Modders, why so much change?

[gush]

Personally, looking at it from the "outside", I feel like modding is a completely different obsession that is separate from the music itself. It is like the idea of perfection is unobtainable, therefore, there MUST continue to be things done to make changes (notice I said "changes" and not necessarily "improvements"). I have literally seen people guitar shopping that are looking at a guitar, and before even making a purchase, going over all the mods they are going to do, without actually ever touching the guitar itself.

Me, I am just the opposite. I have often saw a guitar that I might have liked, but noticed that is wasn't left stock, and passed on the purchase because I somehow felt that I wasn't buying what Fender or PRS or Gibson or Schecter or even Epiphone put out. (Even if the mods were, from just about everyone's opinions, UPGRADES to the original hardware) Again....I know I am in the minority on this. But I think modding is not always improving. I think people just get stuck in a circle of needing to change things to feel complete. And what kills me, is after they make all the mods and adjustments, when I hear them play, they still------JUST SOUND LIKE THEM! And without maybe an A/B video, I couldn't even tell from what they sounded like that was any different.

For me, it's more about what if these pickups make it the holy grail?

Or....these rosewood PU rings will make it look badass.

Or......that mann one piece trem might give it more singing qualities.

I put a mann trem on my cu24 and loved the results. I had just got my ce24 back from PTC getting a refret and setup and thought that it'd be foolish to mess with it after a PTC setup........I couldn't resist.

I bought a mann trem and put it on anyway. It took me a couple months to talk myself out of leaving it alone.

It's that "what if"?

 

[Hearos]

The best reason is money. It's a lot cheaper to mod a guitar than to have one custom made. I'm left handed so that also enters into it. A limited selection leads to mods.

 

[garrett]

I am particular and uncompromising about what I want from an instrument. Some guitars come close, but they always end up needing some tweaks. Plus, it's just fun. I like the design aspect, experimenting, learning, and making something my own.

 

[Rusty Chops]

I guess I’m just always chasing the dragon I heard when I plugged it in at the shop where I bought it.

Sometimes I’ve even bought the same amp as at the shop.

Other times I just need to change the batteries in my hearing aids.

I’ve modded plenty of guitars, but that’s fallen off quite a bit in the last 15-20 years. If it sounded good when I bought it, I figure it’s still in there somewhere.

 

[Herr Squid]

Like OP touched on, I think a lot of people enjoy and take pride in "improving" on things they own. Said things could be guitars, motorcycles, cars, houses, you name it. I put that word in quotes because certainly some people are better at it than others. Me, I learned fairly early on that "improving" guitars myself often made a good thing... less good. These days I mostly buy guitars that I love as-is and change the one thing (strap buttons) that come stock that I can't live with. That said 35 years into the guitar-playing game, I did a pickup swap on an old Ibanez that I was positive would be an improvement, and... nah. Bad move. I haven't fixed it yet.

 

[Coop]

Personally, looking at it from the "outside", I feel like modding is a completely different obsession that is separate from the music itself. It is like the idea of perfection is unobtainable, therefore, there MUST continue to be things done to make changes (notice I said "changes" and not necessarily "improvements"). I have literally seen people guitar shopping that are looking at a guitar, and before even making a purchase, going over all the mods they are going to do, without actually ever touching the guitar itself.

Me, I am just the opposite. I have often saw a guitar that I might have liked, but noticed that is wasn't left stock, and passed on the purchase because I somehow felt that I wasn't buying what Fender or PRS or Gibson or Schecter or even Epiphone put out. (Even if the mods were, from just about everyone's opinions, UPGRADES to the original hardware) Again....I know I am in the minority on this. But I think modding is not always improving. I think people just get stuck in a circle of needing to change things to feel complete. And what kills me, is after they make all the mods and adjustments, when I hear them play, they still------JUST SOUND LIKE THEM! And without maybe an A/B video, I couldn't even tell from what they sounded like that was any different.

For some people it might be an obsession. That's certainly not true for everyone. I know what I'm looking for in a guitar and am typically not trying to reinvent the wheel. My S2 Standard 24, for example, was really close for me. The bridge pickup lacked a bit of clarity and I don't like neck humbuckers (even split it wasn't quite right). I'm not going to find exactly what I want at the price point I'm willing to pay and I'm okay with that. I'll get 90% of the way there and mod a bit.

 

[shinksma]

I, personally, have modded exactly one of my PRSi, in a very small way: my SE ZM, where I put pickup covers on the pups, and swapped the pickup rings and toggle switch from white to black.

