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Modding is a BIG part of the fun. I do it with my guitars, amps, truck, watches and computers. Case in point, my Casio AE1200. Typically plastic case, band and crystal. Now a metal case, hardened bracelet with milled clasp and mineral crystal. I also modified the circuit for flash alerts and double the length of time for alarms.
Originally Posted by jazzloverfat
Agreed, i just don't get this madness with modding/ upgrading stuff out of the box. If something breaks, or has a defect, sure go for it. Otherwise big
. Just buy the right piece of gear in the first place.
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06-24-2025 08:56 PM
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How does it sound? Originally Posted by Alder Statesman
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A little less loud than when it was stock. Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
Some of my music mods:
My Fender SuperSonic I upgraded all the tubes including a JAN 5971 in V1, Eminence speaker GA-SC64, upgraded the patch cable for the reverb tank, and kick back legs. Sounds amazingly superb smooth and hint of touch sensitive dirt. It is versatile: jazz, rock, twangy country or blues
P90 with Broadcaster 3-way switch in my American Deluxe Tele. Best blues guitar I ever owned.
I know, a lot of guitarists would rather play than work on the gear, but my dad raised me to be an engineer. We never played ball, but I could solder at age five.
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...but also it makes sense just to ask for opinions in a forum?
Ll.
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All’s weld that ends weld Originally Posted by Alder Statesman
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That's kind of brazin' thing to say. Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
All’s weld that ends weld
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I understand You, but I guess there is no off-the-shelf gear for some of us. Originally Posted by jazzloverfat
Agreed, i just don't get this madness with modding/ upgrading stuff out of the box. If something breaks, or has a defect, sure go for it. Otherwise big. Just buy the right piece of gear in the first place.
I have always modded or built my instruments and amps. Often I have had doubts is it just insane, a symptom of stress or being bored or something. But then I met a guitarist colleague who had made his speaker cab himself, and when I presented him my DIY combo he said, that ”nice to meet a fellow bricoleur!”
When this symptom (an aptitude to shape the world as one wishes) has a french name it does not feel like a disease but more like an attitude to life! A philosophy!
After building two simple tube amps I have learned that there is tens of possibilities to shape the sound. From the capacitance values, transformers, extra circuits, tubes, speakers etc etc.
Some options are used by turning the knobs, others by changing the parts. I don’t see difference in between them. Some players change the strings to feel good when playing, some change pickups and bridges too. Nothing mad in there.
The gear is just the starting point to one’s self expression, just like a song is a starting point for a jazz guitarist!Last edited by Herbie; 06-25-2025 at 06:57 AM.
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But it keeps things in flux. Originally Posted by DawgBone
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100% agree, caveat: speakers in amps and pickups in guitars. Easily swappable, not really a "mod", more of a preference. Originally Posted by jazzloverfat
Agreed, i just don't get this madness with modding/ upgrading stuff out of the box. If something breaks, or has a defect, sure go for it. Otherwise big. Just buy the right piece of gear in the first place.
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One builds and mods amps because it is fun and interesting. Some of us enjoy doing that stuff. And, it’s a fine pleasure when you gig somewhere, and the guitarist for the other band asks to use your amp, and after the gig he asks 1) where you bought the amp; and 2) will I build one for him?
But if you’re not into it, don’t travel that road, because it is fraught with dangers and frustrations.
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Don't get me wrong, there is a place for modding and as someone who always custom builds their desktop PCs (built my first when I was 11) I completely get the fun of it. I used to build Lego MOCs all the time too. Oh, and I did take things apart to see how they work (got electrocuted too a few times, cuz as a kid I had no notion of safety other than maybe unplugging stuff
). I also broke many Casios and Swatches because I was curious to see what's inside or because I had nothing better to do.
As I got better quality things I came to appreciate well made products and I did my best to keep them in one piece. I'd never take apart my Tudor or any of the other watches I own - and believe me, the nagging curiosity is there to see the HEV up close. I did however mod my H150... took the pick-guard off
I fully agree with speaker swaps cuz that is one of the most noticeable and easy to make changes in a setup. It is the more "invasive" stuff I find questionable.
Building your own or building a DIY kit is a different story imo because you more or less start from scratch. You hand-pick your components and build to your desired specs, much like a desktop PC. But buying a perfectly fine amp, or guitar or pedal and then looking at doing heavy modding when so many artists use stock models just fine is a questionable approach to me. The other thing is, DIYing takes time and music is a demanding hobby to begin with, so if you can do both well enough good on you. I just want my tools to be inspiring and keep me wanting to play; that and trying to be wise with my spending :P
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When I was younger, with better eyesight and soldering skills, I would buy cheap broken Fender Tube amps and rebuild them with Hoffman turret boards and whatever components were needed.
There were/are plenty of broken old Fender Tube amps you can buy cheaply that can be used for rebuild projects.
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I think this kind of decision requires some self-evaluation.
Is this a person who could, say, play a no-name copy and be satisfied? Or is this a person would would always have a nagging wish for the real thing - no matter how good the substitute actually was? I think most people fall into the latter category.
My impression of sound is that it's so subjective that I can be horrified at the beginning of the first set and delighted in the second set -- without changing anything.
So, during the first set, I'm going to think, "this copy sucks" and GAS for the real thing. And, during the second set, that feeling will probably persist, even if it shouldn't. And, if I did a bunch of mods to the copy, it wouldn't change anything.
But, the real thing may be out of reach financially. In which case, I'd do the mod if it was cheap enough and set my sights on the real thing. While waiting, my tastes would probably change and I'd be pining for something else.
The heart wants what it wants. This decision is maybe more psychology than engineering.
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This reminds me of an old joke: Apparently, when Mr. Harley of Harley-Davidson fame died, he went to heaven. Upon meeting God, Mr. Harley told God that being an engineer, He had a bone to pick with God about how God "engineered" the human female. God asked what his complaint was. Mr. Harley replied "you put the intake and the exhaust too close to one another" God replied "That may be so Mr. Harley, but more men ride my creation than they do yours" Originally Posted by rpjazzguitar
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I think the people at Fender and Hiwatt who designed my amps knew they were doing. I work with the sounds they intended their designs to make. I make no changes to their creations.
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But, because of amp mods, the amp manufacturers changed some of the designs of amps over the years to reflect these common mods. Originally Posted by Litterick
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But once the designers and engineers finalize their creations (with input from critical users), the cost accountants and management team massage the designs, materials, component lists, and construction methods until they have a product they think will meet their sales target at a production cost that yields the desired profit margin. They do everything possible to make the buyer think he or she is getting the best that amp (or any other product) can be. Except for top quality goods from cost-no-object builders, it’s not. Originally Posted by Litterick
I have no problem with this as long as the compromises are clear. Compare the visually identical PRRI and Custom Shop PR for a clear and dramatic example of this. The PRRI is $1600 and the CS version is $3200. Buying the PRRI gets you what it gets you, and that’s fine. But it’s like the man said the first time he saw a ballet - if they wanted tall girls, they should have hired tall girls.
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