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Fender JMJ Mustang pickguard swap...lost a year off my life

got_the_bug

got_the_bug

Supporting Member
Sep 5, 2007
758
2,861
NH
#1
You’d think this would be simple enough...I’m a reasonably mechanically minded person, and a pickguard replacement is usually as easy as tying your shoes, but this one...ugh.

The difference is that the pickups are attached to the pickguard itself...rather than being screwed into the body. This means taking off the strings (not a big deal), and with the pickups soldered in place, figuring out how to get the springs between the guard and pickups to stay in place while you line up the screws — all while the magnets in the pickups cause the little springs to shoot to the side/top/underneath...anywhere but where they need to be.

I picked up the JMJ (my second) from a great seller on TB that I met for a face to face sale. There’s nothing wrong with the aged pearl guard; in fact, I like it. However, I found an eBay seller making aged tort guards for the JMJ, and I thought it might make it just a little different. Quality is excellent, by the way. How hard could it be? Hard, very hard, is the answer...

The new guard was not shielded, so I added copper tape to the new guard, as the PO had the pickup cavity shielded. I ended up using just a dot of Gorilla adhesive to keep the springs on the guard so I could screw it on. End result...

A7C71DC1-0440-46D1-BD57-9D8F6AF551FC.jpeg
 
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#5
got_the_bug said:
You’d think this would be simple enough...I’m a reasonably mechanically minded person, and a pickguard replacement is usually as easy as tying your shoes, but this one...ugh.

The difference is that the pickups are attached to the pickguard itself...rather than being screwed into the body. This means taking off the strings (not a big deal), and with the pickups soldered in place, figuring out how to get the springs between the guard and pickups to stay in place while you line up the screws — all while the magnets in the pickups cause the little springs to shoot to the side/top/underneath...anywhere but where they need to be.

I picked up the JMJ (my second) from a great seller on TB that I met for a face to face sale. There’s nothing wrong with the aged pearl guard; in fact, I like it. However, I found an eBay seller making aged tort guards for the JMJ, and I thought it might make it just a little different. Quality is excellent, by the way. How hard could it be? Hard, very hard, is the answer...

The new guard was not shielded, so I added copper tape to the new guard, as the PO had the pickup cavity shielded. I ended up using just a dot of Gorilla adhesive to keep the springs on the guard so I could screw it on. End result...

View attachment 3859003
Click to expand...
Same here, except I may have lost a year and a half...the pickguard would not line up exactly with the current holes...alas...I begin again.

I’m thankful to have seen this, but it’s a day late and a dollar short.
 
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#6
got_the_bug said:
You’d think this would be simple enough...I’m a reasonably mechanically minded person, and a pickguard replacement is usually as easy as tying your shoes, but this one...ugh.

The difference is that the pickups are attached to the pickguard itself...rather than being screwed into the body. This means taking off the strings (not a big deal), and with the pickups soldered in place, figuring out how to get the springs between the guard and pickups to stay in place while you line up the screws — all while the magnets in the pickups cause the little springs to shoot to the side/top/underneath...anywhere but where they need to be.

I picked up the JMJ (my second) from a great seller on TB that I met for a face to face sale. There’s nothing wrong with the aged pearl guard; in fact, I like it. However, I found an eBay seller making aged tort guards for the JMJ, and I thought it might make it just a little different. Quality is excellent, by the way. How hard could it be? Hard, very hard, is the answer...

The new guard was not shielded, so I added copper tape to the new guard, as the PO had the pickup cavity shielded. I ended up using just a dot of Gorilla adhesive to keep the springs on the guard so I could screw it on. End result...

View attachment 3859003
Click to expand...
Can you tell me where you got your tortoise pickguard?? I’ve been looking, but apparently the fit is slightly different from the reissued basses. Idk...the JMJ has a different neck pocket too.
 
#7
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#8
I know this is an old post, but, even though the pickup is mounted to the pickguard, I don't get why you couldn't just loosen the strings to change the pickguard. I've changed strat pickguards with the strings just loosened a bunch of times.
 
