New Pickguard doesn't fit

Kickin'Fruit · #1 06-29-2006, 11:16 PM

I bought a new tortoise shell pickguard for my Fender Jazz Bass MIM but it doesn't quite fit. What are some things that I could move without affecting the bass performace to make it flush with the control plate?

I'm not really fond of drilling new holes or makingthe current holes that much wider to fit. How much does the position of the pickup in relation to the strings matter? I wonder if I could move it to the right (toward the control plate) about 1/8" the pickguard would beflush to the control plate. Should I just get a new pickguard?

splodge · #2 07-13-2006, 02:36 PM

Have you still got your old pickguard? you can make a pattern of it (trace around it on a sheet of A4) and send it to
www.stewmac.com and your new pick guard will be identical to the old one

joeyl · #3 07-13-2006, 02:37 PM

take your new one and put it on top of the old one, trace wherever it is bigger and trim it using a file, dremel, sandpaper or whatever you have. If the new one is smaller where it does not fit:screwed

splodge · #4 07-13-2006, 02:39 PM

oops sorry i dont think stewmac does it, its www.pickguards.com

62bass · #5 07-14-2006, 04:13 AM

Joeyl and Sploge are both correct. I replaced the horrid metal pickguard on my old P bass with a very nice, expensive tortoise shell one and it didn't line up properly. With carefull filing, smoothing with sandpaper and a bit of fudging I got it to fit without having to move the pickup and it looks just fine. It will depend on how severe the problem is.

KyleAwesome · #6 07-14-2006, 04:43 AM

same here, I replaced the w/b/w pickguard that came with my MIM jazz, I had to spend quite a while filling down the neck pocket and first p-up areas on my new pickguard, but it pays off. Looks neat and tidey...

Kickin'Fruit · #7 07-14-2006, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyleAwesome

same here, I replaced the w/b/w pickguard that came with my MIM jazz, I had to spend quite a while filling down the neck pocket and first p-up areas on my new pickguard, but it pays off. Looks neat and tidey...

That's what I did, but at some parts too much filing was necessary and if you look close it looks bad, but it looks great right now from a distance. There is still a gap though between the control plate and PG, I'm wondering if I should drill new holes for the control plate or just get a new control plate and drill new holes in that to fit...