Guitar modifications

Bob-Dubery

This is taken from another on-line forum that I participate in. Names have been removed to protect the innocent.

One thing to know is that no matter what it was when it was manufactured, it is probably not that anymore. Musicians are notorious for modifying instruments. Many will make the changes immediately (different pickups, tuning keys, larger/smaller frets, etc.) ....kind of like people who salt their food before tasting it... LOL
I object-- I always play about 8-12 bars on an electric instrument before beginning extensive modifications

Keira-WitherKay

yeah Bob . heheh yeah i think the whole guitar modification thing is somewhat like GAS(Gear Aquisition Syndrome) in many cases .......

and just like GAS which is actively fueled to support a multi million rand musical instrument industry world wide so is mod'ing .... the propoganda is out there to try convince you to spend cash on mod'ing as it too is a segment of this industry all fighting for you hard earned cash .............

BUT eventually ... not sure if it's "old" age ... i only realised this for myself in my 40's and i'm half way through them now....... one does after years of GAS ...eventually realise that the goal is to find the guitar that feels right and has the tone you seek........ and stick to it

forget the labels on the headstock and what PUPS it has....if they sound good ..."why fix what ain't broke" and well for me and many of my similar aged musician friends we there at this point .......... where a functional guitar is all we need the rest and much of the tone comes from your technique and playing skills.........

but i am very pro mod'ing a guitar you feel you will use......... especially if you feel it holds that something special ..........

great example is ... i found a great sounding 70's yamaha in a pawn shop ...a guitar which felt and sounds to me like what i was seeking for many years which i bought trashed(no structural damage but in a beat up state) for R600 .....i fitted a LR baggs i beam for R1850 spent R600 on a molded travel case for it ......... so only spent R3K so far ..........

but already i use this guitar live and make a living as a pro musician from it .......and in last months the guitar has paid itself back many times already ......and i get great feel and tone

at the end of the day i will spend about 5K on this instrument ( plastic nut is cracked and i want to replace the old machine heads) ...... but i will have a tool i can use professionally which sounds and feels better than most nylons of 20 K and up sound

but my negative view on mod'ing is ........... i hear and see many people who should be spending their money on lessons and improving their technique ...almost adopting the attitude of if i upgrade my guitar i will sound better........... which is utter rubbish. no matter what the salesman or the internet sites state................ you will sound just as ... you sound whether you play a squier or a custom shop Fender .....
don't kid yourself..........

so 2 sides to every coin

AlanRatcliffe

I generally have no problems with modders or modding (no surprise there!). However, I do usually draw the line at ordering parts before I have the guitar, which seems silly unless you know exactly what you are getting.

Heath

I have had my black squier for almost a year now , since day one i have wanted change a few minor things like the nut and string trees , but i think these are standard mods imho . But its only now that i have gotten to know the guitar much better , and now only decided the its not entirely the sound i wanted from the guitar and now have started modding the electronics , and considering putting in new pickups . But modding a guitar straight out the box or before you have even got it , is imo plain silly . Imo you have to bond with the instrument before changing it .