Making it yours do you usually modify your new basses?

[2cooltoolz]

I don't actually "mod" factory basses. My one factory assembled bass in these pictures is...

Oops, as I was typing I remembered I did the L2500 bridge mod. Oh, well!

 

[Drake S]

With my jazz bass I usually change a lot of parts on it. Mine originally was a fender player jazz bass with a sunburst finish and a maple fretboard. I prefer to play like Geddy Lee so I swapped the plain white pickguard for a pearl pickguard and replaced the bridge with a Leo Quan Badass II bridge. Then I swapped the pickups for Tom Brantley Geddy Lee pickups with a set of rotosounds.
It sounds great with the top end and low and punchy with the bottom end.

 

[pepj]

Generally dont have to do more than set it up and sort out the strings. Oh, had a tort plate made up on one.
The only one I changed was a Fender CS where I swapped out everything bar pickups.
The hardware was crap including the pre amp so all got upgraded.
Just as well I didn't pay a premium for a CS

 

[themickster]

Do you mean a stacked J?

Yes. They are called by either name. It was a Seymour Duncan.

 

[Acoop]

In 50-years I've bought only one new bass, and I've owned over 60/70-basses over that time. ... I bought a brand new 82-Squire JV, loved the bass but hated the Pickups so ripped them out pretty quick. ... I still own the bass but it has rewound 65 J-bass pickups and a custom fretless neck on it. ...
Everything I own I play and if I don't like the pickups I'll replace them, it's the easiest way to improve an instrument.

 

[themickster]

I put spacers on my three Ibanez SRs, to bring the jack out far enough to let me plug in a Boss WL-20 wireless.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Answer: mostly, but not always. I have only bought 3 "new" (as in, not used) basses over 50 yrs. Didn't modify the first $40 MIJ one, which was my first bass (in '66) - did modify my second one ('68 EB-3), and did modify the third "new" bass (bought in '06), a '51 P RI, CIJ. Haven't bought a new bass since.

Before: (not mine - but one like it)
View attachment 4534964
After: stripped trans-red finish - de-fretted (pre knowing who Jaco was) Out in the world somewhere - probably has been re-finished and re-fretted.
View attachment 4534944

Now I'm curious as to what a fretless EB bass sounds like.

 

[Rib 13]

I don't think changing strings counts as modifying a bass.....not sure why that's a poll option

To answer the question: No, I'll only mod if there's something I don't like or can't make usable. That has happened very rarely for me over the years and, most of the time, ill just resell the instrument

 

[Lobster11]

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.

They make their own now, and offer two different flavors in P-bass pups. I got the "neopunch" version for my D. Lakin, which has a more "modern," aggressive, mid-rangey tone.

 

[2saddleslab]

Just like dear ol' dad, I modify just about everything I own to one degree or another. Can't help it and always glad I did. Plus the sweat equity adds as much to the project as any improvements.

Case in point, from this.....

To this.....

 

[Black Out Jazz]

I can't leave anything alone. That said, all of the mods I have done to my MIA Geddy jazz are cosmetic(read:black). It doesn't need any help tone wise or playability wise.

 

[BigBluez]

I'd say about 50% of the time I modify something on a bass... maybe just cosmetic (pickguard etc.)... maybe pickups if it lacks some pop. But about half the time, there's nothing I'd want to change. (This goes for guitars, too.)

 

[wvbass]

New basses get strap lock pins, but I don't have a preference. I use Schaller, Dunlop and EBMM, and I own a lot of straps, so mixing it up a little doesn't matter.

That's usually it. Every once in a while, I add a Hipshot. My latest bass suffered from an ugly color combo, so it got a replacement pickguard right away.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Yes and No

Of my 10 basses, several of them have been modded in some way, but my US 4460 Lakland is bone stock- it's perfect as is. Same with my early '91 USA AVRI 62 P bass.

 

[DrThumpenstein]

I don't actually "mod" factory basses. My one factory assembled bass in these pictures is...

Oops, as I was typing I remembered I did the L2500 bridge mod. Oh, well! View attachment 4535026

View attachment 4535025

Nice assortment of basses you’ve got there!

 

[DwaynieAD]

Normally I buy a bass because of what that bass offers. Once in a while I'll buy with the plan to modify.

 

[DrThumpenstein]

Just like dear ol' dad, I modify just about everything I own to one degree or another. Can't help it and always glad I did. Plus the sweat equity adds as much to the project as any improvements.

Case in point, from this.....
View attachment 4535092

To this.....
View attachment 4535093

Very nice! Unique, handsome bass there!

 

[bolophonic]

All of my basses start out as random piles of hoarded parts.

 

[bassdude51]

Just depends. If a new bass or a really nice used bass, I usually leave them alone. Maybe change the guard (tort, ha ha ha) or the knobs.

I found a used EX condition black Jack Casady bass and I took off the gold speed knobs and replaced with black speed knobs. I also removed the cream colored selector circle with the numbers 50-250-500. Also removed the guard. (Sorry, no photos.)

 

[bassdude51]

Just like dear ol' dad, I modify just about everything I own to one degree or another. Can't help it and always glad I did. Plus the sweat equity adds as much to the project as any improvements.

Case in point, from this.....
View attachment 4535092

To this.....
View attachment 4535093

2 Die 4!!!!!!!!!!