Why isn't there more "manly" bling out there

[Teleman52]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

This does have me thinking...with a few choice colored brown woods, one could do "bacon" inlay.

Ooh maybe the old Bacon and Day company could get back into business and reissue their "señorita" guitar but instead call it the "señor"

[6L6]

I think Martin got it right with their D-45. Here's a pic of mine:

[djg]

So how's this:
http://guitars.com/inventory/am6624-...ylor-tombstone

Seems as if quite a lot of bling is either a copy of or a riff on some historical Martin decorations with abalone or MOP -- a torch, a vine, or a basic trim of shiny stuff around the sound board or the fingerboard. I don't know that I see it as masculine or feminine so much as a period way to distinguish fancy from plain (and to add some light or sparkle to a stage back when there were not many other effects).

Maybe being a bit more tradition bound explains why there's less of this sort of thing on acoustic guitars than electric guitars. But there's stuff out there if you look and custom is custom -- for a price, I suspect that somebody will do just about whatever. A chopper done in CITES compliant and certified ebony with "I love the smell of napalm in the morning" done in abalone in a lightening script underneath. For a price. And maybe a few funny looks.

To each his or her own. I don't look at a flowering vine inlay and think "ha ha, that's girly." I mean, what's manly? Fathering a child is manly but I don't want to see that on a guitar.

In context, any number of things might look cool to me but in general I guess I'd prefer to keep the fret board simple anyway -- making it a truck or a gun doesn't make it more of something I'd want. Herringbone or a rope around the top -- that's about my usual speed. But it's cool with me if you want a vine or a rose or a dove or flames or whatever.

[Big-Al]

Bling? Who wants bling? Those plain old road-worn vintage guitars look way better than the blinged up ones. Like a Harley-riding friend used to say; "You don't need tattoos to look tough . . . if you have scars."

[nootis]

When I first saw this thread, this is the first thing that came to mind... From Joel Stehr's website...

[rogthefrog]

Originally Posted by psychojohn

A pic from an guitar blinged out with flora and fauna motived the below post so I thought I'd start a dedicated thread and see what others thought.

"I ride a Victory classic cruiser with an old school flame job. I run a Stroker bass boat with a 300 Pro Max. I eat nails for breakfast and don't eat quiche. None the less I love the frilly (arguably feminine) appointments on this and other flora and faunally blinged out guitars.

Why don't we see more "MANLY" designs for bling. A flame job on the finger board, Valvoline stickers on the body, full metal jackets as bridge pins or cut up for frets or fret markers. Over stated but you get my question."

John
__________________

Because it's ugly and tasteless?

[psychojohn]

Thanks for the pics of manly designs. I am surprised how many flame (flames as is fire designs, not wood with flamed graining) designs are already out there as I hadn't seen any before this thread. Cool that people are doing that. Despite having an old school flame design on my motorcycle tank and fenders (white to yellow to orange to red fade with a black pin stripe encasing the flame), it's not my cup of tea for a guitar, but abalone and vine designs are.

Keep em coming if you see em.

John

[Fire&Rain]

Originally Posted by Willie Voltaire

As evidenced by the photos herein, I think what passes for "manly" these days usually caters to tired and hackneyed cliches, none of which I'd want anywhere near my guitar. Give me classic understatement any day.

Well stated, Willie. I guess NASCAR, Harley Davidson, and WWF have been blind to an obvious marketing strategy to stake their brand on an entire line of "made in China" acoustic (or Les Paul clone) guitars...

I say bring back the "Marboro Man" guitar!

[psychojohn]

Originally Posted by nootis

When I first saw this thread, this is the first thing that came to mind... From Joel Stehr's website...

This reminds me of the parable something to the effect of the man complaining to God or Jesus that their foot prints next to each other in the sand showed where they were walking side by side, but that God vs Jesus then abandoned him, the proof being that there was only one set of foot prints in the sand. God's vs Jesus' response was that the single set foot prints weren't because he abandoned him, but because he was carrying him.

John

[kydave]

Originally Posted by psychojohn

A pic from an guitar blinged out with flora and fauna motived the below post so I thought I'd start a dedicated thread and see what others thought.

"I ride a Victory classic cruiser with an old school flame job. I run a Stroker bass boat with a 300 Pro Max. I eat nails for breakfast and don't eat quiche. None the less I love the frilly (arguably feminine) appointments on this and other flora and faunally blinged out guitars.

Why don't we see more "MANLY" designs for bling. A flame job on the finger board, Valvoline stickers on the body, full metal jackets as bridge pins or cut up for frets or fret markers. Over stated but you get my question."

John
__________________

Well, I do get why you are "psycho john..."



Seriously,

The flame job is totally apropriate on your bike or on a classic hot rod.

Metal rockers do have electric guitars with decor you'd like, perhaps.

Flames and valvoline stickers would not be appropriate on a Martin guitar (Louvin Bros model notwithstanding!).

Other guitars? Go for it. I don't care.

[psychojohn]

Originally Posted by mc1

well, i have to run and take the baby for a stroll. walk and stroll!!!

Love it !!!! I want spinners on mine !

[chitz]

I like the bling on the DC Aura and the D-42.

Don't care for those fret markers on the D41 & 45.

[SongwriterFan]

Originally Posted by 00-28

Beat me to it!

BTW, I heard that those have tops that are torrefied in the lakes of Hades and have one HELL-uva tone.

[Methos1979]

'Manly bling' = oxymoron.

[Sleestack]

This Larry Robinson inlay probably wouldn't draw too many from the estrogen crowd. It is beautiful though...

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