Hate the look, love the feel

[Willie G. Moseley]

...but the Peavey revival got me to thinking about such (again?). There are certain instruments where the aesthetics (to include shape and/or color) aren't particularly pleasing, but the ergonomics may be near-perfect for a particular player. The Razer is exemplary from some, but what other models might you have thought were ugly, only to strap it on and decide it felt great? For me and utility guitars or basses, it's usually "Damn the looks, it feels good, and it'll help me sound better since I'll be more comfortable." There's also:

Robin Wedge: Looks ridiculous on a coot like me but it'd be hard to find a more comfortable "pointy guitar."

Gibson L-6S: Bought one in '76. Sure, it looked like a Les Paul that had been run over by a steamroller, and the 6-position rotary was confusing, but those Super Humbuckers and a 24-fret ebony 'board added to the sound and comfort.

Fender Toronado: As noted in an earlier thread, I wish these came w/ maple fretboards, on accounta I'd probably buy one. Overall silhouette is fairly undistinguished but this was an underrated utility instrument.

Others?

[JohnnyB]

The Tele, dammit. I have always thought it was the crudest, sophomore-in-woodshop bandsaw approximation of a guitar top with a single cutaway. But there's no denying the balance and perfect placement of the strumming area and the fretboard.

Which is why I've had my G&L ASAT Classic longer than any other guitar (10 years this month).

And how could one not mention the Hamer Eclipse, the most ergonomic electric I've ever played.

[hamertek98]

EB Music Man Sterling (bass). I've always liked the shape of the Stingray, but was always put off about the Sterlings neck cuts. Untill I played one on stage. A little lighter than the 2-tek Hamer, but the smaller body fits me better. It's not a bad looking bass by any means, just different from the 'Ray. I guess I don't see the bass when I'm wearing it, LOL.

[Steve Haynie]

The Fernandes Vertigo has a comfortable body shape that just does not look traditional.

Unless someone has driven one, he just cannot understand the AMC Pacer.

[Willie G. Moseley]

+1 on the Pacer. It was dismissed by cynics as a goldfish bowl on wheels, but I thought it was ahead of its time, and these days, something similar would probably be very viable in the new car market. I was particularly impressed w/ the Pacer's panoramic view from the driver's seat---a lotta glass, but a lotta visibility (implying better and safer driving).

[darc]

Parker Fly. Thought they looked ridiculous at first, but the ergonomics and playability are ideal for me. After a few years of playing them, even the looks have grown on me.

[kizanski]

...a lotta glass, but a lotta visibility (implying better and safer driving).

I think the problem that a lot of people had with the Pacer was not the "fishbowl" look that it conjured up in one's mind, but the tendency that they had to explode when tapped on the back bumper.

They fell out of favor after that realization.

[tomteriffic]

The Hagstrom Kent. This might have been the finest iteration of the plastic body / vegematic switch type of guitar ever produced. Other than its vaguely Strat-oid appearance it mostly looked like a Fender that was afflicted with radiation poisoning after spending time a mad scientists lab. The zero fret and the big honkin' screws holding the front of the guitar on were kind of cool though, especially in black.

Strap it on, though, and you found a very comfortable, solidly built guitar with some very fat sounding (for single coils) pickups with a fast neck. Amazingly, the intonation on the Hofner Beatle-Bass styled bridge (wood with the little metal inserts which could be moved from groove to groove) was very good with 9's, but the whammy was a joke and the bars tended to disappear almost immediately.

[formula73]

...a lotta glass, but a lotta visibility (implying better and safer driving).

I think the problem that a lot of people had with the Pacer was not the "fishbowl" look that it conjured up in one's mind, but the tendency that they had to explode when tapped on the back bumper.

They fell out of favor after that realization.

Wasn't that the Pinto?

[JohnnyB]

They fell out of favor after that realization.

That and the stigma of being made by American Motors.

[specialk]

Gotta be honest here, the Standard/Explorer shape.

I thought it was the goofiest idea since maybe the Vox Teardrop. Then I strapped one on and couldn't get over how well it balanced. Now it's the last guitar I'm looking to buy, and this one is as close as I've seen to exactly what I want:

http://willcuttguitars.com/shop/catalog/pr...products_id=415

I know I'll chicken out when I find out how much it's going for, but I might call them about it anyway.

specialk

[kizanski]

...a lotta glass, but a lotta visibility (implying better and safer driving).

