There is a hole in Bass!

[avattz]

I was testing the grounding on my guitar when I started wondering what that hole was for right below the bottom horn, was it used to transport contraband?

Also what is that white powder all over the cavity, and is okay to remove it?

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Edit: Also I thought the finish on the guitar was the cheaper "photo" finish, but the bottom horn doesn't have that red outline. Does that mean that the finish was done manually like American Jazz Basses?

 

[Maxdusty]

What???? Pics please...

 

[BrokeDownSouth]

What does the powder smell like?

 

[FunkyMcNasty]

We may need a little more info on this one.

 

[FunkyMcNasty]

What does the powder smell like?

Yeah, or lick it and tell us what it tastes like.

 

[avattz]

Sorry, forgot the picture, can take more this afternoon.

 

[Gorn]

It's a locator for the CNC machining process.

Or a place to hide a tiny amount of an illicit substance, from what I've heard.

 

[awilkie84]

Typical on the MIM & even most MIAs, now. That top on your MIM Active Dlx body isn't a photo, it's a veneer that is then painted. The back will have one too.

 

[avattz]

Typical on the MIM & even most MIAs, now. That top on your MIM Active Dlx body isn't a photo, it's a veneer that is then painted. The back will have one too.

So what guitars have that cheap photo finish printed on? I thought MIMs had that kind of finish since they were budget basses.

 

[Runlikegregg]

that's a lot of trouble for a very small amount of contraband.

 

[smcd]

That hole is on most MIM bodies, but not on MIA bodies. Any MIA bass that has that hole, which are only a few in the model line, probably had the bodies made in Mexico and shipped up here for painting and assembly.

It's unlikely that hole is associated with the CNC process. The subject has come up many times, and not one shred of proof has arisen. Almost all companies use CNC machines to manufacture guitar bodies. None but MIM Fenders seem to have that odd hole.

 

[Bent77]

It's a basshole

 

[Maxdusty]

A number of Fender basses and guitars have them... some have three. I'm assuming it's used for tooling alignment during production as one answer alludes to in this post.
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However, I prefer to believe that it's a cavity intended to store some totem relic for the guitarist to imbue the guitar with his/her special mojo.

or it makes the bass the all important half an ounce lighter.

 

[ICM]

The hole (like people have said) is for CNC.

The mysterious white powder is what's left over from a buffing compound from the factory. That kind of stuff is usually all along the inside of a strat{s trem rout as well.

 

[Maxdusty]

The hole (like people have said) is for CNC.

The mysterious white powder is what's left over from a buffing compound from the factory. That kind of stuff is usually all along the inside of a strat{s trem rout as well.

er...if the latter is true, I'm hoping the op did not sniff the powder as one post suggested to do.

 

[braud357]

It is where the government's tracking device goes. Cannot believe that they let one out without it --- CALL THE NSA !!!! As far as the white powder is concerned ------------- ! Actually - IvanMunoz is correct !

 

[punkjazzben]

It's the sweet spot of the bass's body. Fender removes the spot from MIM bodies to ensure their MIA line remains superior. I've heard rumours that the Chinese factories skip this process to cut corners, and this is why the Squier CV line is so good.

 

[BurningSkies]

The dude at Fender who shapes the bodies cuts the hole then keeps the wood...as a souvenir of every single bass Fender makes.

 

[kcole4001]

It is the mojo storage cavity, and now that you've removed the pickguard, all the mojo evaporated and will have to be refilled (very expensive).

 

[kohntarkosz]

It's unlikely that hole is associated with the CNC process. The subject has come up many times, and not one shred of proof has arisen. Almost all companies use CNC machines to manufacture guitar bodies. None but MIM Fenders seem to have that odd hole.

Videos on youtube of the Ensenada plant suggest that the CNC machines don't need this as an anchor point. There is also video of a Strat body being cut out from a bigger blank that is bolted down.

I wager Fender put it in there to denote MIM bodies. If you buy an American Special bass they will put an "American Special" decal under the finish on the back of the neck. I would imagine they loath the idea of their parts being upsold as something they aren't. Imagine if you couldn't discern between a MIM and MIA body... at least we all know the MIM bodies have the wee circular route under the pickguard! It is easier to identify a body this way; especially when Strat bodies, for example, all look much the same regardless of model.