Most Elegant Bass That You've Seen?

[Symphony2040]

Still collecting some ideas for a custom bass and was wondering what some of you consider to be the most beautiful, or some of the most beautiful basses that you've ever seen. This is purely subjective, so anything goes in my book. Share anything that comes to mind!

What got me thinking about this was this Elrick bass (there are actually two out there like the one below at the moment) which, totally blew me away. Such beautiful inlay work had me stepping back to think about what I want my bass to look like in the future.

 

[equill]

Basses that I liked enough to actually pay for:
Sandberg 48
Basslab STD (the L-bow looks pretty darn cool, too)
Ibanez SR series (loved them since I first saw them)
Yamaha RBX774

Basses I like the look of but haven't laid down the money for:
Lairat's doing some interesting stuff.
Ritter Jupiter.
Marleaux Diva.
Warwick Buzzard.
Hamer Scarab - yeah, I'm a child of the '70s and '80s
Eye's basses: EBG-4 JJ SP "Steampunk"


Steinberger's designs are elegant from a mechanical-design perspective, which may or may not mesh with your aesthetic tastes.

 

[Hummergeist]

First one that comes to mind - Spector 4 string, USA made, straight through neck, in almost any colour.

 

[Hummergeist]

Hamer Scarab - yeah, I'm a child of the '70s and '80s

make that a white one and I'm on board.

 

[A9X]

My Alembic Stanley Clarke

Signature. Not my fave of all the Alembics I've owned, but the most elegant. Sorry for the crap 15yo pics.

 

[Geri O]

To me, this Mike Lull M5V is a very elegant bass, but not overstated. I’ve owned it for a little over two years now and I still find it quite striking. And I gotta admit, I enjoy showing it off. I would, I guess…

But I assure you, this bass doesn’t live an elegant life at all. It’s my only fretted instrument and it goes everywhere and does everything. And equipped with Nordstrand Vintage 70s Wind and a John East J Retro preamp, it does it all splendidly.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

Not a five string player, not a fretless fan, but my lord, what an elegant tasteful

instrument.

 

[bholder]

Tune has some really elegant shapes:

 

[mongo2]

As an engineer the term "elegant" means to me something ingenious and simple.

For me that means the Audiovox 736, made in 1935 and being the first of it's kind, is simple, ingenious and ahead of it's time.

The next most elegant for me would be the Fender Precision of 1951 for it's simplicity. The Audiovox already took the title for ingenious.

Third would be the Silvertone Model 1444 made by Danelectro again for it's simplicity but also for their ingenious use of alternative materials and innovative construction such as a frame and panel body, dual non adjustable trussrods and a simple microtilt.

 

[bhunt1]

 

[songwriter21]

Gotta say I'm partial to my walnut-topped, koa Carvin Icon.

 

[claudel]

Elegant ≠ gaudy

 

[edencab]

I like the Grand Piano look of the Schecter Omen

 

[A9X]

I'll add, my Poplar burl topped Ibanez BTB846v. I didn't really like it at first but it's grown on me a lot over recent months.

As well as my 1 piece Koa bodied Kawai KRB105. Those are not marks on the front upper, but reflections. Sorry for the awful photo.

And the ash bodied F Bass BN series.

 

[bholder]

Marleaux Diva:

Sandberg Thinline:

 

[roller]

Some (but not all) Callowhill and Carl Thompson basses come to mind. Tim's OBS series was really fantastic.

 

[Ken Morgan]

1952 Precision, with covers off...elegance in simplicity. I may build just such a beauty.

 

[BBassBassington]

When I'm thinking elegant I'm thinking transparent finishes (either natural or coloured but subtlety is best), minimal knobs, smaller pickup footprints is best, no chrome, as few knobs as possible. Something like the Jazz above but with covered pickups.

I guess another way to put it is the wood should be on full display, and intricacies here are great. Classical looking designs, exotic woods, great grains, stuff like on the bass above. The luthiers artwork should be on full display in the woods and core construction. The electronics and hardware need to be minimized in their visual impact in any way that doesn't hamper the functionality of the bass.

I attached a bunch of pictures of basses that mostly fit the bill but in general almost all of these are showing off different elements and a couple coloured finished that still look elegant IMO.

 

[ELG60]

Seen?:

 

[bassgrackle]

Holly is such a clean look.
Buckeye Burl is a show stopper.