NBD, with or with out pickguard?

[WI Short Scaler]

I like the look of the bass without except for the screw holes.

So my vote is "with."

 

[And I]

+1 for pickguard, but not that pickguard. white or other perloid, dark tort, mirror finish, etc. something with some pizazz.

 

[wraub]

I'm in the "no pickguard" camp, but, if there must be one, then, this-

[snip] not that pickguard. white or other perloid, dark tort, mirror finish, etc. something with some pizazz.

 

[donkeygrl]

It looks good either way BUT the screw holes would bother me but that is just me
if you keep a pickguard I would def upgrade a little as others have suggested -dark tort or aged pearloid

 

[GIBrat51]

Well, I don't like red, and Jazz basses don't exactly thrill me either, but... that's besides the point. Sorta... One of the things that's always bothered me about Jazz basses, is that if you take the pickguard off? The control plate is very obviously intended to be part of something - that isn't there any more. And that just looks like... well, it looks like something's missing. So, if it were mine? I'd either keep that white pickguard on it (I think it looks good with that color), or I'd change the control plate out for something that looks like it's supposed to be there by itself...

 

[PennyroyalWe]

Thanks for all the opinions on it. It hasn’t made it easier to decide hahaha. I’m leaning toward the dark tort option though, make it into a poor man’s road (un)worn 60’s jazz. Of course, now I’m considering covers and a thumb rest with that tort.

 

[TinyE]

Picked up a used 2017 affinity jazz bass for the price of a Glarry today. It’s my first jazz bass, closest I had/have is a peavey foundation. It plays really well once I set it up, the strings seem pretty new too. It’s not my favorite sounding bass, but I suspect a change in pickups could do a world of good. Fun color, race red. Pretty stoked to find bass is routed so that it looks pretty good without the pg. So the question is, keep it on or take it off?View attachment 3880409View attachment 3880410

with, anything but tort

 

[Charlzm]

Picked up a used 2017 affinity jazz bass for the price of a Glarry today. It’s my first jazz bass, closest I had/have is a peavey foundation. It plays really well once I set it up, the strings seem pretty new too. It’s not my favorite sounding bass, but I suspect a change in pickups could do a world of good. Fun color, race red. Pretty stoked to find bass is routed so that it looks pretty good without the pg. So the question is, keep it on or take it off?View attachment 3880409View attachment 3880410

I've always thought a J looks weird when it only has the metal control plate. On a virgin build, I'd skip that plate and rear rout, but, if it already has the control plate and is front-routed, I'd keep the PG.

 

[phillipkregg]

With!

But I'm a big fan of pickguards in general.

IMHO a black one would look great on that bass.

 

[Hevy T]

Throw a maple fb on there and it would be like Geddy Lee's red custom shop

 

[MartialDylan]

Those Chinese Squiers were great instruments. Mine had beautiful neck wood. Keep the pickguard

 

[Dan_reeves]

I voted with, and I would even say keep the original white. I like how the white looks, and no cost to you.

I own the same bass, but the silver version. I stuck Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound jazz pickups in mine, and it slays. Love it. Kind of depends what you are looking for though. The stock pickups in mine were a bit anemic.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

With but change it to tort ..

 

[Mvilmany]

Dark tort.....

Yeah, this.

 

[PennyroyalWe]

Throw a maple fb on there and it would be like Geddy Lee's red custom shop

HA, I wish! In a perfect world they’d make maple boarded affinity basses.

 

[PennyroyalWe]

I voted with, and I would even say keep the original white. I like how the white looks, and no cost to you.

I own the same bass, but the silver version. I stuck Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound jazz pickups in mine, and it slays. Love it. Kind of depends what you are looking for though. The stock pickups in mine were a bit anemic.

Yeah they sound pretty lack luster. Jazz bass tones for sure; but if a USA jazz bass is butter, this is margarine at best.

 

[Mildew Jones]

go transparent/clear pickguard!
MJ

 

[chris_b]

With.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

No PG.

 

[RumbleBot]

I think the white pick guard on red looks pretty classy. If the body has wood grain showing, I'd probably say without.