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Bass modifications...why?

#81
In a fit of boredom between gigs and no real work due to extreme weather I modded my MIM jazz. Removed all black paint down to wood, reshaped horns for a sleeker look and better access to the 20th fret. Took off so much wood on the horns had to reshape the pickguard and VOILA...
Custom jazz. All the guts are the same....got great stock pickups. This is what boredom does to some people....for some reason I can't get my pic to upload....
 
#82
IMG_20160120_063004165.jpg
. I got it now.....duhhhh...
 
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#84
i'm 58 , played music since age 6 ...

i mod my basses . After having several expensive instruments , i now prefer to take my favorite pieces parts that i liked from those, and incorporate them into my Warmoth basses ... their 5 string string asymmetrical neck feels great in my arthritic hands . So that is where i start from . Then mod the rest to my liking .
 
#87
I do it, because I like to keep my sound man and the studio engineers happy, and they tend to like that ultra clean sound. My Dearmond Pilot Plus V has the perfect neck, but the stock electronics are hideous at best. It now sports all Bartolini Electronics-- Pickups, Pots, and Preamp. My Other FrankenBass is a Warmoth Body and Neck with All Alembic Electronics, and a Bartolini Preamp. All my sound guys are happy with it, and my tech does the mods necessary to keep my fingers happy.
 
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#88
Why assume that there must be a stock instrument out there fulfill every personal preference to begin with?

Some folks like the lacquer finish on the Fender AVRIs, but prefer lightweight tuners... or maybe a high mass bridge... but that's how they come out of the factory.

Plenty of folks love the look and tone of Thunderbirds (and Rics, for that matter), but dislike the bridge design... but that's how they come out of the factory.

Lots of folks have an old P that feels and plays great, but they want a bit more bite to the tone from a Jazz pickup at the bridge... why spend money on a new bass (from an incredibly limited selection of stock options, no less) that may or may not fit and feel the same, when you can drop ~$100 on another pickup and lose none of the functionality and playability of your current setup?

I bought an American Special Jazz because it was in my price range, but I didn't care for the Greasebucket tone circuit... taking it out and rewiring it was much for feasible than paying another $200+ for the Am Standard.

Then I noticed the string alignment over the pickups was a little wonky due to the pre-cut bridge saddles... so I replaced it with a threaded saddle bridge instead of buying the $2000 reissue that comes with it stock.

I could go on... :whistle:
 
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#89
madbass6 said:
Ok fair enough.. I'll meet half way... :)
i agree on mods if not on a colector Basses especially when it comes to looks! Colors/pick guard/ gold vs black hardware etc. Fine!
But when people get into cutting into the body to add pick ups or filling in pick up holes changing everything under the sun (in some case) it would probably be cheaper just to buy what you really want in the first place VS upgrading to the extremes!
in my opinion , if people must modify
they should focus on what really matters SOUND feel etc. Even if it takes sacraficing that cool vintage cream color and very cool tort guard etc.

I've heard of some modifying only cuz there favorate celebrity bass player has it a certain way! that's another thing i dont get !
what works for others doesn't necessarily mean it will work for you and me.
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Can't say fairer than that.

I am guilty of adding a J pickup to a Squier JV '57 Precision back in the late 80's (and changing it from white to black) - if only I could have predicted the future for those early Squiers, huh? Oh well.

These days I restrict myself to wiring mods, and I am slowly resigning myself to never finding that cream/tort fretless 'Ray off the shelf. Would I be able to justify refinishing a £1500+ bass? Maybe, but I think these days the prospect of having to explain myself to the wife would prevent me actually doing it! I certainly would not mod a bass just because I had seen it on TV.
 
#93
flam said:
I grew up in a family full of mechanics and repair people, so it's natural for me to build and modify things. It's almost a need at this point in my life. Not that I usually make anything better, just different.
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QFT

I've been playing music (and sometimes getting payed for it...yay!) for 25+ years. I understood from early on, playing my family's restored 1800s piano, that mods can be rewarding and fun. Also, as a car guy's kid, I love tweaking a car/bass until it's just right for me.

If you like to do it, you understand why. If not, you wonder why. Both frames of mind are perfectly normal so carry on as you were.
 
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#94
Killed_by_Death said:
You're (you are) right, pay $1,400 for the one with the pickups you like vs. paying $250 for a used Mexican & putting in the pickups you like.
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1
Killed_by_Death said:
You're (you are) right, pay $1,400 for the one with the pickups you like vs. paying $250 for a used Mexican & putting in the pickups you like.
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Yeah ok comparing a $250 Bass to a $1400 ?
you'll be upgrading alot more then just the pick ups to even com close to it! Hey You get what you pay for !
Remember there's more to a great sounding Bass then just the pick ups!
.Woods
.pre amp
.bridge etc.
not to mention craftsmanship & quality!
There's probably a gd reason why the $ 250 Bass is worth $250 and the $1400 is worth $1400 besides the pick ups.
 
