Instrument Aesthetics - stand out or blend in?

[honeyiscool]

Anybody who wanted me to play at a function didn’t want me to blend in. That’s not why I get hired. I get hired because I’m flashy. That’s all.

 

[Vertigo Jones]

You should totally get another bass...and put this on it!

 

[Malak the Mad]

One is "Batgirl," a Yamaha BB415 that sports a big custom decal of... well, you guessed it, Batgirl:

Not just any Batgirl, but an Adam Hughes Batgirl! drool

The band in question has talked about going for more corporate function-type gigs. In a bar band or stage show I figure I would play whatever I want and the existing basses are great. But for a more formal function-type of setting would you want something less splashy?

I hate to split hairs, but in this case, it's appropriate.

There is, like it or not, a sliding scale of "splashiness". It all depends on the locale and to whom you're catering to.

For example, I'm a massage therapist who works out of a clinic. Said clinic is in an area that has both blue collar folk, the occasional high falutin' peep and all the hoi polloi in-between you'd ever want. As long as my uniform is clean and I'm not all stinky, no one gives me any grief if I'm a little scruffy around the chin. However, if I were to work somewhere much ritzier, it would be expected of me to be clean, well-dressed and well-groomed, to boot. Places like that make a big stink over trivial twists of "appearance", regardless of one's capacity to do the job well.

If I were in a gigging sitch, I certainly would want my instrument to have a bit of flair amongst other instruments, but it depends on where it lands on that sliding scale. If I were playing a punk gig, I sure as shootin' wouldn't want to pack something of a flamed-maple sort…

If I tried to rock this beastie at a punk gig, I'd probably become a homing beacon for every flying beer bottle in the room!

If the question really is, "What would you rock at a corporate gig while still striving to stand out from the pack?", I'd bring my Fender Aerodyne. It may be a classically black bass, but there's plenty o' flair there to grab a little attention. (Maybe not the minimum required 37 pieces of flair, but still plenty to drool at while being . )

 

[Malak the Mad]

You should totally get another bass...and put this on it!
View attachment 3088894

That particular butt Bat pic?! Who are you…Joel Schumacher?!?

Why not go for the gusto and suggest this lil' gem from some artist-in-name-only?

That's right, True Believers…someone actually got paid to do this illo! And quite probably an amount of money that'd make ya blush, too!

 

[bwildt]

I don't have much of an issue with the finish on an instrument being inappropriate, unless it is really wild. If it is a formal corporate event, I would keep it somewhat understated, but not necessarily stuffy. If the event is for fun, like a corporate party with dancing, bring out the flashy stuff. I have more of an issue with the shape of a bass. Some of them can get pretty wild and not fit the music genre.

I like to bring this bass to rehearsals where people haven't seen it before. Just for the shock value and reaction. It's a B.C. Rich Warlock Bronze.

 

[Malak the Mad]

I like to bring this bass to rehearsals where people haven't seen it before. Just for the shock value and reaction. It's a B.C. Rich Warlock Bronze.
View attachment 3088933

That's rad! It's like "Steampunk" and "Cyberpunk" loved each other very, very much aaaaaaand…

 

[bwildt]

That's rad! It's like "Steampunk" and "Cyberpunk" loved each other very, very much aaaaaaand…

Yes, it has no specific genre. I raided all my junk boxes looking for parts. I especially like the copper-tipped body horns. I most enjoyed making the exhaust headers, purposely doing a crap soldering job.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Yes, it has no specific genre. I raided all my junk boxes looking for parts. I especially like the copper-tipped body horns. I most enjoyed making the exhaust headers, purposely doing a crap soldering job.

Personally, I like the dip-pin couplers on the lower horn best. It brings me back to the days when my mom was contracting for Bell Labs and AT&T.

 

[Kevan Campbell]

Needing a bass for “formal” and “corporate” gigs is a great excuse to buy another bass. For that specific scenario I’d either choose a bass in a “classic” color combination or a “coffee table bass” with lots of striking wood patterns.

