62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of

Ursa Minor · Post by **Ursa Minor** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 11:51 am

Absolutely. Great idea! Filling and re-drilling for new screw holes is the best way to ensure a flat fit. This is totally ok on a refin, imo.

I've used shielding tape on an old guard as well in lieu of guard. Much easier and no discernable difference in sound or noise. Just as long as the tape is making contact with the cavity shielding you'll be fine.

PorkyPrimeCut · Post by **PorkyPrimeCut** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 12:32 pm

I'd happily live with that slightly I'll-fitting tort guard.

If it really was that bad & you couldn't bear having the guard on the body then sell it for silly money & buy a Spitfire guard. That repro guard really is an "if all else fails" prospect.

One thing (I don't think it's been mentioned), if you use a Dremel to widen the holes take it very slowly as nitrocellulose is flammable & Dremels heat up the area you're sanding quite quickly.

The refin looks great, by the way. It reminds me of long lost member Dirk's Bass VI...

...and looking through his pictures show how good an original neck would look too!

Ursa Minor · Post by **Ursa Minor** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 12:58 pm

^ That's gorgeous! Would love to see more of that VI!!

Very similar to this '62.

Totally take it slow with the dremel. If you have any doubt, just go with a file. The reason I don't recommend files is that I always feel like I'm doing a hack-job with a file and you run the risk of making your cuts uneven. I can be more precise if I take a dremel, but I have super steady hands, so its different for everyone.

btw, you'll start to smell something that resembles Vick's VapoRub when you file or dremel the old nitro guard.

PorkyPrimeCut · Post by **PorkyPrimeCut** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 1:01 pm

kosmonautmayhem wrote:^ That's gorgeous! Would love to see more of that VI!!

Click the link for extra pronz!

Ursa Minor · Post by **Ursa Minor** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 1:02 pm

Brilliant! Thanks!

Did you just add that or did I miss that completely? Hahaha

PorkyPrimeCut · Post by **PorkyPrimeCut** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 1:16 pm

I do it all the time. Links should flash & make a loud beeping noise.

Ursa Minor · Post by **Ursa Minor** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 1:19 pm

I kept trying to press the Bass VI on my monitor with my hand but it wasn't doing anything!

øøøøøøø · Post by **øøøøøøø** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 1:42 pm

i think it's just as easy to do a hack job with a dremel, personally. Regardless of your cutting method of choice, take it SLOW!

Shadoweclipse13 · Post by **Shadoweclipse13** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 1:44 pm

That VI is amazing

Sorry for the derail, but what material are the traditional back-of-pickguard hard shields? Aluminum?

lwatford · Post by **lwatford** » Mon Oct 12, 2015 5:28 pm

Shadoweclipse13 wrote:That VI is amazing

Sorry for the derail, but what material are the traditional back-of-pickguard hard shields? Aluminum?

Looks like just aluminum to me.

lwatford · Post by **lwatford** » Mon Oct 12, 2015 5:31 pm

So a few more pictures...and because I'm a bit obsessive, I did order a Spitfire guard. Still haven't drilled holes yet, but I'm leaning towards the spitfire. I had the original guard pretty close, but I was having to take a lot of material away, and it was still pretty tight.

Here are the three guards (original, spitfire, portland music):

It's interesting that in the pic, the original looks the most "boring" and the SF looks rich, which is actually how the original looks to the eye.

Still waiting on the neck, Musikraft said it was in the finishing stage.

mcjt · Post by **mcjt** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 8:46 am

what i did with my slightly shrunken guard was put on the aluminum shield, make larger holes in the shield to accommodate the misplaced holes, and then redrill on my 1959 body. And the problem as to where the cavity peeks out by the 2 way switch? that will be covered by the aluminum guard! A shrunken guard on a slightly more exposed alu shield LOOKS vintage & authentic too.
If you put the screws in a little crooked (to emphasize the shrinking), well then... you have a carefully recreated vintage look.
Just my 2 cents

Here's my baby, i think i tried it without the alu shield in this photo:

Post by **zhivago** » Sat Oct 17, 2015 4:06 am

lwatford wrote:So a few more pictures...and because I'm a bit obsessive, I did order a Spitfire guard. Still haven't drilled holes yet, but I'm leaning towards the spitfire. I had the original guard pretty close, but I was having to take a lot of material away, and it was still pretty tight.

[/url]

It's interesting that in the pic, the original looks the most "boring" and the SF looks rich, which is actually how the original looks to the eye.

I still love the original, this is how they are supposed to look...the bright spots aren't "in focus" if that makes sense...but of course, this is your guitar, so do what you feel is best. I am sure once this is all done it will be killer!!

lwatford · Post by **lwatford** » Mon Nov 02, 2015 7:52 pm

So after way too much back and forth, I finally made a decision and screwed down a pickguard.

I've got a little more sanding to do, a few issues came up when everything was tightened down (around the treble side thimble, the neck pickup still needs a little more room, etc)...but I kept thinking "Why am I chasing something that looks like an original when I have an original in front of me?" Yeah, it's got some imperfections, but I usually like that about old guitars. It's just so easy to get caught up in minutia!

I am kind of curious, how often do you guys find that you need to make adjustments on pickguards? I know it's going to continue to shrink and change, just wondering how long anyone has noticed, or if anyone has noticed.

The neck is the Musikraft I ordered earlier in the summer, it feels great, and will more than do until the point I can afford a nice vintage neck.

I'm looking forward to playing it...though I'm not looking forward to the setup! I'm at the point where I just want to play the thing right now!

I still need one tremolo mounting screw, haven't been able to find something that looks right yet.

øøøøøøø · Post by **øøøøøøø** » Mon Nov 02, 2015 8:55 pm

re: the screw--

do your searches for "oval head"

OffsetGuitars.com

62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of

Re: 62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of

Re: 62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of

Re: 62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of

Re: 62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of

Re: 62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of

Re: 62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of

Re: 62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of

Re: 62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of

Re: 62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of

Re: 62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of

Re: 62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of

Re: 62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of

Re: 62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of

Re: 62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of

Re: 62 Jazzmaster - well, sort of