Would you cover this?

[berklee46]

If the hole doesn't bother you then why are you even asking us?

Again, just interested in hearing other people's opinions and ideas on what they'd do. It's what TB is all about.

It took you more effort to offer nothing than it would to ignore the thread.
Feel free to move along...

 

[eastcoasteddie]

If it were mine, I would go to a custom wood-worker/furniture maker and have him fill it with a presicely-cut piece of wood, with a channel cut in the bottom of the piece to clear the pickup lead. It is possible to get a piece of wood with as-close-as-possible grain pattern...or stain one to match. You wouldn't see if unless you're looking for it.

The problem with that is you'd have to strip the bass and give it to him for at least a week probably. By that's the nature of the problem.
Sticking a dummy pickup in there is the easiest and quickest solution, but IMO will look goofy unless it is functional.

These are only my opinions....and a lot of members here don't see eye-to-eye with me and think I'm an idiot/@$$hole...so take it with a grain of salt...but you asked...

 

[bgrant570]

OMG! I wrote this before I saw the post about sticking something in there! Definitely stick something in there!

Personally, I don't like pickguards on natural finishes. If it were me I would go real or fake pick-up.

 

[Hues]

Or some kind of graphic block.

 

[Nephilymbass]

I recently reversed the P pickup in my 80's Tom Anderson parts bass and couldn't be happier with how much more even it sounds. Even with light gauge strings, the D and G are noticeably fuller.

Anyway, would you bother covering up the original P rout, or just leave it?

A ramp could cover it, a dummy P pickup could also. Or it can just be left as is. It's nice looking bass, but I don't mind legitimate relic battle scars, so the hole doesn't bug me, but I'm just curious what others would do.

View attachment 2757373 View attachment 2757374

I would make a ramp that covers it personally, shaped like this but maybe in black to match the pickups and fingerboard

 

[Slater]

Like a few others have mentioned, I would look to Phil X for inspiration.

 

[Clef_de_fa]

Yes cover that up, it looks silly to me this way. a dummy pickup is a great idea

 

[Ric5]

just put a p-pickup cover in the empty space and rock it.

 

[RubioClaves]

To me it looks to be a good place to put some kind of clockwork/steampunk type of thing .

 

[BasementWarrior]

Personally I'd just leave it as is. I dig the look.

 

[Usidore T Blue]

Tiny clown.

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

I recently reversed the P pickup in my 80's Tom Anderson parts bass and couldn't be happier with how much more even it sounds. Even with light gauge strings, the D and G are noticeably fuller.

Anyway, would you bother covering up the original P rout, or just leave it?

A ramp could cover it, a dummy P pickup could also. Or it can just be left as is. It's nice looking bass, but I don't mind legitimate relic battle scars, so the hole doesn't bug me, but I'm just curious what others would do.

View attachment 2757373 View attachment 2757374

Me? I'd probably fill that spot with another treble half and have a switch toggle between either of them.

 

[Reedt2000]

No need for the coil to be phony. I'd add that third P coild in there and make it functional with a 2 way commuter to switch between lower coils, so you can go P <--> reverse P. There's really cheap covered P pickups all around in Aliexpress.

Why get a dummy coil when you can make an actual coil!

Smack another one in there and wire it so you can choose between standard and flipped!

This is my thought too. Fixes the cosmetics, adds tone options. Boom

 

[Slough Feg Bass]

I'd go to an antique mall and find some neat little jewel piece that fits right in there and glue it down and be happy with a super custom thing.

 

[mexicanyella]

Pull the P pickup out and route that area for a mudbucker? Kind of drastic, but a "P-M" pickup configuration could be interesting.

 

[Pops OB]

Dummy pickup... It will amaze and scare the crap out of your fellow bassists. Prepare a well thought out fake wiring answer.

 

[two fingers]

I would use a dummy pickup and prepare to answer endless questions.

This was my first thought too. Wanna meet every single bass player who comes to your shows? Slap a dummy pickup in there and let them come to you. Make up all kinds of strange explanations as to why it's there....

"This bass was manufactured in the southern hemisphere. Without that extra coil the magnetic field would reverse. I'm surprised you haven't seen one of these."


.....and have fun with it.


Great looking bass by the way.

 

[inanimate_carb]

If I were to come upon this bass used and buy it, I'd just leave it as is.

 

[JGbassman]

I'd put a little cover made of aged brass, kind of like the older Yamaha BB's

I'd probably do one for the j pickup as well. The canyon left open would bother me.

 

[bdplaid]

I'd throw on a piece of pickguard, and honestly, I think dark brown tort would look nice, but so would black. Or mungy beat-up aluminum, lots of stuff. This is the kind of thing i view as an opportunity to personalize the bass.
I'd use it as a thumb ramp.