Do "guitar upgrades" really increase the value of the guitar? (poll)

[solspirit]

Re: Do "guitar upgrades" really increase the value of the guitar? (poll)

You should make a menu of available mods for your customers.

[ArtieToo]

It's always been my opinion that electronic upgrades won't increase the value, per se, but may increase the selling speed. If I'm looking at two identical Squier Strats, and one has Duncan pups, I'd probably buy it first, simply because I know I can sell the pups and recoup some of my money. Or use those funds to get what I actually want.

[dave74]

On a well-priced used guitar I would be more likely to buy if the pickups had been upgraded,,,,,,,even if they're not my choice they could be used in trades or installed elsewhere.
I wouldn't pay more for a mid-level guitar simply because of upgrades.

[ItsaBass]

No. I won't pay for someone else's modifications (the more objective term that I use instead of "upgrades"). The work that other people do on their guitars is rarely what I would do, in terms of specifications and in terms of quality. I have very high standards for workmanship, which almost nobody can meet IME, and my own very specific aesthetic and sonic taste, which doesn't seem to be shared by many others IME. As such, modded instruments are usually a turnoff for me. I'd usually prefer a stock blank slate to start from, and I like having the ability to easily take an instrument back to stock if I decide to sell before committing it to my collection. As such, I devalue an instrument if it doesn't come with all the original parts, at least on the side.

[idsnowdog]

People normally don't pay more for someone else's preferences. However, I look at things a bit differently. I often see guitars that have been modded with expensive pickups that are being sold for a price that is equal to the value of the hardware they have replaced. I like to snatch up those guitars because even if I don't like the pickups I can sell or trade the pickups to defray the cost of my modifications. For instance, I recently bought an Ibanez for $95 which had a set of EMG-81s installed. In this case the pickups were worth more than what I paid for the guitar and I could use those pickups to fit out my other projects. The person who did the install did a poor job and the grounds look like they never worked to begin with so I suspect the person who sold it got discouraged and gave up. I also bought a Telecaster Deluxe that had been completely rewired with CTS pots, quality 3-way, sprague caps, jack, and SD 59 pickups. Once again they couldn't make it work so they gave up and I snatched it up for less than the cost of the mods they performed. I was able to trade both pickups for other pickups which cost more than what I paid for the guitar. In both cases I didn't haggle with the seller at all and paid what they asked for.

[Spirit of 76]

I think upgraded parts do increase the value vs stock parts but you need the right buyer (either someone looking for those specific upgrades/sound or someone who wants something better than average but isn't willing to invest the time/money/effort to upgrade it themselves) in either scenario, it reduces your customer pool.

But if you are including a guitar case, I would think that would appeal to most buyers.

[JMP/HBE]

No so called "upgrades" do not increase value.

And in many cases anything "other than stock" actually decrease the value of a guitar that is guitars with actual "value".

[Mincer]

Well obviously on a high-dollar Gibson or Fender, that upgrades don't increase the value...people look for stock there. But I am not sure people value purity on MIM Fenders, Epis, and LTDs.

[JMP/HBE]

My crazy Iron Worker cousin thinks if he puts $500 into his $250 Ibanez Bass that he will have a $750 value guitar when he goes to sell it. Just doesn't work in the real world however i see folks trying to sell MIM Fenders for $1100 and up. Doesn't mean it will ever happen.
I can tell you decades ago people didn't do that. Its only after the last 20 to 30 years of flooding the market with cheap guitars and suddenly everyone thinks they're valuable.
You can put "bling" on a cheap guitar but its still a cheap guitar.

[Wattage]

You have to smart about it

Buy good quality used parts, sell off what you took off and replaced, don’t be anxious to sell it quickly and you’ll do alright if you’ve done it well. Adding value is a tough thing to do but putting $500 into a $250 guitar is definitely not a good place to look to make your money back,

[ehdwuld]

I think upgraded parts do increase the value vs stock parts but you need the right buyer (either someone looking for those specific upgrades/sound or someone who wants something better than average but isn't willing to invest the time/money/effort to upgrade it themselves) in either scenario, it reduces your customer pool.

But if you are including a guitar case, I would think that would appeal to most buyers.

A guitar case would appeal but they dont want to pay full price for the case either
they will want that at a $50 mark up over the guitar alone.

Buying a $100 case isn't gonna get ya $100 more

[Mincer]

Yeah, you will never get the $$ back from a case purchase. Most people expect it to come with a case.

[Securb]

Yeah, you will never get the $$ back from a case purchase. Most people expect it to come with a case.

When we are talking vintage a lot of times the case is long gone. I purchased an original hardshell case for my 73 Ovation 20 years ago. Best 100 busks I ever spent.

[weepingminotaur]

You make the mods for yourself, not for resale. I've got a Les Paul Standard PlusTop Pro with the stock ProBucker pickups out and Black Winters in. For me, it's perfect. For most other people? It's probably an abomination. Maybe there's an exception to be made if you're upgrading a budget guitar with quality pickups, but that's pretty tenuous. Certainly for high-end guitars you're lowering the value if you mess with it.

[Demanic]

You make the mods for yourself, not for resale. I've got a Les Paul Standard PlusTop Pro with the stock ProBucker pickups out and Black Winters in. For me, it's perfect. For most other people? It's probably an abomination. Maybe there's an exception to be made if you're upgrading a budget guitar with quality pickups, but that's pretty tenuous. Certainly for high-end guitars you're lowering the value if you mess with it.

I'll bet that it sounds massive.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk