12 Of The UGLIEST Basses Out There! [Ugly Basses Vol. I]

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seriously tho, jackson basses don't look good at all, y'all

[@patrickhunter]

OKAY YALL, IF YOU DISAGREE WITH ME LETS FIGHT! But really though, what do you think are some of the most hideous looking basses?!

[@fireemblemistrash75]

I love the Rickenbacker, but honestly it’s very dated. That bottlecap headstock is annoying like my Fender, too big and the whole thing looks like it tastes like cherry but doesn’t Also the Danelectro bass, that thing is ugly as hell!

[@sigsigulinsky7359]

I agree with all...but the dean V.

[@mexicanmaggot666]

My ugliest bass list: Music Man Bongo Ibanez BTB (plays and feels great but I can't stand the shape) All Jackson basses (on the spot with that) Gibson Les Paul Bass (fight me) El Tri's middle finger/glans bass And that Danelectro looks nasty as hell too

[@Doublebassblake]

WRONG. The Ovation basses are sick.

[@elcomberro123]

@@mexicanmaggot666 Les Paul shape for giutar it's fine but I cant stand it for bass.

[@drdrums1]

Tonika bass - In Soviet Russia, bass plays YOU! If I had one, I'd call it the Amoeba.

[@n.xavierl.6808]

I kinda want one. It look dumb.

[@dragostego]

Childhood me really wanted a stealth black 6 string bongo. I play a stingray 5.

[@iantruax17]

ryan dirks get it, it’s the best bass you’ll every play.

[@dragostego]

@@iantruax17 Lmao its on the list but the stingray is currently the workhorse. I'm a lefty so it would be a special order and I dont have that kind of cash.

[@iantruax17]

ryan dirks that stingray ain’t no joke. A great bass. I totally understand tho, I forked over a pretty penny for mine lol

[@kongandbasses8732]

Big MusicMan fan here. I had two Bongo 5 HH, the VTB in ash with all maple neck, and a Sterling Silver with Rosewood neck. They sounded great, but I couldn't set them up the way I like. So I sold both of them. Still have two SR 5, a SR 5 Classic and a SR 4. I prefer the StingRay 5 way over the Bongos when it comes to playability. The necks seemed to be the same diameters, but I never was able to get the action as low as on my StingRays without massive fretbuzz, the VTB was a little better tho, but I still was not satisfied. Dreaming of a StingRay 5 HH with the Bongo preamp.

[@tzctlpc]

Which kind of six stringed one? The regular or John Myung Signature

[@Facu_Roldan]

I agree with all of your choices, but the Jacksons? Man! One of the most iconic metal guitar headstocks ever!

[@zulu5157]

@Toxic Potato so that is why Dave Ellefson still plays Jackson Basses....Jackson Basses are beautifull

[@GoldenBoyDims]

Cant argue with the headstock looking ass

[@zulu5157]

@@GoldenBoyDims The Headstock is allright...it is exciting and not that boring as a Fender Headstock

[@fireemblemistrash75]

Zulu 5 Wrong, he switched because he likes emgs and had gotten a jackson with emgs that he hoped would allow him to cut through better than his BC Rich Mockingbird bass. The jackson bass he got would be why he switched to jackson

[@FrederickTSchurgerDC]

I have a Charvel Fusion from the '90s that plays amazing. But I almost never take it out for my gigs these days. Why? B/c I'm playing rock & roll and would rather not stab my bandmates accidentally. It still is one of the best necks for playing speed, and I figured out Teen Town on it years ago. Let's put it this way, I can still play most of Teen Town on the Charvel better than I can on my Smith, which has been my primary playing bass for 20 years. Side note, the Fusion body on these instruments was soooo much cleaner and innovative compared to what they were doing on the Jackson line, which are too much like a Fender for my tastes.

[@badbum61]

Got my first Ovation Magnum I in '84, fell in love with it instantly. It was stolen a year or so later, and it took me until 2011 to track down another. They play and sound magnificent...you say "ugly", I say "interesting".

[@kennethsmith2738]

Aw man, the BTB series is my favorite stuff ibanez makes! I always really enjoyed the headstock shape and the wavy end of the fretboard, plus they always have a lot of cool premium feeling features. The single cut design is supposed to add mass to the body and help with sustain, as well as give you somewhere to rest your thumb if you're into experimenting with different right hand positions

[@MarcoH72]

I agree 100% about the Bongo. I thought I was the only one. I no longer feel alone in this world. Thank you.

