Bass build question

[pirate]

So I ordered a dinky p bass body, super light, in white pearl, and since it is rear routed, am thinking going sans pickguard.

So is there anything I should do to help protect around the output jack? Felt ring under a washer? Or maybe a round jack plate, but not too big in diameter? Or maybe nothing will be fine?

Can't seem to find any 3 hole control plates made just for p basses, kind of like a control plate for a jazz bass, but made for the p bass curve, and rounded, like in this one, which I cannot seem to locate in stock anywhere.

https://allparts2014.myshopify.com/products/control-plate-for-p-bass-abm-7813-c

 

[Bassjedi]

If you've the tools and skills just buy an entire pickguard and modify that or keep searching for the metal one man...
Good luck brotha and May the groove be with you, Always! 

 

[AcrylicSuperman]

So I ordered a dinky p bass body, super light, in white pearl, and since it is rear routed, am thinking going sans pickguard.

So is there anything I should do to help protect around the output jack? Felt ring under a washer? Or maybe a round jack plate, but not too big in diameter? Or maybe nothing will be fine?

Can't seem to find any 3 hole control plates made just for p basses, kind of like a control plate for a jazz bass, but made for the p bass curve, and rounded, like in this one, which I cannot seem to locate in stock anywhere.

https://allparts2014.myshopify.com/products/control-plate-for-p-bass-abm-7813-c

It's not perfect. It has another hole. But it does fit the curve of a p bass, and it is in stock.

https://www.guitarpartsfactory.us/PBTP-C-Chrome-Custom-No-Pickguard-Control-Plate-P-Bass-Similar?search=P%20bass%20control%20plate&page=3

 

[Spud]

Use the plate ditch the rest

 

[NedRyerson]

Would a Les Paul switch ring fit?  It probably possible to get a blank one in whatever color you desire.  Just spitballing off the top of my head without taking any measurements.

Or you could go hardcore and rout out that top portion to fit a Strat-style top-mount boat plate.

 

[Spud]

Would a Les Paul switch ring fit?  It probably possible to get a blank one in whatever color you desire.  Just spitballing off the top of my head without taking any measurements.

Or you could go hardcore and rout out that top portion to fit a Strat-style top-mount boat plate.

I am not sure a Les Paul switchplate would provide any substantive rigidity for a 1/4" jack. Maybe a washer.

 

[NedRyerson]

Would a Les Paul switch ring fit?  It probably possible to get a blank one in whatever color you desire.  Just spitballing off the top of my head without taking any measurements.

Or you could go hardcore and rout out that top portion to fit a Strat-style top-mount boat plate.

I am not sure a Les Paul switchplate would provide any substantive rigidity for a 1/4" jack. Maybe a washer.

OP didn't ask for rigidity but to protect the finish from scratches presumably due to plugging/unplugging.  Otherwise, OP wouldn't have considered a felt ring.

 

[Spud]

So I ordered a dinky p bass body, super light, in white pearl, and since it is rear routed, am thinking going sans pickguard.

So is there anything I should do to help protect around the output jack? Felt ring under a washer? Or maybe a round jack plate, but not too big in diameter? Or maybe nothing will be fine?

Can't seem to find any 3 hole control plates made just for p basses, kind of like a control plate for a jazz bass, but made for the p bass curve, and rounded, like in this one, which I cannot seem to locate in stock anywhere.

https://allparts2014.myshopify.com/products/control-plate-for-p-bass-abm-7813-c

I would protect the integrity of the jack surround (the wood) and at the same time protect the finish, but that's just me. The OP mentions felt under a WASHER.  :icon_thumright:

 

[Lbpesq]

I’ve built many guitars and basses, rear loaded, without any pick-guard or plates.  Unless you are using a soft wood body, like Basswood or Paulownia, the wood is fine for mounting jacks and controls.
Here’s a couple of Basses I’ve built this way.  The jack is a sidemount.

Bill, tgo

 

[bagman67]

What if you installed a Strat jack and recessed it to flush-mounted?  Just an idea.

