Strap locks.
Eventually strings.
After a while…wire it stereo.
ya, I’m weird.
Eventually strings.
After a while…wire it stereo.
ya, I’m weird.
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Making it yours do you usually modify your new basses?
- Thread starter DrThumpenstein
- Start date
What do you do to make a new bass your own? (Besides paying for it, for the pedantists.)
I just finished customizing and converting into a workhorse my new fender player plus jazz. (Here is the NBD if interested in the before pics: NBD—J back in the house!
First, I got rid of that starchy white nurse’s hat of a pick guard for some nice red tort.
It needed a drop tuner for some of my current band’s stuff (plus the deeper the note, the sweeter it sounds!)
I really love the sound of Labella DTB flats in the light gauge on a J and I love the way they play. I do my own set ups, and it always takes a couple of days to get a bass stable with new strings in my experience.
I put in strap locks so it’s easy to change straps and it’s more secure. It’s not like I swing it around my neck, but I don’t just stand there and I’ve never had an issue with strap locks. I’ve had to catch basses a few times that did not have them, so I’m there for life. That was the diciest part for me, drilling 3/8 inch holes in that gorgeous body and hoping I had them centered perfectly. My guitarist’s face literally turned white when I told him I had done that. But it worked out nicely, and completed the personalization of my new workhorse.
Remembered the pic this time:
View attachment 4534205
Im not spending money on a bass that needs modified.
I will put on the strings i like and check setup after. Thats about it.
Now, if its needed - that is another story. Like stuff stops working at some point.
I’ll usually make it “mine” by changing it just a little. Different pickguard, knobs, etc. Always strings and a setup once I get it home. Sometimes I do a lot, sometimes just enough to make it feel like me. I’ve had a couple basses that I didn’t touch, but only because I knew I was going to flip them lol
I'll change anything on any bass without consideration if others will approve or resale value.
Depends on the bass. My favorite parts bass I took everything off the body and rebuilt it from there, all new parts.
My latest purchase (SB2) stayed bone stock, save new strings.
Just depends on what I’m looking for, and if I think I can achieve it with mods.
My latest purchase (SB2) stayed bone stock, save new strings.
Just depends on what I’m looking for, and if I think I can achieve it with mods.
Does Lakland still use Fralin pickups? I was just saying earlier today in another thread that I replaced the Fender pickup in my CS '59 with a Fralin several years ago and really like it. I recall hearing Lakland uses Fralins or used to anyway. Don't know if they still do.
@op, it's a big "it depends."
- all basses get new strings and a set-up unless I want to wait to put new strings on.
- half of my basses are stock.
- currently working on a new Fender pro P that I'm turning into a vintage work horse (Aguilar 4p-60s, vintage spec pots/kit, flatwounds, ashtrays).
- on deck I have a g&l JB2 tribute that I'm turning into a jazz workhorse (shielding, new pots, hip shot ultra lite tuners, DIY relic).
but those are the first two of my stable that i've purchased with the intention of modding. My EBMMs, G&Ls, and reverends are all stock.
- all basses get new strings and a set-up unless I want to wait to put new strings on.
- half of my basses are stock.
- currently working on a new Fender pro P that I'm turning into a vintage work horse (Aguilar 4p-60s, vintage spec pots/kit, flatwounds, ashtrays).
- on deck I have a g&l JB2 tribute that I'm turning into a jazz workhorse (shielding, new pots, hip shot ultra lite tuners, DIY relic).
but those are the first two of my stable that i've purchased with the intention of modding. My EBMMs, G&Ls, and reverends are all stock.
I usually drop in a Fralin pickup. I like the tone and response, there is no best but best for me.
I will play the factory strings while I’m figuring it out. Maybe a week or 2. Then I put on TI because I like them. I try to do it all at once. When I put in the pickups I shield it and check the grounding and since the strings are off it’s time for a bone nut. Tee hee I said bone nut.
I haven’t swapped a pick guard for looks in a really long time but I do obsess about it when I order a bass or assemble a partscaster.
Not so much a concern on basses but on Fender guitars I always replace the jack with a Switchcraft and Electrosocket cup so I don’t have to deal with it ever again.
I will play the factory strings while I’m figuring it out. Maybe a week or 2. Then I put on TI because I like them. I try to do it all at once. When I put in the pickups I shield it and check the grounding and since the strings are off it’s time for a bone nut. Tee hee I said bone nut.
I haven’t swapped a pick guard for looks in a really long time but I do obsess about it when I order a bass or assemble a partscaster.
Not so much a concern on basses but on Fender guitars I always replace the jack with a Switchcraft and Electrosocket cup so I don’t have to deal with it ever again.
My Pbass is a 1998 MIM with an aftermarket pick guard, Fender tug bar, CTS pots, a Switchcraft jack, my old 1976 fretless neck, and Schaller tuners and a Peavey black nut. I believe the previous owner added a hotter pickup, but I may be wrong. My 2008 MIC Squier CV 50s has Fender Vintage reverse tuners and a Kluson 70s style bridge. Both sport GHS Precision Flats 45/105. I’m toying with the idea of a fretless maple neck on the Squier. So I guess I fit in the “leave them the way they come” group.
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I’m like the OP: straplocks (always), drop tuner (all 4-strings), strings (always), and sometimes a pickguard. One bass I bought recently had been personalized and I put it back to stock by buying and installing the original color knobs/pickguard.
I’m with you on that.
