Modding Body shape of Hamer Velocity 2 questions (both practical and philosophical)

[Billkwando]

I really wanted to get the opinions of some learned folk.

I own this exact same model (not my pic) bubinga Hamer Velocity 2 (cept my pole pieces don't show), and it's a beautiful instrument... except I HATE the "horns". It just seems to ruin the beauty of it for me.



Knowing that it's a pretty rare guitar (in bubinga, anyway), would it be a crime against humanity if I wanted to saw the horns down and reshape them? I used to have a Kawai that I adored and I really loved the body shape. It was this one (pic taken from forum):



I'd like to make the Hamer look more like that. Here's a mockup I did in photoshop:





Assuming I could get it done right, wouldn't that look nice? Instead, I'd gladly swap it with somebody for something similar (like the Kawai), and I could prolly sell it for at least as much as I paid for it (and get a Kawai or something similar)......but it's not like I really wanna get rid of it*. I just wanna play a nice looking bass.

Would I be ruining a rare piece or improving it? I just think that 80's rock shape is a waste of some beautiful wood.

If I do decide to do it, is that something that a repair shop might do? I'm fine with doing it myself too, but I was wondering that the best method and tools would be. FYI I'm not completely new to this. My uncle helped me build a 6 string fretless (warmuth neck) 15 or so years ago...so I can do a little bit (he was the real artist/carpenter). Incidentally, we gave it the same body shape as above. I guess I just really like that shape!


*I also don't want to sell it because it was a gift from a friend whose gramma passed away and left him some $$. I was teaching him bass (for free) at the time, and he took me with him bass shopping cos he wanted a new one and wanted my opinion. Knowing I didn't own a bass of my own at the time, he told me to pick any bass in the store and he'd get it for me. This was the nicest one I could find without spending too much of his money. (in case anyone's wondering why I got a bass I wasn't completely happy with)

Thoughts?

[Vaider]

Looks fine just the way it is. That reshape looks a lil dinky. Furthermore, if decide to trim the horns you may run into a neck dive problem.

[miziomix]

Philosophically speaking, I think you're good to go. Better play a bass you like that one you don't. So, go ahead and shorten them horns
Practically speaking, shortening the upper horn will affect the balance and place the frets slight more to the left. How far? it depends on how much do you shorten the horn. It's not necessarily a bad thing. That way your thumb might not hit the fingerboard when slapping - I like that

[Clark Dark]

your friend offered you "any bass in the store", you chose that bass but it sounds like if a series 1 was available you could've had it...it would be defacing a gift from a really good friend.

[Billkwando]

Originally Posted by Vaider

Looks fine just the way it is. That reshape looks a lil dinky. Furthermore, if decide to trim the horns you may run into a neck dive problem.

Yeah as far as the reshape, it could be a little meatier. That was just a quick first draft. Also I couldn't be accurate, perspective-wise, cos the bass is angled away. Would've been better to use a straight-on pic. Oh, and what's neck dive? Sounds like a balance thing.

Originally Posted by miziomix

Philosophically speaking, I think you're good to go. Better play a bass you like that one you don't. So, go ahead and shorten them horns
Practically speaking, shortening the upper horn will affect the balance and place the frets slight more to the left. How far? it depends on how much do you shorten the horn. It's not necessarily a bad thing. That way your thumb might not hit the fingerboard when slapping - I like that

Interesting. I do enjoy slapping quite a bit.

Originally Posted by Clark Dark

your friend offered you "any bass in the store", you chose that bass but it sounds like if a series 1 was available you could've had it...it would be defacing a gift from a really good friend.

LOL I was being a good friend by not trying to spend all his money. Besides, I don't think he's too big on the horns either.

So what would be the cleanest/easiest way to do it?