cm261 Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Inspired by discussion in another thread, I got to wondering what people REALLY like and REALLY dislike aesthetically when it comes to basses and bass-related stuff. As the title says, this is all about looks, and nothing to do with sound, or anything else. Try not to flame anyone for anything they might say, it's all about opinion. [u][b]Love[/b][/u] Natural wood finishes Thru-neck construction Individual-string bridges Beautiful elaborate inlays Silked strings (especially with different colours for each string, especially when coupled with an indivdual-string bridge) Thick black leather straps Coloured LEDs on pedals (i.e. anything other than red) Big, MXR-style knobs on pedals Graphic EQs on heads/combos Orange amps and cabs [u][b]Hate[/b][/u] String trees Massive headstocks (eg. Fender) Chapman Sticks LEDs on a bass Gold hardware Over-the-top finishes on a bass 'Vintage' or 'relic'd' anything - seriously, WTF? Basses finished in ridiculous colours, eg. shocking pink, or lime green Open-coil pickups with massive coils, e.g. musicman style Strings sticking out loose from tuning pegs Wonky jazz pickups Pointy basses Single-cut basses Completely un-labelled pedals Coloured patch cables This is all I can think of off the top of my head. Lets have some opinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWRRSS Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 [u]love[/u] Natural wood finishes Massive headstocks (eg. Fender) battered instruments that show use Strings sticking out loose from tuning pegs mystery unlabeled pedals gaffer taped on straps. [u]hate[/u] shiny babysat basses led necks fleabasses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 [quote name='WWRRSS' post='708823' date='Jan 11 2010, 01:56 PM'][u]love[/u] Strings sticking out loose from tuning pegs[/quote] Quick way to have someone's eye out on a crowded stage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWRRSS Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 (edited) [quote name='skankdelvar' post='708870' date='Jan 11 2010, 02:25 PM']Quick way to have someone's eye out on a crowded stage [/quote] ...but with excessive distortion/od you can just shake a guitar bass and get the boss sound of the strings smacking against eachother. Edited January 11, 2010 by WWRRSS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 On looks hmm... Like Ric's Precisions Black scratchplates Fenderbirds Straplocks TE green glow amps Elephant ear tuners 8 strings Ronnie Lane's Zemaitis bass Travis Bean alu' necked basses Danelectro Longhorns Semi acoustic basses LED's Dislike Natural wood finishes Warwicks Jazz basses Lots of knobs and switches 5 & 6 strings Headless basses Stick basses Gold hardware Maple tops tinted in green, red, blue, purple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Likes Classic looking basses Precisions Rickenbackers Danelectros Gibsons unusual looking retro basses double basses Ampeg Orange Old Fender valve amps Jazz basses semi acoustic basses Not for me Headless basses a lot from the 1980s pointy headstocks I like more than I hate. Each to their own say I and there is no room for snobbery. I've played some great examples of what I hate, it's just not for my tastes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HMX Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 (edited) [b]Likes[/b] Precisions Jazzes Maple fingerboards Black scratchplates Striped inlays Spectors Warwicks Orange amps Natural wood finishes [b]Dislikes [/b] Rickenbackers (I kinda used to like them) Headless basses Pointy 'metal' basses Graffiti'd or stickered basses Warwick thumb (purely aesthetically) Single-cut basses Edited January 11, 2010 by HMX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_bass Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 [b]Love [/b] Vintage sunburst done well (MIA '09 fender) individual bridge thingies the sound of markbass amps tubes the freedom of wireless transmitters getting second hand stuff cheap lightweight amp heads red bass guitars! strap locks stickered basses (or guitars) Ashdown Amps [b]Hate [/b] Vintage sunburst done badly LAKLAND bridges the look of markbass amps the tone killing nature of wireless recievers having to pay full price for anything heavy bass gear big fender tuners +1 rickenbackers +1 pointy basses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 [u]Yes Please[/u] Visually balanced headstocks -- i.e. 2 tuners a side, 3 over 2, etc. Exotic body woods (most of them anyway) Neck edge LEDs Multi-laminate necks Colour-matched headstocks, e.g. lake placid Jazz Hi-spec überJazz type basses Wooden control knobs [u]Not Too Keen[/u] Visually unbalanced headstocks -- i.e. 4 tuners in line, 4 over 1, etc. Neck front LEDs Lakland’s oval bridge plate Plastic control knobs [u]Oh God, Pass The Bucket[/u] Buckeye burl Pointy headstocks sparkly DiPinto and Italia basses Those silly oval Delano pickups Pretty much all Gibson basses (except the old Les Paul Triumph, which for some reason I really like) Steinberger cricket-bats Chicken-head control knobs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E sharp Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 LIKE Graphite Bolt on necks Bright coloured basses 2 a side headstocks That woman from "Above Suspicion:The Red Dahlia" , on last week DISLIKE Bit of bent metal , Fender bridges BC Rich Hofner Beatle basses Bongo's - just the look . Those fancy wood tops , that just look like a load of fungus . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Love Natural wood Bolt on necks Headless basses Graphite Hate Rock & metal style basses Pointy headstocks Metallic finishes Dancing on ice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Like: See through white over ash spalted maple f holes Dislike: Relics Didn't realise it until reading through other comments, Lakland oval bridge plate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basshead56 Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 [b]Love:[/b] Precisions Jazzes Jaguars Coronados Any Fender bass really Stingrays Ampeg SVT Valves Marshall VBA 400 Thunderbirds RD Artists Victory Artists Trace Elliot (old ones) Ebo/Eb3´s Most G&L designs Aria Pro II CSB Eastwood rocket Electro Harmonix pedals Samson Airline wireless [b] Hate:[/b] Most Warwick designs-especially Adam Clayton BC Rich Factory Strings! Ibanez (Jet King looks good though) Heavey Metal Type basses Boss pedals (except the PSM 5 master) Hartke amps Most Ashdown amps Trace Elliot (new ones) ALL Les Pauls!!! Marshall MG100 guitar amps! Really cheap valve amps! A lot of Behringer gear! Ampeg SVT350 and 450 (they are just B2 heads in big wooden boxes!) The fact that Ampeg aren´t as good as they were Emoticons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Hate: Beatles Hofner bass Steinberger imitators Jaydee bass (except yellow) Fender precisions Fender imitators Lots of Knobs on a bass looks of some ashdown amps lack of volume controls on some bass effect units The look of some acoustic /hollowbody basses peavey amps Like: Steinberger basses Look of some Dean basses ie Taxi /zone /dimebag with razor bladein green Telecaster basses walnut bodies in various finishes Schecter diamond series basses the look of some hollowbody bassses eden nemesis blue combos aguilar db cabinets in various colours kubicki basses -yet to own one the look of trace elliot amps portable amps/combos etc bass whammy bars That'll do for now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillbilly deluxe Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 LOVE Jazz basses Precisions Gibson basses Danelectros Marshall amps Selmer amps Fender amps Sound City 120's Sunburst Red Rotosounds Schaller strap locks Genuine wear & tear Harley Davidsons HATE Boutique Fender copies Basses that look like rotting wood Too many switches and knobs on basses Amps with loads of knobs for middle control Multi FX units Active circuit overkill Fusion style basses Rickenf*kinbackers Harley Davidson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cm261 Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 Oh yeah, the 2 a side, or 3 and 2 tuners on headstocks is a very good one that I left out. All on the same side looks pretty ridiculous IMO. No-one hating on thunderbirds yet as well, surprising, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brummie Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 [quote name='E sharp' post='709183' date='Jan 11 2010, 07:03 PM']LIKE That woman from "Above Suspicion:The Red Dahlia" , on last week[/quote] I've got a semi just thinking about her & I don't usually like any type of acoustics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Like: Rosewood with MoP blocks. Dislike: Maple with black blocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huw Foster Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 [b]Like[/b] Block inlays Matching headstocks Genuine wear and tear Decent sunburst Candy apple red Olympic white, especially when aged Tortoiseshell pickguards MusicMan Stingray (before they started messing with additional pickups) MusicMan Sabre (the model which looks best with the twin pickups) Anything Fender shaped Hollowbodies (excluding Hofner Violin) Gibson basses ([i]definitely[/i] a looks-only one!) Anything by Aguilar Anything with blue LEDs Pickup/bridge covers Thumb rests [b]Indifferent[/b] Natural finishes Gold hardware (Yes, I am aware that the bass in my pic has both of these properties ) [b]Dislike[/b] Anything in excess of 5 strings Single cuts Headless basses Ramps Garish finishes (especially gold, olive) Warwicks Excess switches/dials on a bass That extra bit of scratchplate on Marcus Miller's signature model Anything 'metal', e.g. B.C. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 [b][u]like[/u][/b] Actually, most things! Bongos Fretboards other than Rosewood Control knobs in a "smile" that follow the shape of the bottom bout of the instrument Unlined fretless necks Fretboards with no front-face markers (only on the edge, thanks!) "Different" material choices - Tokai, Kramer, Travis Bean, Status, Moses, Modulus, Gus - just make for a different "look" to wood [b][u]dislike[/u][/b] Gold hardware, but only because it won't be gold by next week. The MM Big Al Ricky "Shark-fin" inlays Controls that are randomly distributed across the instrument's surface Wooden control knobs Overly colourful silks and ball-ends on otherwise sober-looking basses Overly colourful strings (coated) on otherwise sober-looking basses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Likes. My current array of basses and my Orange Bass Terror rig. Dilikes. Anything i like, but can't afford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grissle Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Love: A great Gig! Hate: No gigs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 (edited) LOVE Gibson basses G&L basses Chunky or wide necks Shiny, well looked after basses Chrome/black hardware Thoughtful, useful, tasteful modifications Front fingerboard markers DISLIKE [b]RELICING[/b] Thin necks Jazz basses Gold hardware Large metal control plates (Jazz, MM4 etc.) Necks with no front fingerboard markers Edited January 13, 2010 by neepheid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah5string Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 (edited) I'm pretty easy going but looks wise... Like: Dean basses Flying V's Explorers sunburst finishes anything unusual but not 'that just looks stupid' unusual Hate: P basses daisy rocks fenders in general anything LP shaped Anything neon (namely Dean guitars...) masses and masses of half peeled stickers slapped all over what used to be a gorgeousd finish That 'half aged' look which is more than they just haven't looked after it rather than being vintage string excess not of cut after restringing headless basses Edited January 13, 2010 by Sarah5string Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dom in Dorset Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Like: Thunderbirds Jazz basses Natural finishes acoustic bass Steinberger stick bass twin necks Dislike: long skinny horns any headless bass (appart from the Steinberger) MM bongos Active pick ups (appart from acoustic basses) playing through a single 15" speeker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.