MMB-4 Bass Build Kit Scratchplate / Pickguard

[METAL Rulez 4ever]

Hello fellow builders, i hope all is well with you.

Just wondering if any could help me please.

I am thinking of the MMB-4 for my next build and i have an idea to customizing it. I am looking at the this scratchplate / Pickguard pictured below, but not sure if it will fit as this is a 9 screw hole and the one that comes with the kit is a 7 screw hole. Also too, the length seems different. The only dimensions i have for this is:
Pick Up hole 89.25mm x 48.90mm
Neck Pocket 63.25mm.
I am sure it will fit the pick up, but i don't think the plate will be long enough from the pick up to neck.

Thank you in advance.
Naim.

[wazkelly]

Hi Naim, just ordered a MMB-4 kit myself a couple of days ago and that pic looks like a genuine one as you can see the dip at the end of the neck pocket for adjusting the truss rod at the body end of the neck whereas the stock PBG necks have that adjustment happening at the headstock end.

As the kits come bare without any screw holes pre drilled whether the scratch plate is 7 or 9 won't matter and as for the size or length I reckon it would be pretty close, or close enough that you may have just a small amount of trimming or filing to make it fit. If it looks deeper or bigger from behind the PUP (ie towards bridge) the few ones built by forum members look about the same too.

[Simon Barden]

I had an OLP MM bass which was very similar indeed to the MM4 kit bass. I replaced the stock pickguard with one designed for a real MusicMan. The pickup location was a few mm different to the original (a bit nearer the neck IIRC) so I had to redrill the pickup fixing screw holes, but otherwise there were no issues. Plus the pickup was now in the correct position for a real MM sound. I'm sure the bass sounded better after the move.