If you’re a keen guitarist and treasure your particular shaft of choice, no doubt at some point you’ve contemplated the best way to give your guitar a performance upgrade. So what possibilities are there that don’t involve smashing the guitar and are comparatively easy to undertake? It goes without saying that if your guitar is an expensive model, it most likely has high-end components, but let’s assume, for the sake of this particular item, that it’s a mid-to-budget priced model.
The clearest and most audible improvement can be had in the pickup area. The materials and production process of some original pickups can be less than excellent, which is reflected in the sound. Some really great replacement humbucking pickups and single coil pickups are available from the big name companies and also from some smaller boutique pickup manufacturers. Replacement pads are generally produced with a more hands-on approach and a number of them offer bespoke versions.
In my opinion, another one of the first ports of call is the original machine heads or tuners. Often the stock tuners are not as good and are made of less good materials. If your guitar is having a hard time staying in tune, this is a must (check that your pickups aren’t too close to the strings, as magnets can occasionally cause tuning problems). You may also like the quality feel and functionality of a high-end tuner set. Schaller is an organization that creates great examples for the many different types of guitars out there.
In case your guitar arrived with a plastic nut, it could also benefit greatly from an upgrade. You can buy a new pre-made nut in many different materials, such as brass or graphite, or if you’re handy with a file, you may be confident enough to cut and file a new boneless nut. This is not the simplest update and the procedure is beyond the scope of this article. Please search online for additional information about this update.
The bridge and tailpiece is another area worthy of consideration. Quite often guitars come in versions made cheaply in China or Korea and impressive profits can be made using versions made from lightweight aluminum and other fancy materials. Once again, the Schaller range is worth looking at.
There are a few other simple upgrades, for example changing the standard strap buttons with strap locks to keep your guitar secure if you’re standing up and playing, the ones mentioned above are the most essential.
If you really want to go all out, there are companies that will give your guitar a complete finish in whatever color you want. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but if that normal sunburst finish isn’t enough for you anymore, this may be just what you need.
Best of luck!