[@SDRockman]

The shape of Jackson Concert basses fucking rock, not only the shape of the body but the headstock AND the fret inlays fucking OWN. Especially on a maple fingerboard.

[@juanblanco1371]

As an owner of 3 BTB double cuts I'm triggered

[@itark9709]

Jackson bases? No way dude ! John Campbell,David ellefson signatures ( i ve got the cbx black,its really really cool) and hatebreed s bass player use Jackson signature and is a fckng badass bass xD

[@zackyallen2713]

I love jacksons thats all i own right now. plan to get some bc rich too

[@chrisAclaes]

Haha this was great. More ugly basses! Personally, I never liked Hofners.

[@frankjuster8726]

they're not to everyone's taste for sure . personally , i love violin basses ( i own 2 ).the hofner is fully hollow and my epiphone viola is semi-hollow and both have a monstrous low end ! they're also short scale which a lot of people don't like . they have more bottom than kim kardashian .

[@redbarchettta]

Jackson an Bongo basses are pretty cool for me.

[@pilummurialis6490]

I actually like the buzzard bass design, it's eccentric and looks comfortable to play

[@eljapel]

lol I agree with all you said, except for the buzzard and the v, if you are on a metal band they look ok

[@mamunmiah4686]

Do the best looking basses!!!!

[@seantron743]

Thiiiiiiiiiis

[@theamateurfurry4735]

Mamun Miah I second this motion

[@mikeroadblock]

I’ve been playing a magnum 2 for 20+ years. Love it! Cheers.

[@unamericano]

I wanted a bongo ever since they came out and all of my prog hero’s started playing them. I got my hands on them a few times and compared them to pretty much anything I could get my grubby little fingers on. Then I finally got a job, saved up, and ordered myself a stealth black (the paint the magnets black too) dual humbucker 4string and I haven’t looked back to this day. It’s easily one of the best playing, sounding, and punchy basses on the market and only recently with the rise of Noly’s signature Dingwall have I wanted to get something new to expand my arsenal. Basically, I’ve never cared how it looks so long as it sounds better than anything else for the price and for me the bongo was it.

[@zebuloncarpenter58]

I'm with you on everything on this list, *except* for the Ibanez BTB, especially the single cut models. My go-to is a BTB686SC, and it plays and sounds great. The single cut design adds a ton of chunk to the tone, and it doesn't impede playing up high at all. Of course, with a wide six-string neck, it's not like you're wrapping your hand all the way around the neck anyway.

[@alexrobertson9875]

I've had a lot more comments about my BTB745 than any other bass I've owned. I've never heard anything but overwhelmingly positive comments

[@MrBaldybean]

@@alexrobertson9875 same on my btb1005

[@bernardi5919]

BTB’s sound like they’re so amazing, because every person I’ve heard whose ever tried one stuck with them

[@alexrobertson9875]

@@bernardi5919 they're awesome basses, very underrated. Some people get put off tryong as they have very wide necks, however the necks are super comfortable

[@marksmanchiu]

Same except with the btb, the single cut actually designed for more sustain

[@W7RSON]

I actually loved the Buzzard (also, the jackson is iconic)

[@SquareWaveSymphonies]

I love my Bongos and think they're beautiful. XD

[@lordmichael95]

With all due respect, I love the Buzzard Bass because I love the body and in my opinion, I find the body of the Buzzard beautiful.

[@AaraliRam]

You're not alone, comrade

[@kennethhall5982]

God, I want a kellybird so bad, Especially a Dave Ellefson Signature, they just sound so nice and look nice too. Plus they have a hidden function of if you want to slide it farther out so it’s not as awkward playing some things closer to the body as it would sometimes be on a standard bass, so it’s got style and function!

[@Violetcas97]

Patrick: I don’t really like Jackson basses all that much *David Ellefson would like to know your location*

[@dennissantiago9525]

Oof you hit me right in the feels with the bongo 😂 Definitely a 🚽 but also a cool ufo! The headstock reminds me of a blade you'd never use on a pocket knife. Still want it lol

[@JuanIparraguirre]

Exactly my thought - looks like a toilet seat!

[@velvetnoir435]

No man no Ibanez BTB the double cut are awesome basses! And it's a very VFM basses!

[@MrBaldybean]

I second that

[@jugglerjoe]

Yah they look good for metal.

[@DMac12flyers]

I have had 2 of them both red quilted maple tops. They are gorgeous

[@ststammers2056]

If Gumbi were alive? Gumbi is dead? I DIDNT EVEN KNOW HE WAS SICK!

