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Unprofessional?

#4
Maybe a sticker on the bass if you're a gun for hire, is not to recommend, though I am sure lots of artists wouldn't give a damn unless the sticker says something political or stupid and offending OR if the artist has a very worked out image that needs to be kept.

But the case? I dunno, again, unless it's like "I like Nazis" or something else that would make peeps you work with think you're a total douchebag, I don't think you'd be judged as a dork with stickers on it....

D.Don
 
#5
It depends.

I hate 'em, but that's just my opinion. To each their own. Flea is a professional, and he has stickers all over some of his basses. He has certainly played more and more high-profile gigs than I have! On the other hand, I wouldn't be playing a wedding/corporate/political gig with a bass that had stickers on it, unless such additions were so small and discrete to be relatively unnoticeable.

On the case? I couldn't care less.
 
#8
I have a '84 Gibson Les Paul Studio that's been modded so much that the only thing Gibson on it are the tuners and the neck/body. While I don't put stickers on the guitar, some how the case ended up with a bunch of stickers from different places, some just colorful designs and some semi-political. It just seems to go with a modded guitar set up for rock n' roll.

I have no stickers on any of my other cases. Also, the Gibson hardshell case is pretty smooth so the stickers adhere very well.

I don't care for stickers directly on my basses/guitars.

Other people, they can do whatever makes them happy.

As far as buying stuff with stickers on it, it would depend on what it is and how much effort it would be to remove them.
 
#10
I guess you also have to ask if certain color basses are unprofessional to play. And then of course there is the shape. Is a BC Rich pointy bass taboo to play at a wedding? How about a vintage 70's rare bass that isn't a traditional shape? Can I play a beat up Jazz bass in church on Sunday?

I'd say, if it offends people, to leave it at home. So, half the common stickers are probably offensive to some percentage of the population. As for color and shape "use your best judgement". I'd just hate to be a musician in a world that told you what bass you have to play, and which you weren't allowed to play in public b/c it's too pointy, or the color is too "showy".
 
#11
I'm not a fan of stickers, but I have one on my Hoppus P anyway. So far only one person has noticed that it's TROGDOR The Burninator, and that was the guitar players 14 year old kid!
 
#12
I had stickers on my first bass... when I was 16. I've grown up a lot, and the price tags on my basses have gone up considerably, so I wouldn't sticker them up. The kind of gigs that I have played/ would play wouldn't care one way or the other.

I've got stickers on my cases - stickers that come packaged with strings, a local music store sticker, and my former band's stickers are on all my cases... those will have to come off soon.

The band stickers were more of a practical thing than anything - made our gear easily identifiable. Wouldn't have stopped someone from taking something out of a case, but if someone just tried to walk off with one of my basses or one of my bandmates' guitars, maybe they wouldn't realize the stickers were on there...

In the local original scene, four or five bands all play in one night sometimes. Lots of gear can get "lost."
 
#13
Personally I don't like stickers anywhere, unless they're functional (like IN, OUT, AUX, PHONES etc)... gear is gear, is gear is gear... it's not a scrap book! It looks beautiful enough without putting stickers all over it.

I don't think professionalism has anything to do with it, it's a matter of taste... though I wouldn't like to turn up to a Jazz audition with a case covered in Megadeth stickers etc ;)
 
#15
I think on the bass itself it looks a bit ridiculous, but I wouldn't assume the person who did it is any less capable than any other bassist.

On the case it doesn't matter in the slightest. It's a case.
 
#16
mjolnir said:
I think on the bass itself it looks a bit ridiculous, but I wouldn't assume the person who did it is any less capable than any other bassist.
Click to expand...

Ahhhh. But what if the bass in and of itself is ridiculous?? Does a sticker make it more so, or does it say "yeah, I know...."

My Daphne Blue Hoppus P is a wretched thing to look at anyway. The Trogdor sticker adds a bit more low midrange bite.

How's about crap hangin off'n the string tree?? I have a little bitty Yoda hangin off mine. Once and a while people get real close just trying to figure out what it is.

That ugly blue bass is a joke. (I dunno, I might be the only one who thinks it's funny.)
 
#17
On a bass, no. Unless it's a complete beater that I have no intention of selling or playing at 'formal' gigs (i.e. corp parties, weddings, etc).

On a case, yes. For 2 reasons:

1. Makes my case easily identifiable as mine because of the stickers on it. So if my base is in the case at a gig\session\whatever, I always know where my bass is at a glance. Especially useful if I'm at multiband situations where everyone's gear is stacked up in a corner! Also if someone decides to walk off with it, I know that it's mine and go snag 'em!

2. Displays a bit of my personality and interests. Good conversation starter if someone sees a sticker they identify with (i.e. sports team, place they've lived\visited, restaurant they like, etc).
 
#18
Phalex said:
Ahhhh. But what if the bass in and of itself is ridiculous?? Does a sticker make it more so, or does it say "yeah, I know...."

My Daphne Blue Hoppus P is a wretched thing to look at anyway. The Trogdor sticker adds a bit more low midrange bite.

How's about crap hangin off'n the string tree?? I have a little bitty Yoda hangin off mine. Once and a while people get real close just trying to figure out what it is.

That ugly blue bass is a joke. (I dunno, I might be the only one who thinks it's funny.)
Click to expand...
I'm gonna have to go with the "Yeah, I know..." :D

Add a Strongbad sticker and you'll get all the punch you'll ever need, I promise you.
 

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