Lisa Posted February 9, 2001 Share Posted February 9, 2001 Here's a poll question for all of you: Are your main guitars stock, modded or custom-built? Let's find out how many of you are using guitars that basically came "off-the-rack," like a standard Strat or Les Paul or other guitar that you just purchased from the store and continue to use "as is," with no further modifications other than to change strings and set it up to play the way you like. Does your guitar have special pickups or tuners or did you change the bridge? Or did you have a custom guitar built to your specs? I think it will be very interesting to find out how many people play stock guitars and if so, what kind of guitars they have. Additionally, we'll find out which aftermarket parts and accessories are the most popular for modification. Let's hear what you all have to say. Please be specific about brands and models. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrhappy_dup1 Posted February 9, 2001 Share Posted February 9, 2001 Lisa, My guitars are mostly stock with modified control sections. Usually wind up moving the controls around and or modifying the wiring a bit. Just can't seem to let well enough alone! ------------------ MH MH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alphajerk Posted February 9, 2001 Share Posted February 9, 2001 i had a warmoth built to my liking and i took care of the dye/clear coating and bought sperzel tuners, seymour duncan pearly gates humbuckers, dual concentric volume/tone pots, three way switch, and CHROME pickup punting rings! all chrome hardware, blue dyed quilt maple archtop on mahogony body/neck. all my other guitars have been heavily modded too. cant stand stock. alphajerk FATcompilation "if god is truly just, i tremble for the fate of my country" -thomas jefferson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Posted February 9, 2001 Share Posted February 9, 2001 Two of my guitars have early to mid 80's Schecter necks and bodies built from scratch. I like solid rosewood necks and American Cherry bodies which I find sustain better than any Les Paul I've ever played. I also have a guitar made from a solid rosewood Warmoth neck and one I made from a Carvin 'neck on a stick' which I added alder wings to. I like Schaller tuners and non-trem bridges (altho I always lose those tiny metric allen wrenches) and I've still got a Washburn 'Wonderbar' trem on one which is great. For pickups I like EMG actives and Duncans. I've never found any pots or switches I like, they all seem to flake out over time. My bass is stock early 80's Schecter with Schaller tuners and bridge and EMG active PJ set up. Two very old Gibsons (f-hole and flat top) and Epi gut string are all stock but the Martin got Schaller dobro keys (they fit the slotted headstock perfectly) and thinline pick up. PS All my Schecter stuff was made in Texas and not to be confused with the modern stuff they make now in Korea. Nothing against Korea, I've gigged there and liked it. -David http://www.garageband.com/artist/MichaelangelosMuse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrg music Posted February 9, 2001 Share Posted February 9, 2001 Hey Lisa on the whole, and I'll probably take a load of flack for it, I generally tend to use stock guitars, when we're talkin about new ones. I have found that they vary immensly, so I'll spend a couple of days in the more reputable stores her in the UK and play a whole bunch of them until I find one I really like the feel and tone of. The only guitar that I have ever had seriously modified was a USA strat, can't remember the year, that got busted at a gig in Japan. I had a new schecter neck, grover machine heads,a di marzio pickup put on the back, and a coil tap. It sounds fantastic and is incredibly versatile. Simon http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif ...remember there is absolutely no point in talking about someone behind their back unless they get to hear about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BK_dup2 Posted February 9, 2001 Share Posted February 9, 2001 I have replaced all of the frets on my US reissue strats with 6105's The pickups replaced with: 62' reissue / Fullertone Van Zandts (WOW) 57' reissue / HS-3 Bridge / APS1 duncan Middle (RW)/ Stock Pickup Neck - this is my main gtr. Much love involved I have also had the the necks stripped and sealed. / Love that unfinished feel. both of them have the back tone knob wired to the Bridge pickup. Both have compensated nuts (put on by TINA at the AMP SHOP In Sherman Oaks CA) She is the BEEZZZ KNEZZZZ. BK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THOR_dup2 Posted February 10, 2001 Share Posted February 10, 2001 Lisa, Good one. I picked up a Les Paul Studio back in '91 (when they still had ebony fretboards and were resonably priced, $575), put jumbo