Who's modding cheap guitars?

[muttznmongrelz]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

I have modded a few, but, define "cheap" because one man's cheap is another man's treasure.

 

[jon the art guy]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

I have modded a few, but, define "cheap" because one man's cheap is another man's treasure.

This is my problem. I will probably never pay more than $500 for a guitar in my life, so cheap for me will be Synsonics, Rondo's SX or Douglas line, Yamaha, Peavey, etc.

 

[Securb]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

Not my guitar but I modded my buddie's kid's Chineese made kit guitar. I used a bunch of leftover parts I had lying around. For a $125 dollar kit it plays, looks and sounds pretty good now.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

Like modding/tricking out serious japs and yanks for +% to coolness

Like partscasters where all parts are at the very least MIM

Surprised myself really enjoying building a historically correct "tribute" on a mim strat platform (googling pup combos from my parts box indicated one setup was in Kurt Cobain's gigging axe, no not that incomplete signature nonsense - his black "vandalism" sticker strat. Though mines a righty). That was project fun.

Actually bothered getting correct colours on everything, too, ended up pretty sharp looking:
2001 (un)used unplayed Fender Std Stratocaster, mim, black
Dimarzio H3 bucker
Texas special singles (1 CS fender + 1 unsure possibly GFS or texmex)
Black guard, black knobs, white covers & black open bucker for mean looks


...do NOT like messing around with junk builds. Cheap modder to me would be a CL score like an obscure jap or a peavey usa strat (always wanted to do a single-hum metal build on one of those!).

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

Tons of people do it. I do it from time to time, but I've pretty much learned that it's not really worth it most of the time. Not for me, anyhow. I'd rather build something of Fender Custom Shop quality, with the kind of finish I really want, not some plastic shell, for $600 to $1,000, than put $500 to $800 into spiffing up a Mexican Strat. Now I will only do it if the guitar in question is kind of special, like being rare, unique, or something that I can't easily do myself. For instance, in the past few years, I've purchased a Squier short scale Jaguar and a Mexican Black Paisley Stratocaster. I bought them intending to spend way too much on making them killer instruments.

My reasoning was that short scale basses are not common, and I have always been a huge fan of them. The Jaguar was a very cool design, though it had crap components. It would have required a lot of fabrication (i.e. time and effort) to build one myself, and I really didn't love the idea THAT much. The Black Paisley was a limited run guitar that I bought the week it came out. No good reason other than cosmetic lust. I never intended to put together a killer guitar for cheap. I just loved the way it looked, and had to have it, end of story.

All of these instruments ended up being great tools. However, they always felt, and always will feel like, low-end instruments that have been upgraded. Not necessarily a bad thing, but the point is that you can't change the core "quality" of a guitar no matter how much money and time you throw at it.

So, for me, modding a cheap guitar is no way at all to get a good bang for the buck. It's a way to have fun and to personalize tools that you plan on owning for a very long time. If I wanted a good bang for the buck (i.e. the best quality-to-dollar ratio), I'd buy a used G&L (Tribute or American), or I'd build my own. My two cents.

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

There is a big diff between a cheap guitar, and a crappy one. A guitar that has bad toneless body wood and neck, and not well constructed is not going to benefit from MODS.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

I have my LTD M-50 which I got for ~$240. first thing I did was replaced the bridge, knobs and strap buttons with black ones, I got black Carvin tuners for $39 (awesome tuners). I then spent $12 on a Graph Tech nut which I installed. The pickups was where I splurged, I spent $200 on two AHB-1B pups. For $8 (I think) I got the Hammett skull/cross bone sticker inlays from Jockamo. For 100% free I painted the body deep black with a green Mushroomhead face all with high-end professional auto paint.

For what I did to it, I would say with absolute confidence it could hang with anything in the $700-$900 range. I have a guitar that is f@cking great and I had a lot of fun doing the mods myself

Duuuuude...ltd 500s (last step before top of the line, excepting 600s since theyre reserved for signature models) can be had for 240. I once got a mint EC 500 w/ hardshell for either 240 or 250. That already had emgs grovers tonepros and even straplocks i think

Unless you meant $24, you got cheated. The 50 series, that's the starter kit guitar, like squier bullet or epi les paul jr

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

What I really want to know is - who's modding expensive guitars?

