Does anyone else prefer to keep their guitars stock?

[MistaSnowman]

Usually, I would swap out pickups and change the tuners to locking tuners. However, with the current batch of guitars I own, I plan on keeping all the tuners as stock while changing the pickups on the McCartys only. I’ve always wanted to try out the Tremonti pickups and they will be going in McCarty Singlecuts (the doublecut will be getting the Tremonti neck pickup and a \m/ bridge).

 

[Markcarl]

Most of my guitars are stock. But if there’s something that bugs me or that I think will make the guitar work better for me, then I’ll change it.

I’ve put transducers in my wood acoustic guitars. I’m getting the pickups changed in my old Les Paul. I just got a bone nut replaced with a synthetic nut in a core DGT. I put locking tuners in an SE DGT.

One factor I consider when buying a new guitar is how close its stock configuration is to what I want. As I‘ve gotten older I think I know more about what I want in a guitar.

I’m hesitant to buy an electric guitar if I know I don’t like the pickups. This happened recently. I came close to buying an Ernie Ball Sabre in a Cobra Burst finish. That guitar is simply stunning! I ended up not getting the guitar because it comes with hot pickups that I knew I’d want to change. The guitar was expensive enough to begin with, but I probably would‘ve spent a significant amount extra putting in pickups I like. I ended up getting a PRS Studio instead. The latter guitar‘s pickups suit my playing style better and I have no regrets. I’m sure I would’ve bought the music man if it came with PAF style pickups.

All my recent acoustic guitar purchases have been for carbon fiber guitars. These guitars all came with built in pickups. Some even have built in tuners! I love the simplicity and low maintenance of carbon fiber guitars. I still have wood acoustic guitars but I can’t see myself getting any more. I’m spoiled by the low maintenance and great sound of my carbon fiber guitars.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Everything is made better by Amber Lampshades.

 

[Prina]

So far have modded the PRS imports (pickups, electronics, tuners, TRC) but kept the USA ones stock (though might change the pups on the S2 which are imports themselves).

Cores are awfully good stock and I haven't noticed possible mods that would make a significant improvement.

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

So far have modded the PRS imports (pickups, electronics, tuners, TRC) but kept the USA ones stock (though might change the pups on the S2 which are imports themselves).

Cores are awfully good stock and I haven't noticed possible mods that would make a significant improvement.

It’s totally subjective. I’ve changed pickups in pretty much every core I’ve had and the end result 98% of the time trumps stock for me.

 

[Tonart]

I would like to mod my Paul’s Guitar but Paul won’t sell me any loose narrow 408 pickups.

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

I would like to mod my Paul’s Guitar but Paul won’t sell me any loose narrow 408 pickups.

Need to get back in the Time Machine to 2019 when Dave’s was selling a bunch of them

 

[Tonart]

Need to get back in the Time Machine to 2019 when Dave’s was selling a bunch of them

That’s nice. They really should sell loose narrows at least for replacement, even if pickups hardly get damaged. Was just trying to be silly on my original post.

 

[aamefford]

So far, I keep them stock. I would switch to locking tuners if a guitar didn’t have them stock.

 

[markd21]

The more expensive the instrument the less I mod it. I expect higher priced guitars to provide me what I need as-is. As guitars get more affordable, I expect to modify/upgrade the guitar to bring it to pro specs.

 

[Andrew Paul]

Yeah, I’ve done so many things over the years between changing pickups, pickup rings, volume and tone knobs, split pots, tuners, custom TRC’s and back plates, damn, I’ve even had a West street limited refinished I guess you could say whatever floats my boat at the time!!

 

[Andrew Paul]

The SE 245, yes.



The Santana, no

Ohhhh there’s that Santana again…

Drrroooooooooooooooolllllllllll

 

[John F]

All my core / PS PRS are stock except for they all have strap locks. My new SAS SE has locking tuners, a Mann bridge, Bourns pots, a push-push pot, and a 6 position Free-way switch. Ironically, the strap buttons on the SE are staying.

 

[loupart]

I have never modified any electric guitar. I buy it cheap & keep it stock.

Once I lived dangerously & put pickup covers on a set of stock pickups.

But I've changed tuning heads & added pickups to acoustic guitars.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Ohhhh there’s that Santana again…

Drrroooooooooooooooolllllllllll

That guitar looks like a million dollars

 

[Alnus Rubra]

That guitar looks like a million dollars

It plays like it too, thanks to you and JB for the encouragement.