Different Pickguard Changes Tone

[Matthew_84]

I remember when I switched from Schaller to Dunlop straplocks. Talk about an epiphany! The difference wasn't in the actual sound of the notes played, but the "space" between the notes and the existential groove of my playing. The Dunlop straplocks provided a sense "air" and "space" to my playing. Black backgrounds between plucked notes were seemingly "more blacker." There was simply more "there" there. I installed the Dunlop straplocks when the humidity in my home was 34% and allowed no ionizing substrates to operate in a 32 meter radius as to not interfere with the wood to metal interaction as I didn't really want to have to screw the straplocks into the body more than once; 1 fiber of wood lost can drastically decrease the blackness of the blacks. The sense of immediacy and detail in my playing increased substantially. But, I ended up ultimately having to take the straplocks off and reinstall them because I initially installed the Dunlop straplocks during a full moon cycle, but I realized that the alloys contained therein might not "mesh" with the moon's cycle so I uninstalled them using latex-free gloves, waited exactly 4 days, and reinstalled them again this time during a harvest moon, specifically at 11:07pm as there are scientifically less charged free electrons in the air at that specific time and the harvest moon has less of a chance of contributing to the oxidization of the exposed screwthreads. I also ordered specially treated Jamaican alloy steel screws this time, just for the funk of it. This made a HUGE difference, and what I thought would be detrimental by unscrewing the straplocks turned out to be a mindblowing sonic revelation! Once again, the black spaces between notes were actually even more "more blacker." The sense of immediacy was immediately more immediate than immediately before, and I had an even greater airy sense of spacial air in the same air space. There was even more "there" there, even more "there" there than there was "there" there before. Dunlop straplocks are keepers! But, I might be missing some of that fluidity of note sustainability mojo that I was soooo used to when I was using the Schaller straplocks...but I've found that if I use baby wipes versus regular Charmin my fluidity improves substantially...and the blacks are even blacker upon visualization. I never knew I had so much funk in me!

This post heavily reminds me of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Telltale Heart" as the narrator describes how meticulously he carried out his plan to kill the old man. Well done sir!

 

[Markooo]

I changed the pickguard on my P-bass a couple of years ago from its original 4-ply tortoise guard to its current 3-ply white one.

It sounds exactly the same.

Astonishing to say the least...

 

[Baird6869]

All I know is that I can no longer comfortably play with a pickguard unless I raise the PU until they are almost falling out or touching the strings. Just a feel thing for me.

Having said that, I have never noticed a difference in tone when a PU was on or off my Fender or MusicMan basses. I have never owned a bass with an anodized guard though....

 

[TripleDouble]

Does either pickguard fit more snugly/squeeze the pickup covers more than the other? If a pickup is really bound to a pickguard and/or a bass body too tightly, it can sometimes cause microphonic weirdness.

 

[DavC]

the placebo effect ..! when you or someone else tells you something is going to be different ... then magically it is ..!! but only inside your own head ..! which is really the universe in which we live ...

 

[Timmy-Watts]

Flame at will, but on my AVRI 57, I have tested it with various different components, and I can attest that the metal guard makes it sound brighter than no pickguard every time. I've also seen this on a telecaster 6-string. Metal is always brighter. Seems to be a physical resonance thing.

 

[D Bopp]

the placebo effect ..! when you or someone else tells you something is going to be different ... then magically it is ..!! but only inside your own head ..! which is really the universe in which we live ...

It's not though. There was no reason for me to even ponder this question. I heard a difference, and the tone/attack was what made me think back to why it sounded different.

 

[lfmn16]

I remember when I switched from Schaller to Dunlop straplocks. Talk about an epiphany! The difference wasn't in the actual sound of the notes played, but the "space" between the notes and the existential groove of my playing. The Dunlop straplocks provided a sense "air" and "space" to my playing. Black backgrounds between plucked notes were seemingly "more blacker." There was simply more "there" there. I installed the Dunlop straplocks when the humidity in my home was 34% and allowed no ionizing substrates to operate in a 32 meter radius as to not interfere with the wood to metal interaction as I didn't really want to have to screw the straplocks into the body more than once; 1 fiber of wood lost can drastically decrease the blackness of the blacks. The sense of immediacy and detail in my playing increased substantially. But, I ended up ultimately having to take the straplocks off and reinstall them because I initially installed the Dunlop straplocks during a full moon cycle, but I realized that the alloys contained therein might not "mesh" with the moon's cycle so I uninstalled them using latex-free gloves, waited exactly 4 days, and reinstalled them again this time during a harvest moon, specifically at 11:07pm as there are scientifically less charged free electrons in the air at that specific time and the harvest moon has less of a chance of contributing to the oxidization of the exposed screwthreads. I also ordered specially treated Jamaican alloy steel screws this time, just for the funk of it. This made a HUGE difference, and what I thought would be detrimental by unscrewing the straplocks turned out to be a mindblowing sonic revelation! Once again, the black spaces between notes were actually even more "more blacker." The sense of immediacy was immediately more immediate than immediately before, and I had an even greater airy sense of spacial air in the same air space. There was even more "there" there, even more "there" there than there was "there" there before. Dunlop straplocks are keepers! But, I might be missing some of that fluidity of note sustainability mojo that I was soooo used to when I was using the Schaller straplocks...but I've found that if I use baby wipes versus regular Charmin my fluidity improves substantially...and the blacks are even blacker upon visualization. I never knew I had so much funk in me!

