Looks or Tone

JPP-1 · 11-22-06, 10:42 PM

Not that the two are mutually exclusive but if you were auditioning several historic bursts and one sounded and played best while another looked best which would you choose.

Ofcourse this is hypothetical question and I wonder myself if after seeking out the best looking burst with my eyes do I then try hard to also find it the best sounding.

Any thoughts on this from fellow forumites

kevo100 · 11-22-06, 10:55 PM

i'd leave both and look for one that has looks and tone. that's why its so hard for me to find one!

AaeCee · 11-22-06, 10:57 PM

From experience: Looks can get old, tone never dies. Can't tell you how many guitars I've bought because of looks, only to eventually sell them as the lack of a really special tone caused my enthusiasm to diminish. But those with 'that tone' are all still cherished and still with me. And their 'beauty' increases every time I play them, regardless if they're the visual equals of some others I've had. Fortunately, a few are 10s in all categories! AC

96 lppp · 11-22-06, 11:31 PM

This tradeoff was solved with my latest historic 01 R9. Now I'm left only with 1 issue, paying the bills, lol!

lp johnny · 11-23-06, 12:25 AM

TONE...imho

cofi · 11-23-06, 04:12 AM

Definitely tone, of course it would be nice to have both, but it got to be tone first for me,

moonpie · 11-23-06, 04:36 AM

I'd rather drive a primered street rod than polish a trailer queen that sits in the garage

Bluefinger · 11-23-06, 04:57 AM

Tone and feel ... looks have to be ok as well but it can't make up for the lack of tone.

burst59 · 11-23-06, 05:22 AM

Tone first ! Looks second.

roadrunner · 11-23-06, 05:27 AM

Tone. If it looks good... bonus

les strat · 11-23-06, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonpie

I'd rather drive a primered street rod than polish a trailer queen that sits in the garage

Moonpie

Yardbird Mac · 11-23-06, 06:49 AM

#1. Tone... I love the tone (as is) of ALL 3 of my guitars!

#2. Feel & Comfort... I need larger necks... (hand cramping issues).

#3. Looks... I like the looks of my R9, but I also like Gold Tops, and Ebony. I wish they made an Ebony finish Historic!!

Todd Louis · 11-23-06, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonpie

I'd rather drive a primered street rod than polish a trailer queen that sits in the garage

Me???
Must have both.

blues · 11-23-06, 12:47 PM

55Custom · 11-23-06, 12:54 PM

Tone is more important. That's why Historics that are tonemonsters cost more than all the others.

No wait...

It's goes by the type of wood that constitutes 10% of the guitar.

No wait...

It goes by how fat the flame is!

No wait...

It goes by who allegedly aged it!

No wait..

It goes by who signed it!!??

That said, I go by feel and tone. My favorite had the ugliest flame.

el84ster · 11-23-06, 01:29 PM

Tone man. It's just like with women: a real hot looker gets old to be around fast if the personality sucks. But a less hot girl with a great personality can be great. Looks get old, but it's that tone that keeps you in love with an axe. Besides, when you're playing it you can't really see it anyway.

I guess if you don't play and only stare at/display your guitars then looks would be everything.

SneakyK · 11-23-06, 01:33 PM

Tone, all the way!

Sean French · 11-23-06, 02:35 PM

Tone of coarse.
I don't sit and look at them.I play them.

Besides I can't tell what a guitars looks like when it's strapped on and I'm bendin' them wires.

aimr75 · 11-23-06, 03:33 PM

As much as i like looking at a nice les paul, id rather play them.. tone baby tone!

plaintop60 · 11-23-06, 05:06 PM

IMO, looks are a nice bonus but if the tone and playability aren't satisfying to you then the looks get old really fast. Also, and I guess this is a value judgement, but to me these are musical instruments, not decorations so a great playing and souding instrument will also look beautiful to you once you have been playing the guitar for awhile. I'm sure that there are as many viewpoints on this subject as there are players. I just sold a pair of R8's with awsome flame so I could get an R0 with a plain top. At first it was a difficult adjustment but it's only been six days and now the R0 plaintop looks as good to me as the flame tops did. If I was a collector and not a player I'm sure I would feel just the opposite.

geddins · 11-23-06, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPP-1

Not that the two are mutually exclusive but if you were auditioning several historic bursts and one sounded and played best while another looked best which would you choose.

Ofcourse this is hypothetical question and I wonder in myself do after seeking out the best looking burst do I try very hard also find it the best sounding.

Any thoughts on this from fellow forumites

1.Playability
2. Tone
3. Looks

I'm as much a sucker for a pretty face as anyone, but it's gotta FEEL right first...if that checks, then it's gotta SOUND like it should.....after these two, it's really academic

BurstBrian · 11-23-06, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geddins_81

1.Playability
2. Tone
3. Looks

I'm as much a sucker for a pretty face as anyone, but it's gotta FEEL right first...if that checks, then it's gotta SOUND like it should.....after these two, it's really academic

+1...If you don't like to play it, nothing else matters....

Modtourman · 11-23-06, 07:07 PM

1. Feel (which leads to better technique and tone).

2. Tone.

3. 'Vibe' (yeah, I know -different for everybody and it may include #4).

4. Looks.

fugazi · 11-23-06, 09:25 PM

Ace139 · 11-24-06, 02:59 PM

Tone for me. I have done the looks thing and it leaves you always wanting more. I am planning to go to Guitarsale over Christmas and walk in with a blind fold and just start playing every historic I can get my hands on. (I'm hoping I can get some help from the staff) My goal is to get the best sounding LP. Won't care if it's a Black Beauty, Gold Top, Cherry, Ice Tea, Dark, Tobacco or anyother kind of Burst as long as it has the tone that I like.

And it looks good

PixelBurst · 11-24-06, 03:29 PM

If I had to choose, I'd go with tone... but since R9's cost a lot, I opted to go with two that offered tone and looks!

Spudrok · 11-24-06, 03:31 PM

Tone, Tone, Tone!!!

I am dead serious - my best sounding guitar is a completely stock (except I added a pickguard) Melody Maker!!! It sounds incredible and has the cool vibe of being such a "cheap" guitar. I think that it is all that thin finish that allows the body wood to party.

=> http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...ro/100_384.jpg

I love all of my (19) guitars, every one is a standout, but that Melody Maker is amazing.

JPP-1 · 11-24-06, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yardbird Mac

#1. Tone... I love the tone (as is) of ALL 3 of my guitars!

#2. Feel & Comfort... I need larger necks... (hand cramping issues).

#3. Looks... I like the looks of my R9, but I also like Gold Tops, and Ebony. I wish they made an Ebony finish Historic!!

Yeah my hand particularly my thumb gets cramped with thin necks too. Yardbird would you consider your hands large.

RE301 · 11-25-06, 03:10 AM

Looks. My fingers, brain, MXR Blue Box, and Space Echo can come up with something in the tone department.

DoubleBoogie · 11-25-06, 03:35 AM

I've often thought that the best way to pick a guitar would be to go to a music store that had a ton of the guitar models you were looking for and then blindfold yourself and play them one by one in a room. Pick the one that feels and sounds the best and then be happy with the way it looks. I'll bet after you picked a guitar, they could put them in lineup and remove your blindfold and you would probably want to pick up the best looking one to try first. The chances of that one being the one you picked blind folded would be pretty slim in my opinion. Long term, tone and feel are WAY more important than looks.

fjminor · 11-25-06, 04:02 AM

Looks... Looks...Looks ... For the most part, that is what drives us to pick up the Guitar off the shelf in the first place. Tone and playability come next. Unless the slab of wood the guitar is made of is a complete dud and/or the neck looks like the crooked mile, the tone and playability can be dialed in with loving care..

!!!..come on now, we all love the Guitar porn that all LPF members graciously serve up...keep'em coming!!!!!

Yardbird Mac · 11-25-06, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPP-1

Yeah my hand particularly my thumb gets cramped with thin necks too. Yardbird would you consider your hands large.

Not really... actually, considering that I'm 6' 1 - 1/2" tall, my hands are small to medium. I can't play "thumb over" chords even on the Standard (skinny 60s neck). Even though the Standard has a 60s neck, I can't bring myself to sell it off. I just don't play long songs with a lot of barre' chords in them. It kicks butt for riff and solo work though.

TheArchitect · 11-25-06, 05:51 AM

Who cares what it looks like? Thats the difference between musicians and collectors

Punt · 11-25-06, 07:44 AM

First tone and playability, than looks.

82 Silverburst · 11-25-06, 07:53 AM

This thread is the biggest load of HORSESHIT I have ever read in here.

Sure everyone say tone is first, so where are all the guys that shop with their eyes huh?
At least come forward and say "I bought this online cause it looked great, and it sounds great too"

Come on!!.......you know you are out there.......admit it!!!

All you R9 guys ponied up the extra coin cause it sounded better then an R7 or R8.....PUHLEESE!

JPP-1 · 11-25-06, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoubleBoogie

I've often thought that the best way to pick a guitar would be to go to a music store that had a ton of the guitar models you were looking for and then blindfold yourself and play them one by one in a room. Pick the one that feels and sounds the best and then be happy with the way it looks. I'll bet after you picked a guitar, they could put them in lineup and remove your blindfold and you would probably want to pick up the best looking one to try first. The chances of that one being the one you picked blind folded would be pretty slim in my opinion. Long term, tone and feel are WAY more important than looks.

Big Mike Blues · 11-25-06, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 82 Silverburst

This thread is the biggest load of HORSESHIT I have ever read in here.

Sure everyone say tone is first, so where are all the guys that shop with their eyes huh?
At least come forward and say "I bought this online cause it looked great, and it sounds great too"

Come on!!.......you know you are out there.......admit it!!!

All you R9 guys ponied up the extra coin cause it sounded better then an R7 or R8.....PUHLEESE!

Kinda curious about that myself. I'd never even LOOK at ar R9 because I refuse to pay for pretty. R7's rule.

rays44 · 11-25-06, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 82 Silverburst

This thread is the biggest load of HORSESHIT I have ever read in here.

Sure everyone say tone is first, so where are all the guys that shop with their eyes huh?
At least come forward and say "I bought this online cause it looked great, and it sounds great too"

Come on!!.......you know you are out there.......admit it!!!

All you R9 guys ponied up the extra coin cause it sounded better then an R7 or R8.....PUHLEESE!

+1. Can't believe this thread is still going.

What kind of musician buys looks over tone unless both are a coincidence.

HeeHaw · 11-25-06, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 82 Silverburst

This thread is the biggest load of HORSESHIT I have ever read in here.

Sure everyone say tone is first, so where are all the guys that shop with their eyes huh?
At least come forward and say "I bought this online cause it looked great, and it sounds great too"

Come on!!.......you know you are out there.......admit it!!!

All you R9 guys ponied up the extra coin cause it sounded better then an R7 or R8.....PUHLEESE!

Thank you Silverburst. The truth shall set them free. People buy R9's for the fancy tops, plain and simple.

Raptor · 11-25-06, 10:12 AM

Personally, tone and playability are first and foremost, and they should be. Getting a great looking guitar that sounds and plays great is a bonus, but not always possible. Yes a lot of people buy with their eyes rather than hands and ears. I am at a point in my life that I am now collecting. I have my players and my gigging guitars. So I admit that now I will by the occasional guitar for the looks, or cool factor alone. But, if I find a guitar whose tone and feel blow me away I will buy it no matter what it looks like.

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11-23-06, 12:25 AM	#5
lp johnny Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 164	Re: Looks or Tone TONE...imho

11-23-06, 04:12 AM	#6
cofi Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Wales,UK Posts: 737	Re: Looks or Tone Definitely tone, of course it would be nice to have both, but it got to be tone first for me, __________________ never too old to rock and roll http://southernrockuk.proboards50.com/index.cgi

11-23-06, 04:36 AM	#7
moonpie In the Zone/Backstage Pass Join Date: May 2003 Location: Somewhere between right and wrong. Posts: 9,774	Re: Looks or Tone I'd rather drive a primered street rod than polish a trailer queen that sits in the garage __________________ IF YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE, YOU'RE JUST ASKING FOR IT!

11-23-06, 04:57 AM	#8
Bluefinger Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Austria Posts: 619	Re: Looks or Tone Tone and feel ... looks have to be ok as well but it can't make up for the lack of tone.

11-22-06, 10:42 PM	#1
JPP-1 Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 657	Looks or Tone Not that the two are mutually exclusive but if you were auditioning several historic bursts and one sounded and played best while another looked best which would you choose. Ofcourse this is hypothetical question and I wonder myself if after seeking out the best looking burst with my eyes do I then try hard to also find it the best sounding. Any thoughts on this from fellow forumites Last edited by JPP-1 : 11-24-06 at 07:32 PM.

11-22-06, 10:55 PM	#2
kevo100 Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 72	Re: Looks or Tone i'd leave both and look for one that has looks and tone. that's why its so hard for me to find one!

11-22-06, 10:57 PM	#3
AaeCee Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MD. Posts: 235	Re: Looks or Tone From experience: Looks can get old, tone never dies. Can't tell you how many guitars I've bought because of looks, only to eventually sell them as the lack of a really special tone caused my enthusiasm to diminish. But those with 'that tone' are all still cherished and still with me. And their 'beauty' increases every time I play them, regardless if they're the visual equals of some others I've had. Fortunately, a few are 10s in all categories! AC __________________ "Let the wild rumpus start!"

11-22-06, 11:31 PM	#4
96 lppp Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: IL by the Missisippi River Posts: 747	Re: Looks or Tone This tradeoff was solved with my latest historic 01 R9. Now I'm left only with 1 issue, paying the bills, lol!

11-23-06, 05:22 AM	#9
burst59 Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Arlington Va, Again ! Posts: 3,449	Re: Looks or Tone Tone first ! Looks second. __________________ Pure And Simple. www.vollmerrocks.net

11-23-06, 05:27 AM	#10
roadrunner In the Zone/Backstage Pass Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: NashVegas Posts: 5,403	Re: Looks or Tone Tone. If it looks good... bonus __________________ Achieve the Possible!

11-23-06, 06:49 AM	#12
Yardbird Mac Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Somewhere in Ohio Posts: 1,030	Re: Looks or Tone #1. Tone... I love the tone (as is) of ALL 3 of my guitars! #2. Feel & Comfort... I need larger necks... (hand cramping issues). #3. Looks... I like the looks of my R9, but I also like Gold Tops, and Ebony. I wish they made an Ebony finish Historic!! __________________ ~Yardbird~ HAZARD SOUND PRESSURE LEVELS DANGEROUS TO THE EAR ARE PRESENT WHEN FOG SIGNAL IS IN OPERATION "03" Standard - (ebony finish) "04" R9 - (Top refinished to Brockkburst) "04" FENDER Standard Stratocaster (sage green - rosewood fretboard) "06" G & L Comanche - (3 tone sunburst, ebony fretboard) "03" FENDER Pro Tube Pro Reverb "05" FENDER Pro Tube Pro Reverb "07" FENDER Super Champ XD "10" BLACKSTAR HT - 20 Studio

11-23-06, 12:47 PM	#14
blues Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Pa. Posts: 223	Re: Looks or Tone tone

11-23-06, 12:54 PM	#15
55Custom Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 6,107	Re: Looks or Tone Tone is more important. That's why Historics that are tonemonsters cost more than all the others. No wait... It's goes by the type of wood that constitutes 10% of the guitar. No wait... It goes by how fat the flame is! No wait... It goes by who allegedly aged it! No wait.. It goes by who signed it!!?? That said, I go by feel and tone. My favorite had the ugliest flame.

11-23-06, 01:29 PM	#16
el84ster All Access/Backstage Pass Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern Cali Posts: 1,265	Re: Looks or Tone Tone man. It's just like with women: a real hot looker gets old to be around fast if the personality sucks. But a less hot girl with a great personality can be great. Looks get old, but it's that tone that keeps you in love with an axe. Besides, when you're playing it you can't really see it anyway. I guess if you don't play and only stare at/display your guitars then looks would be everything.

11-23-06, 01:33 PM	#17
SneakyK Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Astoria, NY Posts: 207	Re: Looks or Tone Tone, all the way! __________________ Don'tcha think, it sometimes wise not to grow up -- Jagger/Richards

11-23-06, 02:35 PM	#18
Sean French Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 4,089	Re: Looks or Tone Tone of coarse. I don't sit and look at them.I play them. Besides I can't tell what a guitars looks like when it's strapped on and I'm bendin' them wires. __________________ "Drunk is feeling sophisticated when you can't say it" -Anonymous

11-23-06, 03:33 PM	#19
aimr75 Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 991	Re: Looks or Tone As much as i like looking at a nice les paul, id rather play them.. tone baby tone! __________________ 2002 R8, 2005 R7, Orange RVerb50

11-23-06, 05:06 PM	#20
plaintop60 Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,210	Re: Looks or Tone IMO, looks are a nice bonus but if the tone and playability aren't satisfying to you then the looks get old really fast. Also, and I guess this is a value judgement, but to me these are musical instruments, not decorations so a great playing and souding instrument will also look beautiful to you once you have been playing the guitar for awhile. I'm sure that there are as many viewpoints on this subject as there are players. I just sold a pair of R8's with awsome flame so I could get an R0 with a plain top. At first it was a difficult adjustment but it's only been six days and now the R0 plaintop looks as good to me as the flame tops did. If I was a collector and not a player I'm sure I would feel just the opposite.

11-23-06, 07:07 PM	#23
Modtourman Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: South Brunswick, NJ Posts: 731	Re: Looks or Tone 1. Feel (which leads to better technique and tone). 2. Tone. 3. 'Vibe' (yeah, I know -different for everybody and it may include #4). 4. Looks.

11-23-06, 09:25 PM	#24
fugazi Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 95	Re: Looks or Tone yes.

11-24-06, 02:59 PM	#25
Ace139 All Access/Backstage Pass Join Date: May 2003 Location: Brookfield, CT Posts: 1,193	Re: Looks or Tone Tone for me. I have done the looks thing and it leaves you always wanting more. I am planning to go to Guitarsale over Christmas and walk in with a blind fold and just start playing every historic I can get my hands on. (I'm hoping I can get some help from the staff) My goal is to get the best sounding LP. Won't care if it's a Black Beauty, Gold Top, Cherry, Ice Tea, Dark, Tobacco or anyother kind of Burst as long as it has the tone that I like. And it looks good __________________ Some people call me old fashion - but fire scares me

11-24-06, 03:29 PM	#26
PixelBurst Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Hollywood, California Posts: 3,914	Re: Looks or Tone If I had to choose, I'd go with tone... but since R9's cost a lot, I opted to go with two that offered tone and looks! __________________ "Honey, I'm the worlds forgotten boy. The one who's searchin'... searchin' to destroy!" My Site My Job

11-24-06, 03:31 PM	#27
Spudrok Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 71	Re: Looks or Tone Tone, Tone, Tone!!! I am dead serious - my best sounding guitar is a completely stock (except I added a pickguard) Melody Maker!!! It sounds incredible and has the cool vibe of being such a "cheap" guitar. I think that it is all that thin finish that allows the body wood to party. => http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...ro/100_384.jpg I love all of my (19) guitars, every one is a standout, but that Melody Maker is amazing.

11-25-06, 03:10 AM	#29
RE301 All Access/Backstage Pass Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Between Sodom and the Sea of Japan Posts: 717	Re: Looks or Tone Looks. My fingers, brain, MXR Blue Box, and Space Echo can come up with something in the tone department. __________________ My day beats your year.

11-25-06, 03:35 AM	#30
DoubleBoogie All Access/Backstage Pass Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,467	Re: Looks or Tone I've often thought that the best way to pick a guitar would be to go to a music store that had a ton of the guitar models you were looking for and then blindfold yourself and play them one by one in a room. Pick the one that feels and sounds the best and then be happy with the way it looks. I'll bet after you picked a guitar, they could put them in lineup and remove your blindfold and you would probably want to pick up the best looking one to try first. The chances of that one being the one you picked blind folded would be pretty slim in my opinion. Long term, tone and feel are WAY more important than looks.

11-25-06, 04:02 AM	#31
fjminor All Access/Backstage Pass Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Between Nothingness and Eternity Posts: 2,843	Re: Looks or Tone Looks... Looks...Looks ... For the most part, that is what drives us to pick up the Guitar off the shelf in the first place. Tone and playability come next. Unless the slab of wood the guitar is made of is a complete dud and/or the neck looks like the crooked mile, the tone and playability can be dialed in with loving care..!!!..come on now, we all love the Guitar porn that all LPF members graciously serve up...keep'em coming!!!!! __________________ "The bitterness of poor quality remains long after low pricing is forgotten! " Last edited by fjminor : 11-25-06 at 06:50 AM.

11-25-06, 05:51 AM	#33
TheArchitect Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 316	Re: Looks or Tone Who cares what it looks like? Thats the difference between musicians and collectors

11-25-06, 07:44 AM	#34
Punt In the Zone Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Holland Posts: 1,329	Re: Looks or Tone First tone and playability, than looks.

11-25-06, 07:53 AM	#35
82 Silverburst Les Paul Froum Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: New Joisey Posts: 678	Re: Looks or Tone This thread is the biggest load of HORSESHIT I have ever read in here. Sure everyone say tone is first, so where are all the guys that shop with their eyes huh? At least come forward and say "I bought this online cause it looked great, and it sounds great too" Come on!!.......you know you are out there.......admit it!!! All you R9 guys ponied up the extra coin cause it sounded better then an R7 or R8.....PUHLEESE!

11-25-06, 10:12 AM	#40
Raptor Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 488	Re: Looks or Tone Personally, tone and playability are first and foremost, and they should be. Getting a great looking guitar that sounds and plays great is a bonus, but not always possible. Yes a lot of people buy with their eyes rather than hands and ears. I am at a point in my life that I am now collecting. I have my players and my gigging guitars. So I admit that now I will by the occasional guitar for the looks, or cool factor alone. But, if I find a guitar whose tone and feel blow me away I will buy it no matter what it looks like. __________________ My wife and I have a simple arrangement. I can only buy guitars that she likes. Thank God, she loves every one that I try!