Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Wed Jul 16, 2014 10:06 am

Lunch today was a turkey sausage on a whole wheat bun with a slice of cheddar, relish and ketchup, washed down with iced tea.

Today's topic will be modifications. We all have our own perspectives on them. I don't modify instruments any more, although I have done some mods in the past.

Non-G&L topic:

My latest acquisition is a 1990 PRS Bass:

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All of these photos were taken by previous owners. This one came to me over the internet. These basses have a very strong reputation for reggae and dub due to the preamp's voicing and pickup selections, but have a reputation for getting "lost in the mix" in typical rock and blues settings. The seller was very clear in his listing that the bass had been modified. The preamp and pickup selector were removed several owners ago, and a very pricey Glockenklang three-band preamp was installed. Somehow I misread the description in the ad and thought it was still original. I went ahead with the purchase anyway. The bass itself has insane playability and weighs less than eight pounds. On the other hand, the preamp is so transparent (that's the big selling point for Glockenklangs) that it sounds a bit sterile to my ears. I'm going back and forth on seeing if PRS would be able to replace the preamp with one that would match the original.

One of the neat features that AFAIK is unique to this bass is the dummy coil that can be seen in the third photo. It sits under the bridge, and makes all of the positions hum-cancelling without having any pull on the strings. I can't understand why that didn't get traction in the marketplace and become a common feature for other models. The bass was made in Annapolis MD (about ten minutes from where I live), and the workmanship is incredible. I would put it on par with any of my Leo-era G&L basses.

Have you ever bought a modified instrument? Did you appreciate the previous owner's decision to mod the instrument, or did you work on it as well?

G&L topic:

I called a Guitar Center yesterday to ask about an SC-2 that had just been listed on their used gear site. The ad said it had been modified, but there was no photo up yet. I was curious to see whether it was an old one, and whether the mod could be undone with a reasonable effort. It turned out to be a recent one with a sunburst body. Somebody had swapped the bridge pickup with a mini-humbucker, and replaced the neck with one from a Tribute. I got to thinking about the economics on that one. Start with a guitar that sells for about $1000 new, add a pickup for about $100 and a neck that G&L sells for $30, and end up with a guitar that is listed for well under $500. The trade-in value would have been half of that.

For those who modify their guitars, does resale value figure into your plans, or are you just looking to optimize the instrument to meet your own preferences? Have you ever run across a mod that held or increased the instrument's value?

Ken

Re: Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Wed Jul 16, 2014 10:39 am

Sweet PRS!
If it were me, I'd send it (or in your case deliver it yourself) to the factory for them to return it to original condition. I bet they'd love to see one of those again and would probably have fun restoring it to its original state. I remember reading an article in... Vintage Guitar I think... about a guy who sent in his ebay score for them to restore and it was a fun article ;)

KenC wrote:Have you ever bought a modified instrument? Did you appreciate the previous owner's decision to mod the instrument, or did you work on it as well?

For those who modify their guitars, does resale value figure into your plans, or are you just looking to optimize the instrument to meet your own preferences? Have you ever run across a mod that held or increased the instrument's value?

Ken

I still have a few errands to run this morning before I can settle down for a nice lunch (it's only 10:30 here in the PNW as I write this)... probably a hotdog & potato chips washed down with a ginger ale-- my default lunch so far this summer ;)

Ya know, I've purchased and sold so many instruments over the years that I've forgotten most of them. However, anytime I did get a guitar that someone modded, I usually changed it around to my liking (usually just pickups).

There was a time when the first thing I'd do was "upgrade" the pickups, many times without ever giving the stock units a chance. I was always taking things apart and trying to improve on them. That was then.

Now I don't buy a guitar or bass unless I like the way it feels, plays or sounds. The only guitar I currently have thats been modified (by me) is one of my old G&L Legacys' that I changed the pickups on many years ago. I thought the replacements would make an already great guitar sound even better. The new pickups are okay, but I would really like to return the guitar to stock. Well almost; rather than using the standard G&L pickups I'd like to use the MFDs instead (like the S500). But since that will cost a bit of money, and the guitar is in need of a re-fret, the restoration will have to wait a bit longer. Longer still since I've been playing a lot more bass these days and have some serious GAS for a MJ4 ;)

Re: Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Wed Jul 16, 2014 3:19 pm

Lovely Bass Ken, I am selling a PRS but looking at yours reminds me of what a great company they were/ are,
It's 8 am in Australia and I'm just about to have breakfast . Once I finish my coffee , that is
I always try to return a guitar to original . Actually I only buy original guitars .
When I was young in the 80's I had to buy what was in the guitar shops . Most of these guitars were brutally modified by crazy guitar players in the 70's. Now I can sit at my computer in Australia and buy a guitar anywhere in the USA . In fact I have an incredible G &L arriving in the next week. Woohooo! . It's completely original and almost mint .
I'm surprised people still modify guitars . They should know better .
Anthony

Re: Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Wed Jul 16, 2014 7:20 pm

I've modified two guitars in the past 35 years. One was my first Fender bass (a Jazz), which was in borderline unplayable condition due to a previous owner's abuse and had to be cobbled back together with stray parts. The other was an '80 Epiphone Genesis; those guitars have a very bad tendency to have the top-mounted jack splinter out, so I moved it to the side. I still own both instruments. I won't sell the bass due to sentimental value, and haven't bothered trying to sell the Epiphone since nobody would want it.

