fender Jazz w/ Custom Pickguard

[sblueplanet]

Just got my lefty custom-made faux brushed-gold jazz bass pickguard delivered and it is excellent.

[Brett Zeppelin]

Just got my lefty custom-made faux brushed-gold jazz bass pickguard delivered and it is excellent.

I agree that it is excellent. Super-cool, man. Super cool. Have you any pics of your guitar in brighter lighting conditions? I'd love to see it that way.

PS — I prefer no covers.

[Milo]

I like it. Are you planning on stopping with the guard or maybe extending it to the control cover plate? Regardless, nicely done.

[fivebass52]

First of all, I really like the look of the new plate, and I - very slightly - prefer the look without the ashtray and pickup cover... but it looks good that way too!

[Jeroen]

Very nice! Matches the gold anodized aluminium pickguard on your Precision
Where did you have it made, and how much did it cost?

[Matt R.]

So what are all the other vital stats on this lovely bass? Details!

[sblueplanet]

Ok, to answer your questions.

The bass is a Fender jazz 62RI MIJ from around 1994. Olympic white but pretty roadworn. Any photos I seem to take never show the aging properly and the bass always looks quite fresh.
Original guard is a red tort which I still have.
I would still like to refin the bass in another colour at some point and have made enquiries about fitting stack-knob controls. I don't plan on changing any of the hardware to gold.
I think the chrome covers look great in photos for that vintage vibe but I never play with them on as they are not practical.
I got the guard made after fitting a gold anodised one to my P bass which I love.
As everyone knows, a lefty gold jazz guard doesn't exist to buy from Fender (well, probably) but on the UK-based forum Basschat, one of the members offers sterling work making such things as pickguard replacements etc so I sent him the original as a template to work from. The guard is actually some kind of plastic which has the look of brushed metal. It is so good you have to feel the guard to realise what its made of.
The price I paid for mine was just over £30 but prices will vary depending on type of guard and materials used. The maker can also make a jazz guard which incorporates the control plate area so its more like a Precision. I can post a pic of a righty jazz bass done this way if anyone wants to see it.
If not a member of Basschat.co.uk I heartily recommend to do so.
The username of the maker on the site is The Bass Doc. Very nice bloke from North of England.
If I ever pick up a 62RI Sunburst Fender P, I am going to commission a dark tort replacement guard from the Doc as I have seen other examples he has done and he uses only the nicest stuff.
When I get the chance I will put up a full-length image of the J beside my gold-guard P bass.