A Question of Aesthetics

[Solarmist]

I don't care for gold or chrome hardware - matte black for me.

 

[JRA]

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”

you got it --- i was teasing (myself and others). but it's easier to make fun of someone who rates "looks" first --- over the real, more important stuff.

i've grown so accustomed to 'the look' of the iconic axes (7ender, gibson, ric, others) that i'm probably able to overlook the fact that they don't look 'special' --- except by habit.

 

[Starthief]

I don't really like the shape or dimensions of a typical Fender headstock and the big clover tuners -- but only when I'm specifically paying attention to that area. On the bass as a whole it seems fine.

 

[micguy]

The big clover tuner paddles go with the fact that the headstock on a Fender is insanely large to begin with - it's a visual balance thing. But the headstock on a Fender bass is too big for the body - all of which maybe starts with the gig clunky steel tuners - the amount of real estate they take up on the back side of the headstock is silly - once you see Hipshot Ultralites, and how a very good tuner can be made in far less space, the old style Fender tuners are just an oddly designed product of a bygone era.

If you down sized EVERYTHING above the nut a bit, the whole thing would look better. The small Strat headstock works better than any of Fender's bass headstocks visually - it fits the instrument better; the body on a Precision isn't that different size wise than a Strat.

 

[jd56hawk]

What does FIIF mean?

Nice way of saying it is "Forget it, it's Friday!"
In other words, "I have to make it to the bank to cash my check. I'll paint the headstock first thing Monday morning."
Of course, Monday rolls around and it's on to painting the first bass body of the day and another bass with an unfinished headstock heads out the door.

 

[PJ Muzikmansky]

I'm a big one for headstock aesthetics. If the headstock ain't happenin', I ain't buyin' LOL.

Non happening headstocks (on otherwise good instruments) include:

• The G&L moustache
• That weird Fodera 5 string where the low B string goes along the outside edge of the headstock to a tuner at the top - instead of right near the nut
• The D. Lakin semi-Fenderish example with the flat underside
• The Sire Marcus Miller
• The Lakland 5-string 3x2
• Ibanez ATK
• The Nordstrand Acinonyx 1x3 (would've been perfect in a mirror image as 3x1)

However, these almost don't rate a mention in comparison with the overall package of hideousness that is the Jackson X Series Concert Bass (the one that looks Rickenbacker-ish), IMO an instrument so egregious from a design/aesthetics point of view, I don't know where to begin. I'll simply conclude by saying - I wouldn't be caught dead playing one.

 

[chris_b]

What looks good?

IMO burst, tort and rosewood. . . . on an FSO.

How can anyone fail to fall in love with that combination?

 

[VoodooJazz]

I don’t like the look of ramps. There, I said it!

 

[Watchootognbout]

What looks good?

IMO burst, tort and rosewood. . . . on an FSO.

How can anyone fail to fall in love with that combination?

Those who avoid FSO's or anything with paint,pickguards and chrome like the plague.

 

[Snert]

Those who avoid FSO's or anything with paint,pickguards and chrome like the plague.

Sounds like me. Only one of my guitars even has a PG and it wouldn't have that if I could find a way to remove it without damaging the finish, and one old bass.

 

[HardNHeavy]

all those things can be changed....knobs, nuts, tuners etc. but as said above i dont like ramps either, learn the proper way and stop being lazy with your thumb. I dont like flatheaded knurled knobs, the rounded top ones look better imo. Microtilt adjustment screws on all basses, no more need for shims and fudging with t-rods, and sunburst/tort...geezus, enuf already, surely there's other colors they can blend to the same effect---All just personal tastes.

 

[VoodooJazz]

OT: @gebass6 how do you like your NS Stick
A). As a Stick Player,
B). As a bass player?

 

[micguy]

26310913[/URL], member: 94029"]What looks good?

IMO burst, tort and rosewood. . . . on an FSO.

How can anyone fail to fall in love with that combination?

I was born about the same time as the split pickup Precision - by the time I bought my first bass, that look was old. I bought a Ric, that was a few years less obsolete looking. That was 40 plus years ago. If you like the look, OK, but some of us have moved on from the late 50’s aesthetically.

 

[Watchootognbout]

OT: @gebass6 how do you like your NS Stick
A). As a Stick Player,
B). As a bass player?

It is an uphill battle.
But I knew that when I bought it.

It is easy to play as a bass.
You must use a lighter touch when plucking the strings.

But as a Stick,to get my right hand to do what my left does consistently is work.
Hand independence is hard.

 

[bass12]

I really don't like the look of MM and J pickup combinations. Same with double MM pickups (like on the Warwick Double $$ Corvettes).

 

[Killing Floor]

I can live with these, they look “ok” in my opinion.

 

[wysiwyg248]

Lollipop tuners? NO
No pickguards? YES!
Bunch of knobs randomly placed? NO (I own a Jaguar that probably has 5 hrs of play in 10 years)
Knurled knobs? YES, I sweat a lot
Alligned knobs like in a Sadowsky? YES!
2+2 Headstock? NO, I love the look of all strings going straight, even if that means neck dive
Music Man headstock: Absolutely Brilliant!

 

[Lobster11]

I just need to hear that every so often.

No you don't....

 

[Snert]

2+2 Headstock? NO, I love the look of all strings going straight, even if that means neck dive

A 2+2 headstock does not have to have the strings angle from the nut to the tuners a la a Gibson guitar.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

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?

Pink anything. I’ve avoided owning anything pick for the last 69 years and I’m not starting now. LOL!!