If you’re an avid guitarist and treasure your particular ax of choice, no doubt at some point you’ve contemplated the best way to give your guitar a performance upgrade. So what possibilities can there be 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 article that it’s a mid-priced to budget 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 some smaller boutique pickup makers as well. Replacement pads are generally produced with a more hands-on approach, and many offer bespoke versions.
In my opinion, another of the first ports of call is the original machine heads or tuners. Often stock tuners are not that good and are made of less good materials. If your guitar has 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 higher-end set of tuners. Schaller is an organization that creates great examples for the different types of guitar out there.
In the event that your guitar came with a plastic nut, it too could greatly benefit 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 can be confident enough to cut and file a new pitted nut. This is not the simplest update and the procedure is beyond the scope of this article. Search online for additional information about this update.
The bridge and tailpiece is another area worth considering. Very often, guitars come in cheaply made versions in China or Korea and impressive gains can be made using versions made of lightweight aluminum and other sophisticated materials. Once again, the Schaller range is well worth looking at.
There are a few other simple upgrades, for example swapping out the standard strap buttons with strap locks to keep your guitar secure if you’re standing up and playing, the ones mentioned above being the most essential.
If you really want to go all out, there are companies that will give your guitar a complete finish in any color you want. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but if that regular sunburst finish isn’t enough for you anymore, this might be just what you need.
Best of luck!
