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I'd never own a Bongo or a Big Al. I'd never marry a woman that could be described as Big Al or Bongo either. So yeah it's about looks to an extent.is picking out a bass really about looks .. ??
out of the 3 wives i've had ... the best looking one isn't the one i have stayed married to .. ! ha
but i do understand your question ... as looks play a part ... at first .. !
How about a Marleaux Contra? (This one happens to be mine).View attachment 718897
and this one:
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My favorites, in no particular order:
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Mike Tobias 535-24. I remember Bass Player Magazine gave away one of these back in the late 1990's-- it had a Myrtle Burl top and a translucent green finish similar to the green hue shown above. I've always liked the shape of Mike's instruments-- giving a nod to the classic J-bass contours, while being very sleek and sexy! (Picture taken from the MTD Website.)
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I think, of the symmetrical-waisted (non-offset) instruments out there, I have always liked the look of the Pedulla Thunderbass. Again, a slight nod to tradition, but thoroughly-modern at the same time. Knockout finishes and figured woods certainly don't hurt, either! (Picture taken from the M.V. Pedulla website)
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Which brings me to the next instrument- Carvin's ICON bass. It kind of looks like the love-child from a tryst between a Tobias and a Pedulla-- and the result is stunning in its own right! (Picture taken from the Carvin/Kiesel website)
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And now for something completely different-- The angular, "Hi-Tec" look and construction of the basses by Status, U.K. This is a picture of their new "Series 3" model from their website.
Ultimately, my favorite bass is a Swamp-Ash-bodied P-bass with a maple fretboard, but there were already a whole bunch of P's and Ric's in this thread, so I thought I'd chime in with some of the more "modern" basses that have always "checked the box" for me.
Another vote for Alembic here, but the Orion is the one which does it for me. Those sweeping lines, there's a hint of 4001 in there, but so much more graceful.
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Uh oh, damn horns!Flaked Beans it kinda looks like a J on steroids too, I noticed some shrinkage on the horns. Nice bass though, I couldn't resist the jab.
What's up with the strings in the second pic?This one:
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The one on the left is my favorite because I look really good with a black/black/maple Precisionbut I also dig that piece of ash on the other one.
So... the black really does make you look thinner?
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