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Are looks really THAT important to you?

#21
Well, if it's a sparkly pink bass with Swastikas on the neck, a Digimon logo, and happy faces surrounding the catsick-green pickguard, and the knobs are turquoise with purple stripes, and the headstock was a circle, and the tuners were anatomically correct male genitalia... then it would be overkill and I wouldn't get it, no matter how well it played.

If, on the other hand, I was looking for a black bass and I found the same one, but only in blue, I wouldn't really mind.
 
#27
I try not to play basses with colors that help me look fat. LOL
Black is always safe for me.
As far as not very pretty, I like em a bit damaged so I don't freak when I accidentally walk into a just hit cymbal.
My most recent purchase had alot of dings in it but it was black so I just took a sharpie to those spots and you can't tell from 5 feet away.
 
#28
There are tons of basses in the world. Odds are if you look hard enough and long enough you'll find one that is a "player" and a "looker." Just depends on how impatient and/or cheap you are. You can likely find a builder to make exactly what you want. But whether or not you have the time and/or money to do it is another story.

That said, when I've looked at Fender P-basses recently, I will usually only play sunburst as that is the look I want in a Fender. I'll pick up another color just for a tone/playability reference. If there is a "stunning" example in a color I don't want, I then know that the sunburst I played can be better, so I'll just have to look some more.
 
#32
I hate to admit it
but yes looks are important
and they are right up there with playability and tone
I have cosmetically modded all my basses except
for my Washburn Status headless and Spector Legend
those to me looked perfect out of the box

BEFORE
4040477092_b2701bdd26.jpg

4649206844_6d96c3a58e.jpg

ursa3rn3ts2a.jpg

1237664506656.jpg

jazzbassstdwinered001.jpg


AFTER
4088220163_36b8dc3027.jpg

3647170807_da9632e131.jpg

4389132770_bf3be0b5a7.jpg

3278771603_1900ed2e96.jpg
 
#35
I absolutely want a bass to look good strapped on to me. I can use all the help I can get ;^)
But for an example, I had a beautiful(my favorite color combo) transparent white/tort guard/maple board Sadowsky Metro MV4 that I loved. However, I really wanted a comparable passive J, so I traded it for a natural/black pg/rosewood Lakland JO. It looks nice, but to me, the Sadowsky finish was more beautiful. I have no regrets though, because the Lakland is the bass that I really wanted.
 
#37
Well, what works for me is that the better relationship you have with the bass, the better your playing will be.

I'm more of a one-bass at a time kind of guy, so ya, looks are important. It doesn't have to be a Morgan Fairchild, but I couldn't invest time on a Rosie O'Donnell. I don't want to be nauseated while playing.

Don't spend too much time with a bass that you wouldn't marry.
 
#38
I have a metallic red Jazz right now. I had a Candy Apple Red P before. I wanted a Black N' Maple Jazz. I even oerdered the BN'M. I walked out with the red one because I liked the sound and it felt better. The BN'M one now sits as a display/demo model.

Interperet that to get what I care about.:)
 
#40
Yup, looks are important to me. If I don't want to pick it up due to buttuglyness, it's not going to be of any use to me.

Will I make a concession on a color for a really good instrument? Sure, but that's about as far as I'll go. There are plenty enough really good, decent looking (IMO) basses out there that suit my needs, so I guess I'm all set.

Of course it's got to sound good too, but again, it's not all that hard to make a decent bass play and sound good.(IMO)
 

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