Is "stunning" the new "plays like butter"?

GuitarMonkey

Discuss.

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/categories/guitars-for-sale

axisus

I like my new Tazer, it plays like butter.

TimmyO

'stunning' does at least make some kind of sense based on its everyday use in language. The jarring Americanism that is 'plays like butter' is right up there with 'axe' to describe a guitar inasmuch as both make me stop reading and move on they annoy me so much  

stevenguitars

Stunning is perfectly acceptable.

Like scenery, cars,goals,houses and woman

Loobs

Plays like butter is the most stupid idiom in the guitar lexicon. 

Well, maybe 'chewy mids'.  

GuitarMonkey

stevenguitars said:

Stunning is perfectly acceptable.

Like scenery, cars,goals,houses and woman

None of which are literally stunning.

It's an overused metaphor, as is "plays like butter".

Loobs

Plays like butter isn't even a valid metaphor. 

TimmyO

GuitarMonkey said:

stevenguitars said:

Stunning is perfectly acceptable.

Like scenery, cars,goals,houses and woman

None of which are literally stunning.

It's an overused metaphor, as is "plays like butter".

It's not a metaphor. It's a word with a definition. 

JDE

Figuratively speaking, I think stunning is ok, if a little fruity. I read something where a poster (not here or I would've obviously dissed them) said they "adored" flanger or something. I fucking lolled all day about that.

Plays like butter, bloom, chewy, haunting (!!?), even complex are all a bit stupid, IMO. I also hate vague generalities - "all sizzle no steak" what the hell does that mean in relation to a guitar?

JDE

I should also add that phrases like "I literally ....." are my pet peeve.

"I literally died" - and yet here you are. Still breathing. Still pissing me off.

daveww

awesome 

randomhandclaps

Talking of 'literally', the phrase I hate from sellers is "This is literally the best ________ I have ever played/tried, and I am really fussy about my gear." - yet it's for sale. 

Two problems with this -

1. Unless you're selling it to fund Johnny's last trip to Disneyland then if you had found truly found the best piece of gear you have ever tried it's unlikely you would be willing to shift it for less than the price it cost you to attain.
2. The above phrase is often followed by an explanation for the sale such as "This is literally the best Les Paul/Flanger I have ever played, but I just can't get on with Les Pauls/Flangers.  Which raises the questions: If you don't like Les Pauls/Flangers how many have you actually played?  If you generally can't get on with them, but this one you did, then it's high likely that someone who does get on with them will hate it.

Bogwhoppit

Plays like a buttered vista........

Babones

I've never seen a stunning guitar, in any advert, with 'stunning' in the title or description.

Deijavoo

axisus said:

I like my new Tazer, it plays like butter.

CORRECTION:

"Buttah". 

DrJazzTap

I prefer stunning, but I do think it's over used. I mean every now and again, you'll see a woman who is stunning. You know a woman who takes your breathe away, because you just think "wow". But to over use it always makes me think of this

stevenguitars

GuitarMonkey said:

stevenguitars said:

Stunning is perfectly acceptable.

Like scenery, cars,goals,houses and woman

None of which are literally stunning.

It's an overused metaphor, as is "plays like butter".

in your opinion. I think there are certain ones that are personally 

ThePrettyDamned

Can't wait till I put a guitar up for sale.

For sale - MusicMan sub USA sterling with active 3 band eq.

Absolutely stunning in its textured blue finish and aluminium scratchplate. The neck, typical of a MusicMan, is silky smooth and it's fair to say this bass plays like it's been slathered in flora. You will probably want to wash your hands with soap afterwards, it's almost like it's been baby oiled.

Set up for regular - light ernie ball strings, has slight buzz when played hard on lower frets (I liked the sound of Mark king) but other than that, it's fantastic.

The eq gives it a very powerful tone, crank the mids up and hear how chewy a bass can get. There is a definite bloom on the notes, and when slapping you get note flipping. Fucking flipping notes making you sound awesome, you'll love it.

The open gear tuners are smooth but firm, like Daenerys Targaryen's bottom. You can't rage at that one, it's a simile not a metaphor.

Anyway, best bass ever, my new one isn't as good but it'll do so I'll let you have this better one for just a few hundred quid, will trade for r8 les paul.

Neil

"Les Paul killer"

Will trade for Les Paul. 

Alnico

Sorry but this does my head in,.........

"Full of dings and dents and all the usual scratches, which is to be EXPECTED but does not affect the playability of the instrument !"

Just like scratching and denting the hell out of a Ferrari doesn't affect it's driveability ?

JDE

That's true, but obviously some wear and tear can structurally ruin a guitar - like a neck break that has been badly reset, or refinished binding which is subpar can ruin the playability of the neck. I often see archtops that have the top binding coming adrift, which could affect playability in years to come. Or it may never move again and be totally fine. A friend of mine has a 30's Epi acoustic archtop where the back is, to the eye, quite badly split. Guitar sounds mustard, and the split hasn't changed in 15 years. I think what offends the eye isn't always what offends the ear or hands.