When I read the thread title I thought you were referring to regrets the moderators had. (I’ve been a mod on other forums. I’ve since added that position to my “retired from” category.)
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What’s your #1 mod regret?
- Thread starter ReillyProductions
- Start date
In the mid 70s, Dave Murray bought a used Strat, and replaced the neck and bridge pickups with humbuckers. It was built 1959
I think music history is probably happy with his decision.
Taking a perfectly excellent Kramer Pioneer that was my second “real bass” and modding it to the point (poorly executed 5-string conversion back in the mid-late 80’s, bad paint job) that I lost all interest in playing it. It was never the same. Then trashing all the original parts over the course of my lifetime so that when I came to my senses all these years later, I can’t really make it whole again. Playable, but not what it was. Ahh youth.
On the bright side, getting that bass back in playable condition is what brought me here in the first place.
On the bright side, getting that bass back in playable condition is what brought me here in the first place.
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I once came close to getting banned for publicly questioning one of the mods rulings.
Had a Peavey T45...cut the body down to a tiny symmetrical - horn shape...sanded off beautiful wine red finish and painted it safety orange... Dumbass...
lol same boat..tho i'm on eastcoast and no warm room to start my last coat of paint and start my clear coats, it's 22 degrees here...gotta wait till spring, my first refin btw. My only regret is on another build of a bright red bass with quarter pounders, and im starting not to like that color at all.
I tried 3 or 4 times to do one of those color swirl finishes to an old Ibanez Bass I got from a pawn shop, all I did was make a big mess with each attempt
Not so much regrets, but miscues.
Failed experiments. Both on my 84 Jazz.
1. Trying out some Lindy Fralin pups. Did not like the sound. Thankfully, my tech not only re-installed my Old Bartolini 94j pups that were on before and he had cleaned them up in the interim. They sounded great again.
2. Putting a Drop D tuner. It never quite worked out. Always seemed to be off key just a bit. Same excellent tech, but it gave him fits too. Off it finally came.
Both issues not fatal. Oh well, you live and you learn.
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Okay this is long, so Sorry! it happened years ago, but I've learned my lesson!
I hate to even admit this ,but I won an auction for a G&L ASAT bass for a great price(half Retail!) the day recieved went out & bought a set of Dunlop strap locks, as this was the ONLY mod I was gonna make to it! I already ordered A fancy looking Leather strap for it! I was just waiting for the ASat to arrive. I was so excited, I ran down to GC & got a set & raced Home. Everything was perfect, The bass was in Great condition! I unscrewed the existing strap buttons, Kind of surprised by the G&L screw was larger than most Oems. I installed the Butt side button 1st. I t went in no problem, no predrilling necessary! so I went to install the one on the upper horn(not really a horn,more of a hump) relieved cause the hump made it awkwardto get a drill in that space. It went easy, a little too easy! so i stuck some toothpick splinters in with a little glue. It tightened the hole up good, I noticed it was a tight fit, hard to turn, so in my excitement, I tried to Muscle it down! Big mistake! Let me say again its at an awkward angle & position to get it in, Then, Pop! the screwdriver slipped! UGH!! I quickly stopped thinking i damaged the finish! only to see I gouged the screw head, the head was starting to strip!! AArrghhh! I immediately stopped, & looked for a newer smaller screwdriver to use,but that one made it worst! I tried backing it out, nope! no deal! I tried several other sizes, but it was only getting worse! I stopped & started to panic! I looked online on what to do,found a screw extractor kit,that might work.
I rushed over to the hardware store, maybe a worker had a good idea. Nope he suggested the same extractor kit & some small needle nose vise grips. okay my mind raced, trying to think of another solution! Praying the extractor would work, but had little hope, as the screw has a tiny head to fit the barrel part! I got home went through the instructions, gave it a good try but it was very difficult,(weird angle & a tiny screwhead) so I went to plan B the Vise grips, I struggled to get enough screw(it was in1/2 way,3/4"-1 "+ the button)I finally got a good bite on it & tried loosening it free, Then CRACK! it all went loose! I tore head off! AAAHHHH!!! all that was left was a sharp pointy nub, about a 1/4"! what am I gonna do!! I call a friend who used to work at BC rich. He said "You'll have to drill it out call a tech".
