Sunburst - Yay or Nay

[Guest MoJo]

I have a Jazz bass copy, 3 colour sunburst over American Ash. Bound, rosewood fretboard with Mother of Plastic block inlays. Classic Jazz bass. I can't decide whether I like it or whether sunburst finishes look a little dated now. I'm tempted to get it refinished in a Daphne Blue or Surf Green. What's the general consensus on Sunburst finishes these days?  
 

Edited September 13, 2021 by MoJo

[nekomatic]

Yay!

[warwickhunt]

It'd be one of my colours of choice on a bass.  As to refinishing your bass; to get it done to a high standard won't be cheap.  You'd be better off selling your and buying the colour you like (unless yours is a cracking player or sentimental).  

[SumOne]

No offence to Jazz Bass' (I have a Jazz Bass type thing and think they're great) but as their look hasn't changed much in 60 years aren't they willfully dated/traditional now? ...in which case I think the sunburst is what I picture as the traditional Jazz bass colours and is probably what I'd go for whereas if I was getting something modern like a Dingwall Combustion  I'd go for some completely different more modern look like these (which I don't think would really work with a Jazz Bass). 

[fretmeister]

I think it's kind of a neutral colour that doesn't ever really offend or really excite.

Doesn't look out of place in any band, but also doesn't catch the eye.

 

It's the elevator music of bass colours.

 

 

 

 

[Steve Browning]

Love sunburst, but your bass should be the finish you want.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Nothing wrong with a nice sunburst. Rather than seeing it as being dated I'd say it is a timeless classic.

[mr4stringz]

Love sunburst.
 

Only thing I’d say if you do go for a refin, won’t look as good as it could unless you colour match the headstock, being a Jazz variant and all…

 

How about a gold anodised scratchplate instead to freshen it up a bit? They always seem to look cool on a SB finish where there’s a dark board…

[TJ1]

It depends whether you were thinking of selling it at some point, if you were sunburst might have a wider appeal than bright green or blue.

 

I like bright orange myself, but I know I am never going to get permission for it from other people.

 

[Geek99]

1 hour ago, MoJo said:

I have a Jazz bass copy, 3 colour sunburst over American Ash. Bound, rosewood fretboard with Mother of Plastic block inlays. Classic Jazz bass. I can't decide whether I like it or whether sunburst finishes look a little dated now. I'm tempted to get it refinished in a Daphne Blue or Surf Green. What's the general consensus on Sunburst finishes these days?  

If you freeze frame that charlton Heston movie about Moses, and look carefully at the tablets of stone you ll probably see that #11 (next to his little finger) actually says “thou shalt have no other bass finish but sunburst, and blessed be the holy tort (but only celluloid not that cheap printed rubbish)” so it is the actual literal word of God that you go with sunburst 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, MoJo said:

I'm tempted to get it refinished in a Daphne Blue or Surf Green

 

Assuming you've a tort pg already — and now I can see you don't but never mind — Daphne Blue, or even better Lake Placid Blue.

 

 

Edited September 13, 2021 by Ricky Rioli

[TheGreek]

Sunburst - probably my least favourite finish - like navels, everybody has one.

Surf Green - possibly my favourite - unusual - no contest for me

Edited September 13, 2021 by TheGreek

[Reggaebass]

I was never overly attracted to sunburst basses until I bought a 70s RI  jazz off of a friend , then it really grew  on me , it suited the classic look, but to me, I don’t think it looks good on all basses

[chris_b]

Sunburst? That's the perfect colour scheme for a bass, with Tort and Rosewood, of course. I have 3 burst basses and while it wasn't something I planned, I'm very happy with the look of them.

[Lozz196]

I like sunburst, for me these three just work:

 

Burst, gold, maple (50s)

Burst, tort, rosewood (60s)

Burst, black, maple (70s)

[Nail Soup]

Sunburst? Nay, nay and thrice nay!

Daphne Blue? Yay, yay and thrice yay!

Surf Green? A single Yay.

 

To paraphrase Ian Dury in S&D&R&R: Sunburst is such a pity.

[NancyJohnson]

From a more vintage/traditional perspecyive, I'd take a solid or flat opaque finish every day of the week; not a fan of bursts or natural finishes.  My old Aria P is yellow>red>black while the bass is a killer, I don't like the finish one bit (probably the reason so much of it is missing now).

 

The only burst finish I am partial to are whatever Gibson call the two-colour one below - I've seen similar of Thunderbirds - oddly I think it would look good on a StingRay, but not so much on a Precision/Jazz.

 

[Geek99]

30 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

From a more vintage/traditional perspecyive, I'd take a solid or flat opaque finish every day of the week; not a fan of bursts or natural finishes.  My old Aria P is yellow>red>black while the bass is a killer, I don't like the finish one bit (probably the reason so much of it is missing now).

 

The only burst finish I am partial to are whatever Gibson call the two-colour one below - I've seen similar of Thunderbirds - oddly I think it would look good on a StingRay, but not so much on a Precision/Jazz.

 

Was not the original precision sunburst just two colours ?

[Rich]

I love sunburst. I'd keep it as it is, it looks great alongside the P.

If I was doing a re-fin, personally I'd go candy apple red with matching headstock. 

[chris_b]

10 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

Was not the original precision sunburst just two colours ?

 

The first Precision was honey blond with a maple fretboard and a black pick guard.

Edited September 13, 2021 by chris_b

[Geek99]

Ok, the first sunburst then …

@chris_b I did say 

“… original precision sunburst just two colours “ 

Edited September 13, 2021 by Geek99

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 15, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[PaulThePlug]

As i've got older i now prefer the natural and wood finishes... particularly on classic shapes, and more particularly on a bass... save the colours for the guitars... {saying that something is on my mind...}

As for Sunbursts, I dont like the red of a 3 tone and prefer a two tone brown or tobbaco burst. Your P and J look sweet as they are, I'd go down the Matching Scratchplate route if ya fancy a change... but i don't do tort, 

My plain and simple P in Natural...

Edited September 13, 2021 by PaulThePlug

[redbandit599]

I've never really like most sunbursts - they always seem to fade from bright to black too quickly for me so they look yellow/orange/black rather than a more gradual shift like you would see in, well, a sunset...

The colour pallet reminds me of smoky pub ceilings too. But, it is classic, so if that's your thing enjoy! 🙂

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 15, 2022 by Jus Lukin