I got this J bass knowing what I wanted to do with it. I already have a fiver, but I prefer playing four string basses. The drop tuner keeps me from needing to swap basses for our drop D songs. I also wanted an active J. So pretty limited off-the-rack options. I haven’t seen a Fender with a drop tuner, and it’s easy to swap out pick guards, so my search was for an active J that felt and sounded great. Color was less of a concern, but I like the classic burst, and I had 2 decent ones to choose between when I got it.
This bass was a very generous Christmas present from Mrs Thumpenstein. She’s amused by my modifications, and didn’t mind at all. (She really likes the tort.) When I had the neck off to drill out the strap lock anchors, I held up the neck in one hand, the body in the other, and told her: “I love my new bass to pieces!”
On my Tune bass,I swapped out the black plastic knobs for gold/abalone dome knobs.
A ramp was also made and installed.
And I made a wood electronics cavity cover.
I despise large expanses of plastic on my basses.
On my BTB I made and installed a ramp and replaced the stock knobs with Boxwood knobs.
But on this one........I've done practically nothing at all!
Edit:All basses get Straplocks.
A ramp was also made and installed.
And I made a wood electronics cavity cover.
I despise large expanses of plastic on my basses.
On my BTB I made and installed a ramp and replaced the stock knobs with Boxwood knobs.
But on this one........I've done practically nothing at all!
Edit:All basses get Straplocks.
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As mentioned....it depends on the instrument - used POS that needs mods vs new etc. The last new bass I bought was a Sandberg CA VM2-5 and all it needed was Dunlop strap locks - use them on all my basses.
I bought a new Roscoe a couple years ago - they come with Dunlop strap buttons - all I had to do was swap out the strings because I now prefer super lights - 40-90-80-100 etc.
An extreme case of mods to a new instrument would be my RIC 4003S I bought new in 2015 - swapped out the POS bridge for the Hipshot, dumped the pup cover + installed the treble bezel ( a common mod ), installed chrome P bass style knobs, swapped out the weak neck pup with the Nordy replacement...and just ordered the "vintage style" knobs from RIC (Jazz Bass large type) because I like that look better - bought them from RIC direct vs buying 2 sets of Jazz style knobs to get the 4 large
I almost forgot another example - bought a Fender Mustang about 2 years ago in Sienna Burst - it only came with a maple board and I prefer rosewood, so I bought a rosewood on the Stratosphere, sold the maple neck, had Mo at Nordy convert the selector switch to a blend knob - much better configuration IMO.
So, it TOTALLY DEPENDS on the bass.
I bought a new Roscoe a couple years ago - they come with Dunlop strap buttons - all I had to do was swap out the strings because I now prefer super lights - 40-90-80-100 etc.
An extreme case of mods to a new instrument would be my RIC 4003S I bought new in 2015 - swapped out the POS bridge for the Hipshot, dumped the pup cover + installed the treble bezel ( a common mod ), installed chrome P bass style knobs, swapped out the weak neck pup with the Nordy replacement...and just ordered the "vintage style" knobs from RIC (Jazz Bass large type) because I like that look better - bought them from RIC direct vs buying 2 sets of Jazz style knobs to get the 4 large
I almost forgot another example - bought a Fender Mustang about 2 years ago in Sienna Burst - it only came with a maple board and I prefer rosewood, so I bought a rosewood on the Stratosphere, sold the maple neck, had Mo at Nordy convert the selector switch to a blend knob - much better configuration IMO.
So, it TOTALLY DEPENDS on the bass.
When I bought my Fender Vintera P, I had the shop swap out the pickup and install straplocks and flatwounds.
I myself swapped the pickguard and will put on different tuners next time I get the chance.
I myself swapped the pickguard and will put on different tuners next time I get the chance.
I make it mine by paying for it.
But to answer the real question, 4s almost always get BEADed. Back when, I used to put Dimarzios in out of habit. But nowadays I'm not heariing much need for them. Straplocks, or usually just the buttons. Never had a bass with ashtrays. But if I did, they'd be gone in 5 seconds for palm muting and plucking options.
Don't much care about cosmetics. Although I might change a pickguard if I found something that really spoke to me. Have to be pretty spesh to move me. I was thinking about micro pickguards along the top of the neck for pick holders on my guardless basses. Till I read on here about down the side of the pups and between the string and saddle screw in the bridge. Much better.
But to answer the real question, 4s almost always get BEADed. Back when, I used to put Dimarzios in out of habit. But nowadays I'm not heariing much need for them. Straplocks, or usually just the buttons. Never had a bass with ashtrays. But if I did, they'd be gone in 5 seconds for palm muting and plucking options.
Don't much care about cosmetics. Although I might change a pickguard if I found something that really spoke to me. Have to be pretty spesh to move me. I was thinking about micro pickguards along the top of the neck for pick holders on my guardless basses. Till I read on here about down the side of the pups and between the string and saddle screw in the bridge. Much better.
All of mine are stock other than strings and setup, except for a white p bass i bought specifically to dress up with different pickguards.
D
I own 11 basses that are playable.
2 are stock. 1 is an Electric/acoustic and 1 is waiting to be worked on.
The other 9 range from different pickups and my own custom pick guard to full body reshaping.
New or different strings don’t count in my opinion as a modification, thats just making it more comfortable/playable to the player.
2 are stock. 1 is an Electric/acoustic and 1 is waiting to be worked on.
The other 9 range from different pickups and my own custom pick guard to full body reshaping.
New or different strings don’t count in my opinion as a modification, thats just making it more comfortable/playable to the player.
