Good looking sound

[jamsire]

Ask yourself:

How often do you say "look how good that guitar sounds!"?

I still marvel at how people get caught up on how good a guitar looks with all of the figured "XYZ", etc.

I recently saw on eBay a Parker Mojo guitar with a highly figured "blue" flame maple. The starting or buy it now price was $3,100 and of course - it was "rare."

Can you hear transparent blue paint? Will it sound very different in my iPod (where the music of me playing it will eventually end up)? Will make my Tech 21 amps (which are killer btw) sound - bluer?

Just asking.

I said once before in a previous post - Hendrix played a black guitar with a white plastic pick guard.

I remain.

[TheEclectic]

The phenomenon about which you write has worked to my advantage – I picked up an undervalued Godin LGXT in Black Pearl because people were busy bidding on the flamed top models of various colors. I preferred the look of the CognacBurst, but not for several hundred dollars more.

However, owning eye-candy guitars gives me good feelings – a feeling I am sure that is shared by others. I never tire of looking at my two Sevillano Classical guitars – one with birdseye maple back and sides and the other with a honey colored Encino back and sides (it looks like quilted maple to me – like the frozen ripples on a lake created by a gentle breeze). (Sevillano is a luthier in Mexico)

Granted, woods on an acoustic are a very different matter than wood veneers on an electric as the woods on the acoustic do affect the tone.

I am with you about the perception and crazy price differences commanded because of a finish veneer.

[rjgoos]

Originally posted by jamsire

I said once before in a previous post - Hendrix played a black guitar with a white plastic pick guard.




I always find it amusing that some companies will charge thousands to make a guitar look old. A $2000 Gibson goes for $12,000 if the factory makes it look old.

The alternative, of course, is to make your guitar look old as a result of decades of PLAYING:

http://www.ryansalmphotography.com/_SMALL_PHOTOS/rocknroll038.jpg

[Nightmare Music]

Originally posted by rjgoos
I always find it amusing that some companies will charge thousands to make a guitar look old.... http://www.ryansalmphotography.com/_SMALL_PHOTOS/rocknroll038.jpg

i once saw a museum quality recreation of willie's guitar, hole, signatures and all. they wanted something like, $40,000 for it. i can't remember the price exactly but it was obsurd.

thought i'd drive that point home

[Tom Drinkwater]

Visual appeal comes in all shapes and sizes and yes, even sounds to us visual thinkers. Some guitars just reach out to some guitarists. Only those individuals could say for sure why a certain guitar triggers the check writing hand in such a strong fashion.
Design appeals to me more than pretty wood on guitars. To that end one of my all time favorite instruments is the Tap Ladder. I think that it is a work of genius. The simplicity of it to me is just incredible.

[rjgoos]

I heard a live studio interview/performance with Leo Kottke last fall. The reporter asked him why he was playing a new guitar, instead of a vintage guitar. He replied something to the effect, that his guitars don't last much longer than two years, because the airlines eventually destroy them.

[riadsala]

People will think that a good looking guitar (be it new and shiney or old and vintage) sounds better. They can't help it. It's the same with cake... a "deluxe triple chocolate gateaux" will taste better than " chocolate cake" even if they are the same cake, just in different packaging. There's a huge amount of research in this, why do you think supermarkets spend so much on packaging?

So from an audiences point of view, quite often they will have, at least partially, made up their mind how good you're likely to sound based on your appearence.

Also, if you have a good looking guitar, you will probably *think* that it sounds better than your old one. This may well allow you to give a better performance, positive mental thinking and all that jazz...

So, there's something in it.

Most importantly, a good looking guitar will look better sitting in your living room :D

[traktor]

Operation Big Fat Colors is underway ...

No Details Here (http://www.megatar.com/english/options/Color/color.html)

I have to agree with Ernie. I don't think it makes them sound better. They're just ... pritty.

[rjgoos]

Hey Traktor,

Consider having a body "blank" made into veneers, so that you could have a wood "pickguard" of generally matching wood as the rest of the body.

It was just a random thought, maybe not practical.

[jamsire]

Originally posted by traktor
I have to agree with Ernie. I don't think it makes them sound better. They're just ... pritty.

After a very healthy discussion on this very topic, I decided to do a little Memorial Day guitar maintenance on my babies.

I must have some of the most beautiful looking and beautiful sounding guitars anywhere!

I'm an idiot! I am the very person I complain about!

But I'll tell ya this - having a $500 Schecter Cherry-maple veneer semi hollow 12-string is proof of how great an inexpensive, great looking guitar can be! My 1983 Ibanez AR112 12-string is the Grand Dame of all 12-strings. Sexy indeed.

Oh yeah - my 12-string "collection" is severe.

I'll post pics one day as a way of making up for being a hypocrite.

I mean - really!

I remain.:(