Does anyone else prefer to keep their guitars stock?

[Lightning Boy]

I know I'm weird but I prefer to keep my guitars stock. The few times I've made modifications, I regretted them shortly after. I always buy new rather than used- mostly because I got tired of being burned by the jacked-up guitars people unload on unsuspecting buyers but also because it's pretty difficult to find a used guitar that hasn't been modded.

Anyone else like this or am I the lone weirdo?

 

[SinSir]

Full on tweaker here.. make it my own and play it like I stole it.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

If one of my guitars is left stock… it’s for sale.

 

[SinSir]

If one of my guitars is left stock… it’s for sale.

That's the biggest hassle of selling a guitar.. returning it to stock

 

[Greywolf]

I keep all the purchased ones stock , as I can build any hot rods I chose .

 

[deepender]

I know I'm weird but I prefer to keep my guitars stock. The few times I've made modifications, I regretted them shortly after. I always buy new rather than used- mostly because I got tired of being burned by the jacked-up guitars people unload on unsuspecting buyers but also because it's pretty difficult to find a used guitar that hasn't been modded.

Anyone else like this or am I the lone weirdo?

Depends on the guitar.
I have bought several guitars with the intention to modify. But I also have two that will never see modifications. One is a Guild Pilot Pro 5 bass. They stopped making them and they are very nice quirky basses with a bit of a cult following. The other is a Ken Smith Black Tiger bass, which is perfect as is.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I'm an occasional pickup swapper (but pretty rarelely), and I generally prefer to have locking tuners if the guitar doesn't already, but its always a crapshoot whether I will make that change or not lol. So overall mostly stock

 

[opnoob]

My core models generally stay unmodified (although I changed just the tuning buttons on my PS). My SE are fair game. That said, in the world of guitar, I find that outright "upgrades" are few and far between, especially for pick ups. A lot of times we view things are upgrades just to justify the price we paid for it, but most of the time its just different rather than better. I would say the best and easiest clear upgrade would be solid locking tuners.

 

[FragileThunder]

Mostly stock except for the cosmetics, and nothing that couldn't be easily returned to stock state if desired. But never say never...

 

[garrett]

I never mod guitars.

 

[bodia]

Depends on the guitar, and what the mod is. I'm all for it.

 

[DISTORT6]

I live on the edge. Tunings, strings, and TRCs get changed.
And the occasional bridge.

 

[Juan Luis Vidal]

Once I buy my guitars they stay stock for a very long time. I like to get to know them and push them to the limit. And only then, maybe years later, it's when I may consider swapping pickups, pots or some other minor modifications, always looking for some more edge in the sound dynamics. And I never change anything cosmetics related.
I always keep the original parts, just in case I need to revert the changes for selling it...but I have never sold any guitar, so...

 

[Going Modal]

Depends for me. Mostly I do like them stock if possible--including those strap buttons that y'all hate--but I'll take some liberties with the less-collectable/valuable ones when the time is right.

For instance, the Modern Eagle and/or the Westie--I ain't touching them. But a random Custom 22 or McCarty with less-significant resale value... sure, I'll try some new pickups or whatever.

 

[Alessandro]

As much as I love prs guitars there isn’t really a single one that ticks all the boxes for me stock so I always have to do some sort of modification. Usually means I have to mod the electronics to get 2 volume pots (customs and silver skies).

Dream guitar that would never ever be modded: private stock hollow body 24 with tremolo bridge and 594 control layout

 

[shinksma]

I have made changes, cosmetic only, to exactly one PRS guitar (heck, one guitar ever, IIRC): my 2014 SE Zach Myers Spalted Maple top that looked really good in black pup rings and switch tip, and with pup covers.

Everything else (other than a couple TRC swaps, one to return to the correct stock TRC) is as I got it. And that is pure stock, AFAIK, except in one singular case: my Core Santana signature has EVH Wolfgang pickups (and sounds really good, btw) installed by a previous owner. There may be changes made to pre-owned guitars I have, but I'm not aware of them and otherwise assume they are stock.

About 1/3 of my guitars were acquired bland new - the rest are pre-owned acquisitions.

I don't swap pickups. I don't replace electronics, except when they fail (I did put a new pup selector switch in a Godin Freeway).

I don't know why, but I'd rather use the guitar as-created and explore what makes it different vs swapping out pups to make it sound just like every other guitar I have.

Maybe I just don't trust my own soldering skills and I'm too cheap to take it to someone else to modify.

Oh, I just remembered one other guitar I had modified - my Norman acoustic came without any kind of pickup, so I had a piezo pickup installed under the bridge.

And now that my memory is working, I installed a pickup in a mandolin myself (K&K type, drilled out the end pin), and added an adhesive-type pickup to a mandola (which works remarkably well).

 

[JasonE]

I am kind of in both camps. Most of my guitars are stock. I do have a few that If I had left them stock, I probably would have sold them. My modifications are always easily reversed. I have done a few pickup swaps and some wiring changes and a few tuner button changes. The pickup changes I have done took the guitars from something I really like the feel of but didn't like the tone of to something I won't ever sell so they were worth it to me. I still have the stock pickups and would put them back in if I were to sell the guitars. They would be just like they were when I bought them. I tend to buy new more than used but I am not afraid of a used guitar in like new condition.

 

[deathworlder]

I know I'm weird but I prefer to keep my guitars stock. The few times I've made modifications, I regretted them shortly after. I always buy new rather than used- mostly because I got tired of being burned by the jacked-up guitars people unload on unsuspecting buyers but also because it's pretty difficult to find a used guitar that hasn't been modded.

Anyone else like this or am I the lone weirdo?

What mods did you regret?

 

[SinSir]

Westie--I ain't touching

Proof of perfection

@Max Headroom

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

To each their own…