Looks versus Tone

[firemodel55]

I was shocked to find out yesterday that a great sounding guitar with HIYAW -- probably one of the top 5% that I have ever tried around the world never ever got tested since I last played it at a local retailer more than 3-4 months ago.  When I asked the salesman why he thought nobody tested it; he replied aesthetics. 

This caused me to think that us Pinoys, unwilling to admit that a great majority give MORE importance to how things look than how it sounds. By the very fact nobody bothered to pull it out of the case for the last 3-4 months testifies to this.  Granted that we ALL want to spend on a guitar that has BOTH beauty and tone -- I understand that, in my experience, very few of my toneful guitars are pleasing to my eyes (My GY and Two Jackson USAs have both).  At this point, I would like to point out that it rarely happens that you can combine what you want physically with Great Tone.  Guitars with Great Tone are rare to find and more so one that has all the features and aesthetics one wants.  Maybe in the end, a great majority will settle for something way way way less stellar in tone but more so much much much more cooler in how it looks; and that's fine after all part of owning a guitar is the conversation piece that follows -- I mean we would be all keyboard players if not for that.  (Notice that no one talks about keyboards for days.)  But in my experience when it comes to keeping guitars, the eyes easily tire (mas madaling masawa) while the ears learn to love GREAT Tone (mas masarap na magmahal).  And that my friends is something to keep in mind when buying your next guitar.  If you are unwilling to pick out, plug and play on all guitars (even just all guitars of a particular type) in the store;  walk away because you are setting yourself up buying a guitar with lousy tone.

[vegetablejoe]

True dat! Shiny new guitars are more fun to "fondle" kasi, hehe... I am guilty of this when looking in stores. I do not have your gift for tone, so I usually must rely on trusted friends to tell me if a used guitar I'm considering sounds good to them.

Well, now that you've revealed there is one available locally, if you tell where and which it is, it will get definitely snapped up in no time at all!   

[rowley75]

what guitar is that?

[guitarwiz02]

Is it really a case of not being tried-out/tested (the guitar) due to aesthetics, or, is it simply a case of only a select few with lotsa moolah to spend that can try the guitar out? You know how uber-cautious salesmen here become when it comes to uber-expensive guitars or equipment. Is this guitar at Crescendo's?

[horge]

If they never tested the guitar, consumers CAN'T have chosen looks over tone.
They only knew of its looks.

[firemodel55]

If they never tested the guitar, consumers CAN'T have chosen looks over tone.
They only knew of its looks.

Kaso they went on to buy others...

[fretboard]

hmmm

malaking factor naman talaga ang looks, kaya nga may catalogue diba?

while browsing nilalampasan natin yung PANGET sa paningin natin.

kahit sa music stores, di ko Ite-test ang gear na walang appeal.

[rowley75]

Kaso they went on to buy others...

can we know what specific guitar is that? it's rare for a guitar to pass your standard.

[Ben Tsing Co]

hmmm

malaking factor naman talaga ang looks, kaya nga may catalogue diba?

while browsing nilalampasan natin yung PANGET sa paningin natin.

kahit sa music stores, di ko Ite-test ang gear na walang appeal.

Same here 

can we know what specific guitar is that? it's rare for a guitar to pass your standard.

I am also curious 

[jefisipbata]

wow, top 5%. (like we care)

[firemodel55]

True dat! Shiny new guitars are more fun to "fondle" kasi, hehe... I am guilty of this when looking in stores. I do not have your gift for tone, so I usually must rely on trusted friends to tell me if a used guitar I'm considering sounds good to them.

Well, now that you've revealed there is one available locally, if you tell where and which it is, it will get definitely snapped up in no time at all!   

Heh heh... secret.  But don't worry, I also started out with shiny guitars and I asked people for help in guitar selection.

[firemodel55]

wow, top 5%. (like we care)

You should because maybe your guitar is part of the bottom 95%.

[firemodel55]

hmmm

malaking factor naman talaga ang looks, kaya nga may catalogue diba?

while browsing nilalampasan natin yung PANGET sa paningin natin.

kahit sa music stores, di ko Ite-test ang gear na walang appeal.

The secret that I learnt is that sometimes if its a very TONEFUL sounding guitar nagiging secondary na rin ang looks maski na na-skip ko sa catalog.  On the other hand, ang ganda sa catalog pero tunog supot sa testing a.k.a. majority of Ibanez guitars. 

