No tone after pickguard change - P bass

[Beatsisbass]

I have just changed my pickguard on my USA Performer P bass to a mirrored one and the tone pot has stopped working, at first the volume pot for the P pick up stopped, so I took it off carefully checked the wiring was ok and put it back on, now the tone pot has stopped working! Any ideas on an error I maybe making? thanks in advance

 

[Eneade]

Your bass is telling you it does not like the mirror guard.

 

[RickBlair]

Is the pickguard made out of metal? If so the pots may be short circuiting inadvertently. Try putting a paper or thin cardboard washer between the pot and the pickguard and see if that helps.

Rick B.

 

[Dave TB Killer]

Don't really need a tone pot on a P Bass anyway.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I have just changed my pickguard on my USA Performer P bass to a mirrored one and the tone pot has stopped working, at first the volume pot for the P pick up stopped, so I took it off carefully checked the wiring was ok and put it back on, now the tone pot has stopped working! Any ideas on an error I maybe making? thanks in advance

It needs tort to function

 

[RSBBass]

I am with RickBlair, your pot is shorting on the pickguard. You need to insulate it. An insulating washer should do the trick.

 

[lowendrv]

Is the pickguard made out of metal? If so the pots may be short circuiting inadvertently. Try putting a paper or thin cardboard washer between the pot and the pickguard and see if that helps.

Rick B.

Fender has used anodized aluminum pickguards on P basses for over 50 years with no insulation washer . Those pickguards actually shield the bass .

 

[lowendrv]

Check to see if you accidentally bent a solder lug over while changing guard . Very common .
https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/...0XXXX_Am_Performer_ Precision_Bass_REV_ A.pdf

 

[soulstew]

In the process of swapping off the pickguard, a wire has come off the tone pot. I've had the same thing happen. Solder it back on and you're good to go.

 

[Bassamatic]

It is either shorting on the pickguard, OR a pot has rotated a little and is shorting against the side of the control cavity, which may have conductive shielding paint on it. I have gotten bit by that one a couple of times.

 

[MustangWally]

Either a broken wire or (more likely IMO) something touching ground that shouldn't be. Can you take a close up photo of the pots with the pickguard off? I notice that the greasebucket pcb is close to the output jack, maybe something is touching there.

 

[Ric5]

I have just changed my pickguard on my USA Performer P bass to a mirrored one and the tone pot has stopped working, at first the volume pot for the P pick up stopped, so I took it off carefully checked the wiring was ok and put it back on, now the tone pot has stopped working! Any ideas on an error I maybe making? thanks in advance

check for a broken solder joint or cold solder joint ...

worst case scenario is you may have to replace the tone pot.

 

[Shorelinegold]

My gods, my friends. Isn't it obvious? This is what TORT was made for!!

 

[Killing Floor]

What was the old pick guard? I assume tort because you said it was a P bass and it was working.
You can put a mirror guard on a Jazz bass if you want.

 

[George Dennis]

My gods, my friends. Isn't it obvious? This is what TORT was made for!!

I'm pretty sure the answer is much more techical than that... swapping pick guards, OP let all the mojo fall out

 

[AboutSweetSue]

Awww…man, I thought this was going to be about how a pick guard impacts tone.

 

[teej]

Awww…man, I thought this was going to be about how a pick guard impacts tone.

Same. I was pretty disappointed as well.

On a serious note to the OP, though... Post a photo of the back of your controls so we can see what's going on in the wiring.

 

[Cookies0nDowels]

Check to see if the pickguard is Tort.

 

[bcbassman]

My P bass had a Tortoise shell PG and it worked great but I changed it to a black guard and the jack was shorting out against the shielding in the control cavity. I put down some electrical tape where the jack hit and it now sounds like a Precision bass.

 

[Mike Vee]

Ha - same thing happened to my American Performer P. The wiring is poopie. Grab a new prewired kit with cloth wire and ditch that factory garbage. Install some Aguilar pickups while your at it. I did and it's amazing.