I think the problem that a lot of people had with the Pacer was not the "fishbowl" look that it conjured up in one's mind, but the tendency that they had to explode when tapped on the back bumper.

They fell out of favor after that realization.

Wasn't that the Pinto?

Oh yea, that's right - I remember now.

The Pacer was just hideous to the point of being deadly, just not literally deadly. LOL!

[sonic1974]

...a lotta glass, but a lotta visibility (implying better and safer driving).

I think the problem that a lot of people had with the Pacer was not the "fishbowl" look that it conjured up in one's mind, but the tendency that they had to explode when tapped on the back bumper.

They fell out of favor after that realization.

Wasn't that the Pinto?

Oh yea, that's right - I remember now.

The Pacer was just hideous to the point of being deadly, just not literally deadly. LOL!

Wasn't it a Pacer in the Wayne's World movie? The part that they're singing Bohemian Raphsody? Weird looking car, that's for sure.

[santellavision]

My girlfriend in College had a Pacer. Man, that brings back some crazy memories!!!!

[Mr Fuzzy]

I had a 75 Pacer.

Weird car for sure. It had issues because it was originally designed as a front wheel drive car with a Wankel rotary engine. Unfortunately there were last minute changes to the design,. The engine was changed to a straight six and a total rear wheel drive train redesign.

I wish I still had the car. Mine was in very good shape. I scored it cheaply and really only used it for one summer, because the tranny on my Monty Carlo went (the car was not worth fixing), and I needed something to get to work during summer break while living at my parents between semesters. (It was cheaper than fixing the tranny)

I went to college in NYC and now live there year round, and a car is not practical.

I had kept it at my Grandmothers house, for years, but when she passed away, I had no place to keep it. My parent needed their garage and it was unregistered, so I couldn't park it on the street by their house. so I had to let it go in 96.

They are now becoming collectable. Weird, I couldn't give it away.

Well I actually and sadly did "give it away" I called the local douchebag junkyard and they wanted to charge me to tow it away, (the battery was dead) and I literally told them to go fuck themselves if they thought I would pay them, and they could come and take it for free but there was no way in hell I would actually pay them to get it when it was worth money for parts in just the wacky glass alone. I told them if they wanted it to show at X time and take it but I would not pay them a cent. They showed up right on time even after I used "foul" language on the phone and told them what I thought of their semi organized crime, scamming operation. (There was some previous history there, but they were the only game in town)

I have to say that if you folded down the back seat there was plenty of room in the back, which I utilized properly with my girlfriend.

Now Back to guitars,

The one guitar that I think that looked horrible, but played and felt great was a Klein electric solid body.

Totally ergonomic while sitting or standing. It is an ergonomic design masterpiece. I was blown away when I played one.

[RobB]

While I don't really "hate" the design (it's kinda cool in a 70s-mugly sorta way), strapping one of these on is like lashing an aircraft carrier to your shoulder:

...but they play REALLY well. Total rock machine.

[Brooks]

+1 on teles, i can't get into their look.

+1 on the standard & dean ML;

although cool looking, i felt ridiculous when i owned one at age 40, ha.

gotta throw in my recently aquired ibanez sabre,

fugly but super comfy to play.

[Steve Haynie]

Now Back to guitars,

The one guitar that I think that looked horrible, but played and felt great was a Klein electric solid body.

Totally ergonomic while sitting or standing. It is an ergonomic design masterpiece. I was blown away when I played one.

The Ovation Deacon and Breadwinner have shapes similar to the Klein.

[maxschrek]

For me it's Warwick basses. They look like shitty, incomplete, sophomoric attempts at instrument building

by retarded chimps, BUT, man 'o man they feel and sound so heavenly.

I am actually vain enough to not own one of these simply because they are just too uncool looking.

T

[Kramer_nut]

Totally hate the look of these but got to play one and I have to admit they really play nice and sound great.

Todd

[DaveL]

On a Hamer level, definitely the Eclipse. I've played a few that rocked.

Not ugly... but the looks are a little hard to roll with...

[darc]

For me it's Warwick basses. They look like shitty, incomplete, sophomoric attempts at instrument building

by retarded chimps, BUT, man 'o man they feel and sound so heavenly.

I am actually vain enough to not own one of these simply because they are just too uncool looking.

Wow - I always dug Warwicks because of their looks. Just goes to show ya...