[gainsucker]

Bilhin mo na yung guitar, sayang eh! Tapos pwede na ilock tong thread.

[jefisipbata]

You should because maybe your guitar is part of the bottom 95%.

nobody cares about your 5%.

[firemodel55]

nobody cares about your 5%.

LOL...  we shall see about that...  I mean I can definitely say na hindi nobody but I cannot say how many.  At kung Nelden lang at American Standard na kulay blue lang ang basehan mo, iba ang 5% ko sa 5% mo.

[firemodel55]

True dat! Shiny new guitars are more fun to "fondle" kasi, hehe... I am guilty of this when looking in stores. I do not have your gift for tone, so I usually must rely on trusted friends to tell me if a used guitar I'm considering sounds good to them.

Well, now that you've revealed there is one available locally, if you tell where and which it is, it will get definitely snapped up in no time at all!   

I forgot to say lets go Mexican Hunting...  Heard a lot of good things about Fender Mexico lately.  I can accompany you and lets go around Perfect Pitch and Yupangco.

[freemansj]

nobody cares about your 5%.

Except Rem?   

[rowley75]

Except Rem?   

curious lang pete. sorry na..

[fretboard]

The secret that I learnt is that sometimes if its a very TONEFUL sounding guitar nagiging secondary na rin ang looks maski na na-skip ko sa catalog.  On the other hand, ang ganda sa catalog pero tunog supot sa testing a.k.a. majority of Ibanez guitars.

probably I wont be dealing with that situation, kasi nga  di ko Ite-test ang gear na walang appeal

I wont know if a fugly looking gear is beefed up with hiyaw for the said reason.

[kernelsalonpas]

[vhunter]

I actually have a friend that does this. He has a great guitar and its cheap, he loves it and it sounds amazing but will never bring it on stage because it looks like ass. Hahaha. At least he's honest. To him looks trumps tone, but a guitar has to have both. i.e., he'd be willing to get a guitar thats in the upper 50% as long as it has top 5% looks. LOL.

To each his own i guess... but I do love my guitars.

Another note on looks: i think the classics never go out because its been burned into our consciousness. Everyone will always love the way a vintage start looks, or a vintage les paul. It just sorta gets better with age. Sometimes I just look at my paul thats been with me for so many years and I'm like... DAMN YOURE GOOD LOOKING... then i don't pick it up. Ha!

[freemansj]

I actually have a friend that does this. He has a great guitar and its cheap, he loves it and it sounds amazing but will never bring it on stage because it looks like ass. Hahaha. At least he's honest. To him looks trumps tone, but a guitar has to have both. i.e., he'd be willing to get a guitar thats in the upper 50% as long as it has top 5% looks. LOL.

To each his own i guess... but I do love my guitars.

Another note on looks: i think the classics never go out because its been burned into our consciousness. Everyone will always love the way a vintage start looks, or a vintage les paul. It just sorta gets better with age. Sometimes I just look at my paul thats been with me for so many years and I'm like... DAMN YOURE GOOD LOOKING... then i don't pick it up. Ha!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!   

[horge]

Kaso they went on to buy others...

The point stands, Alex.
The never got to try that guitar's tone, hence its tone was never a factor.

If they HAD heard that guitar's tone, yet bought an inferior-sounding, prettier instrument,
then you'd have a better case to argue. I happen to agree that consumers value looks
over function, but you're operating from flawed logic.





Por ejemplo: someone might have passed over that guitar, inferring that crappy appearance
was indicative of crappy sound, and then went on to try several other better-looking guitars,
and THEN made a choice based on tone alone. That someone could have CARED about tone,
very deeply, but not having all the time in the world to try EVERY guitar out there, narrowed
down their choices based on quickly-discernable qualities: looks.

Kasi nga, to some extent, appearance is indicative of content.
We're told not to judge a book by its cover, but who has time to skim through every book?

[gainsucker]

The point stands, Alex.
The never got to try that guitar's tone, hence its tone was never a factor.

If they HAD heard that guitar's tone, yet bought an inferior-sounding, prettier instrument,
then you'd have a better case to argue. I happen to agree that consumers value looks
over function, but you're operating from flawed logic.

mismo!