Making it yours do you usually modify your new basses?

[JIO]

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

I was a late teen and wasn't that critical so I have no memory of my assessment of it. I had it strung with black tape-wounds and was more focused on finger positioning/articulation so I was playing notes in tune! I don't even remember selling it, but do remember what replaced it - an 11yr old '63 Thunderbird II.

 

[Turnaround]

When I get a new car, as soon as I get it home I put a few dents in the fenders and side doors and take a sander to the area around the wheel wells, the edges of the trunk lid, etc. to make it look like it's been driven lots. Then I add a few bumper stickers, those kiddy decals and a baby on board sign. I might even put a crack in the windshield.

Same with my basses. I like to make them "my own", so if you see my bass you will know it's me playing it.

Ummmm...... no, not really. I may change out the pickguard for a tortoise one, just so it looks like everyone else's - apparently that's a thing.

 

[2strings2frets]

I don’t do modifications but I enjoy picking up a neglected ,misused bass or guitar and making it all it can be. I’ve experimented with almost every string on the planet and for many years used D Addarios exclusively. However some sort of sea change has taken place, as of last night four of my nine currently owned basses are sporting Erne Balls. Here is a six string I found that had seen better days ,it took about a week to fix the years of neglect that had taken place in some attic, but is now a real player. Unusual because it has an onboard amp and speaker. It took days to get the pots and switch’s to function again but is now all good.

 

[Black Out Jazz]

When I get a new car, as soon as I get it home I put a few dents in the fenders and side doors and take a sander to the area around the wheel wells, the edges of the trunk lid, etc. to make it look like it's been driven lots. Then I add a few bumper stickers, those kiddy decals and a baby on board sign. I might even put a crack in the windshield.

Same with my basses. I like to make them "my own", so if you see my bass you will know it's me playing it.

Ummmm...... no, not really. I may change out the pickguard for a tortoise one, just so it looks like everyone else's - apparently that's a thing.

LOL

 

[sxaxsx]

I don't go into a purchase looking to change anything other than strings but sometimes do. Both my Fender J and P came with grease bucket tone circuits which I eventually decided I didn't like so I removed them and installed just a .047uF Orange Drop on the tones. That is all I did to my P. On my J I also ended up replacing the pickups with Fender Originals and swapped the badassII bridge it came with for a threaded saddle Fender bridge. I've owned other basses that I never touched, just depends.

 

[burgerdj]

I usually put a small dent or ding on the headstock and/or lower bout within moments. It creates a special bond between new bass and owner

 

[bwildt]

I usually don't change much. Tuners and bridges usually stay stock. Maybe a pickup here and there. I have a couple that had pickguard transplants. The Sting got a yellowed pearloid pickguard and ashtrays. I used it in a country band because of its retro work.

My US Musicman SUB5 came with that awful diamond-plat pickguard. I decided to go with something more fun.

 

[HaMMerHeD]

Usually just put my preferred strings on (DR Hi-Beams).

But the Spector, I have modded a bit.

 

[capnjagg]

When buying new I usually just try to just find what I want from the start, but ever so subtly, that desire starts to creep in to just change something to make it feel a bit more personal (pickups, knobs, hardware, whatever). I’ve been avoiding buying a new bass lately because I just keep telling myself, what’s it gonna cost to make it mine on top of what I’m already going to be paying. That usually holds off the GAS

 

[Drummerboy2]

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

I usually get the bass and play it for awhile, if nothing stand out after awhile then it stays in stock form.

My Lakland 55-02 Deluxe and MTD Super 5 are stock, and as of right now no mods are needed. I love the way they both play and sound.

My Fender MIM Jazz bass was bought when I got back into playing bass again, soon after I upgraded the Pickups to EMG's and went with the EMG passive preamp. Never looked back.

I recently bought a Sterling Ray4 with in mind to upgrade the pickup to Aguilar and maybe the preamp down the road. Another bass that plays very well and now sounds really nice with the Aguilar pickup.

