Modifying Your Guitar - Pros and Cons with Angus Clark

Today I'll be discussing the pros and cons of modifying your guitar!

[mikedamisch]

Love this! I'm all about modding my guitars.

[druwk]

My craziest mod adventure was building a Partscaster Tele Deluxe, and then replacing the neck, tuners, bridge (didn’t like), pickups, pick guard and then body, new bridge, pickup wiring…but I really like the “new” guitar! 😂

[GraniteSoundtrack]

Some of what Angus said about tinkering with stuff instead of practicing, recording, etc., or even just living life, is something to think about. I built a warmoth strat, and it’s great. I built it because I could get a higher spec (on paper) for less this way. But the amount of time I spent dialing that in vs. time missed practicing, playing with others, or even doing other things in life made me begin to question. Then a friend gifted me her few-year-old, completely stock MIJ Tele, and I was in love without turning a screw or anything, which made me realize I need to use my noggin before I just jump all over the tinkering game. There are pros and cons.

[stopbeingbusy]

Modding or as my wife would say ‘tinkering’ is fun. Saved so much money over the years by being able to install pickups, change wiring looms, pots and tuners myself. Ha, I didn’t need to change them, but why not if you can 😊

You just have to remember to practice as well 😂

[BoostedAkatsukiRiffs]

Love seeing you post more! Goodluck on the way to 40K!!

Have a good one jeff

[gsbguitarsgsb]

I got into modding my guitars years and years ago. At first I had other people doing things that I figured out a bit later that I could accomplish better and cheaper than what I was shelling out to less experienced techs. So unless I need a refret I do my own pickup changes wiring tuner changes or whatever else I gotta have that’s trending in my world. lol…
Great episode you guys covered some good stuff. Take care. 🎸🤓🌎☮️🥓

[TommySG]

Selling gear has become a pita, Reverb, EBay, Marketplace etc… are infested with scammers sadly. I really hope they find a way to remedy all this ridiculousness one of these days, I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way either.
Love your channel and courses I’ve checked out on TrueFire as well Jeff 🤙
Thanks.

[GraniteSoundtrack]

Thanks for another great discussion. I really like Angus. He’s a great guitarist but he’s also like the “everyman’s guitarist” in the way he approaches gear.

[TommySG]

@Jeff,
Completely agree regarding the Gibson tuners. The worst ones are the ones which come equipped with their Specials, the vintage styled ones with the plastic knobs specifically. I don’t know who is making them for Gibson although they’re trash. The ratio is very low ( guessing they are 16:1 or even lower than 16, not sure exactly ), I swapped them out for the 19:1 locking Kluson’s and they made such a huge difference 🤙
Regarding Fender’s I’ve wound up selling both of my American Professionals and just went with custom orders I placed via Warmoth. This allowed me to not only use the hardware I prefer but it it also allowed me to order a solid rosewood neck in Gibson scale as well for a more slinky feel. If you’re good with a spray gun, this also allows you to use Nitro paint so it’ll age nicely as well.
I realize some specific Fenders do indeed come with a nitro finish however those are fewer and further apart and also typically more expensive platforms as well.
If that’s not enough, now you also choose your fret radius and frets as well, fret heights, widths, and stainless as well too. Painting bolt on necks is also easier than spraying an entire guitar with a set neck as well. With all this being said ( Sorry for the long winded comment lol ) for roughly $1, 500 to $2, 000 you can option yourself out a Warmoth which would cost you far more via Fender or other makes, for me it’s a win/win.

[stevenpipes]

I can't afford to go buy new guitars. Without tinkering i wouldn't have a cool collection. But used guitars plus a passion for mods and building can equal an awsome collection of excellent instruments. Tinkering also allows you to get guitars that they just don't make new.
For instance i did a Squire. Its got a Tele neck pickup and Strat middle and bridge. Its wired like a Tele, neck and bridge on a three position switch, and the middle swells on and off on its own volume. Then the other two knobs are master volume and tone for the whole mix. Where are you gonna find that from the factory. Add to that a Graphtech nut, saddles and retainers. A brass trem block, and some hipshot open gear locking tuners, now youve got an incredible instrument for less than 400 bucks! Tinkering is the only way to go in my book!

[ijahtom]

Making a guitar to my individual specs was the best idea compared to complete Store guitars that don't fit my hands. A guitar could be Like a pair of shoes. Not everyone has size 42 (8) Im very Happy with my so called partscaster. Well wishings and all the best furthermore 👍🏻.

[aminahmed]

What a fantastic video have a wonderful day Jeff also Monday is Thanksgiving in Canada 😊❤