There are two types of people who want to buy an Android smartphone: those who simply don't want an Apple product, and those who want to trick out their phones fancier than a Honda Civic from the set of The Fast and the Furious.

If you belong in the latter crowd, you may be familiar with at least some aspects of the hardware-modding community. But what of the layman who wants to pimp his phone and hasn't a clue where to begin?

We've gathered a handful of the most mod-worthy Android phones, complete with straightforward instructions on how to fully go "Vin Diesel" on your smartphone. That is to say, we show you how to gain root access — or superuser, full-permissions status — to each phone. That allows for customization far beyond what you can accomplish with a stock device. After root is achieved, the sky's the limit.

Warning: More often than not, rooting or unlocking your phone voids your warranty, which means you'll get no love from your carrier's tech-support line if you accidentally screw it up. You also run the risk of "bricking" your phone — essentially rendering it useless — when performing some of these procedures.

So, proceed at your own risk!