Question modding/customizing

[bovinehost]

I know I'm new here, but have been a member of that OTHER bass forum for some time - and it has conditioned me to pretty much never post a comment (thus my count here is small - and I prefer to learn rather than teach). So I hope this post is not received as being ill-willed.

-Matt

Good to see you here, Matt. I can't imagine anyone having any sort of reaction to your post other than, "Yeah, why not?"

Jack

 

[MadMatt]

I have a 200$ offshore made bass that is the subject of my "modding" desires, including, most recently, defretting. I replaced the crappy active electronics with a good passive Les Paul wired configuration, Upgraded the pickups to Delanos, replaced the bridge with an ETS and reshaped the headstock. I've actually managed to improve the sound of it during the whole process, (taking it from bad to better ) but my 25th simply blows it away. Thats why leave it the way it was meant to be.

I can recommend heavily modding a cheap base to everyone. Its been great fun and has taught me a lot. The biggest thing my tinkering has taught me though is respect for what Big Poppa and his amazing team do every day.

-Matt

 

[keko]

I would maybe change the PG one day on my Sterling and that's all folks!

 

[danny-79]

All Ive done to mine is play around swapping pick guards about, put strap locks on them both and theres a Hipshot on the one of them but apart from that thats it, there great just how they are factory fresh

 

[five7]

The only basses I have modified were P.O.S. to start with and needed it. I would never think of moding a Musicman! And changing pickguards or knobs or painting, that's not mods.

 

[strummer]

The most radical mod I’ve ever done to my EBMM basses is have them built in reverse! Everything is backwards!!! Call me crazy!

Chuck, don't forget Jewel, that qualifies as a mod for sure.

 

[Aussie Mark]

I've changed a pickguard here and there, and I've been known to put on a neck plate etched with a 50's style pinup girl.

 

[Basscake]

right.

Schaller Straplocks are part of my standard assimilation programm.

As well as a personal setup.
Turning every screw and every nut in every direction until everything is exactly as before.
I could skip that of course, but to me it just wouldn't be the same.

 

[Manfloozy]

I stumbled upon a Bass Mute for sale, and I put it on the Bongo next.

I've seriously been considering this for the Bongo. I am very hesitant though... not because of resale value (cause she ain't getting sold) but because of the feeling like I am defiling the Mona Lisa or something. Seriously.... she might have looked better blond... but it still feels wrong. I know the two sided tape adhesive method "should" be ok... and Goo Gone does wonders... but still. DO I make it mine... or do I respect the piece of art? Its not like Da Vinci is going to make another if I change my mind.... and being left with a bad dye job (aka screw holes or adhesive marks) will probably mess with my OCD a bit too much.

... and the fretless got a Brazillian.

I love the metaphor.


Up to this point though... EB Super Locks, thats it... oh yeah... and I love those by the way!

 

[Bassmedic14]

Pick guard maybe, on a MM, But on my other basses I have changed out tuners and pickups and bridges. But if I buy a bass its usually set up how I like it already. Cosmetic stuff usually only, maybe strings.

 

[mmbassplayer]

I usually keep a selection of pickguards around to change out as i see fit. All of my basses have EBMM straplocks. That is about all i do. I keep a beater bass in the house for all of my tinkering needs. Also thinking about an OLP Stingray 8 string project soon but that is as close to modding a Stingray i would go. JOSH

 

[syciprider]

But really the best way to vary the look of your Music Man is to get more of them

 

[Bassmedic14]

But really the best way to vary the look of your Music Man is to get more of them

Thats the perfect idea!

 

[RaginRog]

The only thing I do to my EBMM basses is add SCH------ strap locks....And maybe a pickguard change or D-tuner.

Every Fen--- bass I've ever owned always got pickups, and maybe a bridge...they don't sound good to me stocl...probably why the make so many aftermarket parts for them.

 

[RaginRog]

This isn't the first time I've heard of sending them back to the factory for headstock matching or even repaints.

Last week there was a guy on TB selling an '07 StingRay he says he shipped it back to the factory to have the neck gloss finished. I hit the roof when I heard that one, because I prefer gloss necks. But I've been too busy to investigate this any further.

A few years back I sent back the H p/u from my Sterling HS, because I wanted the standard pickup cover on it, rather than the sloped edge.

 

[RaginRog]

(aka screw holes or adhesive marks) will probably mess with my OCD a bit too much.

I sold a Jazz bass once, because I couldn't get over the two holes left by a chrome bridge cover....lol

 

[kevins]

im putting the same mod bassmonkee put on his bass, except im going to use the sticky tape on the back of it rather than screwing the things in there. if i ever wanna sell the thing pull the tape off and im set but i love my trans teal too much. mutes are damn cool and sound great, its a shame they're not on 3eqs anymore . i played on a classic and thought "damn, thats the one slight thing that would bring my sound from great to perfect" so rather than selling my beloved bass and saving up for a classic, im buying a set of mutes for 100 or so dollars that have the option to click on and off rather than screw in


i threw the white pickup covers on it. those just look damn classy on a green bass

 

[keko]

I would maybe change the PG one day on my Sterling and that's all folks!

Sorry guys, but I must "quote" myself because I lied , well not about the PG.

I mean, I'm preparing to do some mods but I don't wanna insult, or hurt some people from EBMM company!

I'm gonna do some modding/customizing stuff according the rewiring of coils over the 5 position switch on my Sterling HS! (already opened one Thread about that, but now decided about slight different mods)
So, in good spirit I don't wanna talk about it right now, right here!
When time comes (and if) You'll be informed on this forum for sure about that matter!
(of course with blessing from above)

P.S. ...I'm waiting warranty to expires, I contacted already one of EBMM engineers over the e-mail, but no answers yet..., please check Your e-mail boxes people

 

[bassmonkeee]

I've seriously been considering this for the Bongo. I am very hesitant though... not because of resale value (cause she ain't getting sold) but because of the feeling like I am defiling the Mona Lisa or something. Seriously.... she might have looked better blond... but it still feels wrong. I know the two sided tape adhesive method "should" be ok... and Goo Gone does wonders... but still. DO I make it mine... or do I respect the piece of art? Its not like Da Vinci is going to make another if I change my mind.... and being left with a bad dye job (aka screw holes or adhesive marks) will probably mess with my OCD a bit too much.

The only thing that you'd need to modify is the pickguard. Honestly, I don't get the "respect the piece of art" thing. A bass is a tool. Making a non-permanent change to get the SOUND that you want from a musical instrument seems perfectly acceptable to me (obviously). It's no different than using roundwounds on a fretless if that is the sound that you are going for even if that means a fretboard planing in the future.

As I've always said, if I never drove my car, I wouldn't have to replace the tires. But, that defeats the purpose. Just like not getting the sound you want out of a bass because you don't want to change anything. The "art" of the Bongo will survive. And, the screwholes aren't necessary. The tape works fine. In my case, the Mute was used when I got it, so it had already been attached to someone else's bass before I got it. Then, I moved it between 2-3 basses before it ended up on the one it's lived on ever since. So, the adhesive had become less sticky. Also, I already had some holes on the Bongo from when I had a Roland GK-3B pickup on there. So, I wasn't concerned about the additional screwholes.



The only modification that is necessary is cutting the bottom off of the pickguard to make room for the mute. I'm planning on taking some pictures when I get home today of all the various pickguards I've accumulated for the Bongo since I have to mutilate them as soon as they arrive.

 

[Vintage7]

I changed the nut on my SR to a brass one.
Why I did it I don't remember, it was over 30 years ago.