A Question of Aesthetics

[superheavyfunk]

In this thread, I hope to discuss things on a strictly visual level. It’s not about what feels good to play or what things sound like. Strictly eye candy, dig?

The thing that made me start thinking about this is the giant tuners on my new bass. They’re full size fender-style clovers, and I think they look ridiculous... Like clown shoes on tiny feet.

I went looking for fender-style headstocks with mini clovers and couldn’t find any, which got me wondering about how it would look and why we don’t see this often. On square(ish) headstocks, like the Gibson LP Jr for example, they’re readily found but not so much on other shapes. What’s up with that?

The next item on my list is chrome knurled knobs. Honestly, I think they’re terribly ugly and they stick out in a weird way. Black ones are much nicer on my eyes and usually match the pickups and pickguard (if there is one) much better.

Finally, a white nut on an otherwise all black bass as well as its opposite. Both just bug me. It breaks the flow of the colour scheme. I suppose some ppl want it for that very reason but it’s not for me.

So. Thoughts? Opinions? What are your aesthetic bugaboos, and why?

 

[bholder]

Are you the candy of my eye? Or a red and swollen sty?
I cannot seem to tell, perhaps it's just as well,
For I love weird and ugly basses, and those with pretty faces, just as well.

<takes a clumsy embarrassed bow> hehe

 

[superheavyfunk]

Are you the candy of my eye? Or a red and swollen sty?
I cannot seem to tell, perhaps it's just as well,
For I love weird and ugly basses, and those with pretty faces, just as well.

<takes a clumsy embarrassed bow> hehe

Hahaha well done!

 

[bholder]

Hahaha well done!

Thanks.

 

[HelpImaRock]

Knobs are pretty easy to change. Tuners I only change if they don't work. Do what you want, it doesn't matter.

 

[SoCal80s]

I don't like the look of the large Fender clovers either, and for that reason alone didn't buy a Fender for the longest time. I like the modern triangle shapes much better. I also don't do sunburst. And I don't dig tort pick guards, or any pick guards, for that matter. It just all looks so old.

 

[superheavyfunk]

Knobs are pretty easy to change. Tuners I only change if they don't work. Do what you want, it doesn't matter.

…cool. Good talk

 

[bholder]

Or, in other words, these basses all live together in my bedroom:

Which are weird, which are beautiful? I dare ya! hehe

 

[Snert]

I don't like the look of the large Fender clovers either, and for that reason alone didn't buy a Fender for the longest time. I like the modern triangle shapes much better. I also don't do sunburst. And I don't dig tort pick guards, or any pick guards, for that matter. It just all looks so old.

I can see at least 5 reasons for you to be summarily banned, or at least set upon by the hordes.
I agree with you though, 100%.

 

[superheavyfunk]

Or, in other words, these basses all live together in my bedroom:

View attachment 4644312 View attachment 4644313 View attachment 4644314 View attachment 4644315View attachment 4644316

Which are weird, which are beautiful? I dare ya! hehe

I’d play #1, #3, and #4. Actually, I’d happily play them all… just maybe not #2 & #5 in public. Haha

What’s up with the frets on #2? They look like they’re like 8mm wide and made of wood??

 

[HelpImaRock]

…cool. Good talk

I'm sorry this is Existentialism in the Multiverse. If you're looking for Contradiction or Arguments, those are down the hall.

 

[Snert]

I went looking for fender-style headstocks with mini clovers and couldn’t find any, which got me wondering about how it would look and why we don’t see this often. On square(ish) headstocks, like the Gibson LP Jr for example, they’re readily found but not so much on other shapes. What’s up with that?

Because I think people look at the 4IL style headstock and because they are so used to seeing it, that anything else looks wrong to them. The engineer in me wants to know why you want all that weight all the way out there when a 2+2 is a smaller lever, especially with the oversize an heavy open style traditional tuners.

Finally, a white nut on an otherwise all black bass as well as its opposite.

Agreed, especially if it's plastic.

 

[gln1955]

In my universe, all Fenders would come with lollipop tuners and would not have any kind of plastic knobs. There are only a very few body colors where a white pick guard works, and I can't think of them right now.

 

[Flamingo21]

I love the big clover tuners.

 

[JRA]

i take great care making my parts axes look really good/cool/nice/whatever and then i get on TB and make fun of anyone who puts "looks" before playability/feel/balance/etc. no inconsistency, no guilt, no regrets, but maybe "aesthetics" is different from "the way the thing looks!"

looks = kid stuff!

feel = the real deal!

i like 'em to look good, but if they didn't play top-notch they'd be worthless. i know i'm not alone in that thinking.

 

[bholder]

I’d play #1, #3, and #4. Actually, I’d happily play them all… just maybe not #2 & #5 in public. Haha

What’s up with the frets on #2? They look like they’re like 8mm wide and made of wood??

That's the Lane Poor Minima, and yeah, it's the most unique design I've come across - neck, fretboard, frets, all one thing precision milled out of some sort of Unobtanium / Aluminum alloy. Lightweight but solid stiff metal. Could be wielded as a fearsome weapon. The frets are indeed wide and flat, the area in the gap between them is milled out like an extreme scallop - the intonation point for each note is the front edge of the "fretslab" hehe. Can do almost fretless sounds but also sound like a hard played fretted depending on your touch...
...and the design, even if you do find it weird or ugly, is really a truly beautiful example of state-of-the-art precision milling!

 

[superheavyfunk]

maybe "aesthetics" is different from "the way the thing looks!"

I suppose I could have the meaning of “aesthetic” wrong but I feel pretty confident that it does indeed mean “the way the thing looks”

i like 'em to look good, but if they didn't play top-notch they'd be worthless. i know i'm not alone in that thinking.

You’re definitely not alone… I’d like to think that anybody who actually plays their bass feels similarly. But the point here is only what things look like - not how they play or feel

 

[bholder]

I'm sorry this is Existentialism in the Multiverse. If you're looking for Contradiction or Arguments, those are down the hall.

I just need to hear that every so often.

 

[jd56hawk]

In this thread, I hope to discuss things on a strictly visual level. It’s not about what feels good to play or what things sound like. Strictly eye candy, dig?

The thing that made me start thinking about this is the giant tuners on my new bass. They’re full size fender-style clovers, and I think they look ridiculous... Like clown shoes on tiny feet.

I went looking for fender-style headstocks with mini clovers and couldn’t find any, which got me wondering about how it would look and why we don’t see this often. On square(ish) headstocks, like the Gibson LP Jr for example, they’re readily found but not so much on other shapes. What’s up with that?

The next item on my list is chrome knurled knobs. Honestly, I think they’re terribly ugly and they stick out in a weird way. Black ones are much nicer on my eyes and usually match the pickups and pickguard (if there is one) much better.

Finally, a white nut on an otherwise all black bass as well as its opposite. Both just bug me. It breaks the flow of the colour scheme. I suppose some ppl want it for that very reason but it’s not for me.

So. Thoughts? Opinions? What are your aesthetic bugaboos, and why?

FIIF headstocks.
Sorry, the sore thumbs of the bass world.

 

[superheavyfunk]

FIIF headstocks.
Sorry, the sore thumbs of the bass world.

What does FIIF mean?