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Do you find natural finish ugly?

#201
Someone had actually painted this beautiful bass (with flames of all things...) - so I bought it and fixed that.

I don’t think anyone could paint a prettier picture than nature created with the patterns in this wood...

Just my humble opinion, of course, and to each their own.
I’m glad ppl like different colors for their Basses; it’d be pretty darn boring if everyone’s looked the same.

I’ll take “au naturàl” 99% of the time if I have my choice, altho I’d never pass up a bass that played/sounded great just because of the color/paint job. (Within reason...)

8E8CB894-6C15-4420-8BF5-40C1C230DB6F.jpeg
6D63E519-3716-4510-A4CD-E355F1CC0B96.jpeg
 
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#202
retslock said:
This makes me laugh. How do you arrive at that assertion? Wood is beautiful anywhere you use it. It’s been what stringed instruments are made of for a long long time and I don’t believe anyone ever mistook a bass for a chair or table but hey, I could be wrong. Surely you can seperate the two even though they’re made of the same thing. I’m sanding one of my basses back to natural ‘cos wood is beautiful and isn’t defined by what you make from it.
Click to expand...

This makes me laugh. How do you arrive at that assertion? Wood is beautiful painted, stained, or natural. Stringed instruments have been available in a variety of colors for a long long time and I can't believe anyone ever said that they must look like a chair or table but hey, I could be wrong. Surely you can recognize that a natural instrument is no better or more aesthetically pleasing than a painted/stained one. I sanded an oil-finish bass, covered it with stickers, and had it clear-coated to encapsulate everything permanently because the instrument is beautiful, regardless of the wood.

See what I did there?
 
#203
I do admit to gaining a modicum of pleasure by throwing fuel on the fire here and there, so here are some pics of a project bass I did - I purchased a natural oil finish Spector Euro 4, sanded down to bare wood, sealed it, covered it with punk stickers, then had it clear-coated to seal everything permanently. Take that, coffee-table-bassers!!! :D

Euro4 oil finish - before.jpg IMG_0013.jpg IMG_0180.jpg IMG_0288.jpg IMG_0391.jpg IMG_0392.jpg
 
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#208
Worldeeeter said:
This makes me laugh. How do you arrive at that assertion? Wood is beautiful painted, stained, or natural. Stringed instruments have been available in a variety of colors for a long long time and I can't believe anyone ever said that they must look like a chair or table but hey, I could be wrong. Surely you can recognize that a natural instrument is no better or more aesthetically pleasing than a painted/stained one. I sanded an oil-finish bass, covered it with stickers, and had it clear-coated to encapsulate everything permanently because the instrument is beautiful, regardless of the wood.

See what I did there?
Click to expand...
Yes, I saw, you missed my point. I didn’t say don’t paint your bass, go for it. I think wood is good wherever you use it and it’s just fine for coffee tables, doors, basses and guitars. Paint it if you like too but woodgrain is fine too for basses even if you prefer paint. Personally I think nature did a better job than the guys who make paint but that’s just me. Go on, paint away.
 
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#209
Worldeeeter said:
I do admit to gaining a modicum of pleasure by throwing fuel on the fire here and there, so here are some pics of a project bass I did - I purchased a natural oil finish Spector Euro 4, sanded down to bare wood, sealed it, covered it with punk stickers, then had it clear-coated to seal everything permanently. Take that, coffee-table-bassers!!! :D

View attachment 3026174 View attachment 3026175 View attachment 3026176 View attachment 3026177 View attachment 3026181 View attachment 3026182
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Good for you. That used to be good looking bass. You lounge room rebel you!
 
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#213
My Wal had a stunning Walnut cap but I guess this isn't the "natural" under discussion.

IMO it depends on the wood, but generally I'm not keen on natural blond type basses. Especially if they have a maple fret board. I know they are very popular but they look rather anaemic to me.
 
#214
Not ugly, but rather just not terribly appealing. I sold a very nice bass last year after debating for months whether or not to have it refinished from its original natural finish to something more pleasing to my eye. I suppose that I had purchased it with the mindset of "I can eventually get used to this," but I guess I was lying to myself.
 
#215
Not all natural finishes are the same. Of course the quality of the wood makes a difference. A very light grain makes the bass look plastic. Two very poorly matched wings can look bad. I prefer a black PG with natural finishes as I think it needs the contrast to give it character. No PG is too much wood for me, and light PGs or tort just look wrong to me.
My personal preference is for fancy tops on natural finishes; birdseye, flame, burl, quilted, etc.
The two natural finish basses I find the most eye catching are the Lakland 44-64 and the Spector Euro LXs.
 
#218
Fender American Standard Hand Stained Ash Jazz Bass Mahogany Stain
p1_uoiornl1y_so.jpg

If I could I'd have sex with this.
I really don't see how natural could ever be considered ugly. Different strokes for different folks I guess.
Now I have G.A.S. for this!
I have 40 basses. Most are Natural in some form, i.e. Natural Gloss, Natural Satin, Natural open pore oil or a Trans color where you can still see wood grain.
I have one red bass
I have three black basses
Everything else has wood grain in some form.
 
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#219
B-Mac said:
Fender American Standard Hand Stained Ash Jazz Bass Mahogany Stain
View attachment 3027708
If I could I'd have sex with this.
I really don't see how natural could ever be considered ugly. Different strokes for different folks I guess.
Now I have G.A.S. for this!
I have 40 basses. Most are Natural in some form, i.e. Natural Gloss, Natural Satin, Natural open pore oil or a Trans color where you can still see wood grain.
I have one red bass
I have three black basses
Everything else has wood grain in some form.
Click to expand...
That's not natural. It's stained. Showing grain is a whole different story. I believe the OP meant the wood in it's original form.
 
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