G&L ASAT Bass - Pickguard/Scratchplate modification

[kidcongo]

Here's a pic of my G&L ASAT bass. I added a pickguard to re-capture that Leo Fender design brilliance that I always felt was missing from this bass as it comes stock with no pickguard. I often wonder why G&L does not offer a pickguard as an option. The weird symmetry of the telecaster type body has always been one of my faves, but it needs that slab of plastic to look right. Anyways........got a custom 3-ply black made and here are the results. Still made me wince to turn the screws into the body.

Edited February 17, 2013 by kidcongo

[hamfist]

Looks very nice indeed. Who did the 'plate for you ?

[discreet]

It's great, but I would have gone for mint or parchment. [size=4] [/size]
[size=4]Seriously though, it's very cool.[/size]

[Graham]

That's brilliant, really suits it.

[richardjmorgan]

Oh man, that looks totally awesome.

[tonyf]

I used to have a couple of ASATs and did a similiar thing with the scratch plate. However, I didn't screw mine onto the body as I really didn't want to damage the bass incase I sold it or fancied going 'au naturale' again. I therefore used some double sided sticky tape which worked a treat. As it stuck like the proverbial "stuff to a blanket", it never came off.

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[kidcongo]

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1361087203' post='1980729']
Looks very nice indeed. Who did the 'plate for you ?
[/quote] Terrapin Island Guitars in Portland/Oregon/USA. They do a template service. I made a card tracing of what I wanted, and they prototyped it in card-stock then mailed it to me. Once I was confident it was right I gave them the "go-ahead" to make the plate. Took some time, but was really inexpensive. I recommend them. I did everything via email and post. BTW I still have no regrets about screwing this thing into the bass. I am not going to sell this instrument, and it look so great now. If it makes any sense, it just looks "right", whereas before it always bothered me in some weird way when it was naked.

Edited June 9, 2013 by kidcongo

[kidcongo]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1361088935' post='1980738']
It's great, but I would have gone for mint or parchment.
[size=4]Seriously though, it's very cool.[/size]
[/quote]
I debated the "white" tones, but ended up with black. Any of the pearloids just look way too busy on the clear ash bodies in my opinion. Parchment or Mint would have been very nice as well, but I pulled a "Les Pattinson" with this one, and did black on blue!

[JoEye]

Do you have a template true to size or one with measurement specs to share? I've been wanting to do the same with my two ASAT basses, including some...other beautification mods.

[jezzaboy]

Hi JoEye.

You might not have much luck with the original OP, he hasn`t been back since 2013!

Was it something we said?