Is this bass ugly? Yes. But does it play well? Also yes. Great bass for a beginner. Previous owner put a bunch of duct tape all over the body which is what you see in the photos. Plays great, all knobs work. This is the older, passive, 3 knob model. From musician's friend: "Highly recommended as a first bass. The Ibanez GSR200 4-String Bass is a hot little bass with nice balance and feel for a very friendly price. Features an agathis body, super comfy one-piece maple neck, jatoba fretboard, pearl dot inlay, split-coil and single-coil pickup array, chrome hardware, a fully adjustable bridge, and medium frets."