A few of my PRSi have been modded from factory, but not by me, and in mostly subtle ways. My P245SH has "faux bone" (I assume) tuning pegs on it - @bodia swapped them out. My JA-15 has the volume/tone wiring modded to "Gibson wiring", and IIRC the tuners were swapped out to ebony. And my Santana came with non-factory (and non-PRS) pups. I think that's it. I haven't even swapped out any TRCs!

I suppose re-installing a factory nut to replace the non-ideally cut bone nut on my Spruce HB counts as a reverse mod?

 

[László]

This may seem like a tangent, but I’m going to try to pull it together...

Back in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, you bought a really nice car like an Alfa or BMW, it was great, but still “needed” a few special touches, so the first thing I’d do would be change the shift knob, put a wood Nardi steering wheel on, put some Bilstein shocks on it, a stress bar, maybe some 3-piece BBS wheels and P7s...then it’d be rad.

At some point, other than the Bilsteins, all the good stuff started coming on the cars. You couldn’t really change out the steering wheel, because there were electronic controls all over it; the shift knobs were finally designed with the details in mind; the good wheels and tires were offered in packages. It became kind of pointless to mod them, they were already rad right out of the gate.

I think that’s kinda happened with guitars; they’re actually fantastic right out of the box - especially PRSes. Before the 5x/0x pickups, I did want to change a few out, but now? Even the pickups are perfect. And the PS and Core models I have are more than perfect - I can’t think of a thing that can be done to really improve any of these guitars!

So I don’t mod them any more. Not that I wouldn’t; I just can’t think of anything I’d want to mod, except the cases are a bit on the heavy side.

 

[Rider1260]

I usually just buy another guitar at present only 1 of my PRS was modded by me, ( Mira pickups in my SCT and a Freeway switch ) and it was modded before I got it.
I only have one PRS without PRS pickups ( The CU22 I got from CRGTR )
Don't mind working on other folks stuff hate working on my own stuff

 

[danktat]

This may seem like a tangent, but I’m going to try to pull it together...

Back in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, you bought a really nice car like an Alfa or BMW, it was great, but still “needed” a few special touches, so the first thing I’d do would be change the shift knob, put a wood Nardi steering wheel on, put some Bilstein shocks on it, a stress bar, maybe some 3-piece BBS wheels and P7s...then it’d be rad.

At some point, other than the Bilsteins, all the good stuff started coming on the cars. You couldn’t really change out the steering wheel, because there were electronic controls all over it; the shift knobs were finally designed with the details in mind; the good wheels and tires were offered in packages. It became kind of pointless to mod them, they were already rad right out of the gate.

I think that’s kinda happened with guitars; they’re actually fantastic right out of the box - especially PRSes. Before the 5x/0x pickups, I did want to change a few out, but now? Even the pickups are perfect. And the PS and Core models I have are more than perfect - I can’t think of a thing that can be done to really improve any of these guitars!

So I don’t mod them any more. Not that I wouldn’t; I just can’t think of anything I’d want to mod, except the cases are a bit on the heavy side.

Oh, I certainly get it. I mentioned that it is not just guitar players that get into modifying their stuff. I know more people who do it than don't do it. I just never understood taking a great guitar, and trying to change the sound of it to sound like something else (that isn't that guitar). And not only are there numerous mods, but they are always the SAME few mods it seems. If I hear "Pearly Gates" or "Bare Knuckles" or "Jazz Bridge" one more time I think I am going to scream......lol.....Now, I did mention before, that if you bought an Epiphone les paul because that was what you could afford, and wanted to put some burst buckers in it because what you really wanted was the Gibson Les Paul, so instead of paying the 2500 bucks for the Gibson, you paid 400 for the Epi and threw another 180 into it and got pretty close to what you wanted but couldn't afford. That I get. But if you are buying a real Gibson, or PRS, or American Fender, etc......I would think that the reason you chose to invest in that level of guitar was that it was already what you wanted. But that is just me.

 

[László]

But if you are buying a real Gibson, or PRS, or American Fender, etc......I would think that the reason you chose to invest in that level of guitar was that it was already what you wanted. But that is just me.

Oh, I’m you now. I just wasn’t you 25 years ago.

 

[Rusty Chops]

Koni’s, not Bilsteins.

And an Abarth, and Webers, and a key fob (5 extra HP), driving gloves, and fog lamps...

 

[danktat]

Oh, I’m you now. I just wasn’t you 25 years ago.

There are also "signature" models that are basically a guitar that is produced to the specs of whoever's name is on it. Which is almost always the MODS that they were making [or would have made] to the stock originals anyway. So you'd get a DGT or a Clapton Strat....etc........

 

[László]

Koni’s, not Bilsteins.

