This topic seems very close (as a metaphor) in style to the age old video game debate. Graphics or gameplay? Ultimately I'd like to see more companies try to branch away from other companies' styles rather than taking Strat and LP bodies and slightly altering them, but when broken down I personally would rather have an ugly guitar that plays much better. So I'm pretty iffy on the image thing. While I like a guitar that looks nice I can't help but feel like my money's going to waste if I don't like playing it. My Fender and SG are my favorites in my collection. I do like the way they both look, but I like playing them more than I like looking at them. Hell, even my Warlock (it's bronze series by the way) has a very good feeling neck. BC Rich is notorious for ugly bodies, but for what the guitars cost I think that they make good equipment.

So in short, if the body's shaped like a big piece of poop but plays better than anything else, I'll play it. It's not like I marvel at the guitar's body or think about what I look like when I play it when I'm playing it anyway.