What's the best modification you've made?

[SAlcott]

Novak DS in my cheap Epiphone EBO.

 

[JIO]

Hmm, tough one as I've modified most of the basses I've owned. How about this one - originally an '06 CIJ '51 P RI in toxic mustard yellow...

 

[capnjim]

I was feeling the need for a drastic change in my playing style, so I chopped of my Left (fretting) Index finger.
I find I focus a lot more on my tone and individual notes.
Its not a mod for everyone, but it worked for me.

 

[JIO]

I was feeling the need for a drastic change in my playing style, so I chopped of my Left (fretting) Index finger.
I find I focus a lot more on my tone and individual notes.
Its not a mod for everyone, but it worked for me.

It can be so hard to tell when someone is joking on-line sometimes...

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I was feeling the need for a drastic change in my playing style, so I chopped of my Left (fretting) Index finger.
I find I focus a lot more on my tone and individual notes.
Its not a mod for everyone, but it worked for me.

You can collect insurance and go to the track..

 

[juancaminos]

J Retro and round wounds.

 

[fretlessguy]

I have made these changes that made my Fenders sound better:
76 Fretless P-Bass; Added a Hipshot Detuner, replaced nut with a better bone nut, and Fender tapes
74 Jazz: Replaced nut with a new bone one and added a Hipshot Detuner and Hipshot replacement tuners for the other three. Changed to GHS Pressure Wound strings.
53/54 Precision Reissue; Put GHS P-Flats on it. No more was needed...

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Got rid of my Highway One's BadAss II and replaced with a vintage (threaded) Fender bridge. Better overall tone (for me) and 90€ in my wallet, which I invested in an EMG GZR pickup set. Absolutely the best mods I've done.

I'll go the same route with a BabicZ bridge I put on my Fender MIJ PB70.. in my opinion this bridge doesn't suite that particular bass model in terms of strings angle/action control/strings tension ... i didn't have many problems with strings tension when the standard bridge was installed ... I'll revert to it !

 

[BassholeKI]

18V Bartolini pups in my jazz partsbass. Used concentric pots so I could get the required 4 knobs for the system with stock looking control plate. Would have had to figure out a way and where to mount the extra pot.

Considering Graph Tech Ghost piezoelectric saddles, maybe the MIDI hexpander so I could have every instrument tone at my fingertips.

Swapping the ceramic pup (not that bad sounding) in my Squier Affinity precision for a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound.

Grounding the shielding in all of them I own (only 1 I haven't is my ~1970 Rivoli, EA-260 really). I prefer the copper tape method, cutting each piece to fit, and leaving some overlap on the instrument's top so the PG shield is also grounded.

 

[MoeTown1986]

Very nice trio of basses!

Thank you, sir!

 

[Bass V]

View attachment 2899476 Fender Modern Player Telecaster bass. Bass plays and feels great, but never liked the tone. Changed to active EMG p/j. What a difference. My main bass now.

the MPT has been on my list for the tones I've heard from these which are the tones I'd expect from it, and assuming they had appeal initially for you I'm curious why the stock PUs didn't work out for you, was the swap at the bridge that drastic of a change in sound? I've never had a neckbucker but want to dive deep into what should be great mudbucker woof and liked what I heard on... videos.

 

[Turbo Sparky]

Strap locks, HipShot Drop tuner.

 

[zachoff]

Remove the active pre.

 

[Runnerman]

Strap locks, HipShot Drop tuner.

I was going to say this also but I realized it was not anything done to change the sound of the bass which was what the OP asked. These are the only mod's I have made on any bass I have owned. I guess we are in the minority.

I'm considering changing to a high-mass bridge on my P but have not done it yet.

 

[zachoff]

Straplocks are a default modification for any bass I plan to play a lot.

 

[Turbo Sparky]

Mod to me means anything NOT in/on/part of the original instrument design and/or purchase. I guess I've been lucky with my instrument purchases. If it didn't sound "good" before... With the exception of changing make/brand/composition of strings... Obviously, if it were a "pawn shop" special, and/or too good to be true one would have to consider pick-up swaps/electronic replace/repairs etc.

I was going to say this also but I realized it was not anything done to change the sound of the bass which was what the OP asked. These are the only mod's I have made on any bass I have owned. I guess we are in the minority.

I'm considering changing to a high-mass bridge on my P but have not done it yet.

 

[Bass V]

a “Tropical Fish”. “Orange Drop” and “Sprague” are cool too. There is a guy on EBay who does really, really cool custom and high quality work.

interesting! is this the guy? P Bass Harness Solderless CTS Solid Shaft .068 Tropical Fish KellingSound | eBay

 

[ejaggers]

I went mod crazy on a Afinity P with a sweet neck pictured here: Hi, I’m <name goes here>, And I’m A Mod-Aholic
o Hipshot drop D tuner
o 60's Fender Precision decal sealed with satin acrylic
o Custom nut crafted from dear antler
o 60's RI electronics
o Dome Precision knobs
o Precision Ashtray Bridge Cover
o Aluminum tape shielding
o Limited Edition Custom Series Neck plate with serial
o Switchcraft output jack
o 3-ply Parchment Pickguard
o Lindy Fralin pup
o Gotoh 201B-4 Bridge

But my lastest MOD was converting a Bronco into a 1979 Competition Musatang copy:

057912

 

[Bass V]

CCT-12 Slap Reducer

nothing comes up on google, what is it?

 

[JIO]

interesting! is this the guy? P Bass Harness Solderless CTS Solid Shaft .068 Tropical Fish KellingSound | eBay

I bought one of his creations with a push-pull frequency sweep - it was very colourful.