Ebony and Ivory - Bass colors [poll]

[tb-player]

I took this photo over the weekend and thought someone might enjoy it. These are 2 of my Elricks. The black one is a Standard evolution 5 with a Gabon Ebony fingerboard. The white one is a Gold Series evolution Fretless 5 with a Pink Ivory fingerboard.

I tend to go dark or light with basses. Rarely any colors in between. Anyone else have the black/white thing going on with their basses?

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I like black white and bold sparkle finishes so I could not cast my votes.

 

[tb-player]

I like black white and bold sparkle finishes so I could not cast my votes.

I fixed it for you. You can vote twice so you should be good.

 

[BarqsBitMe]

I took this photo over the weekend and thought someone might enjoy it. These are 2 of my Elricks. The black one is a Standard evolution 5 with a Gabon Ebony fingerboard. The white one is a Gold Series evolution Fretless 5 with a Pink Ivory fingerboard.

I tend to go dark or light with basses. Rarely any colors in between. Anyone else have the black/white thing going on with their basses?

View attachment 4536469

I used to be all about the black and/or dark colored basses but my recent GAS, which I have somehow managed to not experience for several years now, has for some reason had me looking at lighter colors and maple fret boards. I am also much more partial to flashy/shiny/glittery/sparkly finishes, even though most are on basses permanently outside of my budget. I have a wine (dark red/maroon) MIM jazz bass that needs a new neck and I am thinking about having Warmoth build me a new neck with a maple fretboard... and even though that would be all it needs to bring it back from the dead, the thought occurred to me that I could make it a project and possibly attempt refinishing it. The wine color looks fantastic and despite the instrument being 20+ years old, there isn't a single blemish. It would also look very nice with a maple neck. That said, something along the lines of a seafoam green would look even better.

 

[SteveCS]

...
...
I tend to go dark or light with basses. Rarely any colors in between. Anyone else have the black/white thing going on with their basses?

I prefer, by some rmargin, all natural finishes, or subdued sunburst. As for colours, I've only ever had black and white and they were the same bass - a 1982/3 JV series Squier '57 Precision. It started life in Olympic White. I did a Black re-fin and added a cream-cased DiMarzio Jazz pickup at the bridge. As a result, because the P pickup had a black case, all of the borders between parts were black against white or white against black - I thought it was a cool look.
I bought the thing in 1989 and sold it in 1991, having used it on just one tune (it was fretted and I play almost exclusively fretless). In hindsight I wish I'd not sold it - those Squier JV are fetching silly money these days!! There is a 1990 video of me playing it (which the bottom pic is lifted from) but until I find that again these are the only surviving pictures:

 

[tb-player]

I used to be all about the black and/or dark colored basses but my recent GAS, which I have somehow managed to not experience for several years now, has for some reason had me looking at lighter colors and maple fret boards. I am also much more partial to flashy/shiny/glittery/sparkly finishes, even though most are on basses permanently outside of my budget. I have a wine (dark red/maroon) MIM jazz bass that needs a new neck and I am thinking about having Warmoth build me a new neck with a maple fretboard... and even though that would be all it needs to bring it back from the dead, the thought occurred to me that I could make it a project and possibly attempt refinishing it. The wine color looks fantastic and despite the instrument being 20+ years old, there isn't a single blemish. It would also look very nice with a maple neck. That said, something along the lines of a seafoam green would look even better.

Funny you mention green. I’m at the tail-end of a build with Bluesman Vintage. I’ve changed the color 4 times while waiting. I’ve done black, trans white, trans pink and now I’ve settled on Surf Green. With all this black and white, I need a little color in my bass life (I have 2 electric guitars: one Sherwood Green and one Gold!).

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I fixed it for you. You can vote twice so you should be good.

Still can’t vote. I need to be able
to select 3.

 

[2112]

I prefer anything except TCS, natural, and black finishes. I dig unique and eye-catching looks, so the more color the better, and miscellaneous shenanigans and tomfoolery, yes please!

 

[tb-player]

Still can’t vote. I need to be able
to select 3.

Haha. Done.

 

[JRA]

nice instruments, @tb-player!

because the P pickup had a black case, all of the borders between parts were black against white or white against black - I thought it was a cool look.

that is a cool look = ebony and ivory in one!

miscellaneous shenanigans and tomfoolery, yes please!

those look yummy lined up like they are in the first pic!

Anyone else have the black/white thing going on with their basses?

i don't have a white bass, currently, but black has always been my favorite (or at least my go-to, easy, non-controversial choice). that said: i have recently 'pondered' red as the new black so i offer these as "contrasting" even though they obviously fail as "ebony and ivory" --- but hey, they're colorful:

 

[beatdatthang]

I like both.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

I don’t like black only because I like to wear black. I think faded sonic blue pops better.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Anyone else have the black/white thing going on with their basses?

View attachment 4536469

Nice pair of Elricks!

Here's mine, minus the El

 

[coy garcia]

When I was young and pretty I liked white basses cause they reflected the colors of the stage lights. Now i'm old and prefer black or wood colored basses....so I voted carrots.

 

[micguy]

The only color of paint I have on my basses is black. Then again, all the other basses have stain or are natural.

Black and white make sense under stage lighting - with a black bass, you're stealth no matter the lighting, and a white one always works with the lighting. The thing that entertains me is folks that will use a parchment or mint pickguard instead of white. While there's no harm in that, neither will look different than white once under the stage lights.

 

[funkinbottom]

My vote...

 

[rooster]

My vote...

 

[dfreeland83]

I took this photo over the weekend and thought someone might enjoy it. These are 2 of my Elricks. The black one is a Standard evolution 5 with a Gabon Ebony fingerboard. The white one is a Gold Series evolution Fretless 5 with a Pink Ivory fingerboard.

I tend to go dark or light with basses. Rarely any colors in between. Anyone else have the black/white thing going on with their basses?

View attachment 4536469

Not black / white, but I've noticed that I keep buying lighter and lighter blue instruments...
With the exception of the impulse Ray34 Stealth HH I got a killer deal on, my instruments are just becoming lighter and lighter shades of blue

• Sunburst Jazz (Had since '14)
• Ray34 (Bought last year, Reverb)
• Squier Vintage Modified 70s Strat (Bought in '17)
• Tidepool Blue Fender Player Precision (Bought in 2020)
• Daphne Blue Deluxe Tele (Bought in 2021, Black Friday)

Only thing I can figure is that I was at Duke from '16-19, then I married a gal who's currently at UNC, so my guitar tastes may just be a reflection of school spirit

 

[ShawnG]

Not a fan of white, but I've got one.

Aged Oly White can look great, though.

 

[GreyBeard]