AAchh! that sounded expensive! I finally found 1 open, it was getting late! he sounded optomistic! "that happens all the time!" I got it down to him, he tried heating it up with a soldering iron, Good idea, sent me on my way said he could fix it( in an hour) Whew! there was hope! I came back he had replaced it with a new lock button I was soo relieved!!only charged me $40, but said "I couldnt get it out its really stuck in there!" so he just drilled a new hole& installed a new lock button. aardgh! but it cover up the damaged screw perfectly! oh well, out of sight... it was a real night mare, no kidding I could sleep for a week!! My buddy offered to drill it out later (he was not happy with the "fix"!) But I figured why chance making things worse! Live & learn! I never thought such a small, simple operation could go sideways so fast! NEVER force a screw in a tight space & dont use glue! and know a good tech! I learned to live with it so yeah, I regurt it every time I see that bass!!
Only good thing its not so mangled beyond recognition & in a black area of the finish so it remains pretty hidden(unseen)unless you want new strap buttons!
Don't -- that bass is maybe not going to gain in value with mods, but it's no great crime to have some creative fun with such an inexpensive mass produced bass. I bet you added some real meat to the sound.
Think I posted about this before.
Had a late 50's/early 60's Rickenbacker 4000 bass, That's the one with the single pickup in the bridge position. Found it for $60 in 1969. Natural finish
Decided it needed something. Took an EBO mudbucker out of a Kallamazoo bass with a warped neck. Took a pickup out of a 1963 Fender P. No aftermarket pickups in those days Kids. Routed it out by hand very badly.Took it to a stoner friend who told me he could wire it up. He did. All three pickups in a row. Then we painted the body in some awful bright colors.Dayglo orange & green. It sounded like dogdirt.
That bass be worth a few $$$ now. Wasn't worth squat back then. Think I gave it away.
Had a late 50's/early 60's Rickenbacker 4000 bass, That's the one with the single pickup in the bridge position. Found it for $60 in 1969. Natural finish
Decided it needed something. Took an EBO mudbucker out of a Kallamazoo bass with a warped neck. Took a pickup out of a 1963 Fender P. No aftermarket pickups in those days Kids. Routed it out by hand very badly.Took it to a stoner friend who told me he could wire it up. He did. All three pickups in a row. Then we painted the body in some awful bright colors.Dayglo orange & green. It sounded like dogdirt.
That bass be worth a few $$$ now. Wasn't worth squat back then. Think I gave it away.
- Jun 6, 2012
- 4,837
- 6,859
- Disclosures
- I don't wait 30 minutes after eating, to go swimming.
Many years ago, I had an awesome Rick with one of the best necks I've ever encountered and I thought I knew better so I had it routed for a Precision p/u in the neck position and I put a Jazz p/u in the bridge position. Looked cool, but just like that, that wonderful Rickenbacker sound was gone!! 
If it’s any condolence, that is possibly my favorite modded vintage bass I’ve seen around here. It really epitomizes the fact that vintage fenders weren’t always something special, they used to just be old basses.The picture says it all...
View attachment 4093410
I love the bass but now I wish I could have time shifted from 1972 to today to buy a Squier P and took it back with me and done this on a Squier instead of a 1962 P bass
All of em. I've yet to make a mod to an existing bass and come out better off than I was before.
The worst ones are always pickup replacements which do no good for the highest cost at a rate of 100%. A perfectly good set of pickups comes out, another perfectly good set of pickups goes in, I have a spare set of perfectly good used pickups that I can't sell, I'm out the cost of the new pickups and the bass sounds the same.
The next worst are refinishes. Your hands and arms do get stronger from all the sanding and scrubbing, but you're out the playing time repainting and refinishing, your house smells like laquer for the next 6 months, the bass doesn't look any better and in fact now it's worse, it's lost 75% of its resale if it had any before, and it still sounds the same.
Honorable mentions go to fretless conversions, hardware replacements, reshaping necks, adding weights and horn extensions to treat neck dive, and replacing pickguards.
In every case, I always would have been better off by selling the undesirable bass and using those funds towards buying the desired bass.
Changing strings to a different gauge or type is the only mod I know of that both has a measurable, detectable effect on how the bass sounds and is worth the cost, so strings are a worthwhile investment.
L
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- Jun 6, 2012
- 4,837
- 6,859
- Disclosures
- I don't wait 30 minutes after eating, to go swimming.
