What makes a bass look really cool or really ugly ? Any candidates ?

[Black Coffee]

We were discussing this over break in work today and nobody could agree on anything.
Is it the finish, the solid colour / woodgrain ?
The strap used ?
The fretboard clashing with the body colour ?
The sound ?
The image ?
The make/model name ?
LED lights ?
The bass rig behind it ?


The musician hanging it around their neck ?

I think Rics and classic Fenders are hard to beat for looks, also my new Dingwall ABII - but thats just me.

[bartelby]

The body shape and colour.

[Huge Hands]

[quote name='bassman344' timestamp='1348087954' post='1809233']

The musician hanging it around their neck ?
[/quote]

That's the one for me.

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='bassman344' timestamp='1348087954' post='1809233']
We were discussing this over break in work today and nobody could agree on anything.[/quote]

You're lucky to work with folk who know enough to hold a conversation about the subject; most folk I know barely know the difference between a bass & a guitar!

For me - I don't like Fender basses; too generic (yeah I know they more or less created the genre that they're generic of), too bass-ic. That also includes basses that claim to be different but are also more or less Fender's in disguise.

To the opposite extreme those GUS basses are damn ugly too, fair enough they're being different, but they look too much like they're made up in a plumbers yard.

Them basses that look more like a lyre; but I think it was agreed somewhere on here that they're not technically "basses".

I like Rick's cos they look aggressive for anything heavy; whether that's because I've been a Motorhead fan since their early days I dunno. Haven't got one; but I wouldn't mind a good copy so I can rework it's guts without wasting £££s.

SG shapes I like, got 3; two basses & a guitar - had a Gibson EB3 years ago, should have kept it.

[Donnyboy]

"The musician hanging it around their neck ?"

....and a bit of shape/colour & also the height it's hanging at!

[Lfalex v1.1]

Whilst it has nothing to do with look, I'd say that the sound that emanates from the instrument is the most important factor.

Want cool? Buy a fridge.

[Evil Undead]

For me, I think that it's a combination of all of these things, and none of them. If that makes any sense at all.

The best looking and sounding bass TO ME is a Fender Precision, black pickguard on olympic white with a maple fretboard - hence my choice of bass. But I don't know whether I'd consider it to be cool, in fact I look pretty nerdy when I play it but that is probably everything else... the wide leather strap, the bass height, and the fact that I am a nerd My super small and lightweight rig doesn't really add to the cool factor either.

Edited September 20, 2012 by Evil Undead

[pst62]

IMO having no headstock makes a bass look ugly, 9 times out of 10 it has an ugly body to match it's headlessness anyway.

[BASainty]

For me its a mix of shape and colour / woodgrain, Make / Model and Sound. Although I have always been a fan of LED lights in the neck too but that's not so important.
Also it depends on the type of music being played, for instance a big spiky black bass playing metal looks cool, but not so much if it was being used to play a Jazz piece. (I know its a generalization but you know what i mean lol.) That is just my opinion.

[neepheid]

It's impossible to pin down, and my opinion is just as valid/invalid as the next person's, therefore I won't bore you or further muddy the waters with it.

[ahpook]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1348131889' post='1809633']
It's impossible to pin down, and my opinion is just as valid/invalid as the next person's, therefore I won't bore you or further muddy the waters with it.
[/quote]

plus the one.

there's only one answer to the question - and that's personal taste.

[Spike Vincent]

Being a black Precision usually does it for me.

[Fat Rich]

Is it the music coming out of it? It's all about the music right? Isn't it?

Or am I on the wrong forum?

Edited September 20, 2012 by Fat Rich

[Lozz196]

Personal instrument choices aside, for me what makes a bass look cool is genuine wear & tear. I just love instruments that look like they have a bit of history. Not keen on the fake relicing though, unless of course i can`t tell that it`s fake.

Coolest colour combos for me
Fender Precisions;
Black/black/maple
White/tort/rosewood
Sunburst/tort/rosewood

Fender Jazz;
Sea-foam Green/tort/rosewood
Lake Placid Blue/tort/rosewood

[Musicman20]

Depends on the person...

I've seen some fabulous looking instruments look absolutely 'weird' and awkward on players who play all hunched up and serious. Plus if they have no sense of dressing right, its a total mess.

I've also seen some very odd looking basses look damn right cool on the player that holds him/herself well.

[thisnameistaken]

I think the body shape is most important, it has to look balanced - I don't like the Fodera Anthony Jackson for this reason. Headstock has to be a nice shape - I don't like Tyler basses for that reason. Finish has to be tasteful - I don't like figured tops with translucent colours for that reason, same goes for pearlescent pickguards, and of course gold hardware.

[fumps]

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1348090703' post='1809306']
For me - I don't like Fender basses; too generic (yeah I know they more or less created the genre that they're generic of), too bass-ic. That also includes basses that claim to be different but are also more or less Fender's in disguise.

[/quote]
Aww thank god someone else feels like this

I'm not alone in the none fender liking wilderness

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='pst62' timestamp='1348127025' post='1809535']
IMO having no headstock makes a bass look ugly, 9 times out of 10 it has an ugly body to match it's headlessness anyway.
[/quote]
+1 to that, also having the strap so short the bass finishes up looking like a bib

[grumble]

[quote name='fumps' timestamp='1348141719' post='1809868']
Aww thank god someone else feels like this

I'm not alone in the none fender liking wilderness
[/quote]

Thats three of us, anymore and we can create our own forum

[Bo0tsy]

Make that four. I'm not a huge fan of Fenders either. I've no idea what represents being cool but I like my basses to look a little different from the masses.

[JTUK]

They are very well made basses, they look nice, they sound great and I get a decent sound out of them...
what is not to like..?

[Jellyfish]

Most of the time, the right colour combination and matching neck is what pleases me. Part of the reason I fell in love with the bass I currently own.

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='fumps' timestamp='1348141719' post='1809868']
Aww thank god someone else feels like this

I'm not alone in the none fender liking wilderness
[/quote]

Oh we're going straight to hell for that one; watch out on there!

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1348133003' post='1809659']
Is it the music coming out of it? It's all about the music right? Isn't it?

Or am I on the wrong forum?
[/quote]

The fat idiot is definitely on to something here, some examples:

Is a pink Yamaha cool? It is if you're a Billy Sheehan fan.
Is a sunburst 60s Precision cool? If you like Jamerson, Babbit, Dunn and other old skoolers then definitely
Is a Rickenbacker cool? If you like Chris Squire or Lemmy (although are you allowed to copy their look or is it patented?)
Is a violin bass cool? If you like the Beatles.
Is a Status lit up like a Xmas tree cool? If you like Mark King or Chris Wotsisiname
Is an all black Precision with a maple neck cool?
Is a beat up fretless Jazz bass with no scratchplate cool?
Is a blonde Jazz bass with an ugly pickguard mod and a badass cool?

Well you get the idea.... I think a lot of people who drool over a certain kind of bass has been initially influenced by their favourite players because of the music, not the instrument.

[Spoombung]

This is cool:



This is meant to be cool: