Members golias Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 Most of us are gear tweakers on this site. I love a good "turd polishing" project as much as the rest of you, and like a lot of you I've bought many a guitar that was "perfect, except for..." My Hohner became a masterpiece after a pickup swap. A lot of you love your budget strats after putting a heavier trem block on, or locking down the bridge, or whatever. Tons of tele fans like to experiment with different saddles. And of course there are fun upgrades like graphtech/bone nuts, nicer tuners, various tremolo/vibrato systems, etc. But what is the CHEAPEST new guitar you ever bought that made you say "nope, not changing a single thing on it! Ever!" One that you haven't modified beyond a setup and maybe a string change since it came out of the box, and you'll never modify in any way for fear of removing the perfect mojo it has. As long as nothing breaks, it will still be in your collection and still be exactly the same on the day you die. For me, it's my Peavey JF2, which I snagged as NOS at a mom-and-pop for $300. The neck feels great, and the mini-humbuckers sound AMAZING. When I first got it, I was positive I was going to want a roller-bridge for it because of the Bigsby tailpiece, but the tuning is rock-solid with the regular TOM no matter how much I crank on the vibrato. It's perfect exactly as it is. I even love the color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ancient Mariner Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 I haven't found one yet: Heritage H150CM - changed out the lousy Duncan '59 pickups & gritty CTS pots, and would like to replace the schaller bridge/tailpiece if it didn't require surgery. JJ Goldtop - it's *almost* perfect and I haven't changed anything yet. BUT. I'm seriously thinking about replacing the Dimarzio mini humbuckers with a P90 or 2. Tokai Love Rock - has Burstbucker 1 & 2s in place of Tokai originals. They were fitted by a previous owner, so I've not modified it, but it also isn't standard and this is a change I'd have liked to make anyway. Godin xtSA - currently stock, but I'm itching to change out the over-hot and slightly muddy/bright standard pickups for something with some fatness and better string definition. I don't use it enough for it to have made me need to change it yet, but if it were to become a regular then I'd have to mod it. MIJ 80's strat - my closest to perfect guitar. There's just one change: the ceramic bridge PU has been replaced with a US standard strat pickup for a little more output (original was about 3.9K and too thin). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TomCray Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 My acoustic is my only guitar that hasn't had any mods, sans going from .11's to .10s. All my electrics to date had some mod done to it or another, that's around 10 or 12 electrics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tezmond Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 Probably my LP jr, I doubt I will ever do anything to that. I have cheaper axes, but I have a thing where I cant leave well enough alone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Annoying Twit Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 For me, it's my Peavey JF2, which I snagged as NOS at a mom-and-pop for $300. The neck feels great, and the mini-humbuckers sound AMAZING. When I first got it, I was positive I was going to want a roller-bridge for it because of the Bigsby tailpiece, but the tuning is rock-solid with the regular TOM no matter how much I crank on the vibrato. It's perfect exactly as it is. I even love the color. I'm guessing that this one isn't the colour that you have and love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members strtdv Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 I modded my American Standard Tele, so I guess maybe a Fender Custom Shop or a Suhr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brian Krashpad Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 I modded my American Standard Tele, so I guess maybe a Fender Custom Shop or a Suhr. What about "cheapest" was it that you didn't understand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Howard VA Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 When I bought my Fender FMT Tele, I thought I'd probably have to get better PU's, which I usually do with an inexpensive guitar. I love the HB PU's in this guitar, and have no intention of ever changing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members metalheadUK Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 Probably one of my MIK Squier Stratocasters...the CAR one. Bog stock, and I would change nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brian Krashpad Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 I have tons (tonnes for you Limeys) of guitars bought at or around the 1-Benjamin mark I won't change anything on. Then again, I'm not an inveterate modder like so many here. I don't buy something unless I like it as is. If it ain't broke I don't fix it. Here are some bought at right around a hundred bucks (some were $99, some up to a whopping $125) that I play, and will continue to play (unless something breaks) dead stock: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Annoying Twit Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 So far, all of my guitars. But that's only because I haven't got off my *rs* and done something about the minor niggles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members csm Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 My IKEA guitar (by which I mean my stripped 1983 Ibanez DT-150), which cost me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dimmypage Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 My OLP MM1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Beckman Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 The only thing I have ever upgraded, were strap locks. That was on a kramer in the 80's when I tried to swing the guitar around my body (ala Steve Via, etc), and it fell and broke the pointy head stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members caveman Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 For many years I played stock Strats and Teles. These days I improve everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members favata5 Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 so far my Squier classic vibe Tele wins in all areas. I tried swapping in a set of nocasters,which are awesome pickups ,but wound up soldering back in the originals because they sound that good!I cant find one reason to change a thing on this guitar I paid 250.00 for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members joseflovesyou Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 There is no such electric guitar that exists. I don't change things because it's better in an overall type of way, the things I change are for my preferences in a guitar. Most players would not like a guitar anything like mine, which means, no one makes it. There is not one guitar currently for sale in this world, that meets my needs, as is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members smorgdonkey Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 The only thing I have ever upgraded, were strap locks. That was on a kramer in the 80's when I tried to swing the guitar around my body (ala Steve Via, etc), and it fell and broke the pointy head stock. AAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!! Stone him!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bdegrande Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 Danelectro Hodad w/Bigsby type trem and Hodad bass were $99 each new when closed out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Virgman Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 I've never modded a guitar period. I have a Johnson JS-800 strat I bought for $20. Absolutely acceptable as is. I haven't bought a guitar yet that couldn't sound acceptable with just tweaking of tone knobs on either guitar or amp. Every guitar has a personality. Why would I want to make every guitar the same? Don't make sense to me. I have found some amps to be unacceptable however. They just stink. The amp has a lot more to do with tone than the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members strtdv Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 What about "cheapest" was it that you didn't understand? I understood. I was using the argument that an American Standard tele isn't a cheap guitar, but I had to mod it to get it how I like it, so it would probably need to be another step or two above that for me to not need to mod it to meet my needs. I've modded any guitar that I havent sold. If I'm going to avoid modding it it's going to need to be something pretty special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ermghoti II Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 This guy. I bought it intending to gut it. In fact, I ordered pickups for it at the same time. Haven't touched a thing on it but strings and a setup. It's at least equal to my Lite Ash Tele, but with a US-sized neck (yay!), and the heavier-feeling poly (boo!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brian Krashpad Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 Danelectro Hodad w/Bigsby type trem and Hodad bass were $99 each new when closed out. Shoot, srsly? Iirc I paid $250 used for my Bigsby'd Hodad. It was worth every penny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brian Krashpad Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 I've never modded a guitar period.I have a Johnson JS-800 strat I bought for $20. Absolutely acceptable as is.I haven't bought a guitar yet that couldn't sound acceptable with just tweaking of tone knobs on either guitar or amp.Every guitar has a personality. Why would I want to make every guitar the same? Don't make sense to me. Man after my own heart. I will never understand this fetish about tinkering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flummox Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 Squier CV Tele. It's remarkably good at being exactly what it is. It'd be silly to try to turn it into something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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