frets on it for use with 11-49s. Then I put a Duncan Pearly Gates in the neck position and a SD1 in the bridge. Also had to replace the crappy keys with Grovers. Those pickups (twice as loud as PAFs) combined with the bigger strings makes for one mother of a tone. It really brings the hammer down. In the right hands that baby will blow the doors off any LP out there. I see no reason to pay an extra $500, or maybe more for an LP Standard just for the binding on the body and a pretty flame top. Especially considering I'll have to replace the frets and pickups anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHAN Posted February 10, 2001 Share Posted February 10, 2001 I have a Dinky Reverse that I put a Duncan Pearly Gates in the Bridge Position. I don't play it much, but some times you gotta have the Floyd Rose thing goin' on. Also two Am.Standard Strats in heavy rotation. Absolutly stock.But the only one that I would fight to the death for(and probably beyond) http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/eek.gif is my Hand Made " Les Paul " with Duncan '59ers and electric/acoustic transducers in the bridge saddles. Beautifully hand crafted by my brother. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif So Many Drummers. So Little Time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrg music Posted February 10, 2001 Share Posted February 10, 2001 Quote: Orriginally posted by BK ====================================================== Both have compensated nuts ====================================================== Well of course they have!!!!!!!!! If ya get my drift and a bit of UK translation!!!!! Simon http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif ...remember there is absolutely no point in talking about someone behind their back unless they get to hear about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BK_dup2 Posted February 10, 2001 Share Posted February 10, 2001 God Bless ya Simon http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHAN Posted February 10, 2001 Share Posted February 10, 2001 Do they have medication for that ? So Many Drummers. So Little Time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael saulnier Posted February 10, 2001 Share Posted February 10, 2001 Originally posted by Lisa: Here's a poll question for all of you: Are your main guitars stock, modded or custom-built? Yes. guitplayer I'm still "guitplayer"! Check out my music if you like... http://www.michaelsaulnier.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHAN Posted February 10, 2001 Share Posted February 10, 2001 guitplayer , you 'da man ! So Many Drummers. So Little Time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael saulnier Posted February 10, 2001 Share Posted February 10, 2001 Sorry, Lisa... it's late and my humor is getting lame! Looking back, it seems like there have been some specific trends in guitar mods over the years... For example... the 80's gave rise to bridge position humbucker modded strats. Ironically, my two current favorite strats both have hummers factory installed... There was another trend, around the same time, to pull the Gibson factory pickups out of Les Pauls and put "Dimarzio Super Distortions" into them... I wonder how many thousands of now vintage PAF's ended up getting tossed for this upgrade... Then there was the "brass nut" phase, the "Floyd Rose" phase, the "locking nut" phase and more... Some of these things have filtered into the current "factory" guitars, often in improved versions. My current #1 strat is an American Deluxe Fat Strat, and it has some element of all this, a S-S-H pickup configuration, "custom noiseless" pickups, locking tuners, LSR nut, and other options that make the need for customization unneeded IMHO. I also have a '83 Les Paul Standard that sounds great with the factory setup, including the original pickups... I wouldn't change a thing... I have made a few "Frankenstein" guitars, including an American Tele that I added Blue Lace Sensors to the neck and bridge position, moved the original neck pickup to a "middle" position, and added a 5-position pickup switch to... I also have two PRS's, a Standard 24 and a McCarty. Both of these guitars are so well executed, I can hardly think of how I could improve them with additional mods... So... although I don't have anything against mods. I think there's a lot of benefit in picking a factory guitar with the features you want already "built in"... as I mentioned in another thread... I have wondered about getting one of the "top end" builders to make me a "dream guitar", but I really wonder if I'd get one "better" than I already have? ... and "isn't all in the hands anyway?" http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif guitplayer I'm still "guitplayer"! Check out my music if you like... http://www.michaelsaulnier.