Ever customized a bass only to realize you liked the original look better?

[RaginRog]

I use the term customized "loosely"

Have any of you ever spent money on the appearance of your bass....be it a pickguard, or paint job, or new neck...only to find you liked the original appearance better?

Such is the case for me...to a degree.

I really like the look of my "Lynott-inspired" Black Fender P bass, but find myself preferring/missing the look of it with a Black or Tort pickguard.

[spaz21387]

not the case for me but really the only really look related mods I have done were a tort pickguard in the place of a white one on a black bass... and a tort pickguard in the place ofa black one on a white bass. Both were improvements

[gazman_res]

Yep.

I have a CIJ 62 Reissue Jazz. Its Oly white with a rosewood board.

It came with a tort guard (of course), i ended up adding the neck and bridge pickup covers, was really digging the total vintage look at the time.

A few weeks later, ripped of the covers and guard and play the thing naked

[JimB52]

1971 Telecaster bass.
In 1974, I stripped the finish, reshaped and contoured the body, pulled the frets and inlayed hand whittled graduated width walnut fret markers.
Wish I'd left it alone. What do I win?

[RaginRog]

Originally Posted by spaz21387

not the case for me but really the only really look related mods I have done were a tort pickguard in the place of a white one on a black bass... and a tort pickguard in the place ofa black one on a white bass. Both were improvements

I did the opposite...I replaced the original Tort guard on my Oly white P bass, and added a black guard....it has that classic Dee Dee Ramone-sque appearance I love.

Originally Posted by gazman_res

Yep.

I have a CIJ 62 Reissue Jazz. Its Oly white with a rosewood board.

It came with a tort guard (of course), i ended up adding the neck and bridge pickup covers, was really digging the total vintage look at the time.

A few weeks later, ripped of the covers and guard and play the thing naked

Been there done that one too. I hate that the bridge cover gets in the way. I didn't mind the neck pickup cover as much though.

Originally Posted by JimB52

1971 Telecaster bass.
In 1974, I stripped the finish, reshaped and contoured the body, pulled the frets and inlayed hand whittled graduated width walnut fret markers.
Wish I'd left it alone. What do I win?

The hindsight is 20/20 saying comes to mind. Doesn't look bad though.

[wshines1892]

I'm regularly tempted to replace the white pickguard on my Fender P, but I'd hate to lose the aged yellow that the years have put into it. To my eyes, a instrument with a yellowed white pickguard looks better than the same with a tort pickguard.

[Rezdog]

Greetings from the North,

Ah....but I like the Lynott lol. Since it's not butchered you can always change it back to stock or pass it on. After all you did do an awesome job on it.

Back in ancient times I did butcher a Rick and put a couple of Jazz pickups in it a la Roger Glover (Deep Purple-Machinehead days). Sounded pretty good & looked awful.

Rezdog

[RaginRog]

Originally Posted by wshines1892

I'm regularly tempted to replace the white pickguard on my Fender P, but I'd hate to lose the aged yellow that the years have put into it. To my eyes, a instrument with a yellowed white pickguard looks better than the same with a tort pickguard.

Very true, I think the antique'd look is fantastic, especially on a bass that's showing legitimate wear....

Originally Posted by Rezdog

Greetings from the North,

Ah....but I like the Lynott lol. Since it's not butchered you can always change it back to stock or pass it on. After all you did do an awesome job on it.

Back in ancient times I did butcher a Rick and put a couple of Jazz pickups in it a la Roger Glover (Deep Purple-Machinehead days). Sounded pretty good & looked awful.

Rezdog

Hey Rez!
Yeah, I like the Lynott bass too, but that's more Phil's preference...I think Roger prefers a Tort or Black pg on his bass!

Do you still have any pictures of the Ric you modified? I would think that would have looked great, especially with the right pickup surround/rings.

[ggunn]

Originally Posted by RaginRog

I use the term customized "loosely"

Have any of you ever spent money on the appearance of your bass....be it a pickguard, or paint job, or new neck...only to find you liked the original appearance better?

My first electric guitar was (is) an early 60's Melody Maker (the rounded double cutaway Les Paul Jr shape half as thick) with the wraparound bridge, cherry red finish, and one single coil pickup. I "improved" it by stripping the finish and redoing it in a walnut stain, putting two humbuckers and a tune-o-matic bridge with separate tailpiece on it, and replacing the tuners. It's still a nice little guitar, but I wish I'd let it be.

[M.R. Ogle]

Maybe... but I always learned something performing any cosmetic changes, so I can't say I ever completely regretted experimenting with the looks of a bass.

In fact I have sold a few basses because I knew the value would decrease if I DID personalize them any.

[RaginRog]

Originally Posted by ggunn

My first electric guitar was (is) an early 60's Melody Maker (the rounded double cutaway Les Paul Jr shape half as thick) with the wraparound bridge, cherry red finish, and one single coil pickup. I "improved" it by stripping the finish and redoing it in a walnut stain, putting two humbuckers and a tune-o-matic bridge with separate tailpiece on it, and replacing the tuners. It's still a nice little guitar, but I wish I'd let it be.

Still sounds like a winner, but I understand. Any pictures?

Originally Posted by M.R. Ogle

Maybe... but I always learned something performing any cosmetic changes, so I can't say I ever completely regretted experimenting with the looks of a bass.

In fact I have sold a few basses because I knew the value would decrease if I DID personalize them any.

Yeah, I've learned and gotten better at soldering through the years...and I know I'll likely never refinish a bass in a "Rush" job....patience...

[gazman_res]

I bought a MIJ Fender jazz a few years back, oly white with a rosewood board.

So of course i customised it, i got a tort guard, thumb rest, pickup covers (Neck and bridge), gave it a nice vintage look to it.

About a month later i removed everything and it looks as how i purchased it :/

Now im thinking about placing everything back on, haha.

[EdHunter]

Originally Posted by RaginRog

I like the Lynott bass too, but that's more Phil's preference...I think Roger prefers a Tort or Black pg on his bass!

I waskindaapprehensive about that very same issue. Turns out Bill and Phil have similar preferences...

[Orpheus55]

I put pickup and bridge covers, thumbrest, and a 70s pattern pickguard on my classic 70s jazz; took all the stuff till someone in the audience said they liked the way it looked tricked out. Put it all back on again. Weird, huh?

[seanm]

I put a leather pick guard on one bass. I liked it at the time, but I now wish I had left it alone since I prefer the clean look without the pick guard. Unfortunately, it now has the screw holes, so I leave the pick guard on.