Pickguard for Japanese Jazz Bass

robinbowes · April 2018

I fixed up the dead pickup and reassembled it with hot glue (thanks @ICBM).

I've replaced the under-pickup foam, as the original had perished. However, it seems that the neck pickup was screwed right down and actually under the pickguard as the cutout is too small and the screw lugs are in the wrong place. See pics.

Pickup on top of pickguard:

Image: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ZaYcmA0NDMCW2XGojUtKBWFn3TT7VjG3YFFeextD44R0-EkrCgaqIcy60Coxx4vkfS0pcdA4lxVJB6DjI1KUkTfkLXavJNpEkDlv3l8AS3sIx0MdsPo38Q96vnGCuuvUG_X_OQlBjvo=w927-h1235-no

Pickup underneath pickguard:

Image: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0ZDZIaQVKPof0cqvVZcpsgaA9fbS9PBX2E-a-Jsc_ZnZlYieaXWaeT1POSwfwFs4XP7prSk3Ehx1m2QzHGuJ1MB1u9ygWaeLoUzHF-5PmP3pwqgdzpbDlJN6ZCHBi4iHeEGLldOQWdY=w1574-h1181-no

I'm thinking I might get a new guard as the previous owner bodged the fitting of the thumbrest - it was screwed on in the wrong place (see additional holes at the bottom of this picture):

Image: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ILWKjCBvvnhBb6ncnuQTAWdAjDdRMBgAnZLaWauaMEATHUvPLjS8Q7Cy6UMo-Is8755lORmA-pnQyaGQv9kI1QtwPZBJL50k8PJvCEGVSANC4G0Prwum8SxF4-IrMPPMPpAalfiYjak=w1574-h1181-no

Any idea if I can get a pickguard with correct-sized holes?

Dimensions are as follows:

Image: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/HhV1nv8kX9mgKgRf2kglxpn8aF-1SrXY6MZ7tojNsZ9nkzRU46IhqCmvGuYntE7uHuZe8vBjF5Ph7ZiKcdV5FnAc_N3PDbQ2-wiSZNwQOBMoDV07Zg6iTvKhMqlOU7xLMMQRpLFPFxA=w1574-h1181-no

Thanks!

Funkfingers · April 2018

The dimensions above are about right for a long J pickup.

The likelihood that anybody mass-produces a pickguard with the pickup cut-out in those dimensions is small. Hence, your options are;

to use the existing pickups then, purchase and modify a blank J pickguard
to use the existing pickguard then, purchase conventionally-sized J pickups

In your position, I would try the existing pickups in the bass sans pickguard. If you like the sounds, stick with the pickups. If they disappoint in anyway, investigate replacement units.

In your earlier thread about this instrument, there was some mention of having Ash at Oil City Pickups rescue your pickups by rewinding them. It ought to be possible to have the copper coil of your original neck position pickup rewound onto a short J pickup bobbin.

Neither of these suggestions will be cheap.

Also, in your earlier thread about this instrument, there was an offer of some *surplus* Japanese pickups. It might be worth reconsidering those.

robinbowes · April 2018

Hi,

Good idea to try without the pickguard in place. I've not really given the bass a good work out yet (I'm a guitarist and this is just a cheap instrument to have hanging around in case I want to track some bass) so it would be good to give the original pickups a play and see how I like them.

I fixed the broken pickup, so no need to involve Ash at this stage.

I received the surplus pickups kindly sent by @BigLicks67 - I will also give those a try and see how they differ from the originals. They measure higher than the originals (7.28k bridge / 7.06k neck vs. 4.9k bridge / 4.7k neck). Also, the bridge pickup is slightly longer than the neck (the originals are both the same size).

I suspect my best option would be to use this as a project to learn how to cleanly cut a pickguard - it's something I've always wanted to learn to do! Any tips?

Thanks.

R.

BigLicks67 · April 2018

I would say that if the sunburst paint job is complete under the pick guard then just dispense with it (as stated above) and then you'll have an instant Jaco Pastorius vibe going on.

robinbowes · April 2018

BigLicks67 said:

I would say that if the sunburst paint job is complete under the pick guard then just dispense with it (as stated above) and then you'll have an instant Jaco Pastorius vibe going on.

Not a bad idea, apart from the messy pickguard holes. I shall probably do that, though, until I get the guard sorted.

R.

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Pickguard for Japanese Jazz Bass

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