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael saulnier Posted February 10, 2001 Share Posted February 10, 2001 Originally posted by KHAN: guitplayer , you 'da man ! Khan, NO! YOU 'DA MAN! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif guitplayer I'm still "guitplayer"! Check out my music if you like... http://www.michaelsaulnier.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael saulnier Posted February 10, 2001 Share Posted February 10, 2001 Hey Lisa, You said in another thread, that you had over 40 guitars... c'mon fess up to the stuff you did to some of them? Or are you a "factory stock" girl? http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif guitplayer I'm still "guitplayer"! Check out my music if you like... http://www.michaelsaulnier.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jef5f Posted February 10, 2001 Share Posted February 10, 2001 I guess it depends on the guitar. Currently the only mod I have on my guitars are tuning keys. I've switched to Sperzel locking tuners on my 80 Les Paul and will soon on my Hamer. I have in the past modified bridges. A Washburn Wonderbar on a 76 Strat, changing a trapeze tail piece to a stop tail piece on a Aria ES800 semi-hollow body. Changing pickups on different guitars. Usually to Duncan JBs or 59ers. Like the Aria Standard I once had. Actually, those are the only mods I can remember ever doing. Mostly, I'd say I prefer my stock, stock. This message has been edited by jef5f on 02-10-2001 at 10:39 AM Psalm 33:3 The best instrument you have, is your heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrg music Posted February 10, 2001 Share Posted February 10, 2001 One crucial one I forgot. I took that bloody bigsby trem arm of my Washburn J9...... And what a holy relief that was!!! Simon ...remember there is absolutely no point in talking about someone behind their back unless they get to hear about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott from MA Posted February 10, 2001 Share Posted February 10, 2001 I took a look through my collection and realized that NONE of my guitars are stock! I never realized that before. Not a single stock guitar in the bunch. The only ones that are still the way they started out are the ones that I built myself. Even my acoustics have aftermarket bridge-pins and tuners, and custom pickups installed. Hmmm... maybe I need to go by a new guitar just to have one stock. That's a good excuse for buying another, don't ya think?! Scott (just another cantankerous bastard) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott from MA Posted February 10, 2001 Share Posted February 10, 2001 Oops... I take it back. My beloved '63 Hofner archtop has no mods to it. I had to replace some of the wiring and give it a fret job, but other than that it's all original. Scott (just another cantankerous bastard) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrg music Posted February 11, 2001 Share Posted February 11, 2001 quote: Scott ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hmmm... maybe I need to go by a new guitar just to have one stock. That's a good excuse for buying another, don't ya think?! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey Scott Who needs an excuse to buy another one? Simon http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif ...remember there is absolutely no point in talking about someone behind their back unless they get to hear about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott from MA Posted February 11, 2001 Share Posted February 11, 2001 HA HA! My feelings exactly, Simon. Unfortunately, my wife doesn't share my enthusiasm for expanding my collection. Not that she would ever stop me from buying one I really wanted, but we have made a deal: I will cut back on guitar stuff if she will cut back on shoes! Does anyone elses wife have over 500 pairs of shoes? Scott (just another cantankerous bastard) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrg music Posted February 11, 2001 Share Posted February 11, 2001 Scott I hear ya pal.... My wife also has one of those collections!!!!!!!!! She also never says no when i do the 'I need a new guitar' speech. I probably like you have gotten to understand over the years that that means a new guitar for me and........ 20 pairs of shoes for you right????? Difference being the guitars work for a living and the shoes.........? Be Good Simon http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif ...remember there is absolutely no point in talking about someone behind their back unless they get to hear about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott from MA Posted February 13, 2001 Share Posted February 13, 2001 Oh, hell yeah. Anytime she comes home with shopping bags (and there's NEVER just one!) and I make any comment, she