'51 p-bass pickguard help

I own a Fender tele/p-bass reissue. The only thing missing from my baby-poo colour bass is the hole for the tugbar. I've been searching a new pickguard or a template/tracing for months without any luck. The human-race don't make 'em anymore, they just don't exist... :cry: I know, "why don't you just drill it, man". Well it,'s not that simple to a guy who installs the bridge + pickup covers for 8 hours straight (and still manage to get the bridge cover 0,5-1,0mm crooked :confused:) Can someone please help me? Do you know a place to order one or is someone willing to trade his/her pg (i'll pay the shipping + extra) to my brand new virgin pg? And yes, I know how stupid this sounds... :oops:

I've got a brand new Allparts guard that I'd part with, but--like you said--it's not drilled for the fingerest...

Just get the tugbar, set it on the guard where you want it, and drill away, no?

Also, be aware that P-Bass guards are all quite a bit different from one another...
Not at all standardized like Tele guards seem to be...

That's why I have this extra guard. It didn't fit my USACG P-Bass body, so I had to have one made...

Thanks for the reply. The early japanese reissues (photo above) used to have the hole but for some reason they just dropped it. :?: To be honest with you, the tugbar is the single most useless feature on any instrument, like the bridge or the pickup cover but they sure do make the bass look good. :shock:

Just get the tugbar, set it on the guard where you want it, and drill away, no?

That's exactly what I did with mine. I put it in place by eyeball using a photo of an vintage bass, then marked it, drilled it , and screwed the bar on. I'm no Bob Vela, so it's a pretty simple job.

you can always put one on w/ double sided tape.

it will stay on there solid.i put p/u and bridge covers on my cv 50's p w/ it
easy to remove,just warm it up w/ a hair drier

Yes, the tape solution crossed my mind. I took some measurements yesterday from a Squier Classic Vibe bass. I removed the Squier pg and put my pg under it and marked the holes that way. The Fender pg fits seamlessly around the neck area, otherwise they're totally different. BUT, the thumbrest should be in the right place. Now all i gotta do is drill a hole between the marks. After that it's ashtray-mounting time again. :lol:

I'm not that handy with tools ..... but I've installed three bridge covers and one tugbar ... after carefully eye-balling photos.
I do break a sweat slightly ...... I say go for it!

PS ..... on the OLD '51s .... there is only ONE screw. You can twist the tugbar to a desired position .... if need be.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x90/bassflyer/Ricks%20Bass%20Pics/51_RI.jpg

I'm not that handy with tools ..... but I've installed three bridge covers and one tugbar ... after carefully eye-balling photos.
I do break a sweat slightly ...... I say go for it!

PS ..... on the OLD '51s .... there is only ONE screw. You can twist the tugbar to a desired position .... if need be.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x90/bassflyer/Ricks%20Bass%20Pics/51_RI.jpg

I'm buying a new pickguard with the "official factory tugbar-hole" from a guy in Japan! How weird is that..? :mrgreen: Btw, i admired your basses at your photo gallery, gotta love the '75... Yep, Johnny Cash rules! (i was at his show here in Finland, back in '95. The bassist had an electric upright bass which sounded awesome.)

btw, i admired your basses at your photo gallery, gotta love the '75...

Thanks! I bought the '75 new in May of '77.
It has an "A" neck.

Hei hei, welcome to tdpri, and and about the bass rest, dude! Just play it! Off topic: I have a sunburst CIJ 51 and have replaced the PUP with a duncan with more power, something to consider if you find the current one to sound too twangy. Cool profile pic by the way.

Here's one of two '53 copies that I whipped up...
Guess I need to install the tugbar to get it "right"... :wink:

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee22/e_stamp/1953%20P%20Bass%20Copy/P1020829.jpg

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee22/e_stamp/1953%20P%20Bass%20Copy/P1020706.jpg

Hei hei, welcome to tdpri, and and about the bass rest, dude! Just play it! Off topic: I have a sunburst CIJ 51 and have replaced the PUP with a duncan with more power, something to consider if you find the current one to sound too twangy. Cool profile pic by the way.

I'm reasonably happy with the pup, although i was amazed about the sound of my non-reverse Thunderbird when i replaced the lousy originals with DiMarzio's p+j set. And yes, Paul Simonon has always been and still is the coolest of the cool!

[QUOTE=tonewoods;2084672]Here's one of two '53 copies that I whipped up...
Guess I need to install the tugbar to get it "right"... :wink:

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee22/e_stamp/1953%20P%20Bass%20Copy/P1020829.jpg

Amazing! :shock: Nice amp(eg) too. You're absolutely right about the tugbar...:lol: