How much to spend on mods?

[bigjohn]

[quote name='Bigwan' post='220616' date='Jun 17 2008, 02:37 PM']It's like my old boss used to say "There's no point polishing a turd..."

My point is, if you like the bass and plan on keeping it for a while then go ahead and mod it until your hearts content, but only if it's a worthwhile mod. If you're modding it trying to make it into something else you've seen/played/lusted after then you may be wasting your money needlessly.

I spent over the odds tarting up an old Aria Pro II 5 string with a new bridge, Bart pickups, then EMG pickups and circuit. Spent way more than the bass cost me. In the end it wasn't much better than when it started. It's the bass I learned to play on, and it's never going anywhere, but it's still a plank after all the mods.

For the money you're talking about spending you could sell the bass, add the extra and have something better (into Lakland Skyline territory there). This is all very subjective though. In the end it's your bass and nobody's going to call you a mug if you want to spoil it a little. I wouldn't class a change of strings as an upgrade though...[/quote]


A MIM Fender isn't a turd. I polished one of mine and it came up all shiny...

[Jono Bolton]

I'm lucky, my MIM Jazz was an 18th birthday pressie a few years ago so I feel obliged to keep hold of it, but I lucked out and got an absolute belter! Very good quality and well put together, even if it's not the colour I wanted. I only had a wee issue with the neck pocket, but it's no biggie.
Anyway, so far I've stuck a Seymour Duncan SJB-3 in the neck and put a Badass II on it at a total cost of about £70. I'll probably stick another pickup in the bridge at some point, but that means for just over £100 or so, I've made an already good bass better, and since I'd never sell it for sentimental reasons, I'm glad I'm "stuck" with a good bass as opposed to a pig.
I think with Mexican basses the QC is pretty hit and miss, and some folk'll find a belter and some folk'll find firewood. I reckon modding a Mexican Fender is a good project, but it's worthwhile taking the time to find a decent starting point, not just grabbing the first one that turns up on ebay.

[bigjohn]

[quote name='jono b' post='220833' date='Jun 17 2008, 06:50 PM']I'm lucky, my MIM Jazz was an 18th birthday pressie a few years ago so I feel obliged to keep hold of it, but I lucked out and got an absolute belter! Very good quality and well put together, even if it's not the colour I wanted. I only had a wee issue with the neck pocket, but it's no biggie.
Anyway, so far I've stuck a Seymour Duncan SJB-3 in the neck and put a Badass II on it at a total cost of about £70. I'll probably stick another pickup in the bridge at some point, but that means for just over £100 or so, I've made an already good bass better, and since I'd never sell it for sentimental reasons, I'm glad I'm "stuck" with a good bass as opposed to a pig.
I think with Mexican basses the QC is pretty hit and miss, and some folk'll find a belter and some folk'll find firewood. I reckon modding a Mexican Fender is a good project, but it's worthwhile taking the time to find a decent starting point, not just grabbing the first one that turns up on ebay.[/quote]

Some are belters. The modded one I bought just to take the neck off. I did that and put it on another bass. Neck is mint (as was the rest of the bass after a wipe). Would have paid £70-£80 just for the neck. As it is I paid £170 for the whole bass and had it in bits (unsentimental like) in about 20 mins. Was a nice bass - but I wanted a p bass neck for my lovely MIM p bass special. The neck fits a treat on that. Was left with I spare body I now love. And few people can say that. I've been putting it back together since.