 

[Black Out Jazz]

I usually put a small dent or ding on the headstock and/or lower bout within moments. It creates a special bond between new bass and owner

You know like 50 guys just teared up when they read this. How cruel.

 

[dfreeland83]

Any new instrument I get, I do pretty much the same thing...

• Install the strap-lock buttons for the Dunlop Strap-Lok... I have the same strap-locks on all of my guitars, so changing straps is super easy.
• Put one of those little pick holders somewhere on the body out of the way. I'm pretty scatterbrained, so I almost always have picks within reach.
• Change the strings (unless I know what's on it already).
• Do a full setup.

If I have it for a while or it's noisy / has some hum, I'll work on shielding it a bit better, and, if it's not a premium instrument, but it plays really nice (I.E. my Squier Vintage Modified 70s Strat), I'll upgrade the electronics relatively quickly.

 

[DrThumpenstein]

I usually get the bass and play it for awhile, if nothing stand out after awhile then it stays in stock form.

My Lakland 55-02 Deluxe and MTD Super 5 are stock, and as of right now no mods are needed. I love the way they both play and sound.

My Fender MIM Jazz bass was bought when I got back into playing bass again, soon after I upgraded the Pickups to EMG's and went with the EMG passive preamp. Never looked back.

I recently bought a Sterling Ray4 with in mind to upgrade the pickup to Aguilar and maybe the preamp down the road. Another bass that plays very well and now sounds really nice with the Aguilar pickup.

How would you compare those pickups?

I bought a Sterling SR5 earlier this year but it is at my cabin so I have something to play there. I like it all right, but I might bring it back home so I have a fiver in the rotation.

 

[burgerdj]

You know like 50 guys just teared up when they read this. How cruel.

*Not on purpose!*

 

[Drummerboy2]

How would you compare those pickups?

I bought a Sterling SR5 earlier this year but it is at my cabin so I have something to play there. I like it all right, but I might bring it back home so I have a fiver in the rotation.

You the Aguilar pickup in the Sterling? The Aguilar more detailed, more clear but still warm like the OG pickup. everything is just better all around, specially the mids. I did leave the stock preamp in there as it's pretty good preamp. May still pick up a OBP-3 preamp for my Ray4.

The stock pickups were too hot and sounded like a a thin blanket was over the speaker in case. The Aguilar were right there where I wanted them for level.

 

[dspellman]

What do you do to make a new bass your own?

Nussink.

 

[Possum Willy]

I usually buy vintage Basses, when I can find them for cheap. I've modified every car, motorcycle or backpack I've ever had, so working on/modifying my guitars comes natural.
Finally found my favorite string, after going through a few dozen others, GHS Pressurewound Bronze. So those are fitted.
Set up the neck tilt and get the action as light as possible. Let it set for 2 days. Tune it, Play it, Tweak it, rinse and repeat until happy.
Whatever needs to be fixed (why I got it so cheap) I'll fix. Work on the balance, I like playing with the neck almost vertical, basically makes it playable by me only LMAO.
In all, it takes about 2 weeks of tiny adjustments, for me to be happy with the setup. But then I can be rather picky. Your setup time and effort may vary.....

 

[dasherf17]

My $20 P/J knock off, nothing, except new strings...I guess if you include buying an Epiphone Thunderbird neck and body and putting Performance pickups and all the parts needed (it came with wired pots, jack and tuners), then, it's made mine...

 

[Possum Willy]

You know like 50 guys just teared up when they read this. How cruel.

I'm laughing my ass off. Seems to be the "House Christening" here at Casa KabangU

 

[SouthpawBass]

The most modification I've done was to my Ric 4001: removed pick up cover and install a plate to fill in the space around the pick up, and added a Hipshot bridge. Otherwise I don't modify my basses. Oh yeah, I did add a Drop D tuner on my Ray 34.