There are many bassists who would immediately say “WHY would you do this?”, especially considering there is a zero-modification option where the thumb rest is concerned.
The answer is that adding on bridge and pickup covers and a thumb rest to a Fender bass is done mostly for appearance. True, there are some bassists who actually prefer a bass with these items installed. But for the most part, those who add on this stuff just want the vintage Fender look.
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Drilling is required if using a stock pick guard
As you will see in the video below, drilling wasn’t necessary for the bridge cover but was required for the pickup cover and thumb rest.
Measure and mark first
Obviously, you need to measure where the holes are supposed to go and mark before drilling.
Yes, this is easy, but it’s mainly for looks
Compared to other bass modifications, these are simply appearance mods. Performance of the instrument isn’t improved. A simple example of a mod that would improve the instrument would be the installation of Hipshot tuners.
But still, if you’re going after the vintage Fender look, adding the covers is a doable thing.
Very important note: When you put holes in the body, there’s no going back. With the pick guard, you can simply buy another one to do your mods to, and if you don’t like it, you can always reinstall the original guard. But with body holes, it’s permanent unless you have the necessary skills to fill, color match and smooth over holes in wood.
A video example of these mods
I basically use the cover on my P bass as a thumb rest, and to keep me from pushing the strings into the pickup magnets. for me it is quite functional. I don’t use the ashtray bridge cover.
Complete and total BS, these items are not without purpose… The Pre-CBS “Tug bar” or “finger rest” was for traditional bassists who strike with the thumb down instead of plucking up with the fingers. As finger style became more popular, the rest was moved over the strings to suit finger players and re-named the “thumb rest”. The bridge cover contains a mute for those who wish to mute without using a plectrum (pick) and to prevent the player from raking the fleshy part of the hand over the bridge and sharp adjustment screws ( Ever happen to you ? ) . Lastly, the pickup cover not only prevents direct access to the magnets to reduce popping and proximity effect, but also provides extra grounding when the thumb or palm rests against it’s metal thus using the players body as a grounding device. Leo Fender was not a musician ( didn’t even know how to tune a guitar ) but he was a brilliant electrician and engineer. He did nothing without purpose, so NO, although the method of playing the instrument has undoubtedly changed over the decades, these parts are not just cosmetic,