modding new gibsons

[jvi]

seems like a lot of us have gotten new gibson gits, changed everything and then sold them, maybe, waiting first for a while would be better, then if it still isnt satisfying just get another one before "improving" the guitar.If your an actual repair guy or girl this dosnt apply, but I wont fucqe with another new gibby,and i think there is too many messed with new gits out there, my thought fwiw J- thoughts?

[kidblast]

an acoustic? nope. I leave as they are unless something has to be fixed. (like a piezo pickup dies or a machine head starts to give me crap.)

[sbpark]

seems like a lot of us have gotten new gibson gits, changed everything and then sold them, maybe, waiting first for a while would be better, then if it still isnt satisfying just get another one before "improving" the guitar.If your an actual repair guy or girl this dosnt apply, but I wont fucqe with another new gibby,and i think there is too many messed with new gits out there, my thought fwiw J

 

Change everything as far as what? People tend to swap out nuts and saddles for bone, but people tend to do that with a lot of acoustic guitars, not just Gibsons, and that's not really a change that is frowned upon or would hinder my interest in a used guitar. Next would be bridge pins, which in my opinion is more aesthetic than anything else, and again not exclusive to Gibson acoustics, and also something that is not permanent and EASILY brought back to original if that's what's wanted. People also tend to remove the crappy UST's and replace them with something else, which most of the time is most certainly an upgrade. I put a Lyric in a J45 I had for a few years along with a bone but and saddle and coolant stop people from answering my ad when I was selling it. Also included the original pickup and original Tusq nut and saddle. My problem is when people start swapping out tuners and start drilling new holes or the old holes are visible, etc. That bothers me.

 

Not really sure where you're going wth the thread. You mention you aren't interested in the "tampered with" used Gibsons but also state that you wont "fucqe" with another new Gibson either. So where does leave you? What will you end up playing?

[jvi]

it leaves me playing a stock 2015 j 45, saddle a tad lower, the rest original,and my point is that I feel a lot of folks purchase new guitars and amps , change tuners, remove pickups, swap speakers , transformers etc then sell anyway.End result is messed with quality guitars and amps that will not ever be original again, and TO ME I now think,in most cases these "mods" could be avoided by just getting stuff thats the way you like it.Im not sayig this about anyone in particular.Skilled people (trained) obviously excluded.I refer to average players spending a couple grand or more on a nice guitar and thinking they can do better than gibson or matin, who both sell enough models that messing with mid to high end guitars and amps, I FEEL DEVALUES THEM , or worse, for no reason, and if I ever buy used I would DEFINETLY prefer stock,btw I have done some of these things over the years and now feel the way I do, J life is for learning...

[sbpark]

it leaves me playing a stock 2015 j 45, saddle a tad lower, the rest original,and my point is that I feel a lot of folks purchase new guitars and amps , change tuners, remove pickups, swap speakers , transformers etc then sell anyway.End result is messed with quality guitars and amps that will not ever be original again, and TO ME I now think,in most cases these "mods" could be avoided by just getting stuff thats the way you like it.Im not sayig this about anyone in particular.Skilled people (trained) obviously excluded.I refer to average players spending a couple grand or more on a nice guitar and thinking they can do better than gibson or matin, who both sell enough models that messing with mid to high end guitars and amps, I FEEL DEVALUES THEM , or worse, for no reason, and if I ever buy used I would DEFINETLY prefer stock,btw I have done some of these things over the years and now feel the way I do, J life is for learning...

 

ok.

[jvi]

ok

[58 Relic]

Since new in June 2015 I haven't had to change anything on my J45 . Me personally I would always buy a new Gibson anyway and I would make sure it was correct before leaving the store but that just me , I have never been interested or understood the vintage guitar market . However I do believe in letting the guitar go to an approved person for a service or set up when required

[sbpark]

Since new in June 2015 I haven't had to change anything on my J45 . Me personally I would always buy a new Gibson anyway and I would make sure it was correct before leaving the store but that just me , I have never been interested or understood the vintage guitar market . However I do believe in letting the guitar go to an approved person for a service or set up when required

 

I can't say I understand it, or am in financial shape to be able to afford anything truly vintage like an old pre-war Gibson, Martin, etc. but I have been lucky enough to play a few. While most of them have sounded incredible I have always asked myself, "do they really sound THAT incredible to warrant the prices they are asking?' Obviously that's a yes because there are some/many out there who fork over the cash. It's just like anything else. As long as the market exists for these products, and they're obviously not making any more of them, they'll command the insanely high prices.

[jvi]

true vintage guitars represent the epitome of the craft, built by masters of the finest materials in low numbers and are worth the price.Sadly we all cant afford it.I cant afford the best truck either..VG mag just had an article on the 30 most valuable instruments which gives not only values but also some insight, collectable guitars etc are a different matter, costly these days but look at a new aj , j45,or j 200, d 40 or stones tickets, costly as well- worth it ?? J

[Dotneck]

I FEEL DEVALUES THEM , or worse, for no reason, and if I ever buy used I would DEFINETLY prefer stock,btw I have done some of these things over the years and now feel the way I do, J life is for learning...

 

I don't mind buying a modified guitar. Depends on the individual guitar and the modification.

[slimt]

I myself dont mess with the guitars here.. to much money spent on these to be doing trial and error whatifs.. for that reason ..if I see a guitar I like on the sale sites.. thats one thing.. the luthiers can fix those.. But if I go to a store and try one.. it has to be nice.. which are far and few between.. especially up here..

 

its not worth the time of day changing out parts to think they sound better.

[OldCowboy]

Since new in June 2015 I haven't had to change anything on my J45 . Me personally I would always buy a new Gibson anyway and I would make sure it was correct before leaving the store but that just me , I have never been interested or understood the vintage guitar market . However I do believe in letting the guitar go to an approved person for a service or set up when required

I understand. The thing about the vintage market, well, you have a lot of different folks involved with it for specific reasons of their own. Some think of vintage instruments as a financial investment, some like the fact that vintage stuff tends to retain its value and will always sell

if the need arises, some are attracted by snob appeal, some are looking for a sound you can't duplicate with current production stuff, some are a mix of the above, and others defy classification. Personally, I see some degree of common sense operating within all motivations, though not in equal amounts. I also grasp the motives of folks who choose to adhere to buying exclusively new, though I don't necessarily share them. The nice thing about all of it, I believe, is that one way or another we can make ourselves happy, and - after all - isn't that the point? Within reason, modding a new instrument doesn't bother me at all. Then again, I haven't bought a new "keeper" since 1978😁

[Victory Pete]

I am not interested in Vintage guitars. I just had a 1957 Southern Jumbo pass through my shop. It was a friends of mine who sold it to another friend. (this could be trouble). Although it sounds really good, I prefer a guitar with no history at all to it. I want the history to be all mine. As far as Modding goes, I think the less done to a guitar the better. I have recently just put in new unbleached bone saddles and pins in my new Western Classic and D-42. I don't like the Waverly's on the Western Classic at all and will be swapping them out for some Grover Imperials, after all I see the Ray Whitley Western Classics have them, so it is as if I am not really changing anything to drastically.

[rct]

true vintage guitars represent the epitome of the craft, built by masters of the finest materials in low numbers and are worth the price...

 

I know man. I think the same thing every time I valet my Model T and go home to my 14" Quasar Colortron.

 

rct

[Boyd]

As far as Modding goes, I think the less done to a guitar the better

 

…except for the saddle, bridge pins and tuners!

[jvi]

I guess what I didnt say is that for folks who plan on keeping their guitar- mod away- if you may flip it, maybe leaving them alone would be best in the long run- preservation of the true form and all, again in the past i have "modded and sold" and in retrospect, because I didnt keep them I feel I fugged around a nice git for no good reason at some expense, nut and saddles aside.... J

[MissouriPicker]

Once I buy a guitar, about the only thing I ever change is the strings, and the battery if it needs one. If I don't like the sound and feel of the guitar, I won't buy it to begin with. .......I think "Vintage" guitars are for the folks who actually know what they are buying. These folks are not buying because of all the hype about "vintage" in guitar forums. They are buying because they know what they're looking for and recognize it when they see and hear it. They know an old guitar from one that falls into the vintage category. I know there are truly some awesome vintage instruments. There are also a lot of old (sold as vintage)instruments that have all the inherit issues of old instruments and they sound like crap....Personally, I think vintage instruments are over-priced, but that's just my view. Others no doubt really enjoy them and are willing to spend the bucks for what they feel is an excellent buy. It's all good.

[Boyd]

These folks are not buying because of all the hype about "vintage" in guitar forums. They are buying because they know what they're looking for and recognize it when they see and hear it.

 

Still not sure I know the difference between a "vintage" vs. "old" guitar, and don't especially care. I bought my 1965 J-50 because I sat down for awhile in a store, played it and compared it to other old and new guitars. For me, it stood out from the others. And the skinny neck on the guitars from that era is just perfect for me. Gibson doesn't make necks like that today. The current Gibson 1947 J-50 limited edition costs $4000. My 1965 cost half that much. I'm happy with what I've got. :)

[sparquelito]

I'm a bone-stock guitar guy.

 

I have no interest in modifying any guitar.

 

If it sounds inferior in any way during the 'checking it out prior to buying it' phase of the operation, then I don't buy it.

 

Tone is 90% in your hands anyway.

 

:)

[OldCowboy]

Everyone who cares one way or the other about vintage stuff has to find or formulate a definition of vintage that works for them. To me, vintage Gibson guitars have to be pre-1970. The Martin thing is similar. There are some nice, old Martin/Gibson guitars from the 1970's out there, but vintage? Nah. Guilds cut off at 1980. Then there's the nauseating parade of imported stuff that used to be available at K-Mart advertised as 'rare and vintage' on Reverb. Please. Age can't magically turn a POS guitar into a vintage gem. When a shiny new guitar can provide what I want, I'll buy the damn thing. If not, I won't. For the cost of 2 new guitars, there are still vintage items available, so I don't believe vintage instruments are beyond everyone's means. My 'beater' is a 2 year old Epiphone EJ-200 Artist. It does well for the purpose and keeps me happy when I need it. I seriously doubt that it will ever be legitimately vintage, though😢

[OldCowboy]

Still not sure I know the difference between a "vintage" vs. "old" guitar, and don't especially care. I bought my 1965 J-50 because I sat down for awhile in a store, played it and compared it to other old and new guitars. For me, it stood out from the others. And the skinny neck on the guitars from that era is just perfect for me. Gibson doesn't make necks like that today. The current Gibson 1947 J-50 limited edition costs $4000. My 1965 cost half that much. I'm happy with what I've got. :)

I know and share your happiness😁

[mz-s]

I have modified the tusq bridge pins with a slight bevel to make the strings a bit easier to install, and less likely to slip when tuning up to pitch after a change.

 

The only other mod I am considering on my new J-15 is a strap button on the heel.

 

Other than that, she's stock and will probably stay that way until the Tusq saddle/nut/pins wear out. Even using Gibson Masterbilt strings (although the PB flavor, not 80/20).

[Dave F]

I have no problem changing parts on a new guitar to make it more aesthetically to my liking. I've never had a problem selling a guitar I've swapped out tuners, saddles or bridge pins on since the originals are usually included if the buyer wants to put them back on. It's like getting a free upgrade. It's not like I've altered the guitar and do not even call these modding.

 

Practically every new guitar I buy needs the nut slots redone and the saddle set to my preference. Regardless of the saddle material, I always save the original and make a new bone saddle.

 

At my age, I'm not concerned with keeping a new guitar "original". That will be the next coming generations problem. There's so many variations of models nowadays, can you imagine the mess in 70 years when they try to analyze our guitars and which model it was?

 

Fixem' up as you likem' and playem'

 

 

 

[OldCowboy]

I have no problem changing parts on a new guitar to make it more aesthetically to my liking. I've never had a problem selling a guitar I've swapped out tuners, saddles or bridge pins on since the originals are usually included if the buyer wants to put them back on. It's like getting a free upgrade. It's not like I've altered the guitar and do not even call these modding.

 

Practically every new guitar I buy needs the nut slots redone and the saddle set to my preference. Regardless of the saddle material, I always save the original and make a new bone saddle.

 

At my age, I'm not concerned with keeping a new guitar "original". That will be the next coming generations problem. There's so many variations of models nowadays, can you imagine the mess in 70 years when they try to analyze our guitars and which model it was?

 

Fixem' up as you likem' and playem'

Age will do that - at least its done it to me. I can't generate much reverence for brand new guitars. If I want to change something, chances are good it's going to happen. And if I decide to off a newer guitar and someone has a problem with what I did, by definition it's their problem. A good share of my personal history has already happened, so the notion of my buying a virgin instrument to reflect my life's history only is patently absurd. I enjoy my instruments and whatever adds to my enjoyment is just fine.