Bass Mods... Seriously???

[Orange Caesar]

Because ever since I was a little kid I've always taken things apart and did something different to them. I'm an artist and I love to customize my basses...make them personal to myself.

With the quality of CNC machining bass bodies and necks these days, one can find some very inexpensive basses that are close to what I'm looking for, and do some work to them (which I find fun anyway) and drop in new pups or electronics or what have you.

In the end I get a bass customized to my liking without spending a fortune on a bass that has the looks, feel, playability and tone I want. Yeah, I could spend a small fortune on a high end bass, but why would I when I'm perfectly capable of modding a less expensive one into exactly what I want anyway? I couldn't care less about resale nor bragging rights of a boutique bass. It's for me to enjoy and play.

Ditto...

+100

 

[PullThePlug]

As my father always said, different strokes for different folks.

I went into modding once I had a chance to try out alot of equipment and get experience with differnent models of name brands. I used to feel the same way as the OP, but that was before I was able to get out and try out a variety of gear. Some mods are simply a preference. I would (and have) blindly modded my non-true bypass pedals to be true bypass (because that's what I prefer). Perhaps once you get a chance to try out more gear and get more time and experience in - you may feel different about immediate modding. As always, YMMV.

 

[EZA]

I cant for the life of me understand why its so popular in recent times to start a sentence with "to be honest" or "just being honest here" is it not a given that you are speaking the truth?! When I hear this I automatically think that everything else prior I heard this person say is untrue and dishonest.

 

[PDX Rich]

The Ric, MM 'Ray and Aria SB-1000 are stock. The MIM P is modded. I bought it cheap off of EBay. The stock pots were dirty, the wiring was in bad shape and I didn't care for the pickups and bridge. For ~$130 it was a really inexpensive DIY. AND FUN!

250K pots
New jack
Seymour Duncan (Steve Harris model)
New wiring (left ground wire intact)
Gotah 201B bridge
Black knobs

I am not done yet, but it is almost ready! I have a basic knowledge of soldering, so it was fairly easy and fun. Plus, StewMac is fairly awesome.

 

[Biggbass]

In the OP's defense, though, he was talking about doing specific mods to a bass someone bought and never played before. If you have real specific wants and a bass pops up that would make modding easy for you, or if you have an endorsement deal, that's one thing. But I have never bought a bass with the idea of modding it, and have only modded them when I discovered that they were unacceptable as is but would be awesome if I modded. OK, so I'm not everyone, but I'll admit that I find it pointless to mod something before you even have had a gig or rehearsal to play with it and see what it needs. How do you know what it needs unless you've played it? What happens if you love it as is? Then you bought all these parts in advance and you're stuck having to return them or sell them. Plus there's also the "Modded SX = Sadowsky" syndrome that I talked about before. No, sorry, it does not make your modded SX a Sadowsky.

I agree with this 100%..well said

 

[Double E]

I cant for the life of me understand why its so popular in recent times to start a sentence with "to be honest" or "just being honest here" is it not a given that you are speaking the truth?! When I hear this I automatically think that everything else prior I heard this person say is untrue and dishonest.

I take it to mean that the speaker is about to dole out a blunt but frank statement that may not be well received or popular...thinking that if they say they're "just being honest" that it will somehow soften the blow or that you should reserve harsh judgement of their opinion.

 

[orange joe]

On one side when I buy a new bass I almost always replace the pickups.I know this going in.On the other hand I
ve never purchased a bass specifically to modify it anymore than that

 

[gjohnson441496]

Why did you arbitrarily decide pick up switching isn't modding?

I think you are referring to " I'm mostly referring to mods that effect sound or playability."?? If that is the case, it's because I can understand why someone might want to change the way the instrument looks, more so than the way it sounds stock. However, reading the comments I'm beginning to understand the reasons why people mod. Everyone of these comments are great. As a matter of fact, after I've read them all I'm going to look more into the Audere Audio Pro Preamp for my jazz bass. I've seen two comments on that equipment so far. Also, it seems like there is a ton of love for Nordstrand. These consistencies give me food for thought about doing some tweaking myself...

 

[jwr]

I bought a Squier Jazz bass with the full intention of modding it and have not yet. Why? Because I'm cheap. LOL!

That being said, I don't see what the big deal is? I want something I like that is unique and doesn't cost a fortune. So buying a Squier to mod makes sense to me. Even if I'm dropping 300 worth of parts in it, it's going to be cheaper than my MTD!

 

[ole Jason]

Some people are just obsessed with customizing things. You see it in EVERY hobby.

 

[TripleDouble]

One opinion of the "right" strategy that applies to all possible scenarios...seriously?

I bought a pretty cheap instrument that felt and played great (Most 90's MIM Fenders) but the electronics were lousy, so I put better ones in and got a great instrument FOR ME for a great price and just a bit of elbow grease that was an enjoyable project to tinker with. What the heck's wrong with that? Oh right, you're prolly trollin'...

 

[NightCat]

Why make music when you can just buy it? Why actually DO anything?

 

[gjohnson441496]

Why don't I just go to the Gap and get a pair of jeans and some T-shirts and wear the same off the shelf crap every day...
Why don't i just have a flat-top haircut.
Why don't i just get a blue car and be happy?
Why don't i just eat oatmeal plain?

I like what i like, and what i like as a combination of elements is simply not available without some modifications.

Now, sometimes it IS (my Warwick Dolphin )
other times, not so much (5 string Pbass with Modern pickups, reverse, with full ashtrays , string though body bridge...)
A chambered, Pink Cadillac airbrushed Gretsch Billy Bo shaped Bass, with G&L prototype pickups from the 80's hand spec'd for Leo Fender.


