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Do Stickers Make a Bass Trashy?

#281
The guitarist in a band i used to play in covered his les paul in police warning tape.
It looked pretty cool, until he tried to take it off.
The residue left behind attracted all kinds of crap and it looked like the guitar was growing a beard.
 
#283
In my opinion, they are not an improvement to any bass, or anything else, including cars, (ref:Bumper stickers).

In my opinion, They are not unique because they are mass produced, they are not individualistic for the same reason. In many cases they take a product that you own (bought and paid for) and turn it into a free billboard for some one else, or their enterprise.

In my opinion they give your bass a childish appearance and hint to others that you're pretty immature. Not to mention that they eventually fray, stain, peel, fade, discolor, become dirty, and otherwise, ugly.

While some people might like the look, and think that stickers somehow make them seem cool to someone else, it's really nothing more than sticking clue and paper, or vinyl, on wood.

So, in my opinion, stickers trash a bass.

All that said, the final decision is always up to you. The bass is yours, the stickers are yours, and the decision is yours. Whether or not someone else likes your style should be irrelevant to you. If that's what you want to do, do it. Some will like it, some, like myself, will not. Such is life.

Enjoy your bass as you see fit.
 
#284
I don't mind Sticker no a Bass but I then to prefer them on basses that have already been beaten up and worn.

Some Decal work I did on my reso "Zombie" bass
IMG_0211.jpg


Sticker left by previous owner
IMG_0212.jpg



And the Back of the SB301 ... All done by the Previous Owner But I left it because I actually liked it
IMG_0213.jpg
 
#285
biohazed said:
I don't mind Sticker no a Bass but I then to prefer them on basses that have already been beaten up and worn.

Some Decal work I did on my reso "Zombie" bass

Sticker left by previous owner

And the Back of the SB301 ... All done by the Previous Owner But I left it because I actually liked it
Click to expand...

Love the zombie bass!! Where did you find the decal?
 
#288
Tommygunn said:
The bassist from the clash (I'm having a brain fart)
Click to expand...

What! He even wrote his name on his bass for you:

Link Removed

Paul Simonon. I pretty much agree with the "guitars are tools not trophies" philosophy, but I'm not sure I could cut my name into the finish of a new bass. Stickers? You can do better then that, go fetch a knife. ;)

Maybe you're thinking of this one?

280188265_04576d694c_z.jpg

Surely Paul was upset because some bastard put a sticker on his bass.
:D
 
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#289
I'd use automotive decals...

I mean, if they're meant on cars to be removed without damaging/discoloring paint, I can't see them not doing the same to basses.

I've been thinking about putting a sticker on this new bronco bass. I put some cheap automotive carbon fiber wrap on my pickguard, if that counts:

8y6yb9.jpg


It pretty much has to be applied like a big sticker. :P
 
#292
It always seems that if the sticker (or stickers) adds personality to the bass, or really identifies with the player, then it looks cool. Buying a bunch of cheap stickers and plastering them all over your bass, unless you play punk, just looks cheap to me. If your sweat ruins the sticker, you're left with a nasty mess on your bass.

I agree about auto stickers. Much better quality, and don't leave a bunch of gunk behind when you grow up and remove them.
 
#293
Rip Topaz said:
I agree about auto stickers. Much better quality, and don't leave a bunch of gunk behind when you grow up and remove them.
Click to expand...

I have a few decals of endorsements on my car (Spectre Performance, Arkansas Performance Exhaust and FitFreak.net forums), but I used to have one for Razo that when I was younger and more ignorant, it was a regular ol' sticker. It started to fade from UV light and peel from rain damage, so it was time to take it off. I had to use a credit card and lots of cleaning solution to get all the gunk off and it took almost an hour to do it all. I was lucky it only took the top coat of wax off.
 
#294
I have a telecaster with the "I <3 Boobies" logo on it. (the heart, not the words). The guitar has some mojo to it, and I support cancer awareness campaigns because of a grandfather passing due to cancer, and an aunt that is a survivor.

I also have a strap that I made out of an "I <3 boobies" belt. I used it for a basketball game (I played bass in pep band) in high school that was dedicated to breast cancer awareness. I got a lot of compliments.

Anyways, if the stickers have meaning to them, they are not cheesy or trashy looking. I still wouldn't put them on a high dollar boutique bass, though. But I don't own any of those:D

EDIT: I have a duck sticker on the back of the headstock on my Schecter. Reminds me of my senior year in high school.
 
#299
it doesnt depend on nothing!! its your bass, if you want stickers on it put stickers on it. who cares if there auto stickers or stickers out of a ceral box, and with that being said who gives a crap what some dork thinks....its yours! if you really care what someone thought about it, it would already have a tort pick guard and some flats......
 
#300
When I was younger (16-19) I put stickers on my basses like crazy.
Now I'm a little older and I just don't get into it any more. I don't knock people who do though because I think some look pretty cool.

For me personally I would buy a cool looking pickguard with some graphics on it before I stickered another bass.
 

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