I am proud (newbie) owner of V5R Sire. With my bass i got also pickup guard which can be mounted over one of the pickups. Question is…is it worth putting it on bass?
Thanks in advance for suggestions… 
3 Likes
I don’t know if they have any actual effect on tone or sound or the like, other than personal preference. Correct me if I’m wrong, BassBuzz.
That said, I really do not like the way they look, either over pickups or over the bridge. I would not mount them, if that were my bass.
3 Likes
The chrome piece that comes with Sire Jazz basses has zero effect on tone, by itself. Having it on does force the player to pluck either closer to the neck or the bridge, so either position does have an effect on the bass’s tone.
In essence, the piece is just an homage to the original Jazz bass design, very reminiscent of the “ashtray” piece over the bridge over a vintage Precision bass.
It is certainly not necessary, but Sire includes it for those who want their bass to look vintage. Marcus Miller definitely prefers having one mounted on his, and he designed his Sire signature line of Jazz basses, after all. That’s why new Sire Marcus Miller Jazz basses come with one.
I haven’t installed one on my Sire V8, and I very likely won’t. It’s personal choice, but the option to have one is there for Sire owners to do with as they see fit.
2 Likes
I just do not want to “damage” my bass if i mount it and sometimes later take it off. I could leave the screws but it is not so nice as it is now. Maybe i will try it with double tape…
2 Likes
Further to this question I have only recently started playing electric bass, as opposed to acoustic, and I find that when I’m plucking directly over the pickups there is a tendency for my finger to land on the next higher string AND the pickup. It’s only the pad of my finger, rather than the nail, but with the slight calluses I’m developing on the plucking fingers there is a slight audible click as I contact the pickup. This is probably not audible more than a few feet from the basses, if that, and it doesn’t come through the amp or anything like that.
So I have a couple of naive noobie queries. Is this wrong? Should I avoid this? I’m sure it won’t but…could it harm the pickups? As I say it’s only the pad of my finger and not the nail.
1 Like
Yeah, double-stick tape is an option.
The real considerations are whether you like where/how you can pluck the strings: whether it’s ergonomic for you and/or whether you like the tones you produce by playing in the somewhat restricted areas closer to the neck or bridge. And, of course, whether you like the look of the bass.
I do like how it looks - in Marcus Miller’s hands. 
But the bass is so beautiful as is, I’ll leave mine in the case.
2 Likes
You won’t damage your bass taking it on and off unless you imitate a gorilla trying to do it.
I’d never use double backed tape on a bass. You never know what the adhesive will do to the finish.
3 Likes
Personally I think the vintage pickip covers and ashtray bridge covers not only look dumb, they also impede and restrict your playing options. If I owned an instrument that had them I would remove them immediately.
Not joking, I see these things as pointless homage to the experimental features Leo Fender added while trying to figure all this out.
2 Likes
@cabke79, there is removable, non-residue double-stick tape available on Amazon and elsewhere. 3M makes some, as do others.
Since your pickup cover mounts on top of the pickguard, you wouldn’t have any issues with damaging your body finish.
2 Likes
I have three basses with old timey pickups with no covers, those I would consider. But I would look for a Zero-mod thumb rest first if I wanted a thumb rest. Resting your thumb on the metal top of the pickup is not what they call ergonomic
2 Likes
The problem with the pickup cover for me is the real estate it/ they take if you put the bridge cover and pickup cover on a jazz bass you are limited to very little room to play. I love the look of the pickup cover so I search for the better alternative. I found the Atelier slim cover, perfect for me. I put the on my Fender MiJs Reissues plenty of room to move my plugging hand and perfect as a finger rest.
4 Likes
I have an Atelier thin cover and am thinking of putting on my Mustang
The Novack covers just did not fit, and I would like a finger rest
2 Likes
I suppose that by higher, you mean, for example, the E while plucking the A?
No problem there. Coming to rest on a string will mute it and that’s the way Josh teaches it in his B2B course. Hitting the string and pickup is fine. You might however be plucking a bit hard, maybe because you started out on an acoustic .
You won’t damage the pickups and the noise shouldn’t be an issue playing in a live amplified setting. Some bass players pluck their strings really hard. Geezer Butler or Steve Harris come to my mind 
1 Like
Here’s a video about Geezer’s playing style 
They didn’t call Entwistle “Thunderfingers” for nothing. He plucked pretty hard.
2 Likes
Very cool and classy, @Al1885. That’s the way I’d go with a modern pup cover, if I were to have one. 
2 Likes
You’re absolutely right, I mistyped. It’s a bad habit of mine to think of physical high and low rather than the tonal high and low . And yes the muting of the lower string is deliberate it’s just the pup strike that seems unavoidable.
I didn’t think it would be an issue hitting the pickup but always good to check with those more experienced than me. However I’m quite surprised by the noise, although as I said, it wouldn’t really be audible from any distance. However I actually get it even when plucking very lightly; despite my early acoustic playing I do play lightly as this is one of the things I much prefer about the electric, I’d rather play lightly and turn the volume up - I think it’s much easy to be relaxed and to be more expressive this way. I did check and if I just lightly tap the pups I can hear it. There’s nothing loose and it must be something to do with the material/construction I guess and those developing calluses; barely audible if I do the same with a non plucking finger!
I would add it is probably exacerbated by the fact that I bought the bass whilst working away from home for two months and living in a caravan for that period (off home on Friday, hooray) so my amp volume is, of necessity, very low!!!
1 Like
It’s not wrong, but it’s also not beneficial in any way. If it bugs you, do your best to stop it.
It’s the kind of thing that - because you hear it and don’t like it - will probably adjust out of your sound anyway as you play, as you’ll get that negative feedback reaction every time it happens.
It definitely won’t harm the pickups.
2 Likes
I have the V5R with sunburst finish - beautiful instruments, incredible quality and range of tones for the price (and beyond imo). I totally ignored the accessory and have no interest in installing it.
Regardless, enjoy your new toy!!!
2 Likes