Buying "upgraded" basses

[Micha84]

Hi everybody,

inspired by the thread "Would you buy a $950 Squier Precision" I wondered: When buying a used instrument, what is your take on upgrades or modifications that have already been done?
Are you more likely to buy a "lower tier bass" if tuners or pickups have been replaced? Do you mind if somebody swapped the pickguard? How about a paint job or a changed neck?
Have you ever bought a heavily modified bass that turned out to be amazing?

I find that I avoid basses that have been modified in any way. I just don't trust the handywork behind it. I know that you can't really do damage when changing a pickguard, for example, but still. Was the soldering done right when the pickups where changed? Has the new bridge been properly aligned? There is a lot of things you can't really know unless you have the bass in your hands. I am not too great with tools myself, so if I were to discover a modification done badly I'd have to bring the bass to a shop which will increase the overall price significantly.

Apart from that, I wonder: If somebody had an instrument that he or she wasn't happy with, so they spend money and time on it, and then they are selling it... chances are that this is not going to be a great instrument.

So, what's your take?

Cheers,
Michael

 

[sikamikanico]

Upgrade is in the eye of the beholder. For most it’s just change.

I’d never pay more for an “upgraded” bass, not even at cost of (new) components. In essence, I’d treat it as a sum of used parts.

but I also wouldn’t question the quality of workmanship or be suspicious about the sellers reasons for changing or selling the instrument, unless there were red flags. The bigger problem is that people often “upgrade” parts for silly reasons, then expect that this somehow magically increases the value of the instrument. Most often it doesn’t.

that said, I don’t recall ever buying a non-stock instrument. I suppose partially for reasons stated above…

 

[B-Mac]

Hi everybody,

inspired by the thread "Would you buy a $950 Squier Precision" I wondered: When buying a used instrument, what is your take on upgrades or modifications that have already been done?
Are you more likely to buy a "lower tier bass" if tuners or pickups have been replaced? Do you mind if somebody swapped the pickguard? How about a paint job or a changed neck?
Have you ever bought a heavily modified bass that turned out to be amazing?

I find that I avoid basses that have been modified in any way. I just don't trust the handywork behind it. I know that you can't really do damage when changing a pickguard, for example, but still. Was the soldering done right when the pickups where changed? Has the new bridge been properly aligned? There is a lot of things you can't really know unless you have the bass in your hands. I am not too great with tools myself, so if I were to discover a modification done badly I'd have to bring the bass to a shop which will increase the overall price significantly.

Apart from that, I wonder: If somebody had an instrument that he or she wasn't happy with, so they spend money and time on it, and then they are selling it... chances are that this is not going to be a great instrument.

So, what's your take?

Cheers,
Michael

I tend to avoid them, but they're always exceptions, especially if it is well done and the owner isn't asking big $$ for the mod thinking it is the bees knees or the like.

For instance, this Dean Jeff Berlin Player MIC.
Bass Lines pups by Seymore Duncan were added along with a three way switch. It was done quite well and the owner didn't ask any more for it than a stock used one. It was also in great cosmetic shape.

Or this Fender JP90 modified by the PO. Really well done refinish from a plane Jane bass to a looker. Wasn't that much more $$ than a used good condition stock Fender JP 90.

Might want to add a poll to your thread?

• Yes
• Depends
• No
• Carrots

Just sayin'

 

[sikamikanico]

I’d pay serious $$ for upgraded carrots tho

 

[Killing Floor]

If the bass plays well I don’t care. That’s not a negative to me. Unless it’s some crazy collectable which it probably isn’t.

Also things break or wear out. I have a very old Strat that has replaced frets for example, that’s not a mod, it’s maintenance.

But in general if there’s a $1,000 Jazz Bass and it has $300 pickups and $150 tuners added the price is $1,000-300-150. Not because it devalues my resale value but because it is now a partscaster. A parts bass or guitar is worth the value of the bass minus the value of the added parts. Or typically 1/3 to 1/2 the total value of the parts.

 

[pepj]

If the bass has value and looks like it can appreciate, then any mods need to be reversible in my eyes.
The bass needs to be worth upgrading too, I think but I don't buy a bass to upgrade.
If i need to do that then it's not likely the bass for me in the first place.

 

[FullumMusic]

"Upgrade" is relative. In something like auto-racing you can measure horsepower increases, drag coefficients, lateral g-forces, acceleration, and lap times. Upgrades improve those things and you have empirical data showing it.

In music, everything is relative. One person's upgrade is another person's downgrade or arbitrary add-on that has zero value-add.

The only time a modification on a used bass is worth paying extra for is if you specifically want that bass with that modification. Otherwise it's just an as-is modified bass with an expensive part you don't find any increased performance in. Sometimes with an expensive part that makes it worse (to you) that the seller is trying to inject into the price of the bass in hopes that someone else thinks their modification is an upgrade. In most walks of life, modified things often bring in less money than their factory original OEM versions.