[@aTF2player]

At 0:07 i thought the blurred pic was a reverend thunderbass and I was ready to throw hands to protect my baby

[@wyvern4588]

I actually have a BTB 6 sring in amber burl, I think its gorgeous. But I also like Stienbergers especially the ZX

[@Hqvist.]

I love the danelectro longhorn 😎 it’s my fav bassists bass

[@hannahpumpkins4359]

I was in the studio this one time and ready to record my part (on my P-Bass). The engineer asked me if I wouldn't mind playing a Jackson bass instead - he said he can get an amazing sound out of them. So I did, and sure enough, my bass sound was incredible (I was playing Pop music, and he liked that the Jackson was 'cleaner' than the P-Bass, which can sometimes have that 'growl').

[@idiosyncraticmushroom3030]

I personally love the Bongo, but I can’t blame you. As for the Alembics, I don’t understand how u think they are ugly, same with the longhorn, but it’s your opinion, so I won’t lose my mind at u.

[@mozartsghost9697]

Love your comment about the Jackson bass "I bet you know why.." The inlays, I agree! funny.

[@9804216]

I was wondering if the huge single cut horn that goes over so much of a bass neck is to make it easier for people who love the tapping technique? This way their playing hand has a place to rest while it taps out notes that are higher up on the fretboard.

[@ianstrickland5280]

I really like the Ibanez models honestly, played one of the singlecuts and it was so nice

[@seandusk9491]

I actually love the design of the ovation magnums

[@TheDaytontube]

BRUH you gotta love the shark fin inlays!

[@SmokedHam444]

I actually kinda like the Longhorn but I completely understand how someone would find it ugly

[@quiksilver789]

Not even 15 minutes ago, I finished The Dark Crystal series on netflix. That buzzard bass looks exactly like the skesis

[@PinoliCanoli]

4:02 that exact bass is on sale at my local music store for a little under $600. I played it once before and it sounds incredible

[@tomisgood]

It's a great instrument. I own one. I love it!

[@tonynecas4825]

I agree with about 70%. I love the Buzzard, the BTB, the Dean Razor back V, and the jackson basses. Everything else. Bunk.

[@coffinbunnyzoey]

The buzzard looks awesome. Especially the (tribute?) models made by Status.

[@pat8437]

Alembic Series One and Two are badass. Love that look, just my opinion. Also the buzzard is awesome.

[@snakeplissken44]

That was fun! I agreed on some.. thought some were ok and I actually liked a few on this list like the buzzard!

[@mongrelking5667]

The Ovation is beautiful! :)

[@Aethertigris]

I TOTALLY AGREE ABOUT THE BONGO. I think they should have named it the Macaroni...es...

[@johnmoser2689]

What's your opinion of the Warwick Corvette I am oddly drawn to get one I played a used one and wished I would've snatched it up but missed out

Ovation basses looks great Ibanez btbs are beautiful Jackson basses are 80s classics

[@mikeortega6072]

I agree with you on ALL the guitars except the Bongo. :) To me a most guitars are aerodynamic, anything you change about the Fender P Bass shape will need serious balance and justification. With all that said, Fender got it right.

[@tomisgood]

The long horn looks awesome. I will die on this hill.

[@GiantBat]

That being said it takes some guts to rock a Hello Kitty Bass while covering Electric Wizard 🧙‍♂️

[@HapyLLIuTeJIb]

0:50 - a Soviet Tonika Bass, early 60's. The first serial production electric bass guitar in the USSR.

[@erlelestum5163]

You hate the Jackson/Charvel bass style? I'm confuse ! :'( It's one of favorite bass style : I love the Jackson headstock ! ^^

[@erlelestum5163]

@Felipe Giraldo me too! Unfortunaly, Charvel bass are very rare in France... :/

[@erlelestum5163]

@Felipe Giraldo as we say here in France "Ça fait chier!" ;)

[@ricardo6612]

Agree!

[@ricardo6612]

Erlé, j’ai pu trouver une charvel et elles sont superbes effectivement

[@andrewpappas9311]

Sure the Buzzard and Bongo look kinda funky, but you can't deny that John Entwistle and John Myung made them look cool (Myung uses a lot of 6-string Bongos with Dream Theatre). I also always thought that the Jackson Concert and Kellybird basses and the Ovation Magnum looked pretty cool, mostly because David Ellefson from Megadeth uses the Jacksons (I've played some and they sound really damn good), and I think that Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth had a Magnum

[@havlix]

WHAT!? The Bongo is the best looking toilet seat ever! I love it.

