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Upgrading stuff, be it guns, guitars, cars, etc...only adds value if the purchaser wants the SAME stuff you do, and even then...you're going to take a bath.

If it's a permanent mod, you're pretty much going to eat it.

Keep the original parts and swap 'em back in.

rfurtkamp wrote:Upgrading stuff, be it guns, guitars, cars, etc...only adds value if the purchaser wants the SAME stuff you do, and even then...you're going to take a bath.

If it's a permanent mod, you're pretty much going to eat it.

Keep the original parts and swap 'em back in.

kinda what I was getting at,
putting a $100 pickup into a guitar doesn't add $100 to the price
The second you add the pickup it depreciates.
People in my area don't seem to calculate things this way.

Cars may be worse, you see the "put alot of work into it" type of posts. Personal effort has no real cash value to someone else.

Adding a pickup doesn't add anything honestly, unless they've thrown in a documented actual PAF or something IMO.

A $300 guitar with $300 in upgrades isn't a $600 guitar. It's, maybe, a $300 guitar.

Depreciation of both the guitar and parts, not to mention that you don't know how well the upgrades were installed, or if they're upgrades at all (only sure bets are high-end pickups and parts like mastery bridges, faber bridges, etc). Heck, in most cases I'd rather buy a stock guitar than anything modded -- at least then I know what I'm getting, if it's all factory installed.

antennafarm wrote:A $300 guitar with $300 in upgrades isn't a $600 guitar. It's, maybe, a $300 guitar.

Depreciation of both the guitar and parts, not to mention that you don't know how well the upgrades were installed, or if they're upgrades at all (only sure bets are high-end pickups and parts like mastery bridges, faber bridges, etc). Heck, in most cases I'd rather buy a stock guitar than anything modded -- at least then I know what I'm getting, if it's all factory installed.

I like buying parts casters and modded guitars if it's stuff I would have done myself anyway

but it's usually from people I already know, you are correct high risk buying modded guitars from strangers

hbombgraphics wrote: I like buying parts casters and modded guitars if it's stuff I would have done myself anyway

but it's usually from people I already know, you are correct high risk buying modded guitars from strangers

yeah, the economics of buying from folks you know is completely different, at least in the fuzzy-happy world i live in (good faith low prices with people that i deal with a lot)!

partscasters are fun but half the fun is putting the parts together yourself! i'm always fantasizing about my next tele build.

I just assume any mods I do to something will add no value whatsoever to the guitar’s resell price. It might make it more desirable in the case of a trade, but that’s about it in terms of my expectations, and even then it’s up to chance on finding someone who wants it with something to trade that I actually want. Mods are entirely for the modifiers own enjoyment. Also because it’s fun to mod stuff.

I’ve been modifying this JMJM for the past couple years as I get the cash. At this point I’ve spent more on the mods (Novaks, wiring harness, etc) than I did on the original guitar, which I bought used. At some point I might as well just buy another body, move acquired parts over, and do that. But that just doesn’t seem as much fun, and I think that’s half the point of modding: playability and the entertainment of making something different than it was.

weebles wrote:I just assume any mods I do to something will add no value whatsoever to the guitar’s resell price. It might make it more desirable in the case of a trade, but that’s about it in terms of my expectations, and even then it’s up to chance on finding someone who wants it with something to trade that I actually want. Mods are entirely for the modifiers own enjoyment. Also because it’s fun to mod stuff.

I’ve been modifying this JMJM for the past couple years as I get the cash. At this point I’ve spent more on the mods (Novaks, wiring harness, etc) than I did on the original guitar, which I bought used. At some point I might as well just buy another body, move acquired parts over, and do that. But that just doesn’t seem as much fun, and I think that’s half the point of modding: playability and the entertainment of making something different than it was.

That guitar is flipping awesome!!!!!

