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Jazz bass pick guard...without holes

S

squiresuzuki

Jun 8, 2011
178
4
#1
Heello. So I'm getting ready to build my fretless Warmoth jazz bass.
I ordered a transparent gray pick guard from greasygroove.com. I feel like I will probably want to go back and forth between pickguard and no pickguard. But...I don't want to ruin my $600 blue burst on flame maple top body with screw holes.
Have any of you mounted pick guards on your bass without screws?
Any ideas as to how I might do this?
I'm thinking double sided tape would be easiest, but that might show underneath the translucent gray pick guard.
 
#3
I use "banner" tape on my pickguards. It holds really well. It is a clear tape but I have never put it on a transparent guard. I don't know if it'd show through or not. I don't know of another way to mount without holes/screws. Here's a pic of some with the banner tape mounted guards. I work at a sign shop and that's where I get the tape.

0012-92-1.jpg
 
#5
If it will be like a typical jazz bass with one pickup poking through the pick guard you should be able to find a largish O ring at the local hardware store that will fit snugly over the pickup and hold the pick guard in place. Spray adhesives may be an option too, I would look for a "low tack" adhesive like that used on Post-It notes. Don't know if such a thing is available but it would not damage the finish of your bass if it is.

Ken
 
#9
squiresuzuki said:
The O-ring sounds genius....I'll try it.

The only reason I want the guard is for it to look good.
Click to expand...

May or may not be genius! The reason I say that is that you don't want the pickguard vibrating making noises! And with the guard only held around pickup the edges may or may not be free to vibrate.

A "stuck down" version would be my choice. I'd use spray glue. It's called "Scotch Spra-mount" made by 3-M (Borden makes a version too) and is available at any artist supply store. The glue is basically the same stuff as on magic mending tape (smells like it too!) Just spray it on the back of the pickguard, let it "dry", and then stick it down. Any glue that remains on finish if you remove guard won't harm it and is easily removed with a bit of guitar cleaner or rubbing alcohol.

Of course the BEST all-time and PERFECT solution is the guitar-condom thing. You've probably seen this stuff. It's not glue but some kind of sticky plastic sheet. It's commonly used to put fake numbers on clock displays when you buy them. I just bought a Zoom video recorder on Black Friday and it had a fake display screen in this peel-off plastic on it. I'm sure you've seen this stuff. The hard part and where the serious research would be needed would be where to find a sheet of that sticky plastic stuff to put on the back of the pickguard. But it is clearly THE answer. No glue solvents to eat finishes. No icky glue to have to clean off once you remove it. Yet, sticks hard enough to drag behind your car and not come loose! I LOVE the idea of screwless removable pickguards If you find some of that sticky plastic stuff. PLEASE post it in TB!!!
 
#16
Seems like there could be a market for new pickguard options. I am no engineer, but I imagine that I could come up with a few options that don't involve screwing the pickguard into the bass. An adhesive backing like the one used on the "guitar condom' or a combination of magnets could be possible alternatives. Hell, you could even make PGs that still look like traditional screwed-down PGs using shallow screws that are no deeper than the PG itself. I am not saying that these are great ideas, but if luthers can imagine and design fine innovative instruments like Dingwalls and the like, then I can't imagine that it would be too hard to build a better mousetrap... ... that happens to be a pickguard.
 
#20
squiresuzuki said:
Whatever I end up doing, it will probably end up looking weird without the screws filling the holes. I'm thinking that I'll just saw the screw from the heads and just superglue the heads into the holes in the pick guard.
Click to expand...

You can probably find something more artistic than sawn off screw heads but is it too late to ask the vendor if they can supply a pickguard without screw holes? I can't tell if B&B like my o-ring idea or are ridiculing it but an o-ring is just one implementation. The general idea is to use the pickup as an attachment point one way or another. I see that others are already expanding on that theme and that is what brainstorming is all about.

Yes, I suppose it might rattle and buzz but if you turn the volume up the audience will never notice. Surely even B&B will approve that notion....

Ken ;)
 

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