[@DokterRekt]

You're so right about the MusicMan Bongo

[@coleemmersonhallman5329]

I will fight you over that ovation that's hot

[@ampuanhamid]

Im glad MusicMan Big Al 4 SSS not in the list, i love my 'Jetson era' bass

[@stormy7792]

I've got that Neon Green Dean. Got it cheap and love it with all my heart.

[@mark3ve]

Bongo x 1000. Those things are godawful. I was never able to articulate exactly what I hated about the Bongo, but then you said “toilet seat,” and it FINALLY made sense.

[@noone-fj9sn]

Dude I always wanted a Tonika 🤣 Check out the Borisov Bas 2 - used to have one as it was so cool looking but it was unplayable !

[@quinnmclaughlin7537]

I recently discovered danelectro and the longhorn is just my kind of weird, a lot better than their other shapes

[@FreakOhSuave]

The buzzard LOL I don't play music but I'd buy that LOL I liked it

[@NittyOfTheCosmos]

Someone finally said it! The BTB looks hideous! Also, I guess you could do a counterpart series called "12 Beautiful Basses" or smth along those lines. Love from India!

[@MTVGMSynthCovers]

the longhorn thinks YOU look like a boat. and it means that in the most aggressive and personal way possible (it has a mind of its own). I am not sure if it thinks you can float but it certainly seems offended

[@davidsiriperalta5301]

Broh, i found the ibanez btb so good looking. Dont you like it? Really? Saludos desde República Dominicana

[@briansimpson8116]

The Dean V is beautiful! You need new glasses.

[@skybluemarshall]

You should have mentioned almost any bass made by B.C. Rich. Thise things were hideous. Back in 2000, when my son was 15 years old, he wanted a bass guitar for his birthday. I hadn't played my bass in almost 10 years, so I thought, "what a great opportunity to pass my gear down to my son". I gave him everything: Peavey Combo 300 (300 watt) bass amp with a 15 Black Widow speaker, Roland drum machine, two Boss pedals, cords, straps, bass lesson tapes, two bass books by Carol Kaye, and most importantly, a Fender Precision bass that I bought in a pawn shop in 1987 for $250 bucks and a hard case. Not knowing much about Fender basses, I assumed the bass was made in Japan, like many Fenders in the 80s. I told my ex-wife that I had planned to give all of my bass gear to my son for his 15th birthday. She totally ignored me and she let her boyfriend buy my son a black, B.C. Rich Warlock bass, which my son thought was infinitely cooler the my white on black P-bass. I was totally pissed off at her boyfriend, for stealing my thunder. My son mostly played that stupid looking Warlock for about two years and the P-bass got loaned out to my son's friends or it sat in the case. Eventually, he went back to the P-bass exclusively and he gave the Warlock away for free. Several of my sons friends knew, had played that P-bass. When I went to see my son play a gig, several of his friends came up to me and raved about how much they loved my son's P-bass and how cool it was that I gave it to him. They had all gigged with it and they kept it at their houses and took it to gigs for weeks at a time. It made the rounds amongst all of my son's friends and it saw more gigs than I ever played in my dreams. One day, the bass was having some problems, so my son took it to a shop, to have it repaired and properly set up. The Luthier asked my son what he knew about the bass. He told the guy, "I don't know. My dad said it was a Japanese Fender from the 80s. He bought it in a pawn shop for $250". The Luthier said, "No, man. This is a 1969 American made Fender Precision. It's probably worth at least $3,000 to $4,000". My son was horrified to think that he had left it in practice spaces and garages and loaned it to this friends, who might have lost it or had it stolen. He basically treated it like a pawn shop bass for years. Today, my son says that he will never part with his P-bass. I like to believe that his Warlock ended up getting burned for firewood by a homeless guy.

[@AlimentariasPeru]

Part 2 and 3 would be great!

[@d422ell]

I love the ibanez btb single cutaway!

[@rome8180]

The Alembic looks like a medieval coat of arms or something you'd see hanging in a German beer hall with a boar's head mounted to it.

[@mono.isgtds]

The fact that a les Paul bass isn’t called a les claypaul offends me.

[@DannyBoi2112]

Hahaha yeah

[@TinkerToneworks]

the ovation magnum is a classic

[@BenRobsonMusic]

I think the new Jackson Spectra basses look all right, but they're also extremely similar to the Ibanez SR basses so they're not very original. The hockey stick headstock works on their guitars but something about the way they have to alter the angle/shape of it on basses makes it ugly.

