screw holes

You could mask them with the pick guard.

 

Some put the screws back on without the pick guard. Others don't bother. Anything more than that probably means that you are not going to use the p-g ever again.

 

Take it to a paint shop and see if they can scan it for a paint match? Most do it for free. But blending the paint in will bite - there is always a small shrink line.

maybe small small decorative studs you could stick in there, then the holes won't be bogus if you decide to put the guard back on for resale purposes or such?

I have same issue on a bass of mine - I've tried not to think about them.

 

Get cap head screws of the same thread / length as the counter-sunk p.g. screws, find a very similar paint color in the dupli-color touchup paint section of your local auto parts supplier (or get a custom color match in a paint pen if you must), and put the screws in the holes, and paint the heads of the screws after install. They will be "hidden" from 10 ft, and you do no other permanent mods to the bass incase you change your mind later.

OR, what I would do.... get a clear plastic pickguard replacement. Anything else is going to border on obvious and kinda half ass, short of a full refin.

 

+1

 

El Cheapo here says: Glue in a little piece of a wooden match stick, sunk just below the surface ... add a couple drops of red nail polish (pretty easy to match - there are a lot of gloss reds available) ... and sand very carefully with 800 grit sandpaper (mask off the area).

 

For those unawares, better auto parts/paint stores carry paper as fine as 3000 grit for taking nibs out of clear-coat.

 

Yes, good point -- start with 800 and if that's not good enough, work up.

 

I was just thinking that many people are unaware where you can get it that fine or that they even make it that fine. Hardware stores usually cap out at 600.

 

And of course StewMac has papers up to 8000.

 

WOW, hadn't seen that yet. I do watch and jewelry repair and once I go past 2000 I generally switch to diamond lapping film which is basically plastic with diamond dust embedded in the surface on one side. Very cool - thanks! Diamond film goes even higher but totally not needed for paint or even plastic.