[Henk5718]

Hi,

The pick guard of my vintage Ibanez '73ish Jazz Bass can be removed revealing no body cavities at all. I see some signature (new) Fender JB's without PG (e.g. Jaco P. sig.).
Now, I bough this American Std JB y'day and found these ugly big body cavities underneath the PG: around the neck PU and a 'canal' from the neck PU to the control plate cavity!
OK, on my MIM JB I wasn't surprised (cheapness comes from somewhere, right?) but didn't expect this on an American (which cost me 1200 euros).
Apart from that a great bass.

So I want to ask you experts how this is done with your (vintage) JB's. Is it commonly aplied as per some production year? Or has it been always applied or....

Thanks!

[cottonfever]

i like to NOT use a pickgaurd on my jass bass espeically a 3 tone s/burst and was PO'D when I came across the excessive body routing on my 60th anni. jazz.
My 60's jazz bass and Geddy Lee model was able to go without a p/gaurd but not the higher end American standard? BOGUS!

[jules]

This is a good question.. i'm not sure what years Fender Jazz basses had the routed canal for the pickup wires... it seems the jazz basses without scratchplates really came into fashion from about 1990.

Anyone?

[cottonfever]

I remember doing a pickup replacement on my buddies American standard jazz bass I do believe it was a 2004(maybe 03)and I dont believe it had the extra routing done to assist in wiring efficiency(I guess its faster NOT having to insert the wiring through a small pencil sized route than just laying it down in a body route.
I remember having a few older p-bass from Japan and they didnt have the routing.
I had a few of those Mexican made clasic series jazz basses and they had the body done up to be able to go pickgaurd-less.
i came to the conclusion that if the bass is being period acurate in design it will usually follow suite and copy the body as close as possible,especially the re-issue model,artist bass and custom shop basses are accurate,but all american standard and Highway one models sport the route.