Do not adjust the neck to fix the pickguard!
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Do not adjust the neck to fix the pickguard!
My thought... possibly, not cut properly. Given enough time, the part of the pickguard would find itself in that position, pressing up against the pickup, causing it to lean.
Like others have said, remove the pickguard, flatten it out with some evenly applied heat (hairdryer?), and remove enough material to eliminate pressure on the pickup... if you really like it, that is.
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I can’t believe this hasn’t been said yet… you bought it brand new? Return it and get one that is put together properly.
Pickup tilting that way means it's not centered on the foam pad strip underneath. Also an easy fix though you might need some glue.
Usually happens if they used "jazz pickup" shaped foam (long and skinny) rather than a precision pickup shaped foam see below left vs right.
Picture here:
Usually happens if they used "jazz pickup" shaped foam (long and skinny) rather than a precision pickup shaped foam see below left vs right.
Picture here:
@ugie
Okay, I didn't express myself correctly. I meant that if the guard doesn't fit the neck, the guard must be worked and not the neck. Don't move your neck! But that doesn't seem to be the case.
However, there are many suggestions here that you can try and do without fear, before taking your bass to a technician.
1 - See if there is any wire outside the cavity, or something raised preventing the guard from settling correctly.
2 - Check if the pickguard is not warped. If you have any skills try to straighten with heat as suggested, slowly and calmly, a little heat.
3 - Check if the pickup is not preventing the guard from being in the correct position. Removing the screws and pickup covers is enough, it is not necessary to remove them. If the guard settles there is the problem.
4 - The holes, it looks like you've already checked it out.
5 - Double-face tape, the common one for paper, not foam, I've already solved a similar problem.
6 - Take into account that a new pickguard is cheaper than what a technician will charge you.
7 - Don't do anything if you think you're going to ruin something.
Good luck.
Okay, I didn't express myself correctly. I meant that if the guard doesn't fit the neck, the guard must be worked and not the neck. Don't move your neck! But that doesn't seem to be the case.
However, there are many suggestions here that you can try and do without fear, before taking your bass to a technician.
1 - See if there is any wire outside the cavity, or something raised preventing the guard from settling correctly.
2 - Check if the pickguard is not warped. If you have any skills try to straighten with heat as suggested, slowly and calmly, a little heat.
3 - Check if the pickup is not preventing the guard from being in the correct position. Removing the screws and pickup covers is enough, it is not necessary to remove them. If the guard settles there is the problem.
4 - The holes, it looks like you've already checked it out.
5 - Double-face tape, the common one for paper, not foam, I've already solved a similar problem.
6 - Take into account that a new pickguard is cheaper than what a technician will charge you.
7 - Don't do anything if you think you're going to ruin something.
Good luck.
Thanks all for the replies.
Yes this is a new bass bought fresh from Thomann.
I had contacted them today in the meantime and they told me they will open a request to get a new pickguard from Fender. And they told me this might take some time.
Now that I am reminded with the weird pickup tilt here , I am considering to return this instrument all-together (not sure what Thomann will say).
By the way, I took out all screws again to make sure if no wire is sticking out and indeed none was. The pickguard itself has that weird warped shape even when all screws are off. That might have caused the pickup tilt toward bridge, OR the foam underneath was an improper one as @truand85 pointed out. At this point I might as well start suspecting this is an original Fender bass guitar.
Also when I put the screws back on, one of the screw near that warp faced no resistance (the hole cut in the body is poopy I guess).
Yes this is a new bass bought fresh from Thomann.
I had contacted them today in the meantime and they told me they will open a request to get a new pickguard from Fender. And they told me this might take some time.
Now that I am reminded with the weird pickup tilt here , I am considering to return this instrument all-together (not sure what Thomann will say).
By the way, I took out all screws again to make sure if no wire is sticking out and indeed none was. The pickguard itself has that weird warped shape even when all screws are off. That might have caused the pickup tilt toward bridge, OR the foam underneath was an improper one as @truand85 pointed out. At this point I might as well start suspecting this is an original Fender bass guitar.
Also when I put the screws back on, one of the screw near that warp faced no resistance (the hole cut in the body is poopy I guess).
just set it in the sun for a min or rub it a little , this stuff warms up fast and a heat gun or perhaps a hair dryer will be too much heat and damaged it . FYI you always gotta push / pull a little when putting on a p/g . If you ever remove a vintage one will shrink the second you take it off , you gotta gently push / pull that back into place to reinstall one . They get flexible when warmed up a little .
put a little sliver of a tooth pick in that hole , it will grab
Really? I thought they are legally bound to put the "b-stock" info on the product if so. The one I bought was supposed to be new not b-stock.
Who will hold them up to it? They can ship you whatever they want and will likely just replace when asked, but bank on not being asked.
well I disagree that instrument is a b stock because of that but I think we both agree it should be replaced ( pickguard not the bass) unless the new owner can sort it out to their liking . An actual factory B stock is marked as such and does usually have a imperfection . Usually cosmetic only .
I've long wondered if there isn't a kind of "unofficial" B stock comprising basses that were not identified as such at the factory, but have been returned by one or more dissatisfied buyers because of some imperfection(s) that didn't quite make (or should have made) the official B-stock criterion.
