If a mod is done well to a stock guitar does it change value?

[T268]

So there's a guitar I'm thinking of acquiring. It normally has no inlays on the fretboard, and the current owner had a luthier put normal dot inlays on the front of the fretboard. If it's done in a clean, professional way, would this change value? It's not a vintage Martin or anything. It's an SCGC Tony Rice dread fwiw. I should say it normally has no other inlays other than the SCGC logo at the 12th fret.

[flaggerphil]

Not to me.

[patchmcg]

Maybe you should ask one of the mods.....

[Wade Hampton]

T268, it would depend on who the buyer was, and where the guitar is priced. There are probably some purists who would feel that the inlays lowered the value of the guitar, while other more utility-minded players like me wouldn't be bothered by it.

I mean, I wouldn't pay EXTRA to get those dots, which some sellers might think would be their due, but I wouldn't demand a hundred dollars off the price, either. To me it's about like adding a pickup or swapping out stock tuners for better functioning replacement tuners: I wouldn't be willing to cover the costs that installing those items incurred, but they wouldn't make me walk away from the deal, either.

But some buyers insist on getting an instrument that's factory stock, which of course is their right.

So it just depends.

Short version: some folks would feel that substantially lowers the value of the guitar, others wouldn't. Depends on the buyer's attitudes.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller

[drive-south]

I wouldnt be upset if the dots were added by the builder. In this case SCGC. I'm not sure I would mind in any case as long as they were done well.

[Mbroady]

From my experience modifications do no add to the value. The most commen modification is adding electronics/pick up system. Though I have seen folks ask for more due to this modification I have never seen or heard of anyone actually agreeing to pay more because of this mod. And, unless it's a vintage or one off guitar I do not see it taking value away.

Virtually any modification hurts the value of a production guitar. On something like a TR Signature where people expect a blank board, I think dots might look odd.

The quality of the work and eye for aesthetics matter too. Dots in a Style 28 pattern that are small (vintage sized) and more muted in color would probably look better than high contrast abalone in a larger size.

Personally, I'd want the guitar at a price consistent with similar condition unmodified examples, minus the cost and aggravation to have the dots removed and the holes filled with ebony. It's not that I would personally value the guitar less for its utility, but I know if I want to sell it, the next buyer is going to want to pay less than for an unmodified example.

[Goodallboy]

Originally Posted by T268

So there's a guitar I'm thinking of acquiring. It normally has no inlays on the fretboard, and the current owner had a luthier put normal dot inlays on the front of the fretboard. If it's done in a clean, professional way, would this change value? It's not a vintage Martin or anything. It's an SCGC Tony Rice dread fwiw. I should say it normally has no other inlays other than the SCGC logo at the 12th fret.

Have you played it?

If not, I'd be much more worried about that fact than the mod.

[AZLiberty]

Originally Posted by Todd Yates

Virtually any modification hurts the value of a production guitar. On something like a TR Signature where people expect a blank board, I think dots might look odd.

This, part of the specific design aesthetic is a clean fretboard. I would think that adding dots would knock off at least 10 to 15% of the unmodified value.

[T268]

For what it's worth I definitely don't expect it to add to the value. It's a matter of will I be taking a hit and how bad.

[bobernet]

Looks nice to me.

Originally Posted by T268

For what it's worth I definitely don't expect it to add to the value. It's a matter of will I be taking a hit and how bad.

I stand by everything I said about modifications above. While I can't tell much about the workmanship, the layout is nice and compliments existing aesthetics of the guitar. I'd say a $200 or so downgrade from a similar condition unmodified guitar. Some buyers just won't want it, but it will likely be appealing enough to sell at a slight discount.

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

Originally Posted by T268

For what it's worth I definitely don't expect it to add to the value. It's a matter of will I be taking a hit and how bad.

Keep in mind that this is a signature model, where all the specs were carefully thought out. While the mod may not bother everyone, it will definitely bother some, so the dots do reduce value. As to how much, will depend on the buyer, but off the top of my head, if a clean Tony Rice is worth say $3300 to $3400, than I think $2800 to $3000 would be fair for one with a mod like this.

[T268]

So, would it be safe to assume that I would take less of a hit if I had Ebony dots fitted back in and disclosed this should I end up flipping it?

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

Originally Posted by T268

So, would it be safe to assume that I would take less of a hit if I had Ebony dots fitted back in and disclosed this should I end up flipping it?

That would be a different kind of turnoff.