just reminds me how much my latest piece of gear cost. The two most uttered lines in my house: 1. "You've got lots of black shoes, why do you need more?" 2. "All guitars sound alike, why do you need another?" I guess there's still some things that we will never understand about each other! Scott (just another cantankerous bastard) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrg music Posted February 13, 2001 Share Posted February 13, 2001 Scott Todays latest one when I hinted I might like to buy a vintage tele was Simon shall I just put the entire contents of my wardrobe up for sale or what? I said hell no what you gonna do with all the money you got left over? We live and learn don't we!! Simon http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif ...remember there is absolutely no point in talking about someone behind their back unless they get to hear about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike O Posted February 13, 2001 Share Posted February 13, 2001 Playing a Strat re-wired per an modification as described by Skunk Baxter 15 years ago in a GP magazine. Have no idea anymore exactly what was done (I since concentrated on playing instead of modifying), but the last tone control dials in the middle pick-up out of phase. Nice and thick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanner Posted February 14, 2001 Share Posted February 14, 2001 well i used to buy and invert them for my right -handed playing-then along came those and that made me very happy! the advantages: that long ass low e string just totally changes the over-all sound and tension of the strings; also the reversed bridge pick-up really mids out that (formerly) trebly sound. also remove all pots so the tone is pure right off the pick-up coils to the pre-amp tubes-righteous tone-hot, heavy w/ plenty o' girth, right from the get-go...hotchamama, surfzup,dude AMPSSOUNDBETTERLOUDER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
art Posted February 16, 2001 Share Posted February 16, 2001 I've done all of the above. My main guitar is currently a Peavey Wolfgang which is stock. My back up is a Hamer which has been modded with replacement pickups and a push/pull tap switch. My other backup is a Carvin Kit which I put together using parts that I wanted. I suppose that would qualify it as a custom built guitar. But of course I'm never totally happy with any of my guitars...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonsez Posted February 16, 2001 Share Posted February 16, 2001 hello, Brand new here, first post. So this is a test, fun topic. I have only one guitar, a 76 Tele Custom, blonde. Which I bought brand new in 78, It sat on the shelf for 2 years. To date the only mod I have done on it is waxed the bridge pickup...Yes, original pots and everything else, I did replace the selector in the mid 90's. I have also owned about 20 different guitars, A to Z, but always come back to the original. Everybody hates to play my guitar, fine with me!! It sounds nothing like a Tele, more like a LP junior with P90's. take care all, simonsez oops, forgot, I did replace the bridge with a chrome individual saddle deal, the original one was hard to intonate. Also, straplocks and a couple of different nuts. This message has been edited by simonsez on 02-15-2001 at 11:47 PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Posted February 20, 2001 Author Share Posted February 20, 2001 Originally posted by guitplayer: Hey Lisa, You said in another thread, that you had over 40 guitars... c'mon fess up to the stuff you did to some of them? Or are you a "factory stock" girl? http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif guitplayer I don't know what happened to the original response I sent to this question.... It must have gotten lost in cyberspace! Anyway, I've got a pretty good cross section of everything - stock, modded and custom-built. I've got plenty of stock guitars, like my vintage Les Pauls, Strats, Teles, stock Martins, custom-built guitars by B.C. Rich and Jackson, some modded Les Pauls with changed pickups and/or tuners, and a few solidbody guitars I put together myself from parts. Most of the mods on my guitars are changed pickups or electronics. When I buy a guitar, I usually like it the way that it is and tend to keep it that way, unless there's a problem with it. There were a few guitars I bought knowing that I'd be changing pickups or tuners. I also have a few guitars that I keep handy for testing different parts that I'm sent for review. I've got an old Les Paul Studio (one of the first ones from the mid-'80s) that has become sort of my Guinea pig Les Paul that has seen many different pickups and is used frequently for experimentation of that nature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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