 

[Hambone70]

I don't think your average general audience member could give a rat's ass which instrument is being played. I doubt most of them could even tell a bass guitar from a guitar.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

On stage I like instruments that are so plain, people can't even see them. I plug a cord into my ear and pretend the sound comes directly from my mind.

Tom

With most of my gigs, if the audience is noticing me, I’m not doing my job correctly. I play in bigger bands known for either horns or vocal groups, or at church. My job is to make everybody sound good. Ok, the guitarist can got to h*ll in a hand basket, and I carry a machete for the keyboardist’s left hand in my gig bag, other than that, I’m pretty easy to get along with...

 

[ColonelZulu]

I like to stand out.

 

[DrummerwStrings]

This is not so much to ask whether looks matter to you in a bass, which we've talked about a lot, but what the goal of the look is for you. When you think about how a bass looks, do you want an instrument to stand out and draw attention, or do you want it to blend in?

In a sense, this is a visual-aesthetic equivalent to the musical question of the bass' role; do you step up and play "lead bass" and draw attention to the bass line, or do you support the ensemble and avoid that attention?

It's been on my mind lately because of my latest angle with GAS. I play in a group where I often need a five-string. I have two already. Both are visual standouts. One is "Batgirl," a Yamaha BB415 that sports a big custom decal of... well, you guessed it, Batgirl:

View attachment 3088646
...and the other is Looney Toon, a custom bass made by Kansas City Luthier John Toon:
View attachment 3088648
Neither is exactly a Fender P, they tend to stick out.

The band in question has talked about going for more corporate function-type gigs. In a bar band or stage show I figure I would play whatever I want and the existing basses are great. But for a more formal function-type of setting would you want something less splashy?

If I was playing at a memorial service, I'd leave the Batgirl bass home, unless I felt it was appropriate. The Looney Tune is fine for a corporate gig - most ppl won't care what you're playing on, the few musicians listening will be more worried about how it sounds.

Anyone in the office who isn't retired saw Batgirl on TV - but everyone in the corporate gig might not be from the USA. If you're asking for a reason to get a backup 5, go ahead & get another Yamaha or something else you like, or get a pickguard you can put on top of Batgirl's. You don't need a 5-string Fender P(/J) for a Singapore Bank gig.

 

[Fender_Bender]

I think your hippie sammich bass would be appropriate for high falutin gigs. I can see where batgirl might draw some flak in some places. If in doubt you could get a plain white bass that would look flashy and classy at the same time.

 

[JRA]

for a more formal function-type of setting would you want something less splashy?

i'm with the group who says it makes no difference, and i would only consider this for my wedding/corporate gigs:

comfort and feel come first

You have to get really weird for civilians to notice

however: i own and play two black axes (non-descript!) and the one in my avatar. so i'd be 'safe' anywhere.

OP: i'd rock what you've got and not think twice! good luck!

I want to have a bass that is inappropriate for any occasion.

i'm putting a parts bass together which will offend everyone's sensibilities!

 

[buldog5151bass]

With corporate type gigs, the last thing you want to do is offend, so more likely something classic.

 

[Uche_bass]

Depends on the gig. The sunburst p-bass blends in, the sparkling dilver jaguar screams for attention

 

[InternetAlias]

Am I the only one scrolling past text in this thread, cause I want to see some unusual stuff?

 

[Remoman]

For me, and to your OP, I don't look for the bass to stand out in appearance nor to just mildly blend in, I look for it to look "nice". Yup, just good old nice, like saying that's a nice piece of furniture. That kind of pleasing where you admire it for how the appearance works. That doesn't mean it can't have color or fancy wood, but just not an overpowering look, something more classy. If the gig calls for flashy, I can dress for the occasion or use a flashy strap or something.

As to your corporate gig question, yeah, I'd want to have the instrument blend in. I'd want a clean professional look. But, just like the girl and her dress, the guy and his suit, or even the t-shirt, can't beat basic black for a look that'll work in a corporate environment as well as with rock and roll, and can still make a statement.

 

[godofthunder59]

I dig both of your basses! I tailor my basses to the gig so maybe getting a P or J might be a good idea, you could certainly get your money out of it. One consideration is will the gig pay for the bass quickly? A NBD is always welcome in my world lol.