Once you mod it to the point where it has no original parts you can start another one

hbombgraphics wrote:

weebles wrote:I just assume any mods I do to something will add no value whatsoever to the guitar’s resell price. It might make it more desirable in the case of a trade, but that’s about it in terms of my expectations, and even then it’s up to chance on finding someone who wants it with something to trade that I actually want. Mods are entirely for the modifiers own enjoyment. Also because it’s fun to mod stuff.

I’ve been modifying this JMJM for the past couple years as I get the cash. At this point I’ve spent more on the mods (Novaks, wiring harness, etc) than I did on the original guitar, which I bought used. At some point I might as well just buy another body, move acquired parts over, and do that. But that just doesn’t seem as much fun, and I think that’s half the point of modding: playability and the entertainment of making something different than it was.

That guitar is flipping awesome!!!!!

Once you mod it to the point where it has no original parts you can start another one

+1. Killer look, better than the original imo. My buddy had a JMJM and it felt super toy like in my hands at the time. I dunno. Respect though.

I'm gassing hard for an offset. Headed to what appears to be a well stocked GC today to lay hands on a variety. I'm curious to see how the new Fender pro stuff sounds/feels, it's something I could pull the trigger on but GD this makes me want to scoop a VM jag or jm and have my way with it.

I didn't feel moved in the slightest by most of what I played at GC yesterday. They've already clearanced the American Pro Jag and JM, presumably because no one will buy them (other GCs I visited don't even order those models in). Neither really impressed me though.

The Classic Player JM was the only thing that felt worthwhile, probably because it was the only one that was set up halfway not like shit.

Going to set my sights on the VM mod path. Thanks OP for starting this convo.

How did you find the bridge/trem on the American Pro offsets? I know people have things to say about the tone, because the JM doesn't actually have JM pickups, but I'm curious how their new saddle/bridge design feels.

Corey Y wrote:How did you find the bridge/trem on the American Pro offsets? I know people have things to say about the tone, because the JM doesn't actually have JM pickups, but I'm curious how their new saddle/bridge design feels.

I can't say I paid that much attention to it. From what I can remember, it seemed a little tall compared to when I played the classic player JM. But again, I really wasn't paying attention to that plus I haven't had experience with those bridge/trem set ups in the past anyways.

Not that any instrument in a GC, or most shops for that matter, are ever setup well...but offsets are usually almost unplayable in any shop. I'm only curious about the new bridges, because they seem to be completely original and not a swap out of parts or aftermarket. So I'm curious if they're a general improvement, because they can also put in better pickups, change colors or revise minor specs to make the line more appealing in later iterations.

hbombgraphics wrote:

antennafarm wrote:A $300 guitar with $300 in upgrades isn't a $600 guitar. It's, maybe, a $300 guitar.

Depreciation of both the guitar and parts, not to mention that you don't know how well the upgrades were installed, or if they're upgrades at all (only sure bets are high-end pickups and parts like mastery bridges, faber bridges, etc). Heck, in most cases I'd rather buy a stock guitar than anything modded -- at least then I know what I'm getting, if it's all factory installed.

I like buying parts casters and modded guitars if it's stuff I would have done myself anyway

but it's usually from people I already know, you are correct high risk buying modded guitars from strangers

I bought a blacktop Jazzmaster from a guy who installed a Gibson Dirty Fingers humbucker and new electronics. He definitely did something wrong though as the tone knob is more or less a tone switch; there's no change for most of the knob rotation and then a huge change in the last few degrees in rotation. But he was reasonable with the price and I honestly don't care much about the tone knob. I haven't even bothered to fix it. I don't remember what I paid, but I do remember that it was slightly less than most Jazzmasters on the market at the time.

I've also continued to mod it. Added a gold anodized pickguard and a baritone neck. Eventually I want to upgrade the pickups and fix the electronics, but I'm not entirely sure what I want to do with it yet. I'm considering converting the Jazzmaster into a 12-string and picking up a Tele body to make that my baritone