To Mod or Not to Mod

[tune_link]

A few months back I bought an American Pro Jaguar thinking I'd like to mix things up a bit. I had a more trad style Jaguar that I still had at that point but have since traded it to get an amp I really wanted. The Am Pro has turned out to not quite be my thing. I've thought a lot about modding it back to more traditional specs - adding switches instead of the four way blade, putting in vintage style pickups instead of the V-Mod ones that came in it that are both hotter and darker than normal Jag ones. In the back of my mind I keep debating whether to do the mods or sell it to someone who would actually want this model and appreciate it.

How do you all determine when to just make mods for yourself vs selling a stock instrument and either building what you wanted or getting a model that comes stock that's closer to what you want?

[Embenny]

How do you all determine when to just make mods for yourself vs selling a stock instrument and either building what you wanted or getting a model that comes stock that's closer to what you want?

After years of horse trading, modding, and building project guitars, I've got a simple answer to your question.

Do you love the way the guitar looks, feels, and sounds unplugged? Go ahead and mod away. It's worth it.

Are you not in love with the feel and looks? Then you never will be.

Neck thickness, profile, radius, fret size, body weight, body shape, finish type - all of these contribute to an overall feeling of "yeah, I like this guitar!" or "meh, it's ok." Pickups are easy swaps, hardware can be changed or upgraded, but the core essence of an electric guitar is felt and experienced and not really interpreted through an amp.

All my favourite guitars plugged in are still my favourite guitars unplugged, because the joy of their feel and looks is unchanged. After that, it's just a matter of picking the right pickups, pots, caps, etc to get it to do what you want it to do, or at least something you like very much.

Switches and pickups are easy to change. Do you love playing this guitar when the volume is off? Then buy those switches and pickups. If it leaves you cold, cut your losses now by selling the stock instrument and buy something that inspires you. At that price point, you should only be playing guitars that make you think "hell yeah!"

[manwithtitties]

putting in vintage style pickups instead of the V-Mod ones that came in it that are both hotter and darker than normal Jag ones.

Fwiw, im pretty sure they use 500k pots instead of 1 megs. So if i was in your place, and the guitar played nicely i would try that first of all, considering thats the easiest, most reversible mod. Like mbene said, the playability of it is probably the most important factor