Fender PICKGUARD on a Squier P-Bass?

Gear_Junky · #1 05-31-2011, 06:21 PM

I'm wondering what people do for replacement pickguards - I noticed that Squiers have 14 holes, while Fenders have 13, but what's worse - the shape is so drastically different that it doesn't seem to work - it leaves a gap at the pocket and the control "peninsula" doesn't even stay on the bass...

I know there's always the custom-cut route, but it's at least double the money.

Is there a "secret" to this?

RonChase · #2 05-31-2011, 10:59 PM

put it on just fix holes I would not do this with to valuable an instrument though

Gear_Junky · #3 06-01-2011, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonChase

put it on just fix holes I would not do this with to valuable an instrument though

see, that's just the thing - if the guard were the same shape, I got no problem redrilling holes. But I've tried a few P-bass guards and they didn't even fit right, like they're made for a different bass. I have a black pearl guard arriving from eBay, I guess I'll find out

ThatBassistDude · #4 06-01-2011, 12:09 PM

I got a warmoth p bass pick guard for my squier standard, it fit with some filing around the neck area.

cropshy · #5 06-01-2011, 03:39 PM

Last Saturday I decided to try to fit a nice three-ply pick-guard on my Squier Affinity P-bass after I replaced all of the electronics. How hard could it be? Well, really hard. For reasons known to no reasonable person, Squier Affinity parts aren't all interchangeable with Fender and regular Squier guitars and basses.

For me to fit this Fender pick-guard on my Affinity bass I would've had to fill almost all of the holes on the body, redrill them for the new pick-guard, file the neck cutaway so it would fit, and do some body routing to get the full-sized pots to fit in the body. I didn't bother. I just put the single ply pick-guard back on after a little Dremel work on the body to get the new pots to fit.

So, the "secret" is that it's a big pain in the behind. I really wish there was an easier, cheaper way, but I don't know of one.

Buslady7803 · #6 06-01-2011, 03:44 PM

I tried two pickguards for my squier...i want to get my autographed one off, frame and put a new one on so i can play it. The pickup holes are not spaced right to fit the guards i got...really sucks...

isher1992 · #7 06-01-2011, 04:16 PM

I have a Squier Affinity, and used a black 3-ply Fender pickguard to replace the white one. The only problem I had was that one of the holes for the screw stripped while taking the old one off. Just glued in a wooden dowel, and screwed the screw back in. The pickguard managed to lay on top almost flawlessly. The only real flaw was the hole for the pickup didn't quite allow the pickup to slide inside. Took sandpaper and just gently sanded it bigger to fit. Other than that, it sits perfectly. This was on a 2003-up Affinity P-bass.

Gear_Junky · #8 06-01-2011, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cropshy

...For reasons known to no reasonable person, Squier Affinity parts aren't all interchangeable with Fender and regular Squier guitars and basses...

right on, man! I think I am facing a similar issue. i traded a Squier P Bass Special body, supposedly from an Indonesian bass - it has a 14-hole guard (like other Squiers), but is also shaped differently. I think Fender either did this on purpose, or totally had no control over anything, except the headstock - just told them to make a similar instrument.

Thanks everyone, it's still helpful to know