Guitar Modifying

[Jonny]

It popped into my head that some guitars that I have now, have that really one-of-a-kind feel to them and sometimes I wish I didn't have to sell them (obviously this topic means I might not)

And I was thinking why not just save some money and just modify the guitars that I have now. And I don't mean changing machineheads, changing pots, etc.

I mean by replacing the fretboard or refretting or routing, etc.

I made this topic because I was thinking about it but is it worth it?

Because obviously it'll reduce re-sale value and it's all boggling in my head whether I should go ahead with it or not.

Give advice/chat about it

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Listening to: Gary Moore - Parisienne Walkways
via FoxyTunes

[Mr. Air]

I'm just curious. If your guitars have a one-of-a-kind feel to them why do you want to mod or sell them?

I haven't owned that many guitars, but I've sold a few that didn't have anything like a one-of-a-kind feel. Earlier I found it quite hard to let a guitar go, but know I've realized that some will never be played and I'm better off without more "dust catchers". The guitars I do feel are special I definitely won't be selling.

[Jonny]

I'm just curious. If your guitars have a one-of-a-kind feel to them why do you want to mod or sell them?

I haven't owned that many guitars, but I've sold a few that didn't have anything like a one-of-a-kind feel. Earlier I found it quite hard to let a guitar go, but know I've realized that some will never be played and I'm better off without more "dust catchers". The guitars I do feel are special I definitely won't be selling.

Well I say one-of-a-kind cause it feels really good at the neck, etc.

And I had the thought of selling cause I'd eventually get a better guitar ultimately but instead of selling I could mod and I'm just thinking would it be worth it.

[Philly Q]

It's a tough question.  Some modifications are necessary - an actual repair or maybe a refret - but most aren't.

Very few mods will actually increase the value of an instrument, because it's at its most valuable in original condition.  So forget about resale value.  The only real reason to do something is because you want to.   So whether it's "worth" doing or not is a question only you can really answer!  :P

I've done lots of routing in my time, and still do occasionally, but nowadays I pretty much stick to reversible modifications like changing pickups and hardware, so I can get the guitar back to original specs if (or more likely when) I decide to sell it.

When it comes to major surgery, like a refinish - or your example of replacing the fretboard - I'd only consider it if I could do it myself (and could afford to risk screwing it up!).  I wouldn't dream of paying someone to do it, because it costs so much.  To my mind it's money down the drain, I might as well just buy something else.

If you are considering any major mods, be careful you don't destroy something you like - that "one-of-a-kind feel" you mentioned.  I tried putting a maple-board neck, instead of rosewood, on my Thinline Tele recently, mainly because I thought it would look better.  It totally changed the guitar's acoustic tone, much more than I expected.  I was really surprised.  Fortunately that was reversible, the original neck went straight back on, and it's staying there!

[AndyR]

Without much experience (:roll:), I agree with everything said so far :lol:

I don't know, but I strongly suspect that replacing a fingerboard, for example, would change the "one-of-a-kind" feel of almost any guitar?  Maybe for the good, maybe for the bad, but I suspect it would almost certainly change it?

If the reason I wanted to change a guitar was because I didn't like it's "one-of-a-kind" feel, then maybe yeah I'd consider it, but I tend to look at guitars as finished items that occasionally need repair or maintenance. I'm unlikely to mess with them structurally too much other than replacing or moving hardware about between guitars, swapping pups etc...

If the thing wasn't mostly "there" when I first tried it, then I'm unlikely to buy it. Having said that, you never quite know when you're caught in the middle of the GAS, do you... :lol:

I think the "better guitar" thing is something that haunts/troubles us all - and I suspect sometimes that it's not as important as it makes itself out to be. I tend to try to make myself think about "what is this better guitar I'm thinking about", what am I really after?

If what I'm actually lusting over is something at the "xyz" end of the spectrum, with luxurious woods, craftsmanship, etc, then me messing with my existing guitar from the "abc" end of the spectrum isn't going to get me there, it will still be a severely pimped "abc", and will have used up funds that could have been put aside to get me to the "xyz" guitar.

But on the other hand, if I'm not after the "xyz" guitar specifically, then pimping "abc" might well be worthwhile. But like Philly says, I'd be worried that the reason I loved the "abc" guitar in the first place might vanish while I was changing it...

[ToneMonkey]

If you're replacing a fretboard and things like that, then you might as well just build one.

You know it makes sense.

[FernandoDuarte]

What guitar is this in question of heavy modifying?

Well, these kind of changes are very expensive, hard etc... I wouldn't make it unless it's a guitar you KNOW you'll keep FOREVER and the neck and body are very very good woods and if it's the case the fretboard would be too, what would lead me to think you want to change the look or tone... the look ok, but the tone, I would say "forget" it wouldn't change THAT much to worth the while changing the fretboard...  Think like would be worth if you have never played a guitar that the neck felt as nice as this one, something like this and I don't mean only on the guitar's price range, say on the top guitars too... If I'm not wrong a nut change by a luthier is about £100, I would expect the fretboard change to be on £350-500 range...

refreting is ok, routing depending on what kind of routing you're talking about...

[Jonny]

If you're replacing a fretboard and things like that, then you might as well just build one.

You know it makes sense.

It does. But I'm @ Uni so it isn't possible for the time being.

[ToneMonkey]

If you're replacing a fretboard and things like that, then you might as well just build one.

You know it makes sense.

It does. But I'm @ Uni so it isn't possible for the time being.

That depends if you've got workshops on your course.  I'm damn sure that I could have convinced the techs to let me build a guitar, they let me use the workshopd for other stuff.  They should have all the tools and people who have been building stuff for years for advice.  It's amazing what you can get for a contribution to the tea and biscuit fund.   :lol:

[Jonny]

If you're replacing a fretboard and things like that, then you might as well just build one.

You know it makes sense.

It does. But I'm @ Uni so it isn't possible for the time being.

That depends if you've got workshops on your course.  I'm damn sure that I could have convinced the techs to let me build a guitar, they let me use the workshopd for other stuff.  They should have all the tools and people who have been building stuff for years for advice.  It's amazing what you can get for a contribution to the tea and biscuit fund.   :lol:

There isn't a degree here that involves wood workshops, lol

[Twinfan]

Good question, and an interesting thread.

I would suggest you play a really 'nice' guitar.  It'll probably be an expensive one.  Your dream guitar, the one you'd buy if money was no object.  Try it, see if you like it, does it seem that much better than what you have?

1)  If it blows away what you have now, look at trading up in the future and don't mod anything.

2)  If it wasnt that impressive, and you like what you have, do whatever you want to your current gear that makes you happy!

I spent a lot of time believing that I could get a £500 to be just as good as a £5000 guitar.  I changed pickups, hardware, frets etc.  I got close, say 90% close, but at the end of the day the wood used for the body/neck and the care taken when building the guitar makes a big difference.  After playing my McCarty Korina for the first time a lightbulb came on in my head and I realised what a great guitar was.  The Modern Eagle is a step above that to me and it still blows me away when I play it.

I guess I'm trying to say you can mod away to your hearts content, but if it's only 'OK' or 'Good' as standard it'll never be 'Amazing' after modifications...

[ToneMonkey]

Although modding and general fiddling is good experiance, but so are other woodwork projects.  Maybe make yourself some different things until you have space to play with guitars.

Although saying that, I've pulled quite a few cheapass guitars apart to see how they were built and what I could do with them.  So all experience is good experiance, just don't spend too much money.  I wouldn't go doing any guitars of any value though.

EDIT - Also the tools that you'll need to replace a fretboard is probably about 3/4 of the tools you'll need to build the total axe anyway.