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Project Bass: Mid 80's MIJ Squier P

Chris Fitzgerald

Chris Fitzgerald

Student of Life
Staff member
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Gold Supporting Member
Oct 19, 2000
27,573
38,466
Louisville, KY
www.chrisfitzgeraldmusic.com
#1
I haven't played BG in years, and wanted to get a fun bass to get back into it with. A friend picked up an 80's MIJ Squier Precision for me cheap, and I just brought it home. It plays and sounds great, and is so ugly that only a mother could love it - a perfect vibe for me. "Roadworn" but by life rather than a factory. My question is, if I want to replace a part like a pickguard, how specifically do I need to shop for it? Is there a standard template for pickup placement and screw holes, etc., or do I need incredibly specific info on the make and year of the bass? (sorry for the newb question, or if it's the wrong forum). Can't wait to get started!
 
#2
Chris Fitzgerald said:
I haven't played BG in years, and wanted to get a fun bass to get back into it with. A friend picked up an 80's MIJ Squier Precision for me cheap, and I just brought it home. It plays and sounds great, and is so ugly that only a mother could love it - a perfect vibe for me. "Roadworn" but by life rather than a factory. My question is, if I want to replace a part like a pickguard, how specifically do I need to shop for it? Is there a standard template for pickup placement and screw holes, etc., or do I need incredibly specific info on the make and year of the bass? (sorry for the newb question, or if it's the wrong forum). Can't wait to get started!
Click to expand...

i think i used a guard sold as a mim replacement and i dont remember having any issues with it on my mij squier P.
 
#6
Serial No. is SQ43477, which the Fender support site says is 1983-84. No pics yet, but I could snap one in a day or two. It's kind of a frankenbass to look at. Somebody did a homemade "natural" refinish job on the body complete with runs, drips and errors. The pickguard is currently white with a couple of corners missing, bowed and warped in several places, and the knobs are two different colors. But it feels good to me, and sounds like a P bass should, so...
 
#8
Chris Fitzgerald said:
Serial No. is SQ43477, which the Fender support site says is 1983-84. No pics yet, but I could snap one in a day or two. It's kind of a frankenbass to look at. Somebody did a homemade "natural" refinish job on the body complete with runs, drips and errors. The pickguard is currently white with a couple of corners missing, bowed and warped in several places, and the knobs are two different colors. But it feels good to me, and sounds like a P bass should, so...
Click to expand...

That's an "SQ" series Squier. I have one - great bass. Not as nice as the "JV" series, which used some USA components and had a more vintage vibe, but still super sweet. Due to the many variations at Fender and beyond, you will likely have to do some tweaking with pickguards - unless one of the manufacturers already has a template for the SQ. Use the cheapest one you can find and see how close you are to a fit. Count the mounting screw holes in the body, as this can be somewhat of a guide. guitarfetish.com is a good source to start with.
 
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#9
I have an SQ P bass (and an SQ Jazz, too) and I have several pickguards for the P. All but one are Fender parts, one is from Allparts.
Each of the guards fits perfectly, all holes match, no modding needed.

A pic or 12 would be nice... ;)

wraub
 
#10
SQ's can be really good. I just stuck an SQ Squier Bullet neck on one of my MIJ Fender P-basses and it sounds great. Honestly, a standard 13 hole P-bass guard should fit just fine. Your bass should also have a pencil date on the butt of the neck if you were to take it apart...most JV's and SQ's do. Congrats Chris, that's a sleeper!
 
#12
Thanks, guys! I'll try to post some pics when i get a chance to take them. You may need to cover your eyes, but thankfully not your ears. So If I'm hearing the advice correctly, I could go to a site like this one ( Link Removed ) and pick anything that says it will fit a Squier, like the bottom left and right on that page, correct? When i went to the Fender site, they were very careful to say "will not fit Squier basses" on most of the pick guards they had.

EDIT: I'll add the real pics later, but it looks an awful lot like the one pictured below, except with a messed up white pick guard and multicolored knobs. It does have a rosewood board.
61-Blonde-Fender-Precision.jpg


EDIT 2: come to think of it, my friend sent me a crappy cell phone pic of it:
attachment.jpg


It's out of focus and you can't see detail, but since you wanted pics...
 

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#13
ale29 said:
On a side note (hope the OP doesn't mind the little hijack), is there any Fender 13 hole gold anodized pickguard available around? That's for a MIJ P too.
Click to expand...

I have one, got it on CL after some searching.


Perhaps contact Fender directly...
[edit] Actually, just got off the phone with Mike at Fender, was told that Fender does not offer a 13 hole ano guard.
Makes me wonder where the one I have came from...


wraub
 
#14
Chris Fitzgerald said:
Thanks, guys! I'll try to post some pics when i get a chance to take them. You may need to cover your eyes, but thankfully not your ears. So If I'm hearing the advice correctly, I could go to a site like this one ( Link Removed ) and pick anything that says it will fit a Squier, like the bottom left and right on that page, correct? When i went to the Fender site, they were very careful to say "will not fit Squier basses" on most of the pick guards they had.
Click to expand...

I think you will find that the SQ instruments are very similar, if not exactly the same, as, any typical Fender instruments.

The MIJ JV and SQ stuff was built using original Fender blueprints IIRC.

Again, all my pickguards (save one) are Fender parts and fit perfectly.

Yours looks a lot like mine (also a DIY refin) but mine has an ash body and the aforementioned ano guard.

wraub
 
#15
lowphatbass said:
SQ's can be really good. I just stuck an SQ Squier Bullet neck on one of my MIJ Fender P-basses and it sounds great. Honestly, a standard 13 hole P-bass guard should fit just fine. Your bass should also have a pencil date on the butt of the neck if you were to take it apart...most JV's and SQ's do. Congrats Chris, that's a sleeper!
Click to expand...

From what I have seen/read, the JVs definitely have a pencil-written date on the butt of the neck, but SQs seem to be hit or miss. For example, my J has one, but my P doesn't.

wraub
 
#17
wraub said:
I think you will find that the SQ instruments are very similar, if not exactly the same, as, any typical Fender instruments.

The MIJ JV and SQ stuff was built using original Fender blueprints IIRC.

Again, all my pickguards (save one) are Fender parts and fit perfectly.

Yours looks a lot like mine (also a DIY refin) but mine has an ash body and the aforementioned ano guard.

wraub
Click to expand...

Yea they are all MIA specs so the guards will fit. The JV's were exact MIA specs but the SQ's were designed in Japan.

I have 3, two 83' SQ 3TS P and a 84' Bullet P bass. The necks have the pencil dates at the heal. The necks are really great on these basses super fast.

It looks like the OP SQ was stripped might of been 3TS and its a shame cuz those finishes are really nice, very deep with good grain showing thru.
 

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