Best bass mod ever for you?

[Raman]

Hi,

I've never altered my instruments, although I've thought about it often. Switch pickups, add a knob, having the body redone completely in a different wood, etc.

For those who have modded stock instruments, I'd love to hear what was the best improvement that you've ever made to a bass.

 

[bassbully]

Pickups and preamps followed by bridges.

 

[Raman]

Pickups and preamps followed by bridges.

Which? Replacing which? On which instrument?

 

[jd56hawk]

Custom pickguard, control knobs and fretboard stickers.

 

[bassbully]

Which? Replacing which? On which instrument?

Oh man several thru the years. New vintage USA Fender bridge on my Frankin P. I also installed Duncan antiquity P pups, new cap, pots and jack that made a $100.00 E series Korean Squier the best sounding P bass I have ever owned and I had a few early 70’s Fender P basses.
Getting an Aguilar pre and Dingwall pups in my Lakland 55-01 Made a great bass sound even better. On the other hand there were a few that mods did not improve their sound and in one case made the bass sound worse than stock.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Shielding & rewiring went a long, long way on my MIM Blacktop Precision.

 

[GoLeafsGo]

Have to be the Black Pickguard Screw Mod.

 

[dedpool1052]

Easy.
My old Fender American Hot Rod Precision.
After having it for roughly 13 years, I grew tired of the p/j tone, and preferred humbuckers.
After a trip to Mike Lull's shop and trying some basses equipped with his T-bass pickups, I decided I needed those.
I had him route and install two T-bird pickups in place of the original p/j pickups.
Now that thing is a big, huge, growly monster of a bass.

 

[BassAndReeds]

Adding a tone knob to a bass that doesn’t have one.

 

[saabfender]

If you’re looking for permission to mod your bass, you’ll find lots of encouragement here.

Any aspect of a bass is fair game. Try whatever. If you get an idea from the forum, get on it and make it so. A tiny example of that is replacing the Fender headstock button with something non-resonant. Takes out the distinctive Fender ring and evened out the G string dead spot.

You’ll never know if you don’t try.

 

[cosmicevan]

Hipshot drop d tuner

Dunlop strap locks

That's pretty much where I stop at mods. Both are essential to me.

 

[White Funk]

Custom pickguard, control knobs and fretboard stickers.
View attachment 3233681

Tastefully done, in my opinion.

 

[Marko 1]

Once added a hipshot tuner on a four-banger when I played them...

AND TORT PICKGUARDS WHERVER I CAN!

 

[jd56hawk]

Tastefully done, in my opinion.

Thanks.

 

[dedpool1052]

Easy.
My old Fender American Hot Rod Precision.
After having it for roughly 13 years, I grew tired of the p/j tone, and preferred humbuckers.
After a trip to Mike Lull's shop and trying some basses equipped with his T-bass pickups, I decided I needed those.
I had him route and install two T-bird pickups in place of the original p/j pickups.
Now that thing is a big, huge, growly monster of a bass.

Here's the bass.
Also refinished in Kerry green with a white pearl pickguard.

 

[Raman]

How about this for a bass mod then? The guy fused a MicroKorg on his bass!

 

[CallMeAl]

In order of importance:
1) put a peavey J neck on a squier P body.
Tie for 2:
2) new pots, jack and knobs.
2) copper sheild tape
3) strap lock buttons
4) replace rusty bridge
5) pearl PG (so not that important)

*the gotoh 201 in the photo has been replaced with a standard fender bridge due to set up issues.

Tons o' fun!

EDIT: if i had to break the tie, advantage copper tape. I had RFI problems, but only anticipated problems with other electronics .

 

[Nev375]

Graphite neck upgrade = perfectly stable tuning with no more seasonal setup adjustments and (IMO) massively improved tone.

 

[Ric5]

Hi,

I've never altered my instruments, although I've thought about it often. Switch pickups, add a knob, having the body redone completely in a different wood, etc.

For those who have modded stock instruments, I'd love to hear what was the best improvement that you've ever made to a bass.

Converting a 4 string to a 5 string

4 string to 5 string Rickenbacker conversion

http://www.3dentourage.com/425/425-Ric.htm

http://www.3dentourage.com/425/425.htm

I have 16 basses … none are stock factory instruments

 

[malthumb]

Putting a Sadowsky pre in my Fender American Deluxe Precision 5-string. Transformed the bass from good to great. Also put a tort guard on it.

As received...

2005 Fender American Deluxe Precision 5

• malthumb
• Dec 26, 2016

Current condition and appearance...

2005 Fender American Deluxe Precision 5-string

• malthumb
• Dec 26, 2016
• fender

Picture taken at hotel in Beijing, China