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Old 05-27-2017, 06:29 AM
Rosewood99 Rosewood99 is offline
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Default I confess - looks matter

I have to admit that my GAS usually starts when I'm seduced by the looks of a guitar. Then I try to find out if it sounds good and if it does then I'm hooked.
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Old 05-27-2017, 06:44 AM
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The truth be told I think most go about it this way. Though a person can grow to like the looks of a guitar if it has that "thing" about it. Face it we start off liking a sound or song because we feel it's cool. We just like it without going to deep. Guitars are reacted to the same way.
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Old 05-27-2017, 07:19 AM
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As musicians we are aesthetic people. I'm not sure how aesthetics could not matter to us.

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Old 05-27-2017, 07:20 AM
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I admit back when I first started playing 40+ years ago, I was lusting for bling. I thought the D-45 was the best looking guitar in the world. (Still very pretty)

But as I matured, learned more about guitars and began to find "my tone"... A little bling goes a long way.

While appearance does still catch my eye, it's my first strum that really tells me what I'm holding.

All that said, pretty wood is still pretty wood. Take the Alvarez Artwood series for example.
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Old 05-27-2017, 07:40 AM
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Looks do mean a whole lot. I love a gorgeous tobacco burst like Gibson does. Then I discovered how expensive most of those are and started trying to teach myself to find beauty in a natural finish. Still in search of another beautiful burst that is attainable.
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Old 05-27-2017, 07:57 AM
ManyMartinMan ManyMartinMan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paulzoom View Post
I have to admit that my GAS usually starts when I'm seduced by the looks of a guitar. Then I try to find out if it sounds good and if it does then I'm hooked.
Preach the truth. While sound, build quality tone and all the other aural characteristics are what drives any purchase I make. Looks help bring you to the table. I would never buy a poor sounding guitar regardless of the looks, but I would likely not buy a great sounding guitar that was butt ugly. There are just too many great sounding ones that look excellent as well. Hate to say.
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Old 05-27-2017, 08:07 AM
woodbox woodbox is offline
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And then we could discuss the proverbial "eye of the beholder".

What determines what looks good?

To me, the Martin 40 series is clown like.
It's a waste of superior wood and skilled craftsmanship to put all that abalone inlay in/on/around
what is otherwise a fine instrument without all that "bling".

I much prefer the simple elegance of Martins 15 - 18 - 21 series.
(Although most 28's sound better to my ears than most 21's)
And the superlative Santa Cruz 1929 series...perfect!
And what Gibson is doing with the J15, J29, J35 is so tasteful.
My Natural top J45 is a slice of pure guitar heaven.

Yes, I agree with paulzoom, looks matters.
But I think simplicity is beautiful.
Too much makeup is, well..too much makeup.
But thats just what I think.
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Old 05-27-2017, 08:08 AM
jpbat jpbat is offline
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I buy guitars because of their look.
Then they must pass the ergonomics test.
Then, the sound is my problem.

The truth is, I can't play a guitar I find ugly. Even if it's a great guitar, tone wise.
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Old 05-27-2017, 08:16 AM
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I've just bought a Sigma which has the ugliest piece of spruce for its top that I've ever seen. It has streaks which are at odds with the grain, about twenty of them. It looks like a guitar that is being hit by a meteor shower. I was hacked off when it turned up at first, but this may be one of the hidden benefits of buying online. I can hardly understand why a company will use spruce like this on a guitar that doesn't have a sunburst finish or something to lessen the ugliness. The shop had two left in stock, and I would bet any money that they said, 'Let's try and get shot of this pig first.' Or that the distributor sold it to them cheaply. I was tempted to ask for the other one but I was going on holiday and just didn't have the patience. Like my own lager-infused cheeks I hope it will look better by the end of summer...

I had a Norman B20 a while back also which had a dark streak at the top's seam, but it was at a funny angle relative to the grain and disturbed me every time I clapped eyes on it.

Those are natural accidents, but one bad aesthetic choice can compromise a guitar's appeal. I'm bugged by the fingerboard binding on some of the Yamahas, which appears arbitrarily throughout their range - buy the FG820 and you have it; buy the FG830 for another twenty quid and you're spared it. Triple your outlay and you're stuck with the binding again. Since learning that that type of plastic is partly made form animal urine I've been unable to put the idea out of my head. If the binding wasn't a weak yellow this wouldn't be nearly as disturbing...
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Old 05-27-2017, 08:29 AM
Pitar Pitar is offline
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Natural. So it goes for all things: the wife, the house, the car, the mistress (kidding), and all the goods we buy based on the art of packaging.
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Old 05-27-2017, 08:43 AM
superfluidity superfluidity is offline
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I liken it to my car, at first the large rear end was unappealing to me, when they came out I would never buy one. At the time, the major change Chevrolet made to their Corvette C5 series was too drastic, it looked just wrong. Then I somehow got into one and took it for a spin and ended up on a windy mountain road. All of a sudden this car was like nothing I have ever driven. It would take those curves at three times the recommended speed and say to me, come on is that all you got. The best car I have ever owned, hands down, and it still sits in my garage waiting for me to take it out. I am going for a ride.

Last edited by superfluidity; 05-27-2017 at 08:53 AM.
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Old 05-27-2017, 08:52 AM
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I recall many years ago seeing my first telecaster. That shape, that design, the honey colour with black guard. I was hooked. Then I saw a strat. Sunburst, maple neck. Then a J45, a hummingbird, a dove..... Am I attracted by looks? Gotta admit it, 'tis the truth!!
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Old 05-27-2017, 08:59 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jpbat View Post
I buy guitars because of their look.
Then they must pass the ergonomics test.
Then, the sound is my problem.

The truth is, I can't play a guitar I find ugly. Even if it's a great guitar, tone wise.
In this age of long distance purchasing, I would tend to agree...
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Old 05-27-2017, 09:02 AM
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At least with guitars you get a 30 day return window.......

Whadda u mean you can't cook?

Seriously though, a nice shiny guitar with the right amount of bling (for you) always catches the eye. Then its research time and "what does it sound like" if online.
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Old 05-27-2017, 09:27 AM
lodi_55 lodi_55 is offline
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I seek out guitars they both play and look beautiful. Not a huge fan of too much bling, but I tend to migrate to aesthetically pleasing (to me) wood combinations
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