AMV II 54 Precision Bass - Pickguard

[Shadi]

I love the new Am. Vintage 54 Precision Bass BUT one thing that drives me nuts is the pickguard. They claim these models are supposed to be vintage accurate, but the cut of the 54 pickguard is way too narrow. I know I'm crazy, but has anyone else noticed this???
Here is the AM. Vintage 54...

Here is a real 54 Pickguard...

 

[fretno]

I see what you mean. Perhaps it fits better on the contoured , rounded edges.

 

[bobyoung53]

I love the new Am. Vintage 54 Precision Bass BUT one thing that drives me nuts is the pickguard. They claim these models are supposed to be vintage accurate, but the cut of the 54 pickguard is way too narrow. I know I'm crazy, but has anyone else noticed this???
Here is the AM. Vintage 54...
View attachment 4852853

Here is a real 54 Pickguard...
View attachment 4852844

I was reading here someplace, think it was DJ Bebop who said that Fender will base their reissue basses on a real one that they have and if they have several to pick from they'll pick the one they think is best and they weren't all the same 68 years ago. I ordered one of those the other day.

 

[dmk]

The '54 AVII pickguard more closely aligns to the edge of the body with a uniform amount of wood showing.

Here's a picture of a vintage '52. You can see how the pickguard doesn't follow the shape of the body very well. You would have to make the pickguard thinner in the upper horn to get an equal amount of body wood showing.

But, I agree they could have made the pickguard wider overall.

Just my take.

 

[dmk]

I see what you mean. Perhaps it fits better on the contoured , rounded edges.

That's a good point. The vintage '52 above is a slab body.

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

Fender 1954 Precision Bass...bigger pickguard.

 

[2saddleslab]

View attachment 4853551
Fender 1954 Precision Bass...bigger pickguard.

Is that PG original? There's no tug bar hole.

The OP's pic in the 1st post looks more like Fender is using the template from the Tele Bass PG. The contoured mid 50's P basses did have slightly smaller PG profile than the earlier slabs.

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

Is that PG original? There's no tug bar hole.

The OP's pic in the 1st post looks more like Fender is using the template from the Tele Bass PG. The contoured mid 50's P basses did have slightly smaller PG profile than the earlier slabs.

Good question....

I had always thought the pickguard was larger than the more even perimiter one on the new offering.

 

[fretno]

My ‘68 T

 

[two fingers]

The '54 AVII pickguard more closely aligns to the edge of the body with a uniform amount of wood showing.

Here's a picture of a vintage '52. You can see how the pickguard doesn't follow the shape of the body very well. You would have to make the pickguard thinner in the upper horn to get an equal amount of body wood showing.

But, I agree they could have made the pickguard wider overall.

Just my take.

View attachment 4853406

View attachment 4853551
Fender 1954 Precision Bass...bigger pickguard.

Honestly? I can see why they altered the design. Both of these examples look like my 10 year old's art class was given the assignment to make a guard for those basses. The guard almost hangs off the edge in some places, and doesn't make it to the edge in others. The new design is far superior in every way, in my view.

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

I'll bet that the non-tug bar pickguard was a replacement and dropped the single screw unit that often swiveled anyway. Likely had an original to work from not a Kindergarten class interpretive assignment.

 

[Dragan]

Honestly? I can see why they altered the design. Both of these examples look like my 10 year old's art class was given the assignment to make a guard for those basses. The guard almost hangs off the edge in some places, and doesn't make it to the edge in others. The new design is far superior in every way, in my view.

Yup.

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

I think the current offering is a bit more "Warmoth" like being a little more trim, possibly a cleaner look, more precise. (Last picture is what Reverb has for reference for Fender 1954 Precision Bass.)

 

[Bflat]

I love the new Am. Vintage 54 Precision Bass BUT one thing that drives me nuts is the pickguard. They claim these models are supposed to be vintage accurate, but the cut of the 54 pickguard is way too narrow. I know I'm crazy, but has anyone else noticed this???
Here is the AM. Vintage 54...
View attachment 4852853

Here is a real 54 Pickguard...
View attachment 4852844

Shadi,
Check the pictures below. The pickguards on 1951 thru the first half of 1954 are the same. like the 51 on the left in the pics. the second half of 1954 was a transitional year. the body was contoured, the neck was changed and the pickguard was narrowed such that even one screw hole was also moved.The pickguard on the right is an original 54 thru 57. its on a rounded 51 body. People have been making pickguards wrong for these basses for years, even Fender since no one alive there, knows the history.

 

[Bflat]

This 51 bass has had both an original 51-54 pickguard and a 54-57 pickguard on it. notice the screw hole in the top middle of the upper edge has actually been moved to fit the 54-7 pickguard

 

[Burwabit]

I got burned by this in ordering a Bakelite pickguard for my AVII 54. It seems like no one has specs for the new slimmer style, only the older wider style from the vintage ones. (If anyone know a supplier who has the new template, please let me know).

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I got burned by this in ordering a Bakelite pickguard for my AVII 54. It seems like no one has specs for the new slimmer style, only the older wider style from the vintage ones. (If anyone know a supplier who has the new template, please let me know).

Could you tell me if there is a CNC route in the body under the pick guard? Thinking of getting one of these but want to rock it “naked.”

 

[dmk]

Could you tell me if there is a CNC route in the body under the pick guard? Thinking of getting one of these but want to rock it “naked.”

There is no CNC route under the pick guard.