That's nothing. I went from a Gig bag to a hard shell case and you can't believe how it opened up the bottom end! I think I get more mids now too.

 

[Chrisk-K]

You can buy a pickguard made of depleted uranium for $1,000. It produces the heaviest bass tone known to man.

 

[Marko 1]

This is a serious one... I heard from someone I consider somewhat knowledgeable that if you leave your guitar against your cab, the speaker magnet will change the way your pickups sound at least temporarily.

This is someone who staunchly rejects the notion of tone-wood and such things.

 

[yodedude2]

My main bass is a Custom Shop 59 RI P. It came originally with a gold anodized guard.

I've been playing it with a 62RI Tort guard installed, and it sounds amazing. The best tone I've ever heard on any of my basses. Recently, I decided to put the gold guard back on. I played a few gigs with it, and didn't think much of it, except that I noticed the bass wasn't sounding as good as I remembered. I originally thought it was the head I was using, or maybe the strings were getting old.

After the 3rd gig, it hit me that the bass hadn't sounded good since I swapped the pickguards. The next day, I put the tort guard back on, and Bam, there it was again!

I've never even thought that the pickguard material may change the tone. But I wasn't getting as much of a thump, or even sound up the neck with the metal guard on. Maybe the metal reflects the frequencies a little different. Who knows?
Is this a common known thing and I'm just late to the game realizing this? It may very well just be this particular bass, as I've had many gold guard P Basses in the past. But I may have noticed a difference on the others too if I had changed out the guard.

Anyone else ever experienced this?

you should try it with no pickguard as an experiment and hear what difference that makes.

 

[Tazz]

I always face magnetic north when im playing. It gives a much thicker fuller tone versus facing south.

 

[tbz]

Entire forum dedicated to obsessing over bass minutiae mocks bassist for attempting to discuss a seemingly illogical oddity he discovered, regarding bass minutiae.

This is why we can't have nice things kids.

 

[Mosfed]

Sorry - I can't resist...

What's the best pickguard for metal?

 

[ggoat!!!]

Sorry - I can't resist...

What's the best pickguard for metal?

A metal one.

 

[David Jayne]

no no no no no no no no NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!

 

[Mosfed]

I remember when I switched from Schaller to Dunlop straplocks. Talk about an epiphany! The difference wasn't in the actual sound of the notes played, but the "space" between the notes and the existential groove of my playing. The Dunlop straplocks provided a sense "air" and "space" to my playing. Black backgrounds between plucked notes were seemingly "more blacker." There was simply more "there" there. I installed the Dunlop straplocks when the humidity in my home was 34% and allowed no ionizing substrates to operate in a 32 meter radius as to not interfere with the wood to metal interaction as I didn't really want to have to screw the straplocks into the body more than once; 1 fiber of wood lost can drastically decrease the blackness of the blacks. The sense of immediacy and detail in my playing increased substantially. But, I ended up ultimately having to take the straplocks off and reinstall them because I initially installed the Dunlop straplocks during a full moon cycle, but I realized that the alloys contained therein might not "mesh" with the moon's cycle so I uninstalled them using latex-free gloves, waited exactly 4 days, and reinstalled them again this time during a harvest moon, specifically at 11:07pm as there are scientifically less charged free electrons in the air at that specific time and the harvest moon has less of a chance of contributing to the oxidization of the exposed screwthreads. I also ordered specially treated Jamaican alloy steel screws this time, just for the funk of it. This made a HUGE difference, and what I thought would be detrimental by unscrewing the straplocks turned out to be a mindblowing sonic revelation! Once again, the black spaces between notes were actually even more "more blacker." The sense of immediacy was immediately more immediate than immediately before, and I had an even greater airy sense of spacial air in the same air space. There was even more "there" there, even more "there" there than there was "there" there before. Dunlop straplocks are keepers! But, I might be missing some of that fluidity of note sustainability mojo that I was soooo used to when I was using the Schaller straplocks...but I've found that if I use baby wipes versus regular Charmin my fluidity improves substantially...and the blacks are even blacker upon visualization. I never knew I had so much funk in me!

This is a work of sarcastic genius

 

[blindrabbit]

Of course difference pickguards influence tone. Everyone knows that MIA pickguards impart the impeccable sounds of freedom into your tone, whereas knock-off pickguards made in China ooze oppressive elements and throw a wet blanket over the notes. Haven't you guys learned anything here on TB?!!

 

[Muddslide]

Be sure and use titanium pickguard screws also, for a richer modern tone.

Of course, if you are shooting for old school tone, you will need to find some vintage nickel screws. Nothing else will do. I recommend sneaking them off of an actual pre-CBS Fender P bass if the opportunity arises.

Obviously pickguard color, weight and thickness is going to have an immediately evident, significant effect on your tone and sustain, but we MUST NOT overlook the immense impact that the age and composition of those pickguard screws has as well.

Another thing people often overlook is how important your strap is to your overall tone. There are people who deny this, but to someone with a lot of experience and a good ear, it is abundantly clear that suede leather as opposed to tanned leather as opposed to various other materials can cause your tone to vary wildly.

I once switched from a cow leather strap to ostrich leather on my #1 player and I was shocked to find it barely even sounded like an electric bass guitar anymore!

You can bet that cow leather strap went back on ASAP and it's never coming off again!

 

[David Jayne]

In all seriousness, say hello to Eddy Currents. Having it produce a meaningful impact on sound in this application is a little hard to swallow, but it's a thing and theoretically could be relevant here.
Eddy current - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia