Look vs Sound

[Kodiak3D]

When I was choosing a guitar to start on, I read an article that said it's important to get a guitar that not only sounds good to you, but that you also find attractive. The thought behind it being that if you truly like the guitar (or love, in many cases ) you will want to play it more, and thus will learn more.

I've really thought about that a lot, and I agree. It's also made me wonder if there might be any correlation to the look of a guitar and how it sounds to an individual.

So ask this:
Do you find that a guitar you find visually attractive sounds better to YOU than one you find "ugly"?

It's an odd question, I know, but I AM a scientist.

I'm inclined to say "yes." While I haven't been exposed to a lot of guitars yet, I think I would be somewhat predisposed to expect an attractive guitar to sound better to me.

 

[marnold]

That's a good point. I would love to see a guitar magazine take up a bunch of double-blind tests to try to figure these sorts of things out. I think many of the commonly-held opinions would be seriously challenged.

For me personally, there are very few guitars that I would consider to be ugly. The Gibson backwards flying V would be one of them. For example, I know a number of people who wouldn't touch my Floyd because of the hollowed-out headstock with no tuners on it. Then again, I like pointies and other guitars that most people would consider to be "weird".

I've always found rock guitarists to be interesting in that respect. Many (most?) have politics and lifestyles that would be considered left-of-center. Yet the vast majority are extremely conservative if not downright Luddite when it comes to technological changes. If Leo or Les didn't design it, it's no good! How many dismiss something digital out of hand simply because it is digital? I'm not saying that those opinions are invalid or that there is nothing to them, I just find that paradox to be interesting.

 

[ZMAN]

I choose all my guitars by looks. Then if they sound good that is a bonus!
No really I am usually attracted to a guitar by it looks. I then try to hear the guitar and decide whether I like the tone or not. I have found that with the pedals I have I can shape the tone to exactly what I like. But I try to have a couple of them out on stands for a couple of days as eye candy and rotate them.

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Sound.

 

[Jampy]

Great Subject..

When I wonder into a guitar shop, the first thing that catches me is of course the look of a guitar, if it appeals to me I then go for the tone and overall sound of the guitar, if I like both I am in trouble as it gives me G.A.S

But for the guitars I have owned for years looks do not matter, it is the sound and tone and "feel" I get from it that keeps me coming back.

 

[scgmhawk]

Initially looks, but then she needs to have a good personality too!

 

[aeolian]

So ask this:
Do you find that a guitar you find visually attractive sounds better to YOU than one you find "ugly"?

It is "no" for me. I agree that if a guitar looks good I'm much more prone to pick it up and play it, but then whether I want to have the guitar is completely dictated by how it plays and sounds. I have sold guitars that look beautiful, but when I find that I don't play them much I have no further reason to keep them. One telling experience may be this. Years ago I went looking for PRS guitars because they looked so very nice in pictures on the internet. I found a store that had a few of them. After I played them in the store I no longer have any desire to own one because I did not find them to sound very special. Another thing is once I strapped on a guitar on I no longer pay attention to how it looks.

 

[Plank_Spanker]

Looks are important, and I'll admit that is what will attract me to a guitar.

That said, I've played some beautiful guitars that sounded less than stellar to me. I will not accept a guitar that doesn't sound good.

Looks hook me; sound either makes or breaks the deal.

 

[mrmudcat]

Sound to me is more important.:beer:

 

[Skip77]

Sound for me too. I love old guitars that are nicked up but sound great! On that note, though, I don't like some visual designs. For example, I don't like archtop guitar looks with S holes or new fangled designs without the usual round sound hole. I'm an odd duck. I'll pick an old guitar because of tone but reject a new one because of looks if it doesn't have a traditional soundhole, no matter how good it sounds!

 

[strumsalot]

I may pick up a guitar because it's pretty, but if it doesn't sound good it goes right back on the rack.

Now if I pick up a guitar that has great feel and playability, and it doesn't sound good, I may be inclined to play that one a little longer.

 

[Katastrophe]

It's all about the tone.:rockon:

 

[pie_man_25]

very interesting point to be driving at, I wonder if you're getting somewhere with this.

 

[street music]

I will say that it has to look good before I pick it up, then it has to feel right and then I must have that great tone and sound to complete the package. I have seen some models out there that I wouldn't strap on my chest, UGLY!

 

[just strum]

I would say sound is more important, but without a doubt looks are what pull me in probably 9 out of 10 times. I like classical or traditional design and the most far out guitar I have is the SG. That guitar was purchased purely on "old memories". The Dot was a gift, but one that I wanted very badly for looks and sound. The ARC300 was based on recommendation for sound and construction, fortunately when I saw it I fell in love with the looks. The Strat was because someone told me one or two somewhat popular musicians use play them - seriously it is one that I wanted very early on.

Looks draw you in, sound seals your fate.

 

[sumitomo]

Sound is more important.But more than that is how it plays and the neck how it feels.I am still chasing the feel of this one guitar I had a long time ago and sold it(hear that grunge)my strat comes close but ya know what I mean?I was young and dumb I think it was a early 1970 telly from aira it was cheap sounded good and felt and played good.Ill shut up now cause Ive got G.A.S. Sumi

 

[pie_man_25]

I would say sound is more important, but without a doubt looks are what pull me in probably 9 out of 10 times. I like classical or traditional design and the most far out guitar I have is the SG. That guitar was purchased purely on "old memories". The Dot was a gift, but one that I wanted very badly for looks and sound. The ARC300 was based on recommendation for sound and construction, fortunately when I saw it I fell in love with the looks. The Strat was because someone told me one or two somewhat popular musicians use play them - seriously it is one that I wanted very early on.

Looks draw you in, sound seals your fate.

I don't know man, I love the look of the EB-0 and thunderbird, and I hate the way they sound, and I don't like the look of jazz bass, but the sound they get is just amazing, I just don't concentrate on looks, unless I can get a model the same price, the same sound the same feel that looks better

 

[Kodiak3D]

Most of you seem to understand my question. A few of you may be a little unclear, so I'll try to explain better.

I'm not asking which is more important: looks or sound. I'm asking do you think that the attractiveness of a guitar might somehow influence your opinion of how it sounds.

I'm not really headed anywhere with this. It's just a question I thought would be interesting to discuss. Human beings are visual creatures. Our initial judgement of almost everything is based on looks (except, obviously, for the blind). I just wonder how far that initial judgement goes pshycologically.

 

[just strum]

Put that way, I would say YES. However, I believe the more your ear is trained, the less influence looks have on a selection.

I still think looks in most cases is what attracts you to a guitar. There are exceptions, like the tele that I believe grows on you because of the sound and the sound is what makes you feel it's a nice looking guitar.

 

[Kodiak3D]

That makes me think of an interesting counterpoint.

What if you HEAR the guitar first? Do you think that would also have an effect?

Personally, I don't find the tele bodystyle very attractive, but I heard one before I saw one. For that reason alone, I'm still interested in getting one (when I find one with a finish I like).

 

[just strum]

That makes me think of an interesting counterpoint.

What if you HEAR the guitar first? Do you think that would also have an effect?

Yes, however hearing it is influenced by who is playing it. It would attract me to check it out, but then looks and the sound I get when I play it would be the influence factors Also, sound is greatly influenced by the amp it's plugged into. Looks on the other hand stands by itself and isn't influenced by anything except maybe lighting.

Does that make sense, seems to read funny.

 

[Kodiak3D]

No, it makes sense (at least to me).

And I agree, WHO is playing a guitar when you hear it definitely has a great effect on your choice in guitars. For many people, it may be THE deciding factor. If it weren't, endorsements wouldn't be as important as they are.

 

[Tone2TheBone]

That makes me think of an interesting counterpoint.

What if you HEAR the guitar first? Do you think that would also have an effect?

Personally, I don't find the tele bodystyle very attractive, but I heard one before I saw one. For that reason alone, I'm still interested in getting one (when I find one with a finish I like).

In a way I'm with you on this one. I was never a big fan of the Telecaster body and that's why I've never owned one until just recently when I got my first one a while back. That guitar has the SOUND. I think it's the combination of Swamp Ash and string through body design. The pickups on Teles are different than Strats so that adds to the "that's the sound" characteristic. Brand new or beat up I've begun to love Teles.

 

[piebaldpython]

Tone Or Sound

Hmmmm.....well, to look at this another way, you can look at an UGLY guitar and then be AMAZED at the sound that the player makes come out of it.
A PERFECT example is Johnny Winters: for a number of years he played a guitar that had NO headstock (it ended at the nut) and hardly any body either. Check the CD pic on his Alligator Records CD, SERIOUS BUSINESS.
Looking at THAT guitar, you figure NO WAY nothing GOOD comes out of this guitar. ahahhahahahhahhah

 

[birv2]

That's a good point. I would love to see a guitar magazine take up a bunch of double-blind tests to try to figure these sorts of things out. I think many of the commonly-held opinions would be seriously challenged.

I bet we'd be totally surprised at the results. There's all kinds of snobbery (tube vs. solid-state, boss vs behringer, analog vs digital, custom shop vs stock, etc.). I admit I've got a lot of it myself. But someone should start doing some clips to see if people can really tell the difference.

I remember hearing 3 clips on a studio recording website -- one was a real studio with about $50,000 of vintage equipment, and the other two were digital (Pro tools and cakewalk, I think). I played it for several pro musician friends, and they said the differences were about 1%, though they could generally tell the analog from the digital.

How else do you explain people's astonishment when they hear some great tone and they check it out and it's not on the Official Established Approved Gear List? There's a guy who comes to a local jam who plays a Steinberg through a Peavey Bandit. Butt-ugly PLUS cheap solid state. He sounds awesome.

Things that make you go hmm....

:whatever:

Bob

 

[street music]

If I could have the sound of a ES335 in a strat body , that would be a dream guitar. I like the sound of a hollowbody and I hope to add one and a tele too , they both have a special sound that I like to hear. I recentley attended a concert and I knew both of the guitar players and was use to seeing one with a strat and the other on a DOT, this guys comes out on stage with a solid white , gold trimming ES335 and I just about jumped out of my seat when he started playing that thing. It was such full blown tone and just grabbed me up from the first chord.
Maybe Kodiak could buy one for Ole Dad ???????