Guitars that you like just the way they came

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

How do you know the pickups it came with are best without trying other ones? No matter how good she is, couldn't it be better?

This is exactly where "better" is the enemy of "good"

And nope there is definitely a point when it is so good that there is no point in chasing better down the rabbit hole.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

I have nineteen G&Ls, mostly strat bodies (Legacys, S-500s, Comanches and Legacy Specials; one ASAT Deluxe). I've bought most of them used. A couple came to me with aftermarket pickups and I've put Texas Hot Antiquity sets in these two; but other than minor set-up issues, they were all good to go--no mods needed.

I've never done any mods to my MIK or MIJ Ibanez guitars. Or my cheapie DanElectro Innuendo 12-strings, or the Takamine 12-string acoustic dreads. My Fender Precision Lyte bass was perfect, though I bought it used. My first Music Man Sabre II was perfect.

Some of my Martin dreads got a strap button put in the neck. My Taylor 710CE got a bone nut and saddle and Tusq bridge pins.

Schaller Strap Locks are a must on any Gibson, and all of mine have them.

Gibsons usually require a bit of set-up work--like a bit of nut work or filing the tune-o-matic saddles to match the fingerboard's radius. I don't consider action work a mod.

That noted, the four Historic LPs I have are perfect, no mods needed or wanted. Ditto for the 335s I have. (I MIGHT re-do one with Ants, an RS Kit, and new knobs--maybe a LW tailpiece.)

The two Les Paul Supremes needed new pickups; I've upgraded one with Seths and an RS Kit, the other TBD. Lightweight aluminum tailpieces--another good move.

The two 1960 Classics got new pickups (Ants in one and Custom Shop Seths in the other), RS Kits, LW stop-bars, and metal jack-plates for durability.

The two 2007 Guitar Of The Week Classic Antiques got metal jack-plates only. My LP Elegant got a LW tailpiece.

So the Martins, Takamines, DanElectros, Music Man, G&L, Ibanez and Gibson Historics really get the kudos for being closest to perfect right out of the box.

I tend to not modify guitar if I don't have to, and all of the mods I've listed are reversible.

I've only ever done one NON-reversible mod, and that was to a second Music Man Sabre II I bought--I had a third pickup added to it; a Sabre bridge pickup, and it looks factory perfect. Mike Lull in Bellevue, Washington did the work; fantastic job. And it works beautifully, brilliant mod--I couldn't be happier with it.

Bill

 

[kelspaul]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

Beautiful top on this guitar.

Bill

Thanks!

 

[Artie]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

Peavey Patriot. Comes with these amazing "Super Ferrite" pickups. They're like big Cool Rails. Sound amazing. But . . . I have the Duncan bug. I switch them out. I like how that guitar sounds, but get another. Switch it out.

To make a long story short, it took me four times . . . to buy a Patriot, and leave it alone. This is the original:

http://www.neighborhost.com/images/Patriot.jpg

Artie

(I'll post the current variation when I get a nice shot of it.)

 

[ItsaBass]

Guitars that you like just the way they came

Hmm...... Tonally, my prototype G&L Legacy, '96 G&L L-2000, G&L Rampage Tribute model, '77 Music Man bass, Custom Shop Esquire, and both of my '68 Gibsons (SG Standard and ES-330). All of these guitars are bone stock in terms of the tonal elements, and will almost certainly stay that way. The prototype is all pine, except the rosewood fretboard. It sounds perfect. The Rampage is all maple except the ebony board.

I do want to do a little fine fret work on the prototype, though. Being a prototype, it wasn't given all the normal attention to detail. And I've made some purely cosmetic changes to the Esquire.

My 2004 Les Paul Standard is stock with the exception of strap locks and the pickguard and thumb cutters that I added. However, I have always envisioned changes for that guitar. Just haven't been able to bring myself to do anything yet (and I've had it since new). Warmer and more lightly wound pickups, '50's wiring, ABR-1 conversion, and better looking tuners have always been on the list. Now that the Nashville bridge is collapsing, I might have an excuse to finally open that can of worms.

 

[Mad-Max]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

My Ibanez Destroyer is the only guitar I have where I felt like it didn't need anything. She played perfectly as soon as I picked her up. The playability, the feel, the sound, the pickups, everything.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

My Ibanez Destroyer is the only guitar I have where I felt like it didn't need anything. She played perfectly as soon as I picked her up. The playability, the feel, the sound, the pickups, everything.

I love my ibanez destroyer. Its just magic. But i changed the pickup but i really think i didnt need to haha. I still have them in my parts box for something.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

This is mine in its factory kit.



Best guitar. :saeek:

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

I have nineteen G&Ls, mostly strat bodies (Legacys, S-500s, Comanches and Legacy Specials; one ASAT Deluxe). I've bought most of them used. A couple came to me with aftermarket pickups and I've put Texas Hot Antiquity sets in these two; but other than minor set-up issues, they were all good to go--no mods needed.

I've never done any mods to my MIK or MIJ Ibanez guitars. Or my cheapie DanElectro Innuendo 12-strings, or the Takamine 12-string acoustic dreads. My Fender Precision Lyte bass was perfect, though I bought it used. My first Music Man Sabre II was perfect.

