Lawy Lawson:Attorney Posted September 29, 2004 Report Share Posted September 29, 2004 OK, I own one of these:Ibanez GSA60.Second hand, nay bad but nay great. I want to make it my project though, but I'm new at this. I'd really like somebody to explain modification to me. It lacks a strong bass sound and I'd like to know how to go about improving that. What do I need, how much will it cost to fit. What would a set on new tuning heads do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Karloff Posted September 29, 2004 Report Share Posted September 29, 2004 OK' date=' I own one of these:[img']http://www.feelmusic.fr/upload/1089_pt.jpg Ibanez GSA60.Second hand, nay bad but nay great. I want to make it my project though, but I'm new at this. I'd really like somebody to explain modification to me. It lacks a strong bass sound and I'd like to know how to go about improving that. What do I need, how much will it cost to fit. What would a set on new tuning heads do?Give you more accurate tuning, hopefully. Quality tuners make it easier to tune the string spot on, assuming your guitar is fixed bridge. If they lock, a la sperzel or similar, then you can't accidentally knock them off tune.Tone in an electric can be tricky though. Part of it comes from the pickup, part from the volume and tone control design (what pots are used, capacitors, etc), part from the level of the controls, part from the guage and quality of the strings, and the rest mostly from the design and construction of the guitar body (neck a little too). Varying any of them will alter tone, and it's worthwhile trying different gauges and makes of string until you find what you like the sound and feel of. Start with the simplest thing, then go forward. Changing the guitar body is essentially like buying another guitar, so ideally you want to start with a body construction and wood that gives the properties you're after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamScrooge Posted September 29, 2004 Report Share Posted September 29, 2004 Modification...well...there are many things you can do to modify a guitar. You can replace the neck, you can replace the pickups, you can replace the tuners, you can replace the electronics, you can add electronic gizmos, you can upgrade the hardware, you can add asthetic touches, you can re-finish them...what do you want to modify?The main thing to keep in mind is that modification might improve the guitar, but it comes to a point where you'd be better off just buying a better guitar. Since I'm a bit bored though...Replacing the tuners will increase tuning stability. Not all tuners will fit since you've already got holes and they come in different sizes. Have you got a locking nut? If so its not such a big issue.Replacing the pickups is a popular mod. You can get a lot more bang for the buck putting better pickups in, they produce the sound/signal after all. Keep in mind however, they can only work with that vibrations the guitar is producing, if it sounds crap unamplified it'll still sound crap amplified, just, not quite as bad as it did with cheaper pickups.Upgrading the electronics can solve some grounding issues and will make volume changes more clean and the tone control a bit more useful in some cases, as well as making switching pickups silent. You can also add preamps to give you more gain or a mid boost or other things like that, there are plenty gimicks and electronics on the market. You could even just drill a few holes and glue some bright LEDs in. Get the ones where you can mix the colours! Sweet, dude! Upgrading the tremelo will increase tuning stability, trem usefulness and open new possibilities for playing. But you might have to route out the body, in which case its not worth the bother. Other mods in this area include adding a tremsetter (for floyd rose equipped guitars, increasing tuning stability and it wont go completely out of tune when a stringbreaks) and blocking off the trem altogether (increases sustain, disables tremelo, increases tuning stability).Upgrading the neck will make the guitar a lot more playable if the one you have isn't that great. Expensive mod however, and you'll want to get that set up after you've installed it. Just get a better axe.Upgrading the hardware; make it all shiney and gold!!! Completely asthetic with few practical advantages but if it turns you on, its your money.Refinishing the guitar is another popular mod. Does nothing for the playability or sound but looks cool. Theres another thread on here about that recently.Upgrading the strings. Try out other types of string. Why not?Do you have a floyd rose? If so then look up an article on setting the claw screws in the back before changing gauge because that'll change the tension between strings and springs, which must be balanced in floating tremelos.Setup. Put the guitar in for a setup, 40 from RnBs(if you cant do it yourself), makes sure the things all set up and you'll get the most out of your instrument.Replace the body. You've replaced everything else but the guitar still sounds inferior to you're mates stock Ibanez SA or whatever because the bodys not as good. You look at what you've spent, compare that to the price of a new guitar and think to your self: "Shiiiiiiiiit..