Scratchplate on a scratchplate-less bass?

[untune]

I think this is the right forum for this question (I've not posted on here before so hello all )

I was just thinking if this was possible - I've just got a bargain on an Ibanez GSR200 - one of the older ones without an EQ - which from the serial looks like it was made in 2001. I love to customise things and I was wondering if it's actually possible to put a scratchplate (purely an aesthetic thing) on any guitar or bass that was never designed to have one. In essence, one with cavity access on the back rather than the front. Would the pot shafts clear the extra few mm that the plate would add?

[JPJ]

[quote name='untune' post='810373' date='Apr 18 2010, 03:35 PM']I think this is the right forum for this question (I've not posted on here before so hello all )

I was just thinking if this was possible - I've just got a bargain on an Ibanez GSR200 - one of the older ones without an EQ - which from the serial looks like it was made in 2001. I love to customise things and I was wondering if it's actually possible to put a scratchplate (purely an aesthetic thing) on any guitar or bass that was never designed to have one. In essence, one with cavity access on the back rather than the front. Would the pot shafts clear the extra few mm that the plate would add?[/quote]

The pot shafts may be long enough but if not, and depending on the type of knobs on the bass, just drill large holes in the scratchplate and let the knobs 'sit' into the plate. This works really well with the knurled metal style knobs, not so good with skirted or speed knobs. Also, attach the plate using double sided tape so that you can revert it to non-scratchplate without leaving loads of screwholes in the front.

[EssentialTension]

Or cut a scratchplate design that doesn't reach to the pots - like the kinds you sometimes see on Lakland 44-94s and 55-94s and Decades:

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='JPJ' post='810398' date='Apr 18 2010, 04:11 PM']The pot shafts may be long enough but if not, and depending on the type of knobs on the bass, just drill large holes in the scratchplate and let the knobs 'sit' into the plate. This works really well with the knurled metal style knobs, not so good with skirted or speed knobs. Also, attach the plate using double sided tape so that you can revert it to non-scratchplate without leaving loads of screwholes in the front.[/quote]

I read the OP, and thought exactly this. Then read it as the second post! Gets my vote (naturally!)