Some of my Martin dreads got a strap button put in the neck. My Taylor 710CE got a bone nut and saddle and Tusq bridge pins.

Schaller Strap Locks are a must on any Gibson, and all of mine have them.

Gibsons usually require a bit of set-up work--like a bit of nut work or filing the tune-o-matic saddles to match the fingerboard's radius. I don't consider action work a mod.

That noted, the four Historic LPs I have are perfect, no mods needed or wanted. Ditto for the 335s I have. (I MIGHT re-do one with Ants, an RS Kit, and new knobs--maybe a LW tailpiece.)

The two Les Paul Supremes needed new pickups; I've upgraded one with Seths and an RS Kit, the other TBD. Lightweight aluminum tailpieces--another good move.

The two 1960 Classics got new pickups (Ants in one and Custom Shop Seths in the other), RS Kits, LW stop-bars, and metal jack-plates for durability.

The two 2007 Guitar Of The Week Classic Antiques got metal jack-plates only. My LP Elegant got a LW tailpiece.

So the Martins, Takamines, DanElectros, Music Man, G&L, Ibanez and Gibson Historics really get the kudos for being closest to perfect right out of the box.

I tend to not modify guitar if I don't have to, and all of the mods I've listed are reversible.

I've only ever done one NON-reversible mod, and that was to a second Music Man Sabre II I bought--I had a third pickup added to it; a Sabre bridge pickup, and it looks factory perfect. Mike Lull in Bellevue, Washington did the work; fantastic job. And it works beautifully, brilliant mod--I couldn't be happier with it.

Bill

Every les paul I've ever owned (4) has needed some kind of work done to it. Nut work, new pickups, new bridge....they can be a total headache

 

[jmh151]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

My PRS is relatively stock- all I did was add Nickle pickup covers to soften the tone..

On my EVH striped I added strap locks, shimmed the bridge saddles and changed the Floyd block to Tungsten- That was all.

Fender Clapton strat has remained stock

EBMM Axis after 13 years was refretted with Jumbo frets and plekked - other than that its stock

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

Every les paul I've ever owned (4) has needed some kind of work done to it. Nut work, new pickups, new bridge....they can be a total headache

Every guitar I have ever owned has needed nut work. Les Pauls seem to have been the guitars I have owned that give me the least amount of headaches... by far!

Now I only play Warmoths because I got so used to having to tweak everything that custom axes seem to he the only way to go anymore, at least to get exactly what I want from the start. That being said, the only non-Warmoth or custom built guitar I would ever buy again would be a Gibson Les Paul.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

I kick myself every day for getting rid of my Kramer '85 RI Baretta

I don't play my Baretta near as much as I used to. And it definitely doesn't leave the house much. Not with that NYC Kline graphic.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

Every guitar I have ever owned has needed nut work. Les Pauls seem to have been the guitars I have owned that give me the least amount of headaches... by far!

Now I only play Warmoths because I got so used to having to tweak everything that custom axes seem to he the only way to go anymore, at least to get exactly what I want from the start. That being said, the only non-Warmoth or custom built guitar I would ever buy again would be a Gibson Les Paul.

Same here. 3 of 4 of my electrics I made. Although, I'd probably go for a SG or Jeff Beck Strat off the shelf.

 

[Jackson Distortion]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

Down to the D'Addario strings (10-46) that came on it.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

Gibson Tikibird w/57 Classics, splittable.

Gibson ES-335 Chris Cornell w/Lollartrons.

Gibson SG Diablo Guitar of the Month 08 w/Burstbucker 1/2 set. I tried other pickups but returned it to stock because Gibson's idea of a PAF suits this guitar.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

For me, it was a PRS SE Soapbar (Singlecut).

I liked everything about it from day one, and never modified it in any way.

I sold it a year or two ago to kill some credit card debt. I miss it.



Previously owned by the illustrious Gr8Scott and the dearly departed Dave Bruneau.

I actually searched my email this very week to find the name of the guy I sold it to. He's still local, if he still has it, I'd like to get it back one day.

 

[The Throne]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

My 1985 Kramer Baretta is still bone stock after 30 years. It's beat up but bad ass!! It's the only guitar I've never changed. It has a stock zebra SD JB too wound by Lidia back in the day. So that's a plus too!!

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

Every les paul I've ever owned (4) has needed some kind of work done to it. Nut work, new pickups, new bridge....they can be a total headache

Yeah, but when they are right, they're terrific guitars. The Historics I have need very little action work; and no changes needed for tone.

Bill

 

[Texas Slim]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

i have three, all inexpensive guitars, but to me, great players, and they sound amazing.
Squier CV 50s strat, first note told me nothing needed changed.
Epiphone Faded G400, simply an amazing guitar.
(Please don't banish me for this one)
SX Callisto Jr w/ P90s Out of the box, this guitar was perfect. Good fretwork, Ok nut, (i tweaked it some) and that snotty P90 tone in spades.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Guitars that you like just the way they came

My PRS Johnny Hiland is still stock. Exceedingly rare these days, but I love this thing.