Would you mod a signature model bass?

[NortyFiner]

I have my eyes on a used Fender Roger Waters P bass. It is completely fine and playable from a musical standpoint; the electronics are good, the neck is straight and all that. Unfortunately, it's not in the best cosmetic shape; the pick guard is scratched up and slightly warped (hot car?), there's a few rough spots where the neck could use a little sanding, the black hardware isn't wholly black anymore...the kind of things that happen in the life of a working but slightly neglected instrument. I was thinking of possibly buying it and customizing its looks since it needs a bit of work anyway, especially since I would love to have that QP pickup and old school 1.75" neck. A new black tort pickguard, chrome knobs and Gotoh bridge to match the tuners...but wait! This is a signature model! How dare a casual player like me change that which carries the name of a musical demigod? Eh, screw it; I'll probably buy and work on it anyhow. But it occurred to me that this could make for a good discussion here, so here's the poll. Enjoy.

 

[MobileHolmes]

Go for it. It's your bass, make it what you want. Besides, several of those are repairs, not mods.

The only caution I would have is price. I wouldn't pay a premium for a sig model then mod it IF I could mod a cheaper model and get the same result. Changing a pickup is easy, and the quarter pounder (which I like) isn't particularly expensive

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

I have and I would again without thinking twice.

Here is my Jaco with a "relic"ed neck, humbucking Fralin's (with 500k pots, two of which are linear taper). I don't really count the added epoxy as a mod since it was done to bring it more in spec with Jaco's bass (arguably, so would the neck finish)

EDIT: I also swapped in some Hipshot Ultralites (I hate reverse-wound tuners) and added shielding. But I don't consider the latter a mod, just finishing what Fender started.

 

[Antisyzygy]

I have my eyes on a used Fender Roger Waters P bass. It is completely fine and playable from a musical standpoint; the electronics are good, the neck is straight and all that. Unfortunately, it's not in the best cosmetic shape; the pick guard is scratched up and slightly warped (hot car?), there's a few rough spots where the neck could use a little sanding, the black hardware isn't wholly black anymore...the kind of things that happen in the life of a working but slightly neglected instrument. I was thinking of possibly buying it and customizing its looks since it needs a bit of work anyway, especially since I would love to have that QP pickup and old school 1.75" neck. A new black tort pickguard, chrome knobs and Gotoh bridge to match the tuners...but wait! This is a signature model! How dare a casual player like me change that which carries the name of a musical demigod? Eh, screw it; I'll probably buy and work on it anyhow. But it occurred to me that this could make for a good discussion here, so here's the poll. Enjoy.

I'd have no problem modding a signature model. I don't always want exactly the same bass features as any one of those folks with signature models.

The main draw of a signature model to me is that you can get some upgraded features over standards in many cases. If it had everything I wanted but the style of tuners, why not get the sig model and upgrade that small piece of it if it's a good price?

It's very likely that unless I'm throwing 2000-3000 down on a signature model, it's not going to be worth much some day anyway. However, I like to keep original parts just in case, so that the resale value stays intact.

 

[Gnal]

Voted Carrots... but in general, I'm not opposed to modding a Sig instrument.

 

[StevieMac]

I've modded my Steve Harris signature and am happy with that decision.

 

[40Hz]

The only reason I could see for buying a signature bass (and paying the premium) is if the customization/personalization (signaturization?) already brought it 90% of the way to where I'd want to take the standard version if I bought that instead. Otherwise why bother?

Names on basses mean zero to me since I'm not a collector or flipper. Show me the specs - and let me plug it in instead.

Life is too short for hero worship. Professional and personal respect is the best you'll ever get from me.

 

[ScarfFace]

I have my eyes on a used Fender Roger Waters P bass. It is completely fine and playable from a musical standpoint; the electronics are good, the neck is straight and all that. Unfortunately, it's not in the best cosmetic shape; the pick guard is scratched up and slightly warped (hot car?), there's a few rough spots where the neck could use a little sanding, the black hardware isn't wholly black anymore...the kind of things that happen in the life of a working but slightly neglected instrument. I was thinking of possibly buying it and customizing its looks since it needs a bit of work anyway, especially since I would love to have that QP pickup and old school 1.75" neck. A new black tort pickguard, chrome knobs and Gotoh bridge to match the tuners...but wait! This is a signature model! How dare a casual player like me change that which carries the name of a musical demigod? Eh, screw it; I'll probably buy and work on it anyhow. But it occurred to me that this could make for a good discussion here, so here's the poll. Enjoy.

Is that a real thing? I know there is red and brown tort, and I think Spitfire does an orange was experimenting with a blue or green, but I've never heard of black tort. Do you mean Black Pearloid or am I missing something?

 

[NortyFiner]

Yeah, black pearloid. Something like this

:

 

[LanOsb133]

Mod it all you want! If you are going to do new pickups, the smart idea would be to get new pots and do a whole new pickguard and than keep the original Loaded pickguard so you can always resell.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I think the primary reason for getting a signature model is because it's just like you want it, good pickups etc.
If it's not to your liking, buy another bass.

 

[TBird1958]

Totally. It's my bass.
New pickups, tuners, trussrod cover, pickgaurd. The bridge and opti grab were stripped and chrome plated. It's gaudy as hell and I like it - It only has to please me.

 

[west al]

I would change the strings, and maybe the PG. I would however keep the original parts, etc.

 

[God's Favorite Bass]

Any sig models I have I bought because I liked the bass, period. I haven't bought one based on its artist and have made cosmetic mods because I liked the basses functionality as is and just didn't want the same one I see a thousand times. I wouldn't hesitate to change things I didn't dig though, just got lucky on these.

 

[Son of Wobble]

I have and I would again without thinking twice.

Here is my Jaco with a "relic"ed neck, humbucking Fralin's (with 500k pots, two of which are linear taper). I don't really count the added epoxy as a mod since it was done to bring it more in spec with Jaco's bass (arguably, so would the neck finish)

EDIT: I also swapped in some Hipshot Ultralites (I hate reverse-wound tuners) and added shielding. But I don't consider the latter a mod, just finishing what Fender started.

She's a beaut! I know it has been discussed at length, but how do you feel about the epoxy job at this late date - do you feel it improved sonics/preserved board?


As to the OP's question, one MANDATORY mod I would make would be to a Sting signature bass, namely to scratch his name off. Sting was enemy to too many of my 'teams'
(The Ramones, Paul Weller) to ever sport his colors.

 

[Son of Wobble]

Any sig models I have I bought because I liked the bass, period.

That the 'arris, is it? Assuming it is, I'd say your pick guard replacement enhances the look of the bass exponentially from the mirrored original,
which I found gaudy (albeit admittedly unique). The rest of this bass -- BOOM!

 

[Son of Wobble]

The main draw of a signature model to me is that you can get some upgraded features over standards in many cases. If it had everything I wanted but the style of tuners, why not get the sig model and upgrade that small piece of it if it's a good price?

I found this to be especially true in the six-string realm. I wanted a hard tail strat middle of last decade, and it turns out the only one being made
by Fender was the Robert Cray Signature. Discounting the CS version, the MIM was as well made as the MIM 50's P basses, likewise came with vintage
specs and even included CUSTOM SHOP pickups and wiring, all for $579 out the door, about half of what a USA Standard Strat cost at that time (and again,
there was no US hard tail model, and that feature was #1 on my must-have list).

Robert Cray was somewhat incidental in this, although I of course respect his records, and would give my eyeteeth to play with a quarter of his skill.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

If you like the bass and think it'd benefit from some modification, do it. An instrument is a tool by definition. If you're a collector, it's a different story.

 

[Nev375]

I modded a hoppus because i wanted a 1 pickup jazz bass but didnt want an empty bridge pickup cavity or a non working\non used pickup. But Mark Hoppus is not exactly my "hero".

 

[bolophonic]

Of course!