There's always room for change

You might feel the need to start with validated instruments, but that doesn't stop you from introducing your own, new questions - which could easily be developed with the help of people from GC - and modifying or creating your own new scales, and then validating them yourself. You could even do this alongside the use of these older scales, so you wouldn't have to double up on sampling.

Most importantly, this could serve as a positive force toward the advancement of the field.