And an Abarth, and Webers, and a key fob (5 extra HP), driving gloves, and fog lamps...

I was a Bilstein guy. You know, BMWs and all. But yes on the other stuff! I used to get a new pair of the Jim Clark driving gloves and a key fob with every new car, and always the fog lamps. I was big on fog lamps.

My modded wheels in 1985...

 

[Rusty Chops]

I was a Bilstein guy. You know, BMWs and all. But yes on the other stuff! I used to get a new pair of the Jim Clark driving gloves and a key fob with every new car, and always the fog lamps. I was big on fog lamps.

My modded wheels in 1985...

Nice!
Definitely not how I envision Detroit these days!
I forget the name of those fog and driving lights. I had an off brand (Kinby?). One fog, and one that was like an aircraft landing light that really lit up the night (and roadside reflectors on highways for MILES)!
I finally rolled my ‘66 Volvo, but saved the lights and put them on my ‘66 International Harvester.

 

[drdoom8793]

For me, it's more of a case where I like *almost* everything about a guitar, but it isn't perfect. I'm super picky about the feel of a guitar, so when I find one that just feels right, I usually jump on it. For example, my '03 CE24 has an awesome worn-in feel, but I wasn't a big fan of the stock pickups in it. I've been using some SD pickups for a while and had been mostly happy with them, until I got my 2015 SC245. That guitar took it to a new level with the 58/15 pickups. So much so that I'm about to put a set of 85/15s in my CE.

 

[László]

Nice!
Definitely not how I envision Detroit these days!
I forget the name of those fog and driving lights. I had an off brand (Kinby?). One fog, and one that was like an aircraft landing light that really lit up the night (and roadside reflectors on highways for MILES)!
I finally rolled my ‘66 Volvo, but saved the lights and put them on my ‘66 International Harvester.

I think I started out with Lucas (Prince of Darkness) on my early cars, but moved to Hella on my later ones. No idea what was on the BMW, it was an aftermarket kit from (I think) Hartge, who also made some of the under-hood mods that were done.

I never had the pleasure of rolling a car, but I did race that BMW on the track. Once I won a trophy. Most of the time I was a lot slower than the other guys. What can ya do. <shrug>

Detroit’s a great place. I kid around about it a lot. I hate the winters, but the rest of the year, I’m good with it.

 

[Rusty Chops]

I think I started out with Lucas (Prince of Darkness) on my early cars, but moved to Hella on my later ones. No idea what was on the BMW, it was an aftermarket kit from (I think) Hartge, who also made some of the under-hood mods that were done.

I never had the pleasure of rolling a car, but I did race that BMW on the track. Once I won a trophy. Most of the time I was a lot slower than the other guys. What can ya do. <shrug>

Detroit’s a great place. I kid around about it a lot. I hate the winters, but the rest of the year, I’m good with it.

Carello was the brand of driving lights I was trying to remember.

A Volvo 122, like most Volvo cars, tended to be a bit top heavy. That, combined with worn bushings on the transverse bar on the (live) rear axle, led to a very typical overcorrection one Winter when I was bombing around Cape Cod. Lost control, got caught. Went upside down.

You wouldn’t believe how much dirt lives under your floor mats (cough cough).

Spent time in Sheboygan Wisconsin, Bay City MIchigan, Chicago etc. But only drove through Detroit once on a sunny Summer day in about 1972.
Looked like home to me (Schenectady NY/Boston MA). I never considered home to be much of a going concern...

 

[László]

Carello was the brand of driving lights I was trying to remember.

A Volvo 122, like most Volvo cars, tended to be a bit top heavy. That, combined with worn bushings on the transverse bar on the (live) rear axle, led to a very typical overcorrection one Winter when I was bombing around Cape Cod. Lost control, got caught. Went upside down.

You wouldn’t believe how much dirt lives under your floor mats (cough cough).

Spent time in Sheboygan Wisconsin, Bay City MIchigan, Chicago etc. But only drove through Detroit once on a sunny Summer day in about 1972.
Looked like home to me (Schenectady NY/Boston MA). I never considered home to be much of a going concern...

I spent the entire summer of 1972 traveling with two buddies throughout Colorado and California in a van with a large Grateful Dead sticker on the hood, our 3 Martin guitars, and a German Shepherd. Sorry I missed ya!

The German Shepherd taught me to yodel.

“Yodeling is Swiss.”

“OK, then he must’ve picked it up in Switzerland on the way to the USA. How many shepherds do you know, anyhow?”

 

[alantig]

How many shepherds do you know, anyhow?”

No idea. Every time I try to count them, I fall asleep.