Am I the only one who has to f*** with their guitars just because?

[dinkyguitar]

Well, I think I'm don't messing with it. For now anyways.

I've replaced or changed most of the parts and now I'll be doing a setup...The thing that's been annoying me is that I have 2 Dinky XL's. 1 has great action and on the other the action is set higher to avoid string buzz. Can't figure out why one would be different than the other. The only difference between the 2 is that 1 is tuned 1/2 step down. That's the one with the higher action. And although I have had other guitars (non Jackson) tuned 1/2 step down, their action was a tad lower with less string buzz...I'm guessing the frets might need leveling since I've messed with everything else on it.

[Nagash02]

I think it's normal to change a few things on your guitars. Many people who can't afford or don't want to wait for a custom just buy a guitar with similar specs to those they would want, and then they start modifying the guitar. Because a luthier can change many things and won't ask for 5000 bucks ^^. SO if it's a cheaper way than CS to get your dream guitar, I see no problem with that ^^.

What I will do is this : I'll buy a RR24 (black w/yellow bevels), let the guys carve a hole for a single coil neck pickup, put in a Duncan single coil, swap the EMG 81 for a Duncan distortion (so no more batteries), carve a hole for the volume knob, put a pickup selector at the place of the original volume knob, and change the whole black hardware for gold. It's a custom for half the price of a custom ^^.

[HoddiDarko]

Guilty.
I always start with ripping my new (always used tho) guitars apart and changing out stuff, pickups, electronics and often repainting them.

[jdr94]

im always messing with my guitars , mainly because i cant afford a custom so i try to get the guitars to play , sound and look as good as i can get them.

+1
only problem is...i'm never happy.

[Nagash02]

Then you should think twice of the mods you want to make ^^

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I've gotten something totally together and then not liked it. Even mocked it up in the CS generator on the site here! Especially with cosmetic stuff or things you have never tried before (new pickup for "something different") it can take a few tries before you get something you are really happy with.

[emperor_black]

I always mess with mine until I get it where I want it, then I just play it

Same here. I got a used 7 string. The action was too high. It was not just as simple as lowering the bridge. I had to mess with the truss rod a couple of days. now its just right! but I do change all the bridge pickups in my guitars to X2N's.

[MartinBarre]

I like to mess around with mine until they play and sound as I like. But I also like to modify my guitars even in little ways (new truss rod cover/pickup rings) just to make them that little bit different to what everyone else has got.

[Nagash02]

The more you customize a guitar, the more it feels like your own. That's also why some people swap out the factory installed pickups before even trying them out (anyway on Jacksons they are always the same ones ^^).

[86barettaguy]

I'm the same way. I just have to do something to whatever guitar I get. Just to make it more mine, or something like that.

[vklobucar]

I have yet to own a guitar that was not totally overhauled within minutes of arriving at my doorstep.

They are all stripped down to the last screw and cleaned and reassembled. Imports get better electronics and sometimes pickups.

Most if not all bridge pickups are swapped out for Dimarzio Super 3's.

Floyds receive the Big Block treatment. Dunlop Straplocks are installed on all guitars as well.

Finally they are strung up with GHS 13-54 and tuned down a half step.

It makes the guitar so perfect to my standards and just plays like a dream.

As an added bonus nearly none of my friends can play much more than a few cords on them without handing them back in disgust! The super heavy strings have a lot to do with that mind you!

[dinkyguitar]

I'm now in the process of doing a refret on one of my Dinky's...It probably didn't need a refret. I could have gotten away with just a fret level but the fretboard needed some attention....

Here's a before and after shots:





Mind you...this is my first refret and starting on a bound compound radius fretboard isn't really what you want as your first refret..

I'm at the point now where I'm pressing in my frets. They are Stew Mac #150 jumbo's I got off flee-bay for $12. I got about 19 mre to go...

dinkyguitar

[beardy]

I have yet to own a guitar that was not totally overhauled within minutes of arriving at my doorstep.

They are all stripped down to the last screw and cleaned and reassembled. Imports get better electronics and sometimes pickups.

Most if not all bridge pickups are swapped out for Dimarzio Super 3's.

Floyds receive the Big Block treatment. Dunlop Straplocks are installed on all guitars as well.

Finally they are strung up with GHS 13-56 and tuned down a half step.

It makes the guitar so perfect to my standards and just plays like a dream.

As an added bonus nearly none of my friends can play much more than a few cords on them without handing them back in disgust! The super heavy strings have a lot to do with that mind you!

Do I smell a Phil Collen there? 13 gauge strings, DiMarzio Super 3, Big Block...Phil?

[Twitch]

Well, its not the worst threadsurrection weve seen. Wonder how I missed this thread to begin with. I totally fuck with my guitars and amps just because. I do the same with anything I own computer wise as well.

[Nagash02]

It's probably because you want your gear to be more like you want it to. Some people change the pickups on their guitar even before having tried the stock ones