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawy Lawson:Attorney Posted September 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2004 Modification...well...there are many things you can do to modify a guitar. You can replace the neck' date=' you can replace the pickups, you can replace the tuners, you can replace the electronics, you can add electronic gizmos, you can upgrade the hardware, you can add asthetic touches, you can re-finish them...what do you want to modify?The main thing to keep in mind is that modification might improve the guitar, but it comes to a point where you'd be better off just buying a better guitar. Since I'm a bit bored though...Replacing the tuners will increase tuning stability. Not all tuners will fit since you've already got holes and they come in different sizes. Have you got a locking nut? If so its not such a big issue.Replacing the pickups is a popular mod. You can get a lot more bang for the buck putting better pickups in, they produce the sound/signal after all. Keep in mind however, they can only work with that vibrations the guitar is producing, if it sounds crap unamplified it'll still sound crap amplified, just, not quite as bad as it did with cheaper pickups.Upgrading the electronics can solve some grounding issues and will make volume changes more clean and the tone control a bit more useful in some cases, as well as making switching pickups silent. You can also add preamps to give you more gain or a mid boost or other things like that, there are plenty gimicks and electronics on the market. You could even just drill a few holes and glue some bright LEDs in. Get the ones where you can mix the colours! Sweet, dude! Upgrading the tremelo will increase tuning stability, trem usefulness and open new possibilities for playing. But you might have to route out the body, in which case its not worth the bother. Other mods in this area include adding a tremsetter (for floyd rose equipped guitars, increasing tuning stability and it wont go completely out of tune when a stringbreaks) and blocking off the trem altogether (increases sustain, disables tremelo, increases tuning stability).Upgrading the neck will make the guitar a lot more playable if the one you have isn't that great. Expensive mod however, and you'll want to get that set up after you've installed it. Just get a better axe.Upgrading the hardware; make it all shiney and gold!!! Completely asthetic with few practical advantages but if it turns you on, its your money.Refinishing the guitar is another popular mod. Does nothing for the playability or sound but looks cool. Theres another thread on here about that recently.Upgrading the strings. Try out other types of string. Why not?Do you have a floyd rose? If so then look up an article on setting the claw screws in the back before changing gauge because that'll change the tension between strings and springs, which must be balanced in floating tremelos.Setup. Put the guitar in for a setup, 40 from RnBs(if you cant do it yourself), makes sure the things all set up and you'll get the most out of your instrument.Replace the body. You've replaced everything else but the guitar still sounds inferior to you're mates stock Ibanez SA or whatever because the bodys not as good. You look at what you've spent, compare that to the price of a new guitar and think to your self: "Shiiiiiiiiit..."[/quote']Cheers, new Guitar might be the way to go (overtime, saving, grumble). I'm really wanting to extend my knowledge of what does what and how on guitars, and that was a really useful post. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouse Posted September 29, 2004 Report Share Posted September 29, 2004 If it's a standard tremelo you got there, replace it with a Wilkinson. Cheaper and better than a Floyd Rose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamScrooge Posted September 30, 2004 Report Share Posted September 30, 2004 If it's a standard tremelo you got there' date=' replace it with a Wilkinson. Cheaper and better than a Floyd Rose[/quote']Do those fit into standard tremelo routings? Warmoth.com has a special routing for their wilkinsons. If they fit I'd be well intrigued into fitting one to a strat or something.Are you comparing the wilkinson to a 'licenced' floyd rose or copy, or are you comparing them to an original or similar design? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Rocker Posted September 30, 2004 Report Share Posted September 30, 2004 Personally, I don't see the point in modifying a guitar that's not already good quality. I think the most important parts of a guitar are the neck and the body. If they are not good quality in first place then you are on a hiding to nothing if you are trying to improve the sound. If I were you, I'd save up and buy a better quality instrument...