Paint 'n Pickguards
Moderator: Rodent
- screambasses
- Posts: 884
- Joined: April 28th, 2010, 10:59 am
- Location: Dover, NH
- Contact:
Paint 'n Pickguards
Hello fellow Lefties -
Building several basses and two I'd like to ask for opinions.
The first one is an SP bass, grafitti yellow. Looking
for pickguard color input - black, pearl, etc... Our pickguards
are similar to Telecaster Bass pickguards - we omit the chrome
control cover. This SP is going to have straight passive electronics
with a Nordstrand PUP.
Secondly, a fiesta red SJ. Can go with the black pearloid or cream perloid
with black or chrome Hipshot.
Both basses will have our custom designed graphite neck with cocobolo
inserts.
Let's have some fun -
Building several basses and two I'd like to ask for opinions.
The first one is an SP bass, grafitti yellow. Looking
for pickguard color input - black, pearl, etc... Our pickguards
are similar to Telecaster Bass pickguards - we omit the chrome
control cover. This SP is going to have straight passive electronics
with a Nordstrand PUP.
Secondly, a fiesta red SJ. Can go with the black pearloid or cream perloid
with black or chrome Hipshot.
Both basses will have our custom designed graphite neck with cocobolo
inserts.
Let's have some fun -
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
You probably won't get a shared agreement on this one, but I've been itching to get a yellow bass (grafitti or taxi cab yellow) with a black/white checkered pickguard for a long time in honor of my New York roots, so for the yellow I'm saying checkered. Otherwise, black. BTW, what's going on with that striped fretboard? It looks like the neck is a mix of ebony and rosewood on different frets. Pretty cool look.
For the fiesta red, I prefer the look of the cream pearloid, but my favorite combo is the classic look with a tortoise shell.
For the fiesta red, I prefer the look of the cream pearloid, but my favorite combo is the classic look with a tortoise shell.
- screambasses
- Posts: 884
- Joined: April 28th, 2010, 10:59 am
- Location: Dover, NH
- Contact:
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
That neck is our custom designed graphite neck with cocobolo inserts.
It's sweet. Here's a better photo of it.
I like the idea of a checkerboard pickguard.
pete
It's sweet. Here's a better photo of it.
I like the idea of a checkerboard pickguard.
pete
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
Very interesting design. Do you machine(grind) down the graphite neck where the cocobolo sits to get an even profile, or do you manage to manufacture it so you're ready to slap in the inserts?screambasses wrote:That neck is our custom designed graphite neck with cocobolo inserts.
It's sweet. Here's a better photo of it.
I like the idea of a checkerboard pickguard.
pete
- screambasses
- Posts: 884
- Joined: April 28th, 2010, 10:59 am
- Location: Dover, NH
- Contact:
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
It's actually 100% manufactured for us and it's kind of the reverse of what you'd expect. The cocobolo runs the entire lengthVery interesting design. Do you machine(grind) down the graphite neck where the cocobolo sits to get an even profile, or do you manage to manufacture it so you're ready to slap in the inserts?
of the neck and the wood is machined down, then the graphite is added to the mold. So, you can see the wood also along
the side of the neck where the fret position markers are. I'll upload a photo of that too.
Pete
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
The pearloid pick guard looks sweet, black for the tele bass.
looking forward to seeing them both done
looking forward to seeing them both done
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
Black pearliod for the Tele, Cream pearloid for the Fiesta Red (Black Pearloid looks terrible on FR).
"Nothing is what is seems, but everything is exactly what it is." B. Banzai
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
I'd like to see that Fiesta Red bass in a tortoise guard... with the brown accents on the FB, that would look SICK.
And I'll echo what others have said and go with straight black on the tele... but checkered would be super NYC chic.

And I'll echo what others have said and go with straight black on the tele... but checkered would be super NYC chic.

F Bass BN5 • ZON Legacy Elite 5 • ZON Sonus Elite 5 Fretless • ZON Sonus BG5 • Fender Custom Shop '64 NOS Jazz • Fender Custom Shop '75 NOS Jazz • Fender ADE Precision • Music Man SR4
-
LefThanDed
- Posts: 254
- Joined: May 12th, 2008, 5:55 pm
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
Bakelite or Tortoise on the yellow body.
Cream on the red body (Black pearl inconsistent appearance from different angles)
Cream on the red body (Black pearl inconsistent appearance from different angles)
"Still trying to find some wine-tasting-style way to describe the almost-Jaco tone the bass player had going on."
- screambasses
- Posts: 884
- Joined: April 28th, 2010, 10:59 am
- Location: Dover, NH
- Contact:
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
Ended up going with the tortoise. Thanks Addison!
p
p
- danomite64
- Posts: 605
- Joined: March 12th, 2008, 4:40 pm
- Location: Tampa, FL
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
Let me know when you make a bass that matches this guard:


"But I didn't. I only knew that you'd know that I knew. Did you know that?" - Casanova Frankenstein
- danomite64
- Posts: 605
- Joined: March 12th, 2008, 4:40 pm
- Location: Tampa, FL
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
That bass looks HORRIBLE. Here, let me fix it:Addison wrote:I'd like to see that Fiesta Red bass in a tortoise guard... with the brown accents on the FB, that would look SICK.

"But I didn't. I only knew that you'd know that I knew. Did you know that?" - Casanova Frankenstein
- screambasses
- Posts: 884
- Joined: April 28th, 2010, 10:59 am
- Location: Dover, NH
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Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
Dan -
Don't wait too long... you don't actually have that pickguard do you?
p
Don't wait too long... you don't actually have that pickguard do you?
p
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
SWEET!screambasses wrote:Ended up going with the tortoise. Thanks Addison!
And, I hafta say... this doesn't happen very often, but I completely agree with myself.
That thing looks SICK!!!
F Bass BN5 • ZON Legacy Elite 5 • ZON Sonus Elite 5 Fretless • ZON Sonus BG5 • Fender Custom Shop '64 NOS Jazz • Fender Custom Shop '75 NOS Jazz • Fender ADE Precision • Music Man SR4
- danomite64
- Posts: 605
- Joined: March 12th, 2008, 4:40 pm
- Location: Tampa, FL
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
Yes I do. It looked good on the Warmoth page, but once I put it on my bass I deemed it 'too much', and ordered a b/w/b.screambasses wrote:Dan -
... you don't actually have that pickguard do you?
p

"But I didn't. I only knew that you'd know that I knew. Did you know that?" - Casanova Frankenstein
- screambasses
- Posts: 884
- Joined: April 28th, 2010, 10:59 am
- Location: Dover, NH
- Contact:
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
Would look good on a white or perhaps ice blue metallic body.
p
p
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
that thing actually looks 3D on my crappy monitor at work!! A way-cool 'guard fo' sho'.danomite64 wrote:Let me know when you make a bass that matches this guard:
- danomite64
- Posts: 605
- Joined: March 12th, 2008, 4:40 pm
- Location: Tampa, FL
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
That's because it's the Hypnoguard.........all hail the Hypnoguard!
"But I didn't. I only knew that you'd know that I knew. Did you know that?" - Casanova Frankenstein
- screambasses
- Posts: 884
- Joined: April 28th, 2010, 10:59 am
- Location: Dover, NH
- Contact:
Re: Paint 'n Pickguards
This is what we did with this other bass.