Do you apply any custom decorations to your instrument?

[Shenron]

I wonder how common it is for people to apply cosmetic, non-functional changes to their instruments, to personalise it or make it look better if it's dull. Things like adding stickers, drawing something on the body or neck, partial/full repaints or anything else including attaching stuff.

I did that a few times on my first ever guitar (talking about 30 years ago*), which was a very blank-looking cheap Squier with black body and black pickguard. I once put green tape on it to emulate Van Halen, changed it for a while to silver geometrical stickers, and then put some little ghost figures on certain frets to work as more visible marker dots. I never did anything of this sort to my instruments after that first one.

*I remember seeing some pretty crazy stuff back then... from students of art painting incredible pictures on guitar bodies with permanent markers, to someone actually torching the body of his guitar to make it look it survived a battle

 

[Nebadon2000]

No never considered it; No stickers on case and I don't have any Tattoo's;

maybe might change pickguard if Bass I like and wanted had a Tort one

 

[JRA]

i'm considering that very idea (headstock "art") right now on one of mine --- just that i'm still trying to imagine and to come up with something i can live with, and that won't contribute to neck dive on the lightweight instrument.

but in a larger sense, all of my part axes (that would be all of my axes ATM) have been assembled with some "decorative" aspect in mind.

my instruments have to play very well or i don't need them, but i also like them to look pretty cool, too, at least to me, so i voted "yes." and FWIW, i'm having some fun "decorating" them these days because in my earlier, busier days = i wouldn't have bothered.

 

[Watchootognbout]

The basses that I have are natural dark wood oil finished.
On dark wood I like gold hardware.
So if it doesn't already have gold,I change out what I can to gold.
Tuners,bridges and knobs.

The two Tune basses already had gold hardware.
But I replaced the original black plastic knobs with gold/abalone dome knobs.
I also replaced the black plastic electronics covers with wooden one that I made.

Changing out the hardware on the BTB was a long,arduous search for gold.
As Ibanez does not make gold MR2 monorails.
But I founds some.

Hipshot "Y"key Ultralites were added.

The N/S Stick?The only thing I could switch to gold was the knobs.
The rest?Not a chance!

 

[el murdoque]

On my Precision, I swapped the pickguard for a different color,
and on my Music Man Bongo that is a special edition in sequoia gold with all gold hardware, I put on golden strings, but that's it in terms of decoration.

I usually buy a bass because I like the way it looks already - so I don't need to modify it any further.

 

[2saddleslab]

Personally I don't but did find an expert that does. Legendary pin striper Jim "Dauber" Farr was given free rein to do what he thought was best. He even went over each & every line w/ clear to make sure it lasts.

 

[Dave W]

Other than changing the color of hardware or a pickguard, nope...never.

 

[40Hz]

My only concession to bling was a gold anodized pickguard for my PB. If I completely lose my mind someday I might consider springing for a Spitfire tort pickguard for my other PB. But that’s about as far as I’d go cosmetics-wise.

 

[HardNHeavy]

just hardware and pickguards.......back when i was playing punk/metal i had a few obnoxious stickers on my p bass, thats bout it.

 

[Spidey2112]

We're still talking about basses, right?

 

[petermwright]

Haven’t done anything decorative like that (though I have refinished basses), but was pondering it recently. I’d love to get a fretted Jazz to put flats on, and do some kind of Beatles artwork on it. I’d have a custom pickguard made, and would like the idea of having other artwork on the body, but could quite sell myself on the idea of stickers.

 

[Rev_Slinky]

I couldn't resist this sticker from my local bakery...

 

[mattie13]

decorated with the name of my band

 

[Ghastly]

I pimped out my Adam Clayton p bass from this...

To this...

 

[Ostie]

I have a friend who steam punked his bass. I wish I had taken a pic because it was very creative. Nothing I would do, but he was proud of it. It had doo-dads and trinkets all over it, including a light with a switch that did….nothing, except light up.

 

[Aloe]

sometimes. I like good-looking tuners or sometimes a nicer truss rod cover. in fact three of my four basses wear an aftermarket truss rod cover (and the forth has heel access):

as for this bass, it originally came with chrome hardware, I decided, I like gold the best (so it matches the frets and the nut). purely cosmetic, yes:

 

[bucephylus]

A few.

The Bass of Clubs

The Albatross

The Kiwi

 

[Bevan777]

Personally I don't but did find an expert that does. Legendary pin striper Jim "Dauber" Farr was given free rein to do what he thought was best. He even went over each & every line w/ clear to make sure it lasts.
View attachment 5372547
View attachment 5372548

Tremendous work! Love it.

 

[Andre678]

Do wooden thumb rests count? That is about as far as I have gone.

 

[J Wilson]

Not a thing for me, but I did come close to having a bullet hole or two a few times. Surprising none of the 'relic' finishers offer these as an option.

I know I'm not the only one who played those places Momma warned me about.