Hideous To Look At, Heavenly To Play

Wellington · #1 12-05-2021, 08:22 AM

Does anyone here have any guitars you think look awful to your taste but keep or bought because it just played so good or sounded so good? I'm a bit shallow, if it's too unpleasant to look at I won't buy it, regardless of how it slobs, so I don't own any with this combination. It's usually a headstock or bridge that turns me away, Breedlove, Alvarez are examples, I've never come into contact with either though but I can see I'd avoid them because I don't like to look at them. Deeply shallow, lol

Seagull is one I guess that maybe I could fit here actually, I owned an S6 for a year or two. The headstock was so weird, but oddly enough I'm once in a while drawn to that odd headstock. I loved the guitar though, and miss it.

jacot23 · #2 12-05-2021, 08:43 AM

Not yet...

I bought my 1st guitar last Wednesday and passed on a Breedlove for the exact reason you mention. It actually "played" slightly better to me than what I bought.

Mark Stone · #3 12-05-2021, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wellington

Does anyone here have any guitars you think look awful to your taste but keep or bought because it just played so good or sounded so good? I'm a bit shallow, if it's too unpleasant to look at I won't buy it, regardless of how it slobs, so I don't own any with this combination. It's usually a headstock or bridge that turns me away, Breedlove, Alvarez are examples, I've never come into contact with either though but I can see I'd avoid them because I don't like to look at them. Deeply shallow, lol

Seagull is one I guess that maybe I could fit here actually, I owned an S6 for a year or two. The headstock was so weird, but oddly enough I'm once in a while drawn to that odd headstock. I loved the guitar though, and miss it.

I don't think you're "shallow" because you consider a guitar's appearance as important. Some people believe appearance is important, some don't - that doesn't label anybody as "shallow". Be kind to yourself.

For me, how guitars play and sound are the most important factors in a purchase - but appearance is a factor too. My 814ce is so comfy and sounds so good - but then I also enjoy the compliments on its appearance.

TBman · #4 12-05-2021, 09:46 AM

I have a 00 Alvarez and I hate the look of the bridge also,

My everyday guitars have traditional looking headstocks and bridges.

Nymuso · #5 12-05-2021, 09:53 AM

Again, I refer to my Godin A6 Ultra which is my Swiss Army knife for any plugged-in acoustic situation, but many do find it’s appearance a bit odd.

Nevertheless, when I get my inevitable record deal I’ll pose for the album cover with my Martin HD-35 but play all my sold out solo area shows with the Godin.

Silly Moustache · #6 12-05-2021, 09:56 AM

Short answer - no.

I'll admit that I'm fairly p[icky as far as looks are concerned and only have 12 fret guitars that are either Gibson, or mostly Martin prewar designs.

Too much of a variation on the design turns me off - strange bridges or headstocks - no thanks.

raysachs · #7 12-05-2021, 10:04 AM

I'm not a fan of most sunbursts on acoustic guitars and the burst on my CEO-7 is among the least attractive to my eye. If looks mattered to me, I wouldn't own that guitar. But it's one of my two acoustics, was my only acoustic for well over a year, and I suspect I'll have it for the rest of my playing life. I bonded with it instantly - it's sound and it's feel are the best I've ever owned and it seems happy enough being the ugly duckling. BTW, my other acoustic is an 000-28EC with a natural finish, and that's what an acoustic guitar is supposed to look like to my mind - it's beautiful. And it's a fine sounding and playing guitar too, but odds are if I was ever to sell either of my two current acoustics, it would be the 000, not the CEO.

-Ray

lowrider · #8 12-05-2021, 10:33 AM

You mean like those red finished Martin Streetmasters;

They were blowing them out about a year ago and even at that really low price, I just couldn't do it!

zombywoof · #9 12-05-2021, 10:53 AM

Never cared for abalone inlay on guitars. But the place I do like some dazzle is the headstock. I thought those Kay Kraft/Oahu asymmetrical headstocks with the MOTS were drop dead sexy. And as far as finishes it never got better than the pre-1934 or so hand rubbed Gibson bursts

Dru Edwards · #10 12-05-2021, 11:00 AM

I like the looks of the Streetmaster series but that guitar is just plain ugly. Very different than other pics I've seen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowrider

You mean like those red finished Martin Streetmasters;

They were blowing them out about a year ago and even at that really low price, I just couldn't do it!

Jimi2 · #11 12-05-2021, 11:05 AM

I feel that way about upper level Taylor’s. The ones I’ve played have felt and sounded incredible, but I hate the bling. The wood pickguards and all the abalone turn me off for some reason. But the headstocks on Breedloves don’t bother me at all!

SecondCity · #12 12-05-2021, 11:18 AM

I was going to say that I was OK with a “hideous” guitar because I nearly bought a beat-to-heck J-50 once. Multiple open cracks, just a wreak. But sounded awesome. But I realize that’s not really fair, because I think that natural wear in is cool looking.

I wouldn’t buy a Blueridge over the headstock, nor would I buy one of the “red” 000-15 street masters. So I guess I am in the somewhat shallow camp. Guitars are visual too, so I admit I won’t get one I think of as “ugly.”

mawmow · #13 12-05-2021, 11:26 AM

I never bought a guitar with a look that was weird to my sight.

But I do own and keep a few acoustics because I love the comfort and tone
but I could barely sell because of some notable flaws.

My Aria AC-80 I bought long ago already had a construction defect I could not
recognize as a newbie and the beauty was saved later on with a weird surgery
that now make strings harder to change.

My Ramirez R4 has a crack on the top just besides the neck.

My Guild F30 Aragon got an awfully checkered nitro finish.

None of these defects altered their tone, but they are not axes
I would be proud to show anymore : I keep them as go to guitars.

birkenweg42 · #14 12-05-2021, 12:11 PM

My personal opinion is that since guitars exist to create a form of art, I appreciate it when a guitar maker is using his own design. I love the traditional Martin look but I have no issues with most designs. As long as it sounds great and is comfortable to play I’m interested.
The only exception is the fake street-worn look. I would never consider buying that Streetmaster!

The Bard Rocks · #15 12-05-2021, 12:18 PM

How it sounds and plays is always foremost, but at the more expensive levels of guitars that many here play, you can have looks as well. No need to compromise on that for those folks.

In a vintage guitar, scratches dings and worse are expected. And I accept them, but not weirdness. I once failed to follow through on a custom build partly because of an assymetrical headstock. There were ample other reasons, but we'd gone partway down the planning process when I realized he would not alter the headstock. I just could not stare at that thing every time I played.