Favorite instrument color from the audience?

Duane Reese · Post by **Duane Reese** » 4 Feb 2022 10:44 pm

Forget about what color you like for the instrument you're playing... What color do you like to see when you're watching someone else up on a stage playing? Any particular memories of instruments whose appearance really left an impression?

I'm thinking this is especially going to apply to electric guitars on outdoor stages in the daylight, because they tend to have a lot of visual variation and interest. Some drum kits have some pretty nice color schemes as well.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 5 Feb 2022 7:31 pm

I've always been a sucker for sparkle or wavy-pearl finishes. I was really lucky to find a Fender in gold-sparkle. Stained wood is nice, up-close, but looses it's appeal when you're over 15 feet away.

Duane Reese · Post by **Duane Reese** » 5 Feb 2022 8:14 pm

This is probably because of personal experience, but I like that candy apple red look on a Strat with a white pickguard, particularly on an outdoor stage in the daylight. Of course just about anything looks good outside in the daylight when it's nice and shined up. Remember back in the '80s and '90s when you could get away with just about anything? Even mint green and splatter paint stuff worked in country, rock or whatever.

One other thing that really helps electric guitars outside is the fact that they tend to move around and you can see the reflections and flame finishes really flash. Steel guitar? Not so much. Those color schemes are for the player only.

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 6 Feb 2022 8:10 am

My all-time favorite guitar from a visual standpoint has gotta be the Ric 331 "lightshow" guitar.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 6 Feb 2022 8:40 am

It depends on the instrument. For guitars and basses, I like light colored wood finishes. They accentuate the shape against the players body. I also admire the boldness of electric guitars in pastel colors. Very showy.

For steels, anything bright so that I can instantly see that there's a steel guitar in the band. A black steel may sound best, but it doesn't attract attention like a red one does. I also like red keyboards (like Nord). Silver keyboards look cheap, and black ones usually look like ads for their manufacturer (white lettering). Drums, horns, and other instruments - I don't care.

Duane Reese · Post by **Duane Reese** » 6 Feb 2022 9:11 am

b0b wrote:A black steel may sound best,

Ha!

I don't care if the audience can see the steel, because they usually don't know what it is anyway — they think it's a keyboard unless they hear it. And even then, they might think it's a keyboard.

On the subject of keyboards, I hate it when they are all gobbed up with connectors, cables, company ads (as you said) and offensively weird looking stands. I know, someone is going to tell me that all that stuff has practical utility...fine. But where you eliminate the need to haul a piano or an organ up on stage, and fit all that functionality in a slim little box, why not have that box look unpretentious? Maybe they're trying to compete with the electric guitarist and his visually distracting apparatus of stacks and racks.

Speaking of guitarists, doing things like leaving your little tuner clipped on your headstock, having a big tall music stand in your face (when your not in a sit-down hired gun stage band) and walking around with other visually-distracting gadgetry crutches...well, do what you want but it looks pretty bush league.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 6 Feb 2022 10:30 am

A headstock tuner can actually be positioned behind the headstock. Almost invisible.

I agree that music stands look amateurish, but sometimes I just don't care. Old people forget lyrics. If it's not a concert situation, getting the words right is more important than the image.

My keyboard stand is unobtrusive (4 legs), but the wires to the sustain and expression pedals are ugly. Manufacturers assume that they will drop straight down, not route off to the side.

My showiest stage instrument is the marimba. Natural wood, black frame, copper-colored resonators. It's beautiful!

My least showy is the white Fender Mustang bass. Nobody notices it. My pedal steel is dark wood with black legs. It's pretty, but it doesn't draw attention.

Duane Reese · Post by **Duane Reese** » 6 Feb 2022 3:23 pm

b0b wrote:getting the words right is more important than the image.

Nah, just David-Lee-Roth-it your way through...

"And I awba waaa blah blah bubu abawabb..."

Bonus points if you can do his bat squeal.

There was a guy that joined a band I was in, after I left, and he was a curious case... He was an acoustic rhythm player; that's all he did, strum an acoustic. And he always had to have a music stand to do it or he'd spontaneously combust.

Last I heard, he moved away from the music hole-in-the-ground where this was, and moved to some big music city to do it professionally. Not sure how that worked out...

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 6 Feb 2022 9:43 pm

b0b wrote: Old people forget lyrics.

b0b, I resent that. Personally, I can't even remember the last time I forgot a song!

Don R Brown · Post by **Don R Brown** » 7 Feb 2022 4:15 pm

Donny Hinson wrote:
b0b, I resent that. Personally, I can't even remember the last time I forgot a song!

Our memory is the second thing we lose. When I remember what the first thing is, I'll let you know.

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 7 Feb 2022 4:44 pm

I've always been attracted to Birds that were colorful, over say a Crow or especially a Starling... I've never been opposed to a Black guitar and have had a couple. This might not be everyone's "cup-o-tea", but, I progressed to this over the years, wanting something other than what most everyone else might have.

I'm always happy to see a Black guitar on stage, especially if played well. But always like seeing Steels that are a bit different. The Guitar Player forEVER has had guitars with various colors. So why not Steel.

The world is filled with a BUNCH of Colors, we should use them... however I'll almost ALWAYS wear Black... its slimming you know???

Don Downes · Post by **Don Downes** » 7 Feb 2022 6:09 pm

Clapton's black Strat with Derek and the Dominoes. LIVE! FRONT ROW!!

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 9 Feb 2022 7:55 am

In a band with no visual appeal whatsoever, I play the pedal music stand.

Robert B Murphy · Post by **Robert B Murphy** » 14 Feb 2022 7:36 am

Being a fossil, I love Gibson sunbust and cherry on arched guitars and natural birdseye maple on pedal guitars and engraved metal nationals and dobros. I have never cared for hot rod colors except on fenders. Rick sunbursts are nice too. I have a black telecaster with a black pickguard and a maple fretboard that is darkened nicely. And when I forget words, I try to make up lyrics making fun of my mates, especially the bass player. Remember Ella's famous improvisation on Mack The Knife. Plagarism is the most sincere form of flattery.

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 15 Feb 2022 9:57 am

b0b wrote:In a band with no visual appeal whatsoever, I play the pedal music stand.

The rest of you might need some work, b0b, but that person under the cowboy hat certainly qualifies as “visual appeal” from this angle.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 15 Feb 2022 10:27 am

[center]Yes she does, Fred.

[/center]

Robert B Murphy · Post by **Robert B Murphy** » 19 Feb 2022 3:47 am

bOb, your bass player's rick sunburst bolsters my opinion. What is that speaker in the red amp behind you? It looks as big as a trash can lid or man-hole cover.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 19 Feb 2022 8:07 am

Robert B Murphy wrote:bOb, your bass player's rick sunburst bolsters my opinion. What is that speaker in the red amp behind you? It looks as big as a trash can lid or man-hole cover.

That Rickenbacker bass is beautiful! I think my 1978 Webb has a reconed JBL K-130 in it. Great sounding amp, but heavy!