when is a guitar not worth "upgrading"?

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: when is a guitar not worth "upgrading"?

If you're upgrading with resale in mind, hang on to the original hardware and offer to put it back in your guitar if the buyer requests it.

[86barettaguy]

Re: when is a guitar not worth "upgrading"?

Originally posted by lerxstcat:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by 86barettaguy:
so, basically, I should keep this one the way it is and do mods to my two main guitars instead. not because of the value thing but simply because I'm unsure.

man, I need more kramer mutts... mutts are the greatest... maybe I should get a new neck for my '86...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Would you mind telling us just what make and model you're thinking of modding?

Even not knowing that, I think JG hit it right on the head. You can't upgrade with resale in mind, because the upgrade may devalue the item in being non-original. Seems ridiculous, but it can be so. My '77 Les Paul Std. is worth
LESS for having Grover keys and DiMarzio
PAFs, even though they're a huge improvement over the stock hardware. I could go back in with stock stuff though,
it's not like I cut it up for a Floyd.

If you're modding a plywood-bodied guitar
it'll still be a plywood-bodied guitar and worth virtually nil at resale. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">OK, the one I was thinking about first was my fr404 (you know, the musicyo neckthrough, one of the early 22-fretters). it's never gonna be collectable and I don't think I could ever get back what I paid for it. Possible upgrades would be an OFR, new tuners and better pickups.

The second one is my 1986 Kramer Baretta. Top notch guitar, quality wise. Does need a new pickup no matter what I decide to do. Maybe a new floyd and posts. Possible "upgrade" would be a maple/maple neck. Thinking about it makes me feel bad though (even though I'd keep the original neck in case I feel like going back to rosewood).

[86barettaguy]

Re: when is a guitar not worth &quot;upgrading&quot;?

just found musicyo's description of it:

http://www.musicyo.com/product_specs.asp?pf_id=001

the tuners really need to be changed. skulls look cheesy...

[j2379]

Re: when is a guitar not worth &quot;upgrading&quot;?

do these guitar play nice & do the sound good unpluged. how is the frets & neck. if its all good or what you like then mod it, make it what you want. i wouldnt suggest swapping necks & everything else on an 86 baretta. all your using is the body & at that point start over. BTW why swao a OFR for an OFR if it aint broke dont fix it.

[86barettaguy]

Re: when is a guitar not worth &quot;upgrading&quot;?

j2379: the neck feels fine and the guitar plays nicely. the frets could be bigger, so that's one thing that makes me think it's not worth all the trouble just yet. on the other hand, if I do get a used OFR and some nice cheap pups for it and sell the original pups and floyd, I would probably not end up losing much of my money anyway.

but right now, I think finding a pup for the '86 has top priority.

edit: just checked up on the price of a refret. bloody ridiculous! it's more than effing half of what I paid for her! no f*****g way!

[chopper45hd]

Re: when is a guitar not worth &quot;upgrading&quot;?

i have a jb player pro series ( charvel model 6 copy) i got it for 75 bucks with no electronics.
found a junked out soloist and robbed the pre-amp put in charvel pups (h-s-s config) did a little eletrical magic on it and this jb player screams now, the finish is actually in great shape with a metal flake red and a deep clear that looks awesome plus its a neck-thru. total money in it 300 bucks.
total value of it is 98 bucks.
when the day is done most ppl still only see the name on the headstock. real guitar players that want a real playing guitar love my jb frankenstien (what i call it now) but talk money and most will laugh at me for what time and money i put into it.
bottom line here is if you mod it for you to make you happy then go for it. otherwise you are just wasteing $$ that you can spend on something that you will love.
ever notice guitars are like women? cost ya alot of money and grief but ya dont care cuz when ya find one that ya love...well you know how that goes lol