#9
got_the_bug said:
You’d think this would be simple enough...I’m a reasonably mechanically minded person, and a pickguard replacement is usually as easy as tying your shoes, but this one...ugh.

The difference is that the pickups are attached to the pickguard itself...rather than being screwed into the body. This means taking off the strings (not a big deal), and with the pickups soldered in place, figuring out how to get the springs between the guard and pickups to stay in place while you line up the screws — all while the magnets in the pickups cause the little springs to shoot to the side/top/underneath...anywhere but where they need to be.

I picked up the JMJ (my second) from a great seller on TB that I met for a face to face sale. There’s nothing wrong with the aged pearl guard; in fact, I like it. However, I found an eBay seller making aged tort guards for the JMJ, and I thought it might make it just a little different. Quality is excellent, by the way. How hard could it be? Hard, very hard, is the answer...

The new guard was not shielded, so I added copper tape to the new guard, as the PO had the pickup cavity shielded. I ended up using just a dot of Gorilla adhesive to keep the springs on the guard so I could screw it on. End result...

View attachment 3859003
Click to expand...
When you get ready to reinstall the pickups, find a piece of stout wire, like coathanger wire, and cut a section aban inch or so longer than required pass through the hole in the pickups, springs and guard. Put a bend in ine end of the wire to keep it from falling through the parts, then shove it through from the bottom of the stack. Once in place, simply push the wire back through everything from the top, and thread it in a few turns, then repeat until all your screws are started, then set your pickup height and tilt. If you have a tiny screwdriver ling enough and small enough, you can use that instead. A phillips would be the best fit but can be a PITA to get it pushed back through.
It sounds complicated but after you do it a couple times you will see it is not as hard as trying to get four spring loaded assrmblies pulled back together.
Another way would be to start one, then start the one on the other end and the opposite corner of the pickup. Once you get the first two, the others should go pretty easy.
Last of all you could compress the springs using a piece of thread to pull it diwn and tie it off. Place the thread through the string, then run the screw through the spring and compress it and tie it off. It would be overly fiddly but if you had trouble with method 1 or 2, it could be a viable alternative.
 
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#14
I copper lined my JMJ guts and guard, and thought the reinstall of the pickups was just a little bit fiddly. Could have used 3 hands. But it didn't take too much effort. Its helpful to do this with the bass on a towel to keep the springs and screws from disappearing into the ether (along with all your missing socks over the years). Just be careful, use a good light, have a set of needle nose pliers for reaching into pickguard cavity if a spring drops (so you don’t have to jam your meaty paws in there and break a wire or something).

Result is night and day…the horrible hum I had from the new JMJ disappeared after the shielding. Why does fender do that stuff? They release a good albeit expensive piece of gear with a seemingly major issue that most users will recognize quickly, and need to address. Does fender not realize the apparently universal noisiness issue with the unshielded mustangs?

On the bright side, I’m learning (to some degree) some fairly basic skills that are helpful in annoying situations. But I don't think I should have to REPAIR a brand new guitar that retails for $1420. Cmon fender get your act together.
 
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#15
Luckydog said:
I copper lined my JMJ guts and guard, and thought the reinstall of the pickups was just a little bit fiddly. Could have used 3 hands. But it didn't take too much effort. Its helpful to do this with the bass on a towel to keep the springs and screws from disappearing into the ether (along with all your missing socks over the years). Just be careful, use a good light, have a set of needle nose pliers for reaching into pickguard cavity if a spring drops (so you don’t have to jam your meaty paws in there and break a wire or something).

Result is night and day…the horrible hum I had from the new JMJ disappeared after the shielding. Why does fender do that stuff? They release a good albeit expensive piece of gear with a seemingly major issue that most users will recognize quickly, and need to address. Does fender not realize the apparently universal noisiness issue with the unshielded mustangs?

On the bright side, I’m learning (to some degree) some fairly basic skills that are helpful in annoying situations. But I don't think I should have to REPAIR a brand new guitar that retails for $1420. Cmon fender get your act together.
Click to expand...
Ugh I just ordered the JMJ today and went shopping for a tort guard. I’m bummed it’s so complicated and now the shielding issue too!? 😖
 

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