 

[Wattage]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

My latest lowbucker is an Affinity Tele that is just a real fun guitar. One of the new gunmetal gray models.

The bridge pup that is going in it is worth 3x what the guitar is but that's just dumb luck. Going to rewire, new bridge and pups. I like the sound of the stock pickups at low volumes but they feedback like a mother once they get some juice.

And yes I have modded some "legit" guitars as well.

 

[Bfeeney]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

define "cheap" because one man's cheap is another man's treasure.

I'm surprised the name whores aren't filling up this post

 

[Rodney Gene]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

What I really want to know is - who's modding expensive guitars?

I do. Just about all of them in my entire life. If by 'expensive' you mean 1k-3k+ which is where my main guitars are today. I guess that's really middle of the road today.

What I have found is that the parts of a guitar that are most important to me cannot be easily modded (such as wood, build, neck, binding and finish). So I tend to save and buy as well crafted as I can, the rest I go to town if the guitar calls for it. I have found I really like some stock parts best.

Teles I mod no matter what I paid. My 52 reissue has been gutted for a Charlie Christian, Bigsby, middle pickup, sanded neck, its been dropped and nicked and my wife scared the hell out of me one day when installing some new pickups and the screwdriver gouged the front. LOL. Cost me almost 2k originally. No matter I bought it for the neck and resonance. Even my Nash has been gutted for new pickups. But I don't consider resale which I think prevents some players from touching 'expensive' stuff. I just want to find the 'one'. If I am considering retail before I buy I check in with myself as I am likely buying the wrong guitar.

My nicer Gretsch hollowbodies have been modded with Custom Shop Setzer pickups wound by MJ years ago and new wiring.
BTW, Peavey doesn't count. Peavey has always made excellent American guitars and Basses. Far above the norm. The term 'cheap' can't be defined accurately with after-market value anyway. G&Ls are an after market goldmine for quality as an example. I define 'cheap' in terms of build quality, never price.

Cheers!!

RG

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

. I have three MIA Peavey Patriots/Predator. They're every bit as good as any Fender Strat, IMHO. And they sell "cheap" because many don't know how good they are.

they sell cheap because they ARE cheap.There is no need for a definition of "cheap". Cheap is by definition a guitar that is not expensive.Just cause someone thinks their cheap guitar is a treasure doesn't mean that it actually is worth any more than the value of its cheap parts-it is no expensive "treasure" by any means, and no amount of wishing or placing some kind of sentimental value on it will make that any difefrent .

Cheap guitars cannot ever be as good as high end guitars, or even mid level guitars. You cannot turn a sows ear into a silk purse,although I have a heavily modified cheap Strat that is tons of fun.
I wouldn't brag that you only have cheap guitars. Thats actually a pity.You'll never get a cheap guitar to have the tone and feel of a high end thoroughbred..aint gonna happen.
These threads always devolve (in every forum Ive ever been to all over the internet) , into someone claiming their $200.00 guitar is every bit as good as a $5000.00 custom shop , or that tone is 100% subjective. This place used to be a little different than the famous Strat and Tele forums in that regard , but with the fairly recent influx of newbs, all that has changed.
People hate to hear that their cheap guitars can never be high quality high end guitars. People like you have just seen on this forum need to believe that they can spend 1 or 2 hundred and have a $5000.,00 playing and sounding guitar .

They will attack me now , because their false beliefs have been exposed right in front of their faces.

Again, its a big ;

 

[Big Flannel]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

I haven't seen anyone post anything saying that a 200 dollar guitar can be the same quality as a 2 thousand dollar guitar. The purpose of this thread is not to have a debate about guitar value in relation to quality, rather people who like a cheap guitar and do their best to get the most out of it. It's not the name on your headstock that matters it's your tone and if you need a 5000 dollar guitar to achieve your sound then go for it, but don't knock someone's hussle just because you don't agree with their approach.

