They look like, and it is personal opinion, that you may have a great design and build and rushed the finish.
There used to be lots of no name gear for sale with those. It says cheap. While some will scream snob, may I turn your attention to this?
We are in a performance art. While some argue the audience can't hear you use this or that, the total package of great tone, interesting music regardless of genre, and the appearance of your gear and your bod combine to make a subtle win.
Look like you're worth the money you charge. Look like you belong in their home, hall, outdoor venue. Other guests will hire you from those gigs. I've played gigs with anarchists who believe it is their right to wear whatever they want. I agree that it is. However I'm having fun serving the expectations of those who hire me. Trust me I'm not playing top 40 covers but some obscure fun stuff of every genre. You want your originals to be heard? Then don't alarm the mother of the bride by wearing that flannel shirt you love.
On a practical level a powder coated metal grille costs very little money and time for a metal shop to make.
I hate it when somebody posts a well thought-out and articulate argument to which I have no rebuttal.
OK, I'll have a go then
We are not in a performance art. We are simply artists, or at least human beings trying to give our life meaning by creating something beautiful. While this can certainly take the form in a combination of visual
and sonic elements, it doesn't have to be. No one gets hurt if someone says 'my art form is sound and sound only'.
However, chances are that that person is not 'getting away' with it. It is now almost universally expected that there is a visual component to music. In a way, this is of all time, although recently this view has been amplified by Mtv.
It is very common that musicians get judged on their appearance, 'stage presence', music videos etc., and it is taken for granted and rarely, at the very least, questioned. I have received reactions on press kits that went "The demo sounds real good, but we need to
see your music...". Which, in a way, makes about as much sense as "I need to smell your architecture".
I really wish this would change and that people would experience someone else's art without a fixed set of rules in mind.
In the top40/wedding/background music/party band-circuit there are expectations. There musicians are providing a service which usually includes looking the part. And having your amplifier look the part too. And either you agree to the entire thing, or you walk away.
But, not all music is in the wedding/background-music-circuit. And in fact, the wedding/background-thing is more business than expression.
And what does all of this boil down to? Social status and conformity. Being together with, and belonging to a group of people who all have met a minimum threshold of (largely financial and influence-wise) achievement and look the same as you. To me, these are things that we need less of. Let's not set thresholds for social interaction and allow people to be themselves as much as possible. We're all human beings. It's okay. Let's get along and help each other out. Looking at a global scale, we have better things to do than requiring one another to wear $500+ clothes.
Am I going to wear whatever I want, knowing that it will annoy those hiring me to a great extend? No. Would I like to see more discussion on this topic and movement towards greater personal freedom and better priorities? Yes.
Back to the grills thing, which by now probably seems quite insignificant.
I find the 'no round grills'-rule a bit much, even in formal settings. There are examples of decent looking cabinets in this thread, to which I'd like to add the Henriksen JazzAmp (
Home | Jazz Guitar Amplifier: Henriksen Jazz Amp: light, powerful, inexpensive, small, jazz guitar amplifier). I'd say: just choose the look you want, based on the aesthetics you like. Completely ignore any snobbery or TalkBass-Small-Round-Grills-acceptance-factor™.