#96
madbass6 said:
Yeah ok comparing a $250 Bass to a $1400 ?
you'll be upgrading alot more then just the pick ups to even com close to it! Hey You get what you pay for !
Remember there's more to a great sounding Bass then just the pick ups!
.Woods
.pre amp
.bridge etc.
not to mention craftsmanship & quality!
There's probably a gd reason why the $ 250 Bass is worth $250 and the $1400 is worth $1400 besides the pick ups.
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Pre-amp doesn't apply for me. Passive.
I've played some American Strats, and I am quite happy that my MIM Strat is on par. I also upgraded the bridge block on mine.
A new bridge for a bass guitar is pretty cheap.
I also don't think that the American craftmanship is miles ahead of the Mexican builds.
I think there is the advantage of a reinforced neck.

For me at least, it's not worth the extra dough to get a better bridge & pickups.
If you believe the quality is that much better, more power to you.
 
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#98
I'll go out on a limb here....

One of my basses is a Squier Bronco. Of all basses I have ever owned or tried, it is (for me) the most comfortable best-playing bass ever in terms of weight, comfort, playing comfort, playing ease.

It's an uber-cheap bass. I didn't like the stock pup too much and the bridge (for me) had to go.

So I modded the bridge and the pup. I'm not finished yet though. I'm looking for an even better pup.

If I ever had a shorty custom built , the Bronco would be the template for it. Every thing on the custom would be exactly the same in dimensions etc..except different electronics, bodywood,bridge , pups etc..
..and maybe a rosewood fretboard.

I've looked/tried a boatload of shortscales where I live ......and they all come with some kind of drawback. There is always something you have to compromise on.

It's almost as if the bass industry would rather you didn't buy a shorty...at least around here.

So.....it's no big deal to modify a Bronco......and end up with a bass they don't ever make but is the bass I want.
 
#99
Doner Designs said:
Exactly.

From a resale value standpoint it almost never works out well, but if viewed as money SPENT (rather than invested) as one would do with any other hobby, it makes a lot of sense. Some would spend $100+ on an afternoon of golf or sports tickets or food/drink for a part at their house. I would rather spend that time and money building or tweaking an instrument.
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Yep, and as far as personalization goes it's really basically like any other hobby out there. Some people into cars want to swap parts, some people into computer games like to swap GPUs, CPUs, etc, people into RC airplanes often buy kits and then personalize by changing out various components, etc.

I have an MIA P and a MIM J. My P is completely stock (and always will be), for me it just feels right this way because I see the bass as an American icon and I don't really desire to change anything because I like it the way it is. My MIM cost me $300 used, but it is a platform for tinkering because I enjoy tinkering, and while I've probably put enough money into it at this point to where I could have bought a used MIA J, I have no regrets because I have learned a lot and had a lot of fun in the process, plus when I look at the bass I see something more personal than when I look at the P.
 
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#100
Killed_by_Death said:
Pre-amp doesn't apply for me. Passive.
I've played some American Strats, and I am quite happy that my MIM Strat is on par. I also upgraded the bridge block on mine.
A new bridge for a bass guitar is pretty cheap.
I also don't think that the American craftmanship is miles ahead of the Mexican builds.
I think there is the advantage of a reinforced neck.

For me at least, it's not worth the extra dough to get a better bridge & pickups.
If you believe the quality is that much better, more power to you.
Click to expand...
ok so it turns out its not about only replacing the pick ups .. regardless keep in mind its not only how expensive/cheap parts mite be, lets not forget the labor cost as well! (unless of course ur doing it yourself) wish not everyone is qualified for! so if replacing only the bridge/pick ups/ youll be looking at around $200 pick ups (on the low end) another $200 for bridge (again on the low end) plus probably another $350 in labor! not including pre amp/pots ect. youre already in for $750 then you add the $250 price tag for the the cheap bass your at $1000 not to mention the aggravation/waiting /the shipping cost / gigs you lost waiting on it etc. it adds up quickly!!also keep in mind labor could cost even more! (as luthiers ussually charge by the HR) then the kicker!! wait patiently and excited only to hope it worked out ! if it didnt now to start all over ? yes your probably better off coming up with the extra $400 dollars for a bass that not only has great pick ups but a whole lot more! hey if upgrading is your thing go for it!
 

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