Survey: Which painted guitar would YOU like to play?

[debitspread]

I'm trying to be constructive here.

It just seems really arbitrary, and the layouts awkward. I'm not understanding the point of having the faces large, obscured by hardware, and yet still having awkward blank space between the edge of the guitar and the bottom of the image. I'm not understanding filling up the rest of the guitar body with those random smudges.

And most importantly, what is the point of making a painting if it is just based on a random photo from the web? I don't think these design concepts are well suited for painting.

Why not create something that benefits from the medium you are using? If you want to slap a photo on a guitar, there are better and easier ways to do it.

If you want to paint a guitar with an image, why not actually create something unique?

I'm trying to be constructive here.

It just seems really arbitrary, and the layouts awkward. I'm not understanding the point of having the faces large, obscured by hardware, and yet still having awkward blank space between the edge of the guitar and the bottom of the image. I'm not understanding filling up the rest of the guitar body with those random smudges.

And most importantly, what is the point of making a painting if it is just based on a random photo from the web? I don't think these design concepts are well suited for painting.

Why not create something that benefits from the medium you are using? If you want to slap a photo on a guitar, there are better and easier ways to do it.

If you want to paint a guitar with an image, why not actually create something unique?

Thank you, naneek. The pictures aren't “random”. I'm guessing that you and other guitarists have heard of Leo Fender, so I thought it might be cool to feature him as one possibility. The cyclops is a “shock value” entry (it’s actually my own selfie that I then manipulated), and the girl is -- frankly -- about sex.

What I’m trying to do here is find an image that will “read” well at a distance. Most of the hand-painted guitars that I’ve seen have small images like flowers and birds; or they have easily-recognized iconic images like Frankenstein, Jimi Hendrix, the US flag, etc.; or they’re abstract designs. I don’t want to paint in any of those categories, but I’m not committed to the three pictures that I put up in this survey. They’re just layouts to get a conversation going. Better to spend a small amount of time on a photo mock-up that doesn’t appeal than spend a LOT of time to finish a painting that also doesn’t work.

Yes, the area on a guitar top IS awkwardly arranged. There isn’t much space to begin with, and that’s cut up with the weirdly-shaped scratch plate and that rectangular bridge. So, it’s tricky to find enough room for a large image that can be seen and understood by an audience.

Now, it may well be that most guitarists don’t want ANY image painted on an instrument -- which is a perfectly respectable opinion to have. (In fact, I added a fourth choice option: “None”.) After reading all the negative comments, I started to think that no one liked ANY of the images, but that isn’t true, either. Just look at the vote counts.

So, that’s where things stand. I’ve got a guitar body here and I want to paint it. If you or others have some ideas for me, let me hear ‘em. Alternatively, if you think that I shouldn’t “defile” an instrument by painting any kind of image on it, well… say so. That’s information for me, as well.

To quote the old Latin phrase: “De gustibus non est disputandum”. (There’s no disputing taste.)

 

[Wheelhouse]

I second 41144. Realistic portraits don't lend themselves to guitar bodies. Either the hardware or the player will inevitably cover up space needed for the artwork, and a guitar body doesn't lend itself well to a portrait. My opinion.

 

[Controller]

What about round mirrors?

 

[oldunc]

I don't look at the guitar when I play, so it wouldn't matter much, but I really dislike non functional decoration on guitars. Telecasters have a distinctly utilitarian look which is homely but not offensive, best to keep it that way.

 

[1stpitch]

Edit: Deleted. It appears I have begun to melt a snowflake. Don't want to do that.

 

[Tarkus60]

No way man....you could not pay me to take one.

 

[blue metalflake]

I’m another in the “none” camp

 

[Censport]

This is coming from a guy who puts stickers of Rogue (from the X-Men) on his guitars:

None of the above.

I've thought of building a white Esquire with my mom's wedding portrait between the bridge pickup and the neck, as a tribute to the only family member who encouraged my playing and collecting. But now I'm thinking that's not a great idea.

 

[bottlenecker]

Wow, brutal comments here. I wouldn't have one, but I don't need to insult anyone over it. I wonder what would happen if people were this honest in twanger central.

+1. They really are horrible. What possessed you to come up with these designs, and then think you could sell them? As you can see, the consensus is that pretty much no one wants to play one, much less buy it, and by a 3:1 margin. That's huge.