And i'm just talking about modified/swapped components. Physical modifications to the actual wood of the body, neck, fretboard, or head would be more of a Red Flag than an Upgrade, no matter who did the modification. There are some people out there who claim Gibson SG necks that have been broken & repaired are "upgraded" because the neck repair is stronger than the original neck from Gibson. Others would say it's a broken neck.

 

[80jazz]

Count me in as another one who thinks upgrades are in the eyes of the beholder.

I am not opposed to buying a bass with mods, but rarely are they mods I'd want.

 

[Heiwa]

Upgrades or modifications NEVER increase the price, you modded it? Go fix it, many guys won´t like what you did to it and they don´t have to

 

[80jazz]

Yep.

The mods are rarely what I want.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Unless I trust the work/worker, it doesn't help the value. Never mind, when you are trying to sell, stock is always best.

 

[MynameisMe]

Hi everybody,

inspired by the thread "Would you buy a $950 Squier Precision" I wondered: When buying a used instrument, what is your take on upgrades or modifications that have already been done?
Are you more likely to buy a "lower tier bass" if tuners or pickups have been replaced? Do you mind if somebody swapped the pickguard? How about a paint job or a changed neck?
Have you ever bought a heavily modified bass that turned out to be amazing?

I find that I avoid basses that have been modified in any way. I just don't trust the handywork behind it. I know that you can't really do damage when changing a pickguard, for example, but still. Was the soldering done right when the pickups where changed? Has the new bridge been properly aligned? There is a lot of things you can't really know unless you have the bass in your hands. I am not too great with tools myself, so if I were to discover a modification done badly I'd have to bring the bass to a shop which will increase the overall price significantly.

Apart from that, I wonder: If somebody had an instrument that he or she wasn't happy with, so they spend money and time on it, and then they are selling it... chances are that this is not going to be a great instrument.

So, what's your take?

Cheers,
Michael

All of my basses have mods.
Upgraded pickups or bridge. Tuners, pickguard. Maybe it's better.
Of course I'm not buying a bass over $ 1,000.00.
Stock can be boring.

 

[sunyata]

If you are considering any used instrument, you're taking a chance that the instrument might be modified. You might not be able to see it, or you might not even know it if you do see it, but unless the seller has stated that there have been modifications, you won't know for sure unless you know the particular make-model-year well enough. Even the seller might not know if the instrument is modified if it came to them used. The only thing you know for sure when you are considering an instrument with known modifications is that the seller was honest enough to inform you.

To the OPs last paragraph (i.e. "selling it..chances are that this is not going to be a great instrument")...not an assumption I would make. There are a great many reasons a person might be selling a bass, and even if the seller does not consider a particular bass a 'great instrument', a different person might. Sometimes it's really not a great instrument, and sometimes it's just not a great instrument for the seller.

Got a kick out of @Killing Floor..."A parts bass or guitar is worth the value of the bass minus the value of the added parts." I've got a Squier Jazz with EMG active pickups, Hipshot tuners, and Hipshot bridge that must be worth -$200.

 

[LowendG]

For FSOs I'm totally down with upgrades if they're something I would have done anyway, which in my case is almost always pickups. I have my fave pickups but will certainly consider trying other "upgraded" ones. Even better if the seller includes the stock pickups too, but not a deal-breaker by any means.

 

[rojo412]

Proper changes are nice. But I won't tend to pay up for them. I may be more inclined to get that particular instrument, but only if it's still at fair market value (or less).

 

[bcbassman]

I did buy a Mexican Precision that has a replaced pickup, Bridge and pickguard but it was priced as if it was stock and I liked the upgrades and I saw that they were done well. I don't usually like mudded basses, but if the modification is positive in my opinion and not factored into the price. I will take the chance and buy the instrument.

 

[Pauly 4001]

I've bought several used and modified basses and I would not describe any of them really "Upgraded"
Sometimes the work and thinking behind it was odd and possibly misguided but it was always discounted from what a stock version would be.
This BB1200 came this way and was much cheaper because of it

This was an early Hamer 8 string that I bought stripped and heavily reshaped with the hardware in a bag accompanying the body. Had DiMarzios originally
One man's upgrade is another man's abomination

 

[Clark W]

Hi everybody,

inspired by the thread "Would you buy a $950 Squier Precision" I wondered: When buying a used instrument, what is your take on upgrades or modifications that have already been done?
Are you more likely to buy a "lower tier bass" if tuners or pickups have been replaced? Do you mind if somebody swapped the pickguard? How about a paint job or a changed neck?
Have you ever bought a heavily modified bass that turned out to be amazing?

I find that I avoid basses that have been modified in any way. I just don't trust the handywork behind it. I know that you can't really do damage when changing a pickguard, for example, but still. Was the soldering done right when the pickups where changed? Has the new bridge been properly aligned? There is a lot of things you can't really know unless you have the bass in your hands. I am not too great with tools myself, so if I were to discover a modification done badly I'd have to bring the bass to a shop which will increase the overall price significantly.