 

[pirate]

I have a feeling the wood should be strong enough for support for the output jack, or I imagine Warmoth wouldn't keep making them  :icon_biggrin:

And I apologize for not being more clear about it, I was mostly looking to help protect the finish around the output jack, though me being careful is the first step! I may yet still add a washer or round jack plate of some sort for a bit more added protection, but will decide once I see how it looks. I'm hoping this bass will end up being my steady gigging workhorse, so minor bumps wear and tear and so forth are bound to happen in time. Nothing special, white pearl body, roasted maple neck with Warmoth tiltback headstock, gotoh 201 bridge, Hipshot ultralite tuners and La Bella flats, but it all should look very nice and clean looking.  :icon_thumright: And yea, haven't figured out which pickup I will go with yet....

I'm also thinking of trying an Obsidian solderless wiring harness for this one, which certainly makes things a bit easier when swapping pickups to try and experiment with. I have noticed however, that the Obsidian harness seems to be rigid as far as the volume/tone control spacing, so I am guessing the spacing on the dinky p is the same for on a standard p bass body, which is same as Fenders?

https://obsidianwire.com/products/traditional-vintage-wiring-for-precision-bass

 

[pirate]

I’ve built many guitars and basses, rear loaded, without any pick-guard or plates.  Unless you are using a soft wood body, like Basswood or Paulownia, the wood is fine for mounting jacks and controls.
Here’s a couple of Basses I’ve built this way.  The jack is a sidemount.

Bill, tgo

So is there any difference in mounting through the wood vs a pickguard in that I need longer knob poles? That perhaps the wood is thicker than what is standard thickness of a pickguard? I ask because the folks at Obsidian seem to think their solderless harness won't work as the poles are too short to reach properly through the wood. Maybe they assume it is much thicker than a typical pickguard? Their website says the posts are 1/4". By the way, it is a dinky p body, swamp ash, all standard.

 

[Spud]

I hope the wood is thicker than the std pickguard thickness.

 

[TBurst Std]

Rule of thumb:

Through pickguard mount = short shaft pots

Through wood top mount = long shaft pots

 

[NedRyerson]

So is there any difference in mounting through the wood vs a pickguard in that I need longer knob poles? That perhaps the wood is thicker than what is standard thickness of a pickguard? I ask because the folks at Obsidian seem to think their solderless harness won't work as the poles are too short to reach properly through the wood. Maybe they assume it is much thicker than a typical pickguard? Their website says the posts are 1/4". By the way, it is a dinky p body, swamp ash, all standard.

It IS much thicker than a pickguard.

¼" shaft is way too short for a rear rout, unless you recess the area around the pot hole from the inside of the cavity to accommodate the pot. The remaining wood over the cavity of a rear rout would HAVE TO be thicker than a pickguard or else the slight knock or tap would punch right through the wood.

If the pot's shaft itself is ¼", you don't have enough length for the washer and nut.

 

[pirate]

Ok great, thanks guys, first time dealing with a rear cavity rout. Shaft length for the knobs never even occurred to me until mulling over the possibility of trying a solderless harness. Not going to bother with that now it seems.  :icon_biggrin:

 

[NedRyerson]

No problem.  Ask a metal guy about rear-routed instruments

Pickguards aren't metal enough UNLESS you're Alex Reinhold, in which case he made his pickguard literally out of metal

I'm totally joking, of course, riffing on various metalhead stereotypes. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm late for going into the woods for my band photo shoot. I'm sure we'll get lost so a friendly park ranger will need to come find us to escort us out.

 

[pirate]

So then I was thinking GZR pickups, and of course they come with all the wiring hardware, but not sure if they even have an option for a longer pot shaft of 3/4". Didn't realize all these issues when dealing with a rear cavity route and mounting knobs through just wood.  :toothy12:

 

[bagman67]

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm late for going into the woods for my band photo shoot. I'm sure we'll get lost so a friendly park ranger will need to come find us to escort us out.

Couldn't your band find a random brick wall in the industrial part of town?  Jeez.

 

[NedRyerson]

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm late for going into the woods for my band photo shoot. I'm sure we'll get lost so a friendly park ranger will need to come find us to escort us out.

Couldn't your band find a random brick wall in the industrial part of town?  Jeez.

We tried that in an abandoned building like most American metal bands do, but we got lost and had to eat the drummer to survive (that's okay; drummers are replaceable).  That's why we fled to Europe and therefore, we have to do the "in the woods in the mountains" composition.