 

[naneek]

This is coming from a guy who puts stickers of Rogue (from the X-Men) on his guitars:

None of the above.

I've thought of building a white Esquire with my mom's wedding portrait between the bridge pickup and the neck, as a tribute to the only family member who encouraged my playing and collecting. But now I'm thinking that's not a great idea.

I think that sounds like a nice idea.
You could use a clear pickguard and slide the portrait image underneath it. The clear pickguard will protect and showcase the photograph nicely.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

I'm not going to lie, none of them.

Ditto. Butterscotch Blonde would be nice.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

I wouldn't mind Leo so much if the image was grey scale, not colour, and more subtle, say its shades of grey don't pop out so much, and maybe smaller overall. And more stylised and less realistic.

 

[colchar]

I'm not going to lie, none of them.

Yeah I agree, I wouldn't go near any of those.

 

[MelodicBend]

From the beginning, I thought this was a joke and a pretty good one.
The cyclops gave it away.

 

[Rufustelestrats]

I for one am not concerned about snowflake feelings. That is one absurd ugly idea that while may entertain the OP has disturbed the rest of us. Our feelings matter as well, and he needs to apologize to us for those things that cannot be unseen.

That said, if you like it please for the love of god and sparing the children, only play that in the dark, or a windowless basement with a locked door.

 

[Rufustelestrats]

Oh and it is like asking which dumpster fire smells the best.

 

[voskarp]

Could you put smooth ride on the back of the guitar?

I would definitively go with this one...

And for the front any colour but butterscotch blonde (well not cerise either), I don't like that at all!

 

[BorderRadio]

OP, I'd avoid asking most guitar players for advice on art. It's like asking gardners how to build and launch a moon mission. You would think there's a connection, but only in the right context.

The leo one was funny, the cyclops was also jostling awkward outsider-ish art. I thought the girl was ironic and crass, for reasons I'm not sure I wanna get into. They all defiled the instrument. If that was your goal, you roused the roost here with the Guitardom Old Guard. Ha, I like it.

But if it's about celebration and honor, then as you can see, it's not quite there.

I'm a painter and artist of sorts, and it runs in the family. I was given a painted guitar by said family that's a piece of art in its own way, within its context. The painting is only on the back, nothing on the front. Trying to go for something different on the front has it's own set of challenges. TBH, the only guitar as art (besides the one I own) that I feel nailed something of a function/form balance was H.R. Giger's partnership with Ibanez, and some rockabilly/tat crossover Gretsches that I see around from time to time.

 

[TomBrokaw]

[cut] What I’m trying to do here is find an image that will “read” well at a distance. Most of the hand-painted guitars that I’ve seen have small images like flowers and birds; or they have easily-recognized iconic images like Frankenstein, Jimi Hendrix, the US flag, etc.; or they’re abstract designs. I don’t want to paint in any of those categories, but I’m not committed to the three pictures that I put up in this survey. They’re just layouts to get a conversation going. Better to spend a small amount of time on a photo mock-up that doesn’t appeal than spend a LOT of time to finish a painting that also doesn’t work.
[cut]
So, that’s where things stand. I’ve got a guitar body here and I want to paint it. If you or others have some ideas for me, let me hear ‘em. Alternatively, if you think that I shouldn’t “defile” an instrument by painting any kind of image on it, well… say so. That’s information for me, as well.

To quote the old Latin phrase: “De gustibus non est disputandum”. (There’s no disputing taste.)

Zakk Wylde's bullseye and (to a much less well-known extent) Blues Saraceno's plaid did well in this regard, I think. Also Schenker's black/white V. I think you'll have a hard time finding any portrait that will work very well. The cyclops is the best out of these three, but I wouldn't buy it and if I knew someone who did, I'd judge them harshly.

Personally, I love love love flake finishes. And someone on here has a burnt-looking guitar with leather patches on it, looks pretty cool. Maybe some kind of resin addition, cabochons or something?

 

[BigDaddyLH]

Zakk Wylde's bullseye and (to a much less well-known extent) Blues Saraceno's plaid did well in this regard, I think. Also Schenker's black/white V. I think you'll have a hard time finding any portrait that will work very well. The cyclops is the best out of these three, but I wouldn't buy it and if I knew someone who did, I'd judge them harshly.

I admit Pinup girls can work, although I don't personally like that look.