Guitar mods

[Tim Plains]

Well, we had a thread about guitars you'd never modify - have we had one about guitars you have modified?

List your mods, if you want, anything but strap locks.

 

Me...

 

LP Custom - CTS pots, Luxe Grey Tiger caps, Throbak SLE-101 LTDs, historic type pickup rings.

LP Traditional - CTS pots, Luxe Grey Tiger caps, Wolfetone Marshallheads, Faber ABR-1 & '59 tailpiece.

LP R8 - CTS pots, Luxe Bumblebee caps, Wolfetone Dr Vs.

PRS 513 - Tremol-no.

[Riffster]

American Stratocaster - Mannmade bridge/tremolo assembly, vintage tuners, nickel hardware.

 

Gibson Explorer - 500K CTS pots, 1 Volume/2 Tone, Mojo caps, pickup covers, witch hat knobs.

 

Gibson LPVM - Orange drop caps, reflector knobs.

 

Squier 51 - GFS humbucker, Lace Sensor Chrome Dome, Mighty Mite bridge, added tone knob and 3 way switch.

[duane v]

2009 Joan Jett MM

1983 Gibson stamped Kahler Trem

1974 Gibson Humbucker (bridge pup)

1977 Melody Maker pup rewound by Curtis Novak (neck pup)

1974 Gibson stamped tuners

bone nut.

 

2008 Gibson Satin LPJ

1974 ABR1 bridge

1973 Aluminum tailpiece

1976 Schaller tuners

Charlie Christian neck pup (vintagevibeguitars)

1974 Switch-craft pup selector switch.

 

2009 Gibson Worn Brown SG

1981 Dimarzio SuperD (bridge)

1972 Gibson pup (rewound by Curtis Novak) (neck)

Waffleback tuners

Aluminum tailpiece

Harmonica style bridge

 

1980 Gibson LPC

Super Jumbo fretwire

Scalloped fretboard.

 

1984 Kramer Barretta

Full EVH 5150 mod

[duane v]

I forgot one

 

2003 Epiphone JL REV Casino

Changed her name to Yoko

[BigKahune]

'65 Melody Maker - Heavily modded. Two 1970s Gibson minihumbuckers bridge/neck. A 1970s super DiMarzio creme. Two Gibson three way switches. Gibson tone and volume pots.

 

'07 Epi LP Ultra II - Les Trem and Schaller roller bridge.

 

'08 LP Push Tone (GOTM 5/08) - Les Trem and Schaller roller bridge.

 

'08 Gibson SJ-200 - Bob Colosi bone saddle and bone bridge pins with tortoise inlays.

[Silenced Fred]

I turned the pickup switch on my LP 90 degrees...

 

Got replacement bridge pins for my acoustic....

 

Sanded down the crap on my Strat....

 

Does that count?

[djroge1]

'78 Les Paul

 

Neck pup: Dimarzio Air Classic

Bridge pup: Dimarzio Hot PAF

 

Jimmy Page wiring: Vol pots control split coils.

Tone pot: both pups in either series or parallel with each other

Tone pot: Puts the pups in/out of phase with each other

Orange drop caps

Tone Pros Bridge & tail

gold pup covers

black speed knobs.

[Andre S]

2008 LP Studio:

Faux Binding added

RS guitarworks pots and caps

Plastic change

Aged Pickup Covers and pointers added

Straplocks

[MojoRedFoot]

Oh wow....I'll only talk aboot the ones in my posession as I recently sold one that was heavily modded.

 

Gibson Explorer: EMG 81/60 pups, new pots, aluminum diamond plate PG, black Sperzels, Schaller strap locks (moved upper strap button from back next to neck), black dome knobs.

 

MIJ Fender Jaguar: Schaller strap locks, TOM style bridge, Fender Red Lace Sensor in bridge.

 

I did not mod my 1989 Fender strat plus but the person before me did: LSR roller nut and swapped all Fender Lace Sensor golds for a gold-silver-blue combo.

 

LTD EC-256: chrome Sperzel lockingf tuners, SD Pearly Gates in neck and SD Dimebucker in bridge, chromo pup rings, Schaller strap locks and chrome dome knobs.

 

LTD Black Truckster, LTD FM400, ESP Eclipse Semi Acoustic, and 2001 Fender American Std Strat all changed to Schaller strap locks.

[MojoRedFoot]

Had a double Red and single Blue Lace sensors in my Tele; sounded damn nice.

I'll bet. I'm hoping to get my hands on one of those Teles....they are hard to come by and carry a hefty price

[MojoRedFoot]

Had a double Red and single Blue Lace sensors in my Tele; sounded damn nice.

I'll bet. I'm hoping to get my hands on one of those Teles....they are hard to come by and carry a hefty price

[surfpup]

This is tough, Tim - going off of memory here. I swap pups, pots, knobs and caps pretty often.

 

2005 Les Paul Standard faded: replacement pots and caps (RS guitarworks kit w/Luxe reissue bumblebees), unpolished nickel pickup covers, aged bell knobs, pickguard removed, nickel jack plate, new TRC inscribed with "Big Joe" for my father in law who left me the guitar. His picture is inside the control cavity too.

 

2007 Les Paul Classic goldtop: Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates pickups, replacement pots and caps (RS guitarworks kit w/Luxe reissue bumblebees), nickel jack plate, pickguard removed, speed knobs.

 

1987 Fender Japan Stratocaster: 90's Mexican neck, Sperzel locking tuners, CTS pots, Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro Strat pickups, about the third or fourth switch, tortoise shell pickguard, paper in oil cap but I cant' remember which one is in there now.

 

1986 Fender Japan 62 reissue Telecaster: GFS 62 Tele pups, full copper shielding, paper in oil cap. (At one point I modded this guitar for three pickup "Nashville" style, but have since returned it to stock).

 

1998 Fender American Standard Stratoaster: GFS 70s grey bottom pickups, pearl pickguard, CTS pots, new switch, black knobs and switch tip, paper in oil cap (again can't remember which one I stuck in there). This one os fixin to get some Sperzel locking tuners!

 

I don't really mod my acoustics (beyond sanding or shimming a bridge to adjust string height) and my other electric is a "frankenstrat" I put together myself.

 

Doh, straplocks of course - of the Dunlop variety. I don't think of Straplocks as really a "mod" -- though I guess they are.

[sparky scott 29]

Do a pair of vise grips and duct tape count???

[duane v]

Do a pair of vise grips and duct tape count???

 

As long as it prevents the dreaded "death shock," I'm all for it.

[surfpup]

Do a pair of vise grips and duct tape count???

 

That kinda depends on what you do with them.

[jnastynebr]

2007 Gibson Les Paul Standard (maple neck):

-gold Grover locking tuners 18:1 gear ratio (had to drill )

-500k audio taper pots for both bridge and neck tone

-500k audio taper pot for neck volume (left the bridge at 300k)

-.022 PIO capacitors for neck and bridge

-custom alnico II zebra humbucker installed in neck position

-Seymour Duncan alnico II "Pearly Gates" installed at the bridge position

 

Actually just finished the 2 year gradual mod process last week, and could not be happier.

[sparky scott 29]

As long as it prevents the dreaded "death shock," I'm all for it.

 

Stops the hum while standing in water...

That kinda depends on what you do with them.

 

Being creative.. If I told ya, I would have to..... Well you get the point..

[chewy60]

lp classic- a pair of emg 81s, tonepros bridge and tailpiece, graphtech graphite saddles, neutrik locking jack, dimarzio medium jumbo frets, bone nut, sperzel tuners

[damian]

Would you all be so kind since you know how to mod so well, to give advice on the best way(s) to start studying mod stuff properly.......You are all knowedgable modders........Thankyou.......

 

And Sparky Scott, is there a particular brand of 'mod' tape which works better than others; Gibson 'duct' tape is overpriced and the R1, R2, R3, R8 and R9 Gibson reissue 'duct' tape are beyond my budget....The Fender 'duck' tape sounds thin and singlecoilee......Should I go with American pliers, or would Epis work ???

 

[thumbup] :-k

[Bender 4 Life]

'68 Univox Thinline Deluxe Rosewood (fancy "Coily")......glued moveable bridge in place, installed Gibson Deluxe tuners.

'71 Electra "Tree of Life" SG....DiMarzio dist. humbucker in the bridge spot.

'07 Mexi-Tele....Kent Armstrong hot twinblade in the bridge, B7 Bigsby & roller bridge set, pearlized p/g.

'08 SX SJM'57......replaced P-90s w/GFS "Little Crunchy" Ceramic Mini Hums, upgraded pots(alpha) wiring, switch(craft),input(s/c). (definitely my "most improved" guitar tone)

'08 Epi. Sheraton II.....installed 18/1 Grover Super rotos w/Imperial buttons.

'09 Epi '56 GT RI....upgraded all electronics except p'ups, upgrading p'ups soon(GFS Alnico minis), 18/1 Super Rotos (std. buttons).

Soon to upgrade: '07 Gibby Fly-V Ebony....nickel p'up covers & pearlized or black/white paisley p/g

My other Gibsons/Fenders....no mods, fine as they are.

 

Considering adding "treble bleed" caps to a few of my guits...if I likee, then i'll do most (or all) of them.

[cabba2203]

1981 Gibson Flying-V

Totally refinished to salvage previous owner's spray can nightmare

Custom cut steel pickguard & truss cover

Black Grovers

Black Gotoh TM Bridge

Black Schaller fine tuning tail

Black Alloy knobs

Graphite Nut

Switchcraft Toggle & Jack

EMG Zakk Wylde set/pots

Rear battery box

Black Schaller strap locks

 

1991 Gibson SG Jr. Reissue

Previous owner had replaced the P90 with a Gibson humbucker

I swapped that for a Black Gibson Tony Iommi signature pickup.

Swapped the black pickguard for a custom mirror pickguard

Schaller chrome plated brass truss cover

Black Schaller strap locks

 

2006 Gibson SG Std

Schaller chrome plated brass truss cover

custom cut steel pickguard

Schaller chrome plated brass toggle switch ring and switch cap

Platinum Grover tuners from a Gibson Platinum SG Special

Platinum knobs from a Gibson Platinum SG Special

neck pickup is the stock Gibson

bridge pickup is a chrome Gibson Tony Iommi signature

Black Schaller strap locks

[Notes_Norton]

I've only done one mod in my life.

 

I took a cheap ($250 list) LTD/EC-50 (LP Clone) that I got for a deal I couldn't refuse and

1. Changed the overwound humbuckers to P90s (they sounded good but were inappropriate for the kind of music I play)
   
2. Rewired it for 1 vol and 1 tone control (it had 2 vol controls)
   
3. Added a Big D Varitone
   
4. Did some cosmetic changes, like adding my band's logo to it
   

 

Before:

 

After:

 

It was my first mod, and it has become my go-to guitar for gigging (at least until I get the new Parker that I'm gassing for). I got a feeling of accomplishment when I was done, and I turned something that wasn't usable on my gigs to a real gem.

 

Notes ♫

[chewy60]

Would you all be so kind since you know how to mod so well, to give advice on the best way(s) to start studying mod stuff properly.......You are all knowedgable modders........Thankyou.......

 

And Sparky Scott, is there a particular brand of 'mod' tape which works better than others; Gibson 'duct' tape is overpriced and the R1, R2, R3, R8 and R9 Gibson reissue 'duct' tape are beyond my budget....The Fender 'duck' tape sounds thin and singlecoilee......Should I go with American pliers, or would Epis work ???

 

[thumbup] :-k

 

 

i don't know jack about doing mods. when something goes wrong with my guitar, i just go to the shop and get it fixed. they suggest hardware based on my concerns and my playing style. there's a good one in the neck of your woods called 'the twelfth fret' on se belmont and 24th. they're really friendly, knowledgable, and do a great job at repairing/modding....

[sparky scott 29]

Would you all be so kind since you know how to mod so well, to give advice on the best way(s) to start studying mod stuff properly.......You are all knowedgable modders........Thankyou.......

 

And Sparky Scott, is there a particular brand of 'mod' tape which works better than others; Gibson 'duct' tape is overpriced and the R1, R2, R3, R8 and R9 Gibson reissue 'duct' tape are beyond my budget....The Fender 'duck' tape sounds thin and singlecoilee......Should I go with American pliers, or would Epis work ???

 

[thumbup] :-k

 

Naw, Ya gotta use Fender M.I.M. duct tape!!

That works the best!!