15 minute guitar mods

[gardo]

I like quick and easy, so show me some 15 minute (more or less) guitar mods.

My XV 900 has 4 wire pickups , so a coil tap was pretty easy. A piece of good double face tape attached a small switch to the pick guard. I used the neck pickup and like the result.

 

 

 

I haven't been posting much these days because my computer died and I haven' replaced it yet.

[WRGKMC]

I'd be worried about that switch digging into the finish? I'd glue some felt on the bottom side of that switch to pad it from the finish.

 

In my experience, double sided tape doesn't last very long. The glue melts over a short time.

 

Do you have plans for a permanent solution or is this A temporary test? Making one tone pot a master tone, then using the second pot as a variable tap is a good choice. Turn the pot in one direction, tap one coil, turn it in the other tap the other. You can get allot of tonal variety that way vs using a hard switch.

[gardo]

I'd be worried about that switch digging into the finish? I'd glue some felt on the bottom side of that switch to pad it from the finish.

 

In my experience, double sided tape doesn't last very long. The glue melts over a short time.

 

Do you have plans for a permanent solution or is this A temporary test? Making one tone pot a master tone, then using the second pot as a variable tap is a good choice. Turn the pot in one direction, tap one coil, turn it in the other tap the other. You can get allot of tonal variety that way vs using a hard switch.

 

I used high quality tape not the cheap stuff,,it will last for a long time.. It's a plastic switch so it won't dig into the finish and even it it does make a rub mark ,who cares? It's under the pickguard on an el cheapo guitar.

I converted my hss Strat to a master tone and variable tap and it does work great but I like having 2 tone controls on this one .

 

Show me some quickie mods

 

I changed the knobs from amber to black / silver , that's another quickie mod

[onelife]

You could flip one of your pickups around - a la Peter Green - which changes the polarity of the magnet with respect to the other pickup.

 

The effect is subtle but certainly worth a try considering it should only take 15 minutes (or less) to do.

 

[WRGKMC]

I've done this before and it doesn't make any discernible difference in tone to me. The pickups are still in phase with each other so the rotation makes no changes to the tone. Even when using the height screws when flipped makes such a small difference its pretty much a waste of time.

 

You'd think by swapping them around the pole adjusters would make a difference, but that coil is in series with the other and the signal is a 50/50 combination of the two. Other then the fact one has adjustable poles the coils are identical. When you swap them around the other coil is still detecting the string where the poles just were, so again, it doesn't make any discernible difference in tone. Maybe if you raised the poles really high, but even there, I've tried it and get no recognizable differences.

 

You can have issues with the cables getting pinched under the pickup too when running it across the cavity to the other side too.

[WRGKMC]

I really cant think of many quick mods worth doing. I do add strap buttons to many of my guitars. A Les Paul has on the horn. This presses the guitar tight to your chest and makes it difficult to get to the higher frets. I put a second strap button where the neck joins the body. When you wear the guitar it makes it easy to get to the highest frets. You have less wrist strain playing chords too.

 

On a strat you can install a second button on the neck plate. You simply use a screw that's a 1/2 longer and run it through the strap button before going through the plate into the neck. You can also use any of the screws and get a slightly different feel when playing. Having the button on the horn pulls the guitar right making the higher frets tougher to get too.

[onelife]

It does change the combined magnetic field that the pickup coils sit in and, as you say, the difference is subtle and most profound when blending the outputs of the two pickups - but it takes a discerning ear to appreciate.

 

It takes a clean Peter Green style tone and it's kind of like BB King using the Varitone.

 

I still think it's with a try in the spirit of 15 minute guitar mods and it's just as easy to undo.

[wankdeplank]

I'm mostly known around here for my tone path mods. Changed out the trem block on a few MIM Strats I've owned to very good effect (still have two of them), but that takes over an hour by the time you put the bridge back on and intonate. Another mod I like a lot is changing out cheap plastic nuts with tusq or graphite. I've done this on most of my electrics (including my 89 MIA Strat and two MIA Hamers) and wouldn't bother if I didn't hear a discernible difference in tone and sustain up the board. This is actually a quick and easy mod now that they have pre-cut precision made nuts, but generally takes me close to an hour (I'm a perfectionist) to get it right.

