Opinions on Artists endorsing gear just for money and not really using it.

[BlackElan]

I remember many years ago it was looked down upon for artists taking endorsement deals just for money and not really using the products they are supposed to be playing live or in the recording studios or maybe endorsing subpar gear because it was given to them for free along with cash.

In fact there are many well known artists who would not even do endorsement deals for this very reason. It can be viewed as unethical and they find ethics very important.

I was kind of surprised in another thread that it seems as though this attitude has changed in general or is it simply that people don’t understand ethics anymore.

I don’t know if it’s just fan boys seeing that their artist can do no wrong or are musicians in general taking the side of "hey take whatever money you can even if the product is subpar and you don’t really have to use it all the time."

"Don’t like the contract or find a sweeter deal then go ahead and back out of it to get the better paying one."



I did not mention any names of artists in this post because I am very curious of the member's opinion in general on this subject. I think if I just outright stated names then you get fanboys coming in to defend their artist at all costs.

So what say you?

Is it OK in your opinion to endorse subpar gear for money or take a deal and have to only use the gear once or twice live then use you real gear for the rest of the show?

[SpamBot]

I don't care either way. IMO endorsements don't mean squat when compared with the reviews and testimonials of fellow TBers and personal experiences.

Therefore, I am going to pretend endorsements don't exist.

(Fingers in ears )

[uglymutt]

In my opinion you shouldn't endorse something unless you truly believe it is the best possible gear for you. Does this mean you can endorse something that probably wouldn't suit anybody else (a Jamerson signature bass for example, it was supposedly unplayable for anybody but him), I suppose so as you believe it to be the best possible gear that you could use.

Gear use has an effect on me, if I see somebody playing and they have a tone that I like, I'll do a bit of research (or ask them if it's a local band) and find out what gear they use so i can GAS over it. They don't endorse the gear but they use it and i like the way it works, sounds etc. so I will think about purchasing the same or similar gear.
I suppose it's a good thing I'm a student and don't have access to large sums of money, otherwise I'd be constantly in debt as i'd spend all my money on gear that i like the sound of .

I usually check out what talkbass has to say about the gear as well and believe the system where members display if they are endorsed to be a good one.

However just today I caught myself doing some research on the tuning used for a song and found myself searching through the bassist's gear to find out what tuning this bass was in. I found my way to picks somehow and discovered that he used a certain type of pick and i found myself exclaiming 'I use those picks and now I'm going to keep doing so!'
Although the bassist didn't endorse the picks his use of them was enough to sway me to continue to use them. This was also probably due to the fact that I have very little experience with picks so wanted the opinion of someone who used them. However i first heard about these picks on talkbass after several users recommended them i bought them, but it was this use by one of my favourite bassists that kept me using them.

So yes use has an affect on people but I'm less sure of endorsement as people (at least me) realise they are being paid to so I'm a bit more cautious.

[jollygiantchris]

Originally Posted by BlackElan

Is it OK in your opinion to endorse subpar gear for money or take a deal and have to only use the gear once or twice live then use you real gear for the rest of the show?

I do believe its ok due to the fact that is harder then ever to make a large amount of money as a musician nowadays.

And remember it is relatively easy to look on the internet/wikipedia if you want to know what equipment someone is using this is something that takes minimal effort. Most likely if you like the musician a lot you already know what they really use anyways.

[GM60466]

I'll admit that I own a Hofner because of hearing Paul on that Sunday evening back in 1964. I owned a Les Paul signature bass long before Jack Casady made them popular, but I could care less what Geddy, Jack, Stu, Bunny, Stanley, Victor, and the rest of them have in their hands.

G

[madbassplaya]

in many endorsement deals the musician does not get paid. he gets free gear. some do not even get that, they just get a better deal on the bass.

now i realize there are some monster players that may be getting payed to play a brand but for the most part, i think what i said earlier applies.

[JayfromDeeKay]

I think it's quite okay, as long as the musician is actually actively using the product; otherwise it's just hollow.

Musicians often develop their tastes tone-wise through their career, which means they will move away from actually using an endorsed instrument or amp, etc., unless the endorsed manufacturer is able to evolve along with the musician. It should be a cooperative effort.

[mikeybrosario]

I am endorsed by Basson Sound and I try to use their products as often as possible for two reasons.

1. They are incredible products.
2. To make way with my part of the deal.

If you are taking an endorsement offer just for the promotion, the label, and the money then I think it is just pointless. If you really aren't helping the company as much as you can then it is unfair of you to ask them for cheaper or free products and services.


-Mikey


P.S.

This is really off topic but does anyone know where I can get bass progression guitar pro tabs, or bass scale guitar pro tabs?

I really hate the search bar on ultimate-guitar so I am looking for an alternative or a few links if anyone can help me out.

Thanks!

[JTE]

A. Mikeybrosario is NOT endorsed by Basson. Mikey is the endorser, he endorses Basson. That's because "endorse" means to give approval to, to support, to sanction. And while the Basson people may think he's a happening player, the endorsement is that the artist endorses the product.

B. Real bass players, no matter how famous can be as fickle as the rest of TB. Note how many fads come and go here. Why should be expect Joe Famous to be different.

C. Most musical instrument endorsement deals don't involve cash changing hands. Most include some discounts on gear, but more often it's tour support. And lots of acts may not be in a position to insist they can only use Brand A on stage. Even if the contract rider says they want an SVT, the artist may be far enough down the totem pole that the headliner's SWR rig is what they get.

D. The music biz is still pretty small, and a lot of these deals might come down to people rather than product. Not that Joe Famous would use crap that sounds awful, but if he has a choice between two good but different rigs, and he know John Doe at company A but doesn't know anyone at Company B, that could swing the deal.

E. I don't see many gear whores nowdays. Now once P-Nut was in an ad for two different string companies in the same issue of Bass Player magazine, and said he used another brand in the interview. But that's really rare.

F. Whether Joe Famous endorses anything won't make me want to buy anything. If I like the way the artist sounds (consistently) then that endorsement may make me more interersted in checking something out. At one time Pino Pallidino and Nathan East both endorsed Eden. I was searching for something new at the time. I've always found both Pino and Nathan to have great sound no matter what. So, even if none of the recordings I heard by them had Eden amps in the recording, the fact that no matter what gear they use, they have great sound made me dig to find an Eden dealer. And I tried out the amps. I bought the WT-400 becuase of how it sounded when I played MY bass through it, not because I was chasing East's or Pallidino's sound.

F. If I hate the sound of someone, their endorsement won't chase me away either. I don't find anything interesting in Duff McKagan's sound- too nasal and annoying for me. But I've still checked out GK amps and I even had a Fender Jazz Bass Special.

So endorsements might make be investigate something, but not buy it. And I'm not jaundiced enough, nor even cynical enough to presume that money is even the primary reason anyone would endorse any product. That's just infantile, as infantile as presuming that getting a Fender Geddy Lee Signature Jazz Bass and the right SansAmp gear will make anyone sound like Geddy.

John

[CamiloDíaz]

getting money to use free gear? where do I sign??

[Prime BASS]

well its like squier do a few of fender's artist series, and pete wentz (blergh!) appears on squier's home page, in my opinion to get the fanboys spending hard cash, but I'm quite positive he use's a fender, I know it's not a big deal but the fender must be some what significantly better than the squier version. Also they make that Mark Hoppus bass which is a P/J hybrid, although I first read he modded one himself first, then fender started supplying him custom colour ones. Although he actually uses these live/recording.

If epiphone offered me a T-bird in the lemon yellow of my Dot Studio, I would use that beast.

Although I wouldn't mind getting some endorsement, from anyone. I'm so poor...