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbodude Posted October 1, 2004 Report Share Posted October 1, 2004 I wouldn't buy a new instrument. I have a washburn nuno n1 which is a cheap piece of crap. when i got it it sounded shit but i replaced the pick ups with 2 EMG81's now it makes any amp sound good and if you play it through a good amp it sounds really cool. my guitar also has an EMG afterburner whitch is a gain boost knob which replaced the tone control knob.they cost 40 and turn any guitar into a hotrod. at high gain levels it gives you that grinding tone you get from mesa boogies and randall amps. it also gives you alot more sustain. in my opinion the body and neck are not that importent to a guitars sound unless it is good sustain you are after but its not something that keeps me up at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryn Posted October 2, 2004 Report Share Posted October 2, 2004 Turbo if have a N1, does that mean u dig Extreme? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeC Posted October 2, 2004 Report Share Posted October 2, 2004 OK' date=' I own one of these:[img']http://www.feelmusic.fr/upload/1089_pt.jpg Ibanez GSA60.Second hand, nay bad but nay great. I want to make it my project though, but I'm new at this. I'd really like somebody to explain modification to me. It lacks a strong bass sound and I'd like to know how to go about improving that. What do I need, how much will it cost to fit. What would a set on new tuning heads do?I am amazed at how many people I have spoken to who have replaced the machine heads on a guitar and still complain about tuning instability and when I look at the guitar they are using fucked old strings that are wrapped about a thousand times round the capstan, fresh strings fitted correctly will stay in tune on even the nastiest machine heads unless you're into half octave string bends or mad widdly stick action.... G... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WalkingOnGlass Posted October 2, 2004 Report Share Posted October 2, 2004 I am amazed at how many people I have spoken to who have replaced the machine heads on a guitar and still complain about tuning instability and when I look at the guitar they are using fucked old strings that are wrapped about a thousand times round the capstan' date=' fresh strings fitted correctly will stay in tune on even the nastiest machine heads unless you're into half octave string bends or mad widdly stick action.... G...[/quote'] Half octave string bends! Wow - Haven't ever seen that done before... The craziest one I can think of is the 2 and a half tone bend in the fourth phrase of Jimmy Page's "Whole Lotta Love" solo. Apparently Zakk Wylde has 3-semitone vibrato...Dan (not Jamesy) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeC Posted October 2, 2004 Report Share Posted October 2, 2004 Half octave string bends! Wow - Haven't ever seen that done before... Well obviously....you would need a guitar neck about two feet wide.....It was a joke.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imprinted Posted October 3, 2004 Report Share Posted October 3, 2004 chords would be a bugger tho' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liquid Mice Posted October 3, 2004 Report Share Posted October 3, 2004 bet E.T. would find it a piece of piss tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan G Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 Well obviously....you would need a guitar neck about two feet wide.....It was a joke.... Well if you can get 5 semitone bends, who's to say you couldn't get 6! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeC Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 Well if you can get 5 semitone bends' date=' who's to say you couldn't get 6![/quote']EeeK!! cheese wire....+ soft fingers = ouch!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamScrooge Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 EeeK!! cheese wire....+ soft fingers = ouch!!Malmsteens obviously got the right idea here with 8 gauge strings and scallops...tut tut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest davetherave Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 New sounds from an old guitarOnce your done changing pickups, tuners and trems, try some of these for a new sound.Use other things besides plectrums to play the guitar, flat files, slides, violin bows, etc, (reeves gabrels) played his with a dildo !!Go loopy, I use the Boss RC 20 looping pedal, 5 minutes of real time overdubing, you can play with yerself all day :o)Try some of the more unusual fx units, digitech synth wah, harmonix micro synth, Roland VG8, etc.Buy an E-Bow, I'm always finding new sounds from this device.Guitar synths, the new roland units are excellent, I modified my steinberger with an internal Roland synth pickup, internal switching, synth volume and snazzy big bright LED. Then you can control samplers and synths and get any sound you like?Food for thought ??CheersDave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imprinted Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 enlighten me - what are scallops again - i know it's to do with removing wood from the neck of your guitar but whereabouts? where on the neck/fretboard is it done? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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