Absolutely. Modern styled basses always seem very characterless to me, even if they sound good, so I'd probably never buy one (except my Peavey, which is the first bass I ever had). Anything excessively fancy looking, something that looks like I couldn't play it in a dive bar full of shirtless drunks, isn't for me. I mean, a Fodera is never going to have mojo, and trying to give something that fancy it would be criminal. They're a Rolls Royce, and I want something more like a Dodge Charger.
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Does how a bass looks matter to you?
- Thread starter AudioDwebe
- Start date
As a consumer, it is what attracts me to the thing in the first place. There are some things I can forgive, but others are deal breakers. I just shrug at a lot of the boring colors people get all excited about here; they are merely 'meh.' The pastel, neon, or paisley graphic basses are dead to me. A genie could tell me it will make me play like Vic and I still wouldn't touch the nasty looking monkey fighter. I don't wear Toms, I don't wear Hawaiian shirts, I don't wear bucket hats, and I don't play Easter egg colored basses.
Yes. As do many other things like the clothes I wear, and the gals I wish to get to know better 
. Call me shallow 
. Call me shallow 
Although I say tone and confort are qualities than can overthrow the looks, I must reckon if I don´t like the looks of a bass, I would be hard for me to try it.
Agreed! I absolutely detest black basses or guitars in general. Don't like sunburst very much either, but if I had to choose one or the other it wouldn't be the black.
I do have a couple of black ones currently that I picked up because the price was where I couldn't turn them down, but once I get my new workspace built and set up the sander and spray paint will make them presentable.
I've always thought the Rick was the ugliest bass on the planet. But that great tone! If I tried one and it played well, I'd want it.
IMHO sunburst and pickguards are the two biggest things that make a bass look cheap. But lots of expensive basses come that way.
Yeah, but some of us do want to look anonymous on stage. By force of visual tradition, sunburst (and tort) is the best camouflage, whereby skill of playing is what will matter.
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Yup, you're never going to play a bass that you don't feel looks good in the first place!
I agree, looks are what initiate my interest often, not always though. And what's wrong with an Easter egg bass?
This is it for me, although I am fairly open to most basses. Most modern style wood finish basses look really nice (especially the craftsmanship), but I think a lot of em look like ass. May be the ones that are more than 4 string though...never cared for the looks of em...but I also don't like how 5-7, etc strings play. Fender bass VIs and 8 string basses are fun though.
The fact that you are asking the questions means an answer is futile.
I'd be hard pressed to desire a bass that looks amazing, but sounds/plays like crap.
Conversely, if a bass sounds and plays great, but looks hideous to me, I'm equally hard pressed to want it.
I mean, If it has a finish I'm not crazy about or it's a little beat up, I can overlook that, if it has all the other goods. But if the design is aesthetically displeasing to me, I'm not likely to be inspired to buy it. For example, a lot of high-end, boutique basses just don't do it for me (I won't mention any names). I'm sure they play and sound awesome (or not, sometimes) but if I don't want to look at it, I certainly don't want to own it.
There's really no reason to sacrifice aesthetics for tone when there are too many basses out there (seriously... TOO many) that do it for me in all departments.
Conversely, if a bass sounds and plays great, but looks hideous to me, I'm equally hard pressed to want it.
I mean, If it has a finish I'm not crazy about or it's a little beat up, I can overlook that, if it has all the other goods. But if the design is aesthetically displeasing to me, I'm not likely to be inspired to buy it. For example, a lot of high-end, boutique basses just don't do it for me (I won't mention any names). I'm sure they play and sound awesome (or not, sometimes) but if I don't want to look at it, I certainly don't want to own it.
There's really no reason to sacrifice aesthetics for tone when there are too many basses out there (seriously... TOO many) that do it for me in all departments.
Doner Designs
Steve Doner
- Jun 2, 2012
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- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
Once you get above a certain price point, a good chunk of what you are paying for is pretty woods.
My son likes painted guitars but I like natural basses with fancy wood and clear finishes.
My son likes painted guitars but I like natural basses with fancy wood and clear finishes.
Yeah... not a fan of Hawaiian shirts. Or paisley basses.
I try to avoid black basses due to my wearing lots of black shirts and not wanting the bass to blend in really. Lately I have been using a black bass, so I've been wearing mostly grey. I know, kinda pretentious.
Since most basses are available in more than one color, there's not much reason to get one that doesn't look the way you like.
Of my current electrics, one is black, one is dark blue sunburst, another is brown, and one is dark purple. Probably going to have the black one refinished to white eventually.
For sure. Rock and Roll has gotta be sexy. For my money I need a bass that sounds and looks good.
Absolutely. After all, the audience have eyes and a live performance is a multi-sensory experience. No solid black basses and exotic woods don't do a thing for the hard rock visuals. I like shapes (silhouettes for those of us in the back) and other optics that set me apart, but learned my lesson with a Mockingbird. No sweet shape is worth fighting neck dive all night.
I want my bass to either look good or be so hideous it kinda looks cool.
Luckily, I have both!I want my bass to either look good or be so hideous it kinda looks cool.
Big time. When I was choosing my first 'nice bass', I pointed to the bird shaped Spector hanging on the wall, and told myself that (if it sounds good) I'm going to learn to play 'that bass.'
It looks a lot more metal than I really am
I know it's not for everybody's taste, but I do love it!
It looks a lot more metal than I really am
I know it's not for everybody's taste, but I do love it!
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