ikay

Here are some links to 51-54 pickguard templates (3 variants): https://www.greasygroove.com/mwdownloads/download/link/id/86/ https://www.greasygroove.com/mwdownloads/download/link/id/85/ https://www.greasygroove.com/mwdownloads/download/link/id/84/ According to http://www.guitarhq.com/fender.html the original material was 0.06" thick (1.5mm). Here's the extract: Pickguard Material Black pickguards: black pickguards were used from 1950 to mid-1954 on the Telecaster, Esquire and Precision bass. This material consisted of a fiberous bakelite, and was about .060 (inches) thick. The fiberous material was added to the bakelite to add strength (bakelite is too brittle and would crack at that thickness without it). Finally the black pickguards were clear-coated with clear nitrocellulose lacquer (top side only) to give them depth and shine. White pickguards (single layer): starting in mid-1954 on the Telecaster/Esquire and Precision bass, and from the start on Strats in 1954. Fender used a single layer white pickguard material made from ABS or vinyl about .060 (inches) thick. This relatively new material for the time was cheap, easy to work with, and somewhat flexible. Note bakelite was never used for white Fender pickguards on any model (though many people refer to white pickguards as such; but it's not bakelite). Fender stopped using the white material in mid-1959 except on the Telecaster, Esquire and DuoSonic/MusicMaster. In this case the single layer thickness increased to .080 (inches), and was used till about 1965 (Esquires till about 1967, when all old stock was depleted).

Don't see why not. Would be similar to the 45 degree angle Yamaha use on their new BBs. Much better geometry than vertical IMO. Drilling accurately at an angle might be a bit tricky though!

Looking at how close the saddles were to the pickup with the original bridge, I think the new bridge needs to be positioned quite a bit further north than you currently have it. Looks like the ferrules will need to be redrilled to get the scale length and intonation right.

Prob the most important thing when installing a new bridge is to make sure it's set correctly for the scale length of the bass with enough room for +/- saddle adjustment. It might be an idea to mark a line 34" from the front edge of the nut (or whatever the scale length is) and use that as a guide. Position the bridge where you think it needs to be for the ferrules, then place the G and E saddles on the plate with the break point on the scale length line. The G will need some room for forward and back adjustment. The E will need more room to adjust back (towards the tail end). Do you have a pic of the bass wearing the original bridge? That would also be a useful point of reference.

Sounds pretty sweet as a fretless to me

This is the final book in the 'Beginning / Intermediate / Mastering' series by David Overthrow. 95 pages plus CD. Loads of useful information and exercises covering a range of different musical styles. No longer needed so passing along to another lucky BCer in the spirit of bottom-end comradeship for the cost of postage (£2.50 first class mail - UK only).

Thanks for that, I'll follow up with Chris A.

Yes, frets will be levelled before crowning, this thread is just about suggestions or tips for the crowning bit.

I saw the Chris Allsop fret crowning file and did wonder about that. I guess it would be a quicker job with one of these and more consistent. Do you use one of these yourself and how do you find it? My frets are 2.7mm medium jumbo so assume I'd need the 2.5mm file, would that be right? In the meantime I'm playing around with a simple block of wood as bpc suggested above. I haven't even bothered with the chamfer. Just added some guide lines to help set the angle and rounded off the bottom edge which makes it easy to adjust the tilt. It works remarkably well although a bit more practice needed before I risk using it in anger!

Thanks very much for for that. It's incredible that such a rough looking tool can give such decent results! I'll rustle one up and give it a go on my old test neck.

Having successfully rustled up a DIY notched straight edge, next on the list is a DIY fret crowning tool of some sort. I've toyed around with a few ideas (below) without much success. The results are as flaky as the tools look! I'm finding this one a bit trickier. The benefit of your experience and any practical advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

Et voila! Thanks for all the input chaps. Next on the list is a DIY fret crowning tool of some sort. Any ideas welcome!

Sold a piezo and some strings to Davie, excellent comms, quick payment, a complete pleasure to deal with! Many thanks

I just bought the ruler but don't have a fancy notching guillotine so have a few hours of filing to look forward too!

Over the years I've acquired a few single strings which I've used to experiment with mixing and matching different hybrid sets on a number of different basses. Now having a clear out and have 3 x .85 gauge and 5 x 125 gauge that I no longer need. All are Picato nickel roundwound long-scale strings. Two of the 125s don't have 'Picato' on the packet, but they are! Nice strings, I've been using them for years. Would prefer to shift as a single batch, but will send singles if need be. Up for grabs to anyone who can use them for the cost of postage (single string £1.85, all 8 strings £3.85)

Thanks, I hadn't spotted this one

Notched straight edges are horribly expensive. I'm thinking of getting an aluminium ruler and filing out the notches as a cheaper alternative. I realise this wouldn't be precision ground to a thousandth of a cats whisker, but surely it would be good enough to do the job. Wouldn't it?! Something like this - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Faithfull-RULE1000-Aluminium-Rule-39-inch/dp/B000C750F6/