Apart from that, I wonder: If somebody had an instrument that he or she wasn't happy with, so they spend money and time on it, and then they are selling it... chances are that this is not going to be a great instrument.

So, what's your take?

Cheers,
Michael

It depends. First off, if they have changed anything, I would hope they kept the original parts because I would like to have those too, just in case I want to ever put it back to original. That is the most important part of buying a modded bass that it is in working order. And is only second to the bass being in working order if that's what they advertise.

Of all my current basses, I only have one that was modded before I got it. Stock P pup was swapped to a FCS '62 P Pup. Hipshot drop tuner, and gold anodized aluminum pickguard installed. Plus original hardware came with it. The original pickguard still has the protective coating and Fender sticker on it. I've had it 4 years and not a lick of trouble out of it.

Then I have an American Performer Precision P/J going on for 4 years now as well, that I bought new, with every intention of modding it myself before I even got it. I wanted the body, the neck, and more precisely, a P/J layout in an American Fender. There are currently only two Precision P/Js offered in Fender's American lines. The Performer Precision with shellacked pups and greasebucket tone circuit, and the Ultra with active electronics for several hundred more.

I didn't want the shellacked pups with greasebucket tone circuit in the Performer. I don't want the greasebucket tone circuit in any bass. And I didn't want the active offered in the Ultra. If I wanted an active bass I'd buy something other than Fender. So what was I supposed to do? I bought the Performer and then...

I replaced the pups with Aguilar's hum canceling P/J set. Replaced the controls and greasebucket tone circuit with CTS pots and Switchcraft components. Swapped out the black pg for a 4 ply black pearl/white/black/white with wide bevel. And installed Schaller S Locks. I have all the original parts and a wiring diagram from Fender for the original layout for the greasebucket tone circuit.

If I ever decide to sell it, I'll offer it up as it is right now, with all original parts and wiring diagram included. Or if need be, I can swap it all back. Matter of fact, there's only a few I would trust, outside of myself, to do the job.

But then my day job is taking things like these...


And turning them into these...


There's miles of wiring, some soldering work, reading wiring diagrams, lots of nuts and bolts, and installing hydraulic systems involved, So buying a modded bass from someone doesn't really bother me. It might tick me off if I have to fix it when it was already supposed to be working. Actually a truss rod issue would tick me off the most. That I would have to take to someone else.

But I rarely buy a bass online anyway. I wanna feel how comfortable the neck and the body are if at all possible before I buy. Pups, hardware, wiring, etc... Can be replaced if need be.

Last used bass I bought online was all original, but the owner had the pups sitting so high the strings were touching the pup poles. So I broke out a ruler and started setting the bass up to Fender specs. And it's been in a rotation of 5 basses ever since.

 

[Snakeman1066]

Hi everybody,

inspired by the thread "Would you buy a $950 Squier Precision" I wondered: When buying a used instrument, what is your take on upgrades or modifications that have already been done?
Are you more likely to buy a "lower tier bass" if tuners or pickups have been replaced? Do you mind if somebody swapped the pickguard? How about a paint job or a changed neck?
Have you ever bought a heavily modified bass that turned out to be amazing?

I find that I avoid basses that have been modified in any way. I just don't trust the handywork behind it. I know that you can't really do damage when changing a pickguard, for example, but still. Was the soldering done right when the pickups where changed? Has the new bridge been properly aligned? There is a lot of things you can't really know unless you have the bass in your hands. I am not too great with tools myself, so if I were to discover a modification done badly I'd have to bring the bass to a shop which will increase the overall price significantly.

Apart from that, I wonder: If somebody had an instrument that he or she wasn't happy with, so they spend money and time on it, and then they are selling it... chances are that this is not going to be a great instrument.

So, what's your take?

Cheers,
Michael

Unless the Mods were something I wanted or something I would do myself...then I would probably just avoid the bass (unless the price was right)...that said just about every bass I own has been modified in some way whether it was a pick-up change, bridge change (I do this often as I hate the Fender stock bridge) in fact all of my Fenders are wearing slotted Bad-Ass bridges (I prefer the Aesthetic and the ability to modify the spacing...I also find them easier to intonate), thumb-rest added, pick-guard changed...Also every "P" bass I own is wearing a "Jazz" neck (as I don't like the wider width of the "P" nut)...hell even my Ric's have had a treble bezel added with built in thumb-rests and the covers taken off the bridge pups...I also tend to change knobs quite often...

As far as paying more for a modified bass...again depends on the mods...if for example someone has put an American neck on A MIM body (then maybe depending on price...) it might be worth more to me...

 

[MattZilla]

There are very few things I consider an upgrade instead of a “Great. Somebody cooked the pots with their soldering iron and crossthreaded the screws on the tuners & pickups”

Hipshot bridge in place of a Gibson 3pt is one. They took a product that’d be worth 1/2-3/4 of the new price and made it worth $400 more than 1/2-3/4 of new by giving it the bridge Gibson should’ve been able to design a half century ago but didn’t.