opinions on modding vintage guitars

[imJonWain]

I have a 65 Silvertone 1448, I play it acoustic a lot and love the cleans it can do but it's neck pickup only so I am not super fond of how it sounds with much gain. It's dead stock but I have been thinking of adding a bridge humbucker and maybe upgrading the bridge. Thoughts? It's in pretty good shape so I feel weird modding something this old but when I look at it value wise it's really only worth as much or less than a new squier guitar

[MechaGodzilla]

If it's already been messed with - go for it.

If you want to do something reversible (drop-in hardware changes like tuner/bridge/etc.) - why the hell not

If you're devaluing something by making an irreversible alteration, you should think about getting another guitar to mess with or one that better suits what you want.

I think those old silvertones can go for £400-600 over here these days, depending on condition and whether they have the case amp and stuff. A bit more than your average squier or dano reissue.

[Chankgeez]

I don't like it when people alter "perfectly good" vintage instruments when there're other alternatives. (I kinda hate it when people part shit out just to harvest the pickups or some shit like that.) Sometimes leaving a vintage guitar alone, selling it and looking for a different guitar is the best option. (Not saying that's the case here, but it might be.)

Yeah, obviously, certain vintage instruments can use some improvements to make 'em more playable. There's nuthin' wrong with doing that. As MechaGodzilla said, especially if it's already been modded.

These dudes've got a better Danelectro replacement bridge that just drops right on: http://www.jeffsennguitars.com/Merch/merch.html

Been interested in that. The bridge is usually my main gripe with old Danelectros.

Finding a bridge humbucker that you wouldn't have to mod the guitar too much for may be a lot more difficult. If you look around, you may be able to find an acceptable solution.

Ultimately, though, it's your guitar, you can do whatever you want with it.

[gnomethrone]

Modify 'em all

What if you got a custom pickup wound that you could just drop in? I mean if you can stuff a humbucker in standard tele bridge why not a lipstick? You could have the greatest silvertone

[antennafarm]

Do it. Replace, rewire, grind in, cut, drill, refinish. It's not a museum piece, it's an instrument, and every instrument tells its tale.

OLD BLACK is the highest form of instruments. Modified, personalized, and played the fuck out of.

[MechaGodzilla]

Do it. Replace, rewire, grind in, cut, drill, refinish. It's not a museum piece, it's an instrument, and every instrument tells its tale.

OLD BLACK is the highest form of instruments. Modified, personalized, and played the fuck out of.

With all the new guitars being made these days, with so many specific variations available off-the-shelf, it makes less sense to mod a guitar you don't like than to buy a different one. This didn't used to be the case! Which is why a lot of old players had modded guitars - coz you had to buy one as-is and then make it work for you. These days, there's a lot more companies making a lot more variations, so there's less reason to mod stuff, especially out of production stuff. let's face it, reissues and repros don't fill the same hole for a lot of people, so if you have something that won't ever be made again (whether that's a valuable vintage guitar or just an old one), it'd be better to sell it to somebody who'll like it as it is. Obviously, that's a personal philosophy, and what's yours is yours so do whatever you want with it.

[rustywire]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Sn7hf7sFnU

[DRodriguez]

If you own it, and are ok maybe regretting a decision. Fuck that shit up. vintage stuff is great to improve upon and can save you a wad of cash versus highly specialized modern alternatives.

It's your property, if you're going to use it, great.

[Mudfuzz]

If it was a 59 les Paul I'd say bust out the chainsaw, but I don't like the idea of chopping holes in that dano... If anything find a messed body on eBay and chop on that and Leiver the body stock...

[Mudfuzz]

Or get a dobro/thin pickup... Lace makes them... Then you can stick it where you want with minimal holing

[Chankgeez]

minimal holing

That's what my wife says when I tell her I wanna have sex.

[Mudfuzz]

See! I knew 'twss!

[Chankgeez]

Minimal modding required?

https://reverb.com/item/6928816-epiphon ... smith-gold

[Mudfuzz]

Minimal modding required?

https://reverb.com/item/6928816-epiphon ... smith-gold

A builder friend of mine switched from gold foils [vintage one and new attempts by Lollar..] in all the stuff he was building to these http://www.wdmusic.com/HJGN3.html they are way thin.. I haven't gotten to hear them yet thought..

[Chankgeez]

Yeah, apparently Adrian Legg had DiMarzio wind him pickups that're only 6mm thick because he didn't wanna cut into the top of his guitar: