Modding vs. Stock

[GMCGeneral]

Using my babies as a backdrop, I want to ask the gearheads/musicians around here. Have you modded your instruments or kept them stock? Me? BOTH!!. My Precision Bass on the right is 100% stock. No mods whatsoever. Not so with the Player Series (Mexican build) Fretless on the left. In the pic I already:
1. Changed out the stock import tuning machines with the Fender "Pure Vintage '70s" machines.
2. Changed the stock white pickguard with the tort shown. This really brings out the red in the sunburst finish here.
3. Swapped the stock traditional plastic Jazz Bass knobs for chrome knurled (Jaco approved )
and
4. Just now, and basically out of necessity, changed the pickups to the Fender Pure Vintage 74s. Stock bridge pickup died on me.

 

[Canon Shooter]

Is that a vibrato bar on the Jazz bass??

I put locking Sperzel's on my 1990 Strat years ago. I pulled the original pickups (which I wish I still had) and replaced them first with some Fat 50's and then some Lace Sensors (red in the bridge and two gold):

On my '86 Alvarez Yairi DY-66, I swapped out the copper colored MOTS tuner buttons for ebony ones, I just think it classes it up a bit. Also, two days after I got the guitar I had a pickguard installed on it, simply because I'd never seen a steel string acoustic guitar without one. From the looks of the beatin' I've put on that guitar over the last 35 years, I'd say that was a good choice:

Probably the only guitar I've ever had which I kept bone-dead stock is the Martin D-40. Just too beautiful a guitar to fuck with:

 

[toobfreak]

Both look like nice guitars.

 

[GMCGeneral]

Is that a vibrato bar on the Jazz bass??

I put locking Sperzel's on my 1990 Strat years ago. I pulled the original pickups (which I wish I still had) and replaced them first with some Fat 50's and then some Lace Sensors (red in the bridge and two gold):

View attachment 673958 View attachment 673960


On my '86 Alvarez Yairi DY-66, I swapped out the copper colored MOTS tuner buttons for ebony ones, I just think it classes it up a bit. Also, two days after I got the guitar I had a pickguard installed on it, simply because I'd never seen a steel string acoustic guitar without one. From the looks of the beatin' I've put on that guitar over the last 35 years, I'd say that was a good choice:

View attachment 673961 View attachment 673962
View attachment 673966 View attachment 673967



Probably the only guitar I've ever had which I kept bone-dead stock is the Martin D-40. Just too beautiful a guitar to fuck with:

View attachment 673964

When I hardwire my basses, I use a Mogami cable with a 90 degree plug. This has the added advantage of resisting pullout and damage to the electronics, even though I always wrap my cable through my strap. I've used 90s on my cables since 1997. Otherwise, I use a wireless.

 

[GMCGeneral]

Also, the PV74s are a HUGE upgrade from the stock pickups that I changed out. Brings out more of the Jazz tone and higher output.

 

[Canon Shooter]

When I hardwire my basses, I use a Mogami cable with a 90 degree plug. This has the added advantage of resisting pullout and damage to the electronics, even though I always wrap my cable through my strap. I've used 90s on my cables since 1997. Otherwise, I use a wireless.

I used a wireless when I used to perform regularly, but that's been almost 20 years now.

You didn't comment on the vibrato bar. Am I correct in that it looks like I see one on the Jazz Bass?

 

[Mr Natural]

Probably the best (and maybe the simplest) mod I ever done was connecting the Strat bridge pickup to a Tone control.

 

[GMCGeneral]

I used a wireless when I used to perform regularly, but that's been almost 20 years now.

You didn't comment on the vibrato bar. Am I correct in that it looks like I see one on the Jazz Bass?

Nope. Just the stock bridge. I mentioned I use a 90 on the instrument end of my cable.

 

[metalwolf]

Kewl, u play guitar.

I have a Ibanez gio electric 6 string.

I once had Line 6 spider valve, don't laugh it could get really loud.

I have a Peavey Blazer practice amp somewhere,but seems since moving,i can't find it.