I would like to add Pickup & Bridge covers to my '93 MIJ Reissue 1962 P-Bass. I never liked drilling even the slightest hole in a bass. In this case, the Bass has the holes in the Scratch plate for where the cover goes. The bass is already 20 years old and will be collectible some day. Will the cover(s) hurt its value?
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Does Modding a bass hurt its value?(Pickup & Bridge covers)
- Thread starter FunkHead
- Start date
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
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- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Modding a bass from the 90s is not the same as modding a bass from the 60s.
DO IT!!!
BTW I would never put a pickup cover on my bass. They get in the way of my playing style. But it is your bass do what makes it better for you.
DO IT!!!
BTW I would never put a pickup cover on my bass. They get in the way of my playing style. But it is your bass do what makes it better for you.
+1. The covers definitely get in the way. I have a few basses drilled for covers, but they only go on for pix.
The only cover I have used is a bridge never a pickup cover. The covers will add nothing to the re-sale of the bass if you do ever sell it FWIW.
- Oct 7, 2000
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Modding an SX will increase it's value. Modding a 69 P bass will kill it's value. Both make the bass better. 
With everything else it's hit or miss, and depends on the mod and who's buying it.
I had a late 60s early 70s telecaster guitar that I carved out and put a humbucker in btwn the 2 pickups. That's me at age 20, by the way.
With everything else it's hit or miss, and depends on the mod and who's buying it.
I had a late 60s early 70s telecaster guitar that I carved out and put a humbucker in btwn the 2 pickups. That's me at age 20, by the way.
i am the same way. i put bridge and pickup covers on my bass and LOVED the way it looked, but took them off roughly 2 weeks after i put em on. man do they look good in pictures tho.
Ask yourself, "Is it reversible?"
If the answer is yes, then there will be no effect on value.
If the answer is no, then there will be a negative effect on value.
N.B. If you make an irreversible change and sell it to someone who likes the modification, you may come out ahead. That person will not be a collector, a dealer, or anyone else in the know.
If the answer is yes, then there will be no effect on value.
If the answer is no, then there will be a negative effect on value.
N.B. If you make an irreversible change and sell it to someone who likes the modification, you may come out ahead. That person will not be a collector, a dealer, or anyone else in the know.
Thanks for all the replies. I can get some covers and take the pic's without drilling holes so the potential buyer knows what it "could" look like. I personally would shy away from something modded but I wasn't sure with the little screw holes.
Its not going to increase in value very much either way. If you want to, do it. I did it to mine and it doesnt affect my playing at all. But then again, I don't slappa da bays.
Resale value only matters if you ever sell it.
Even if the modification doesn't "officially" lower the resale value, a buyer in your living room will use it as an excuse to talk the price down.
I wouldn't do it unless I was sure I was going to keep the bass forever, and even if it was already 20 years down the road to being a collectible, I would probably leave it alone.
Even if the modification doesn't "officially" lower the resale value, a buyer in your living room will use it as an excuse to talk the price down.
I wouldn't do it unless I was sure I was going to keep the bass forever, and even if it was already 20 years down the road to being a collectible, I would probably leave it alone.
scottbass
Bass lines like a big, funky giant
That's me at age 20, by the way.
Nice photo! Fender, Peavey, Budweiser, Marlboro's and 8-track tape - - - how many of those are you still into???
I go half-way and only do the pup covers, and not the ashtrays.
Looks slick, but doesn't muck up palm-muting, and they are a good thumb-anchor for fingerstyle (unless you're a fancy-pants floating thumb dude).
I'm having a brushed-stainless steel one made for a new J build....I want it all muted and not-chromey, but with that visual cue.
Looks slick, but doesn't muck up palm-muting, and they are a good thumb-anchor for fingerstyle (unless you're a fancy-pants floating thumb dude).
I'm having a brushed-stainless steel one made for a new J build....I want it all muted and not-chromey, but with that visual cue.
I modded a Squier P and traded it straight across for a Lakland 55-01 . He played it about one min and said do you want to see this bass?.Or trade for my Lakland. I put Nordstrand pickups,Babicz bridge,hipshot black tuners and I did the fret level myself.Custom Blue pearl pickguard. it was a nice bass.The name did not seem to matter to this guy he liked the sound,looks and the neck.
I mean no disrespect but do MIJ's really become collectiable? Does one even need to worry about that?
In this case, the Bass has the holes in the Scratch plate for where the cover goes. The bass is already 20 years old and will be collectible some day. Will the cover(s) hurt its value?
I wouldn't worry about it if there's already holes in the pickguard. Do it if you want to.
There's many people that have a bunch of the MIJ's. I don't know if that makes them a good investment perse but there's a lot of love for MIJ Fenders.
If you plan on selling it some day I say no. If its a bass you don't want to sell and plan on keeping, mod away.
Of my 3 basses, my first bass will stay stock because of fond memories, my second bass has been modded because it is forever mine and my third has reversible mods because I like the changes but selling it won't bother me.
Of my 3 basses, my first bass will stay stock because of fond memories, my second bass has been modded because it is forever mine and my third has reversible mods because I like the changes but selling it won't bother me.
If the hole wasn't drilled, it's not consistent with the bass design, regardless of the pickguard holes. So no, I wouldn't do it, and yes, I would expect to pay less if someone did.