Anthony, what model is the PRS you're selling? What's the inbound G&L?

Ken

Re: Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Wed Jul 16, 2014 8:39 pm

Hey Ken,

Sorry Anthony, but I have modified too many geetars over the years. Changed pickups, bridges, added/removed switches and even swapped a neck, that proverbial search for sound or feel. :searching: Most have added dimension to the guitar. Currently working on two, (very slowly I should say), an ASAT that was going to be an ASAT S3 now a Bluesboy version, and a tele copy that will become something with a Z coil bridge. With an extra ASAT why not build it up to something special? ;) Resale is not a consideration to me, becasue I keep all modded parts so if it is sold I can throw in the old parts if requested.

GC is hit and miss IMHO. I have picked up a couple of good deals but usually they are overpriced.

Oh the Genesis, man I had one of those from 82-84, cool guitars. Picked it up used at a music store for $75. Those were the days.

Nice PRS ya got there. :thumbup:

Re: Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Wed Jul 16, 2014 9:25 pm

Great score Ken! Ciongrats! Given my experience with PRS guitars, I have the utmost confidence Paul did you right on the low-enders side.

- Jos

Re: Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Wed Jul 16, 2014 11:21 pm

I agree with the assessment of prs guitars being insanely playable. My starla is an incredibly easy guitar to play, and it sounds great and built well. What more could you ask for? They're reasonably priced when you buy them used too.

I dont mind swapping things around on guitars, whatever works best for you is what you should have. Would I buy a highly modified guitar? Probably -t he value of the guitar seems to be the stock price LESS any extra money someone has spent on it!

Re: Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Wed Jul 16, 2014 11:58 pm

Cool Bass Ken,
What kind of body wood? The neck plate looks guitar sized ( and it has one too many corner :think: ).

I thought maybe it had a Tech2 bridge since they need a clear route through the body.
Glad you explained the dummy coil. Your PRS is the first time I've seen the coil on the back . Alembic puts them in the middle position ,flush with the body.
Here's a cool early Alembic/Turner guitar with a dummy coil that resurfaced recently:
http://alembic.com/club/messages/393/19 ... 1405196297

Alembic's Series instruments need individual calibration to be ideal, if other companies have experienced similar requirements (your PRS bass , G&L's Innovator, ...) I can see why they might dial back the enthusiasm for bringing those models to serious production.

Re: Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Thu Jul 17, 2014 1:52 am

Hey Sam , you're a smart man . It's not modified if you keep all the parts and can replace them without anyone knowing that it was ever any different .

Ken I'm selling a 1996 PRS custom 24 10 top but I pulled it off Australian Ebay last night .
Incoming G&L L I'm sorry ,I can't tell you just yet . I'll do a lunch report about my incoming G&L . If it helps , I bought it direct from the incredible G&L L collector Josey Wales .You won't be disappointed . It surely must be one of the mightiest G&L ever . It has a flame neck that is just jaw dropping .

A big call I know .

I just wish some Australian would buy my amazing Interceptor Bass . It's on EBay but no one seems to know how amazing it is .

Re: Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Thu Jul 17, 2014 6:46 am

Ken, I have never seen a PRS bass. Really a sweet looking bass with the familiar neck heel like their regular guitars. I wouln't be too concerned about the preamp unless you plan to sell it. I don't have any noise issues as I don't have any single coil basses but that is a good noise canceling idea. Recently I have been playing my PRS Johnny Hiland guitar a lot. As Jamie mentioned, they are so playable and mine has the wide, thin neck. I have often thought that if I had to gig one guitar, that one could very well be it. I frequently rebond with a lot of my guitars as it is fun to pick one up after not playing it for a while.

As for the GC, I used to get incredible deals from them on a regular basis. No more and they now tend to be overpriced. They will still deal but I have to deal with the manager. I am told that they are changing the pay method for employees going from commission only to something else.

I seldom do mods but when I have they are serious and have increased the value of the guitar in each case. I have installed three Bigsbys on Fenders and one on a Bluesboy. The local luthiers seem to not want to do them so they are easy to sell. Other than that, I do locking tuners on most of mine and Schaller strap locks. I still have a Hamer resto project and need to finish the M-2500 neck I recently purchased. Thanks for the LR Ken.-- Darwin

Re: Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Thu Jul 17, 2014 7:16 am

phenominal bass, congrats

I was in the Guitar Center in Buffalo, NY this weekend. Didn't last there more than 10 minutes.

2 lefty guitars, a fender strat for $499 (we know what those are like) and a no name strat for $199......

I walked thru the acoustics, NOTHING

I went to the bass section and was surprised to see a Tribute L-2000 and a tribute L-2500....they looked really nice (both right handed of course).

Head sales guy comes up, "HEY, blah blah blah" I say, I'm a lefty and he says, "OH, ONE OF THOSE!"

C ya,

Re: Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Thu Jul 17, 2014 1:50 pm

sam wrote:Resale is not a consideration to me, becasue I keep all modded parts so if it is sold I can throw in the old parts if requested. :thumbup:


Too bad everybody doesn't take that same approach! I've seen too many cases of modders figuring the original parts were garbage compared to what they swapped in, and tossing them away.

sam wrote:Oh the Genesis, man I had one of those from 82-84, cool guitars. Picked it up used at a music store for $75. Those were the days.


I think I payed $225 for mine in '98. I find it difficult to play now due to the chunky neck. I came across a matching bass last year, which also had a baseball bat neck. I was tempted to buy it, but space is getting limited.

Ken

Re: Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Thu Jul 17, 2014 2:05 pm

Elwood wrote:Cool Bass Ken,
What kind of body wood? The neck plate looks guitar sized ( and it has one too many corner :think: ).

I thought maybe it had a Tech2 bridge since they need a clear route through the body.
Glad you explained the dummy coil. Your PRS is the first time I've seen the coil on the back . Alembic puts them in the middle position ,flush with the body.
Here's a cool early Alembic/Turner guitar with a dummy coil that resurfaced recently:
http://alembic.com/club/messages/393/19 ... 1405196297

Alembic's Series instruments need individual calibration to be ideal, if other companies have experienced similar requirements (your PRS bass , G&L's Innovator, ...) I can see why they might dial back the enthusiasm for bringing those models to serious production.


Elwood,

The body is alder. The neck is flamed maple, but the finish doesn't make the figure pop at all. I guess I could always sand it down and apply an oil finish :roll: .

That Alembic looks great. Do you still have your Alembics? That is one brand I have lusted after since high school, but don't know if I'll ever own one.

I haven't seen a Tech2 bridge before. I'll need to check that out. I think I've posted about my other PRS bass before. It has a bridge that is very reminiscent of the Saddle Lock, including a U-shaped base plate and a set screw next to the G saddle. I'm not sure whether it has a boss routed into the body, though. I'll try to get a photo in the next day or two.

AFAIK, it wasn't a lack of enthusiasm that limited these basses. When they were built, PRS had a very low capacity for daily production and the demand was increasing rapidly for their guitars. It was several more years before they moved from the small factory in Annapolis to their current one across the Bay in Stevensville and could really churn out the numbers.

Ken

Re: Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Thu Jul 17, 2014 3:39 pm

KenC wrote:
I haven't seen a Tech2 bridge before.


I meant 2Tek , (I was close :roll: ) . I haven't had a chance to play with one, they are supposed to have enhanced string separation...or something cool like that. There are a couple NOS units on the bay .

I still have a couple Alembics , and others with Alembic guts stuffed in . I'm thinking about starting a search for an Elan
and a Series bass . I recently found out that TUNE basses from the 90's had some woodwork outsourced to Alembic ( a rare thing ). They seem to be a sort of Alembinez . The old aria Pro RSB's have some Alembic pups that aren't branded.
I bet that Glockenclang set-up has a similar Hi-Fi feel.

Anthony,
Your Interceptor Bass looks so appealing , good luck with the sale. My interest is peaked with your incoming G&L news :!: .


elwood

Re: Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Thu Jul 17, 2014 4:10 pm

thanks for LR Ken !! ..... I bought my Rampage modded with EMG active pu and plan on installing a EMG 85 in the near future ..... other than that I like them stock but in this case with the Rampage I planned on modding this one , nothing radical just PU's although I did have some new Stainless Steel medium Jumbo frets installed right after I bought it

Re: Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Fri Jul 18, 2014 11:12 am

It's a mod, mod, mod, mod world!!

Unless it is something of historic value, a 54 Strat, one of G&L's early Broadcasters, Jos's lacewood ASAT :D or something like that, I say mod away. Have some fun with it. Usually I will mod pups or switches but after building a couple of my own, I don't really hesitate to try something out. I can always put it back the way it was. I like tinkering.

Cool bass find Ken!

Re: Lunch Report - Wednesday July 16th 2014

Fri Jul 18, 2014 12:13 pm

I checked out Sam Ash's used instrument site last night. I wish I hadn't. They have an SC-1 that somebody took a router to...

Ken