 

For quick and easy, replace the plastic bridge pins on your acoustic to bone or tusq, or replace your saddle to bone or tusq. Quick and easy and adds some dynamic range and complexity to the tone IMO.

[gardo]

I had the bridge Pup flipped for a while to make it less harsh.

When I went to chrome strings I changed it back. Another reason I like quickies

[gardo]

I went with a Tusq saddle on my acoustic. I tried Tusq pins as well but felt they had too much "ping"

one or the other but not both.But that's just my taste.

Bridge pins do make a difference

I've had a bone nut for my Tele laying around for a couple years,,just never got around to trying it

[DeepEnd]

After I bought my Schecter, I flipped the TOM bridge around to make it easier to access the saddle adjustment screws. The screw heads were facing the pickup and now they face the tailpiece. Dunno how the bridge was facing when the guitar was new but it made a difference for me and it was much easier to set the intonation. I also put the knobs on so that the retaining screws face me when the pots are on full. It provides a visual reference to get the same settings reliably. I did the same thing when I still had a Strat copy and positioned the knobs so that the "10" was facing me when the pot was full on and the "0" when it was off.

 

. . . I haven't been posting much these days because my computer died and I haven' replaced it yet.

If you're interested, I bought one of these last week: http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/365952/Lenovo-H50-Desktop-Computer-With-4th/. It was reasonably cheap and fairly capable. So far, it's running fine. Looks like the OfficeMax in York has one in stock.

[gardo]

.... I also put the knobs on so that the retaining screws face me when the pots are on full. It provides a visual reference to get the same settings reliably. I did the same thing when I still had a Strat copy and positioned the knobs so that the "10" was facing me when the pot was full on and the "0" when it was off.

 

 

If you're interested, I bought one of these last week: http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/365952/Lenovo-H50-Desktop-Computer-With-4th/. It was reasonably cheap and fairly capable. So far, it's running fine. Looks like the OfficeMax in York has one in stock.

 

I have the knobs on my Tele set with the screws the same way.and the 1 -10 the same on the others

I showed my IT adviser (Mrs Gardo ) the computer ,shes' checking it out.Thanks

[Freeman Keller]

Some of the best things you can do are the easiest.

 

- try different strings. Different composition, different gauge, coating or not. Particularly on an acoustic but experiment on your electric too.

 

- have your guitar properly set up (or do it yourself). Nothing better than a sweet playing instrument

 

- try a different tuning. Altered or open, there are ton of good ones. Break the end off a wine bottle and slip it over your pinkie - slide on in.

 

- put the pick away and play some fingerstyle. Or if you normally finger pick grab a plectrum.

 

- take a lesson. Take a lesson out of your normal comfort zone. Study some theory. Practice some scales.

 

- turn your amp dead clean and explore the subtle nuances of your guitar's sound. Pick attack, fretting finger pressure, palm dampening - find out what your guitar is capable of doing.

[gardo]

Some of the best things you can do are the easiest.

 

- try different strings. Different composition, different gauge, coating or not. Particularly on an acoustic but experiment on your electric too.

 

- have your guitar properly set up (or do it yourself). Nothing better than a sweet playing instrument

 

- try a different tuning. Altered or open, there are ton of good ones. Break the end off a wine bottle and slip it over your pinkie - slide on in.

 

- put the pick away and play some fingerstyle. Or if you normally finger pick grab a plectrum.

 

- take a lesson. Take a lesson out of your normal comfort zone. Study some theory. Practice some scales.

 

- turn your amp dead clean and explore the subtle nuances of your guitar's sound. Pick attack, fretting finger pressure, palm dampening - find out what your guitar is capable of doing.

