Do singlecut basses look pretentious?

[TripleDouble]

Personally, I don't care what anybody plays. Playing a jazz gig on a pink Kramer Duke from the 80's, and laying it down? Cool. Playing heavy riffs on an old Gibson jazzbox while wearing cargo shorts? Neato. Deep funk on a 26" bass drum with flames on it, and doing impressions of Borat and Max Headroom. between songs. Hot. Mostly. I don't judge anybody until the first 8 bars they play...then I can be kinda mean...or very appreciative...

 

[bolophonic]

+1 to not spending time worrying about how others perceive your gear choices. But yeah... Those massive lump-top dealios remind me of the elephant man's head.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

yes

 

[Ewo]

The main thing, I figure, is to play the bass that feels right and sounds right.

 

[wintremute]

I've never heard them described as "pretentious". I don't find them attractive, but it doesn't bother me that other people play them.

The only thing I would be worried about is the opinion of the person who is paying you. Since I've heard stories on TB of band leaders, guitarists, producers, engineers, etc. who didn't like the way a bass looked or didn't like the name on it, I assume that a single-cut bass will have some sort of stigma attached to it (for some people).

 

[bholder]

The main thing, I figure, is to play the bass that feels right and sounds right.

Of course, a bass that feels right and sounds right and also looks sexy as hell is a truly wondrous thing! (Then again, if it feels good and sounds good, sooner or later, it'll look good, whatever it looks like.)

 

[ubernator]

A big yes. Bleh

 

[Clef_de_fa]

Then avoid old grumpy music like blues, rock and country. Full of people that you have to have an instrument with that Fender-ish look or else !!!!!!!!!

 

[KohanMike]

I tend to prefer single cutaway, I have five, but I also have two double cutaway with two more coming soon, and also a Hofner/violin style, so I have the gamut covered.

 

[brianrost]

I bet a lot of folks in "traditional" bands would respond negatively...but that's all about image.

I stopped bringing a Steinberger to blues gigs for that very reason.

 

[Planespotter]

Image isn't nothing. If you plan on being a hired gun type it's a good idea to keep something more traditional in your quiver for certain gigs. There are a lot of band leaders out there who absolutely will judge you by your gear and overall image. That's the reality unfortunately. But then again, if you are the band leader/creative force in your musical situation, you make the rules so there's that too.

 

[Doner Designs]

Pretentious? No. But in truth, I really don't like the look of a single cut bass. In particular the modern ones, but I think I'm in the minority on this.

If you were a minority they might be more common. I don't care for them either. Also, with a lot of players being finicky about a difference of a pound, or even half a pound, it seems like most would not want the added weight.

 

[RED J]

If you mean the big honkin' chunk of wood halfway up the neck kind ? On an old gutbucket rock blues pop garage band guy like me ? T-totally pretentious.

A Les Paul Triumph, no, but don't especially care for LP bass body shapes. So to quote the late Walter Cronkite, thayuts the way it eeuz.

 

[Salicete]

Pretentious? No.

Like a portly woman? Yes.

 

[newmusicmichael]

Not pretentious at all, I think they look really cool, and it's always fun to see people using something other than P or J Basses. That
Cerro in particular looks pretty wicked.

 

[SirMjac28]

Yes of course they do.

 

[friendlybass]

Pretentious I think is a strong word. I don't think they look like they are pretending to be anything. If a person touts that playing any bass but a single cut is barely playing a bass at all (dont laugh I actually know that guy) then the person is being pretentious, but naw the bass is probably incapable of being anything but wood, strings and electronics.

 

[friendlybass]

I've only ever owned one single-cut bass. Don't think I ever came across anyone who didn't think it looked badass...

But that's probably not what you were talking about!

I need some time alone with these photos. Jesus that's a sexy bass. Got any demos?

 

[AltGrendel]

Not if they are well designed.

 

[fhm555]

To-ma-to to-may-toe