I mod because it pleases me gives me what i want EXACTLY what i want. I you are happy with off the shelf, more power to you.

Drive a blue Prius, Don't add salt and pepper to your eggs, Skip the Salsa on your tacos... if that makes you happy ...
"

• You see, according to Cocteau's plan... I'm the enemy, 'cause I like to think; I like to read. I'm into freedom of speech and freedom of choice. I'm the kind of guy who likes to sit in a greasy spoon and wonder - "Gee, should I have the T-bone steak or the jumbo rack of barbecued ribs with the side order of gravy fries?" I want high cholesterol. I wanna eat bacon and butter and BUCKETS of cheese, okay? I want to smoke a Cuban cigar the size of Cincinnati in the non-smoking section. I want to run through the streets naked with green Jell-O all over my body reading Playboy magazine. Why? Because I suddenly might feel the need to, okay, pal? I've SEEN the future. Do you know what it is? It's a 47-year-old virgin sitting around in his beige pajamas, drinking a banana-broccoli shake, singing "I'm an Oscar Meyer Wiener." You live up top, you live Cocteau's way: what he wants, when he wants, how he wants. Your other choice: come down here... and maybe starve to death.

LOL. I love freedom of expression.

 

[AltGrendel]

I got my Jag SS for three reasons:

1. I wanted a short scale.
2. I wanted a platform to learn how to mod and setup a bass.
3. It was cheap and if I accidentally broke something critical, like the truss rod, I wouldn't be out that much.

I've learned a ton from working on that bass and I'm very, very happy with the results. There are many Jag SS club members that have left theirs stock. More power to them if that's what they want.

To each their own.

 

[DwaynieAD]

I think you are referring to " I'm mostly referring to mods that effect sound or playability."?? If that is the case, it's because I can understand why someone might want to change the way the instrument looks, more so than the way it sounds stock. However, reading the comments I'm beginning to understand the reasons why people mod. Everyone of these comments are great. As a matter of fact, after I've read them all I'm going to look more into the Audere Audio Pro Preamp for my jazz bass. I've seen two comments on that equipment so far. Also, it seems like there is a ton of love for Nordstrand. These consistencies give me food for thought about doing some tweaking myself...

I can understand if you had a bass for a while, years, and decided maybe I'll upgrade the pickups or whatever.

^^from your original post. Was just wondering, you understood pick up changes, but not pick guard, or bridge, or tuners.. Just wondering why you decided on what counts and what doesn't.

 

[Ric5]

Just being honest here. For the life of me I can't understand why anyone would buy a guitar with the intentions of modding it. I can understand if you had a bass for a while, years, and decided maybe I'll upgrade the pickups or whatever. But, to buy a bass with intentions to immediately mod it???? Why not just find the bass that you're looking for and be done with it? Lets say you spend $300.00 on a bass, buy another 300.00 worth of upgrades, and pay for labor on top of that. Why not just save the money and buy the bass you're after? I'm mostly referring to mods that effect sound or playability.
I don't know I just had to post this because I seriously don't get it. Is it just a hobbyist thing?

It is a lot of fun to mod basses and build parts basses.

Also many basses aren't built to my specs.

Some mods a trial and error until I get the tone that I want.

 

[gjohnson441496]

One opinion of the "right" strategy that applies to all possible scenarios...seriously?

I bought a pretty cheap instrument that felt and played great (Most 90's MIM Fenders) but the electronics were lousy, so I put better ones in and got a great instrument FOR ME for a great price and just a bit of elbow grease that was an enjoyable project to tinker with. What the heck's wrong with that? Oh right, you're prolly trollin'...

I'm not trolling. I hate trolls. They serve no purpose but to irritate. I'm reading all comments with thoughtful consideration. As a matter of fact, I'm actually going to look into Audere Audio Preamps after I've read all comments.

 

[Teijo K.]

If you do the mod yourself, and dont pay for it, you actually learn a lot from the process.

You learn setup, you learn what effect different parts of the bass has in to its sound. You learn how all the parts interact with each other. If your instrument breaks on the road, you are not completely helpless in fixing it. And along the road modding can lead to building, and then all off a sudden custom bass to your needs can actually be the cheapest option available.

 

[NightCat]

Some people are just obsessed with customizing things. You see it in EVERY hobby.

That is why I own a Douglas bass from Rondo Music. I am a chronic modifier but I refuse to modify my G&L, so I have the Douglas to mod anytime I get the itch and boy howdy have I messed with that thing. No mod I've ever done or ever will do will bring it up to the sound quality of the G&L but then that really isn't the Douglas's purpose in life is it?

 

[gjohnson441496]

I can understand if you had a bass for a while, years, and decided maybe I'll upgrade the pickups or whatever.

^^from your original post. Was just wondering, you understood pick up changes, but not pick guard, or bridge, or tuners.. Just wondering why you decided on what counts and what doesn't.

Got it now.. It seemed to me that some modders buy an instrument before they've given it a play. Granted, I only own 2 basses, bought my second just recently, but it took me like 2 years of trying them out before I bought a new one. Within that 2 years I bought one.. a Squier, and eventually didn't like the performance of it, exchanged the pups which didn't do any good so I decided that there's no way I'm going to put any more money into this thing... went on the hunt again knowing that I wanted a USA made Fender Jazz bass (which btw during my search I realized are not all created equal), but eventually I found one that has the sound, look and feel that I was looking for.

Changing the appearance (pickguard, hipshot tuner for example)IMO is not the same as changing the sound.