[@dantenavoni]

I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE musicman bongo, I held one in my own arms one time, incredible bass

[@davidsais13]

The Omnific has left the chat

[@victorygah]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[@victorkoropeckyj2771]

Well lucky for you... John Entwistle used a longhorn, too!

[@waynekruzin1176]

Longhorns are amazing , fun to play and many early bass players had them.

[@LittleBirdFarmProductions]

Agree with all but the Magnum. Those things are awesome!

[@fbexpunge]

I thought I was the only one that hated Jackson basses! Also, as a Warwick player, I'm glad to see that only one Warwick bass made the list!

[@ROCK5LIN]

Immediately hit like when the bongo appeared on screen.

[@magaman49]

My cousin has a Ovation Magnum 2, such a beautiful bass

[@autismguy2060]

Im surprised he didnt mention the Rickenbacker 4001

[@tomisgood]

Nice dark crystal reference!

[@bthonk]

that dean v made me cry... in a good way

[@mr.scratch2536]

I've always loved the ugliest bass guitars designs. I think they're beautiful in their grossness. One of my favorite ever since I started playing bass 20 years ago...the longhorn.

[@Dreams_Of_Lavender]

I actually want a longhorn in black, lol. My only issue is the teeny-tiny tuning pegs.

[@MarkNuuuuuutt]

I hate SG style basses so when you popped one up for the “ah yes super iconic super cool” looking shapes at the beginning I was like HUHHH

[@waitandsee24]

i love the look of the tonika bass

[@arkram_68]

The First Bass In The Picture Looks Really Cool To Me Too Be Honest

[@justinpayne3308]

I heard about a Music Man 6 string and thought "aaaaaaaw shit!" Then I saw it and said, "ew. Shit."

[@ChrisDavis1975]

Sir, this is SPOT ON! Always thought the Bongo was a hideous bass. Same for Ibanez’s BTB series. The Jackson head stocks are what kill them for me. Yeah, I like the rest of the bass, even the inlays. That headstock is hard to get by though. Kramer had a headstock very similar but pointing up that was pretty bad too. I kinda liked the Ovation Magnum a little bit. I think Eastwood put out a re-issue of them. Not a fan of the “map” bass shape either.

[@geep271]

I have the Dean Custom Zone in Nuclear Green and I love it but I can see why people get turned off by it because of the bright colors. I bought it because I liked the way it sounded and it stood out with the other basses on the rack.

[@tommygibson9515]

Bro.. Jackson is the most metal bass.. I have a Jackson Kelly have you seen one.

[@fourshotfinch]

I do feel bass does get left out a bit when big companies make their new stock, mainly in the more modern style. You can get very average production guitars with outstanding tops, paintjobs, neck woods, fretboards with all the trimmings, but to get that for bass you really have to shell out towards the top end production scale (if it's even available). For example I love some of the production ESP LTD guitar finishes and specs, but then the basses are either natural wood or single colour with basic stock hardware. It's getting better of late, so like the new schecter range looks pretty slick with features similar to their guitar range but then you're breaking into the $1200 range, new ibanez range is getting more affordable but it's always felt like "we should probably pop some basses in the line-up to make it look like we haven't forgotten about bassists". Obviously not true of more out and out bass companies, just observations. But in terms of the video, agree with pretty much all of them. The BTB did look sick before they curled the horns more a few versions ago, looks pretty lame now. Stuff I would add to that list would be the Pedulla Hexabuzz and tbh most the Fodera basses, I know they are supposed to be like God-tier but I really don't get how they can look like they do and cost that much. Solid content as always my dude 👍

[@9999plato]

Gumby is DEAD??? I'm going to cry now. Did you see his movie? What an actor! An outstanding musician too! What a loss...

[@cubeinside]

This is hilarious! Love it!

[@dabort]

2:37 FACTS! HE’S SPITTIN’ EM!

[@reinodjanghardt8604]

Wow, the Alembic instruments are holy grail for me.

[@0odles0fBrutals]

Definitely agree with you about jackson basses which is a shame because on a guitar their headstocks look amazing, i dont know what it is about blowing up the headstock to bass size that makes it look so terrible and its a shame because ive played a bunch and they feel amazing and sound great but they just look wrong that i cant get past it.

[@SonicXRage]

I like the Bongo's appearance but I really liked how you tore it apart. It does look like a toilet seat.