What mods “add value” to you ?

[zachoff]

Depends on the bass. Like if it's a Squier it doesn't matter one bit. I won't gig it if you replace everything but the sticker on the headstock... Same with any newer Ibanez and a few other cheap basses.

That said, any bridge replacement of the bent metal is good, pickups are good if the pickups are good, and tuners make a surprisingly big difference to player satisfaction.

Honestly, the best thing I've ever done for any cheap instrument is fret work.

 

[Real Soon]

Totally depends what I'm looking for.

If I happen to be in the market for, say, a giggable 5-string with character and find a SDGR that happens to have a sweet preamp in there or some especially colorful pickups swapped in... assuming it's already a contender otherwise, I'd consider paying more for the mods if they happen to be ones I know I'd want and use. Also depends on what the stock ones were (e.g. the stock Bartolini Mk I's in my SRSC805? Eh, nothing special, so I'd take a lot of options there. The preamp is nice though, so it'd have to be a really serious upgrade to get a second look).

Basically, it's situationally dependent, but I could definitely justify allowing a premium in the right case / for the right instrument. For others, like my P bass, it wasn't happening unless fully stock: I just wasn't interested in whatever anyone else thought might improve it, and wanted an original Fender instrument.

 

[oZZma]

Bass: moar pickups.
Amps: moar gain.

 

[dkelley]

Only one bass i bought never received any changes.... Alembic series 1. It was perfect. Repairs..yes. mods..no. that thing was modded by design. Perfect setup. Nut filed correctly... for once it wasn't higher than a fret in the slots (thank you alembic for understanding physics).

Literally every other bass that i owned longer than a week got some mods.

My favorites:
Filing nut deeply enough
Straightening neck
Lowwing bridge and adjusting it for most solid sustain qualities with perfect intonation and string height.
Adjusting pickup heights for best level individually and best combined tone, and best string to string balance.
Changing strings
Swapping pickups with my ever increasing collection
Adjusting cap values... adding resistors in certain places to alter eq.... etc
Swapping in or out active electronics
Filing frets that are uneven

 

[Leonid Nidis]

I wont get my money back for mods I did if I sell a bass,so Im not going to pay extra when I buy a moded bass even if there are expansive upgrades.Only If its a cheap bass upgrades are welcome.

last bass I bought had about 600$ worth of moded parts(original parts also included) but the mods were poorly done and damaged the wood,damages you can see only after you try to put back the original parts.
After selling the parts i got a realy good deal on the guitar,but if ill try to sell it and disclose the damage ill loose money.

 

[Tad]

None.

If it's modified, I wouldn't buy it.

Anyone else can do or pay whatever they feel comfortable with..

 

[Mili]

I think mods (only hardwares) will add value to cheap instruments only. Personally I won't buy a moded +1000$ instrument in any condition.
But good designed Ramps are always welcome.

 

[40Hz]

I'm buying an instrument because it
plays well and sounds good. I'm not buying it because it has certain parts in it. So whether or not mods increase or decrease the value of an instrument is something I could only decide on a case by case basis.

But mods generally don't impress me enough to make me want to want to pay a premium for them. And in some cases, someone else's mod could severely lower or even completely destroy any value the instrument might otherwise have had for me.

tl:dr - Mods generally have a neutral to negative effect on what I'd be willing to pay for a bass. Exceptions to that are very rare.

 

[Edarnott]

I would pay more for a well setup bass than any pup you could put in it.

 

[eJake]

If it were a cheapo, & someone put on tuners that stayed put, had the nut filed correctly, put nice pu's in, dressed the frets, added good pots & a Switchcraft jack, & it was set up nicely w/ fresh strings? I'd pay an extra $50 for their trouble.

Savage!! Hahaha

 

[nilorius]

The sound of course, then the finish - i like better natural vintaged finish.

 

[Acoustic356]

I think the mods that I made to the Ocean Turquoise Fender Precision added value to the bass. I performed the "Bobby Vega" mods

1. Swapped maple neck for a Fender Jazz Bass with blocks
2. Swapped the bent steal bridge with a Leo Quan Bad Ass II bridge
3. Swapped out the stock pickups to active EMGs
4. Swapped out the end pins with Dunlop strap locks

The parts came from a jazz bass that I purchased from eBay. I basically swapped the parts, then sold the jazz bass for what I purchased it for. So, my cost of mods: $0.

I have ben offered more than 2x-3x the cost of my investment... AFTER people have heard and played it.

 

[mojomike001]

Many mods add value in the form of looks, function, and sound, but add nothing in the form of a return when you go to sell. Typically, 100% original will outsell a modded unit.

 

[Kmonk]

I don't feel that mods add any value at all. Depending on the instrument, they can actually detract from the value.

 

[Teijo K.]

I modify my basses. I modify even the ones I built myself. But I don't think they add any value to a bass.

 

[Teijo K.]

Many mods add value in the form of looks, function, and sound, but add nothing in the form of a return when you go to sell. Typically, 100% original will outsell a modded unit.

Well actually this!

 

[bassmanrocke]

I bought a Squier PJ because it had Bartolinis in it. Without them I wasn't even interested in it.

 

[ThinCrappyTone]

For me, mods detract value.

I always assume the guy that did the work is just as stoned, shot and careless as me.

 

[lfmn16]

I wouldn't pay extra for any mods just because that's the market. Mods might make your bass easier to sell, but they don't add value.

 

[bassliner50]

Precision pickups of my liking such as Fender Original or Duncan SB-1.