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Looks or Sound

Theres very good sounding basses and guitars I wont buy due to how they look to me. Theres very good looking basses that sound unpleasant to me. If the playability, build, body wood choices are right, and looks are there, sound shortcomings can most often be fixed via pup and/or preamp change. However theres so many that are both great looking and sounding and playing to me. In the under $700 range for new. That theres no reason not to have all four. Playability, Sound, Looks, & Fit.
 
Looks have to professional. I doubt anybody here would play a big penis shaped bass on formal gigs even if it did sound amazing. *wait for smart*** people to make a joke outta that*

Realistically speaking sound and playability are first. I for one am a bit more leaning on sound unless the bass plays like a total pig. There are extremes to everything.

I play in a metal band. If its any genre thats most common for people looking for looks more then anything its this. So many ridiculous tacky looking guitars and basses that sound bland. razorbacks for example...ugh **** guitar tone. Kids just like to be wankers and play the more METAL or BRUTAL thing on the planet, its real stupid.
 
my most favorite bass i ever owned was my 98 mia jazz, which was this horribly lame color called sage green metallic. apologies to those who like it but i hated it. but that bass was special. i never should have sold it. but when i got shoulder problems i had to quit playing jazz basses. i used to get tremendous headaches playing it.

nowadays, most of my basses look really good, except for this pearl white p lyte i've been using as my main bass for the past couple years. it doesn't look bad, but it's certainly not in the league of my others.