 

- Strings, always trying something new 'til I get it right

 

-Set up ,normally do it myself unless there is a real issue with something. Every string change includes a good cleaning and checking the set up

 

-Tuning- Tried some different open ,drop D and Nashville tuning but prefer standard

 

-I never used a pick before I played electric ,now I pick most of the time but not always

 

- Lessons? are you crazy? I do get some theory when I take my daughter to her lessons but not guitar theory

 

- Amp settings Clean is what I'm all about. The drive channel is rarely used but I'm working on it

[DeepEnd]

- have your guitar properly set up (or do it yourself). Nothing better than a sweet playing instrument . . .

When I first bought my Schecter, the pickups were weak and "meh" sounding. Raising the pickups helped immensely.

 

- try a different tuning. Altered or open' date=' there are ton of good ones. Break the end off a wine bottle and slip it over your pinkie - slide on in. . . .[/quote']

The folks over in Acoustic Guitars are aware that I've had an Alvarez RD10 beater tuned in what is essentially Nashville tuning dropped to A for a while: http://www.harmonycentral.com/forum/forum/guitar/acapella-42/31548395-ntd-new-tuning-day-rant. I find it to be an interesting variation. Playing is a matter of transposing in my head (i.e., an "E" shape is actually an A chord, an "A" shape is really a D chord, etc.) so it helps keep me sharp.

 

- turn your amp dead clean and explore the subtle nuances of your guitar's sound. Pick attack' date=' fretting finger pressure, palm dampening - find out what your guitar is capable of doing.[/quote']

I know what my amp is capable of doing. I play my electric when I want an "electric" sound, which usually means using a bit of drive. If I want a clean sound, I'll normally play my acoustic.

[gardo]

When I first bought my Schecter, the pickups were weak and "meh" sounding. Raising the pickups helped immensely.

.

 

There's a 15 minute mod,, change the pickup height

[gardo]

Blocking the trem on a Strat is another popular 15 min. mod

not one I care for but still popular

 

Or shortening and/or bending the trem arm

I like this one

[Into Nation]

Blocking the trem on a Strat is another popular 15 min. mod

not one I care for but still popular

 

Or shortening and/or bending the trem arm

I like this one

 

Take off the back plate, crank the trem screws a few times in till bridge is flush with body and test that a bend/open note doesn't take the open note flat. 15 glorious minutes for me because that's how I like strats...

[Grant Harding]

I've had good results messing with individual pole piece height, giving a bit more punch to the 3rd and 2nd strings on a guitar that needed more beef.

[1001gear]

Treble bleed .

.001 cap and 150 K resistor in a series / parallel / bypass configuration. Gives two tapers plus normal.

 

 

[billybilly]

In a strat, switch the middle and neck pickups around.

 

position 1 is bridge

position 2 is bridge and neck no hum

position 3 is neck

position 4 is neck and middle no hum

position 5 is middle

 

Just something fun to try.

[wankdeplank]

Yeah but it takes me fifteen minutes just to get past the strings and hood let alone soldering.(doh)

[wankdeplank]

OK, this is the total s%#t. Maybe the coolest easy mod I ever did. Course I got crucified by the purist crowd when I actually did the deed and posted about it (apparently there's a right way and a wrong way to do this stuff and the easy way is never the right way). What would you rather do, spend three hours fishing all the electronics out of your cheap jazz box or fifteen with the cheat system?

 

[video=youtube;4nvqFKqE3Bk]

 

I just changed out the neck pickup on my Carlos Robelli 335 with an SD 59 I had laying around from a US Hamer I'd put some boutique PAFs into. I couldn't be happier with the results as the bridge was total R&R from the gitgo (just wanted a little more warmth in the neck) and the middle position came out amazing as well.

[gardo]

I know what my amp is capable of doing. I play my electric when I want an "electric" sound, which usually means using a bit of drive. If I want a clean sound, I'll normally play my acoustic.

 

Here's a theory based on the "too loud "thread. I think the average non-guitarist thinks of amp sound the same way they think of a standard radio. If the radio is turned too loud the sound breaks up. Maybe they think your amp is "breaking up " because it's too loud and turning it down will clean it up. Could it be that what they are really asking for is a cleaner tone ?

[billybilly]

No soldering, just switch pickups. It can be done in 15, I back you