 

[Grindspine]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

Electronics, bridge, nut, fret work and a good set up can do wonders for an otherwise cheap guitar.

Granted, a high-quality guitar is a high quality guitar. If the neck/fretboard are splitting or warped, it's a no-go.

If you've got a decent neck & body where the wood has been treated with care, new hardware can go a long way.

I've been down that road many times. It's not worth it IMO. If you start with crap, you'll just be putting parts that cost good money on crap.

You can put lipstick on a pig but what's the point?

I have an old cheapo import at a luthier right now having some work done on it. Granted, I know it was not a great guitar, but as it was my first electric, selling it is not an option. Unfortunately, leaving it stock was not an option either since there were some hardware issues. I still find the body comfortable and the neck plays well.

I'll get to see this weekend if sinking some money into upgrades was worth it.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

define "cheap" because one man's cheap is another man's treasure.

See post #23.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

What I really want to know is - who's modding expensive guitars?

ive done it for other people (for money hehe), but have yet to take the plunge for myself

Stuff done by yours truly (Gibson Flying V, Gibson SG Standard, Ibanez Japan "Custom Made" series):

 

[Adieu]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

they sell cheap because they ARE cheap.There is no need for a definition of "cheap". Cheap is by definition a guitar that is not expensive.Just cause someone thinks their cheap guitar is a treasure doesn't mean that it actually is worth any more than the value of its cheap parts-it is no expensive "treasure" by any means, and no amount of wishing or placing some kind of sentimental value on it will make that any difefrent .

Cheap guitars cannot ever be as good as high end guitars, or even mid level guitars. You cannot turn a sows ear into a silk purse,although I have a heavily modified cheap Strat that is tons of fun.
I wouldn't brag that you only have cheap guitars. Thats actually a pity.You'll never get a cheap guitar to have the tone and feel of a high end thoroughbred..aint gonna happen.
These threads always devolve (in every forum Ive ever been to all over the internet) , into someone claiming their $200.00 guitar is every bit as good as a $5000.00 custom shop , or that tone is 100% subjective. This place used to be a little different than the famous Strat and Tele forums in that regard , but with the fairly recent influx of newbs, all that has changed.
People hate to hear that their cheap guitars can never be high quality high end guitars. People like you have just seen on this forum need to believe that they can spend 1 or 2 hundred and have a $5000.,00 playing and sounding guitar .

They will attack me now , because their false beliefs have been exposed right in front of their faces.

Again, its a big ;

Well, since I'm PRETTY sure you won't admit a $125 Westminster (rebadged/shared Greco & Ibanez model, 100% identical off the same line... that's how they did things in the early 70s in Japan, to fill out new brands' catalogues) can play crazy good

...how about a $420 ESP Standard? That still not gonna cut it?



Used gear scores can really blur the line between cheap & expensive. ESPecially (sorry just had to) when the guitar you scored a good deal on was $1500-2000 new, back in the days when $1 bought a whole lot more than today. Two g's 90s money might not yet be $5k today, but it's sure as hell getting there, alarmingly fast (my guess it's around 4k today's money, and don't start telling me you haven't noticed prices doubling across the board on anything not made in china in the last 20 or so years).

 

[DeathMetalRob]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

I would mod anything that didn't come as I wanted it so long as the price was right.

If it's cheaper to get or make a custom then, I'd do that instead.

Usually, it's aesthetical or tonal.

 

[Mononoaware]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

Hmmm. I'm of two minds on this. Most of my cheap purchases have, after an initial fling, come to naught.

However, it sometimes feels like playing the lottery. I've got two cheap axes (a First Act import Lola and an off-brand, mystery-ingredient strat named Lil' Queenie) that rose above and proved the adage that, price be damned, Good Wood is Good Wood.

 

[kirbyg]

Re: Who's modding cheap guitars?

I just picked up an SX Leo from Rondo with the intention to mod it. With a 1 piece ash body, 1 piece maple neck with some good pickups and a good nut it should be a killer guitar for not a lot of money.