Sponsorship Whores.

[SC Bassboy]

Does someone being a sponsorship whore bother you guys? It really bugs me. And I’m not talking about guys like Stu Hamm or Marcus Miller who always step on stage with the same bass. My gripe is with people like Doug Wimbish, who has a Ibanez signature model yet he never plays one. Every time I’ve ever seen him perform he is playing Spector basses. And Tyson Ritter from the All American Rejects. For the last few months there have been advertisements in Bass Player magazine from EBS and Ashdown featuring him as an endorsing artist. Hello?!?! Who’s stuff does he play? Chuck Rainey is also guilty of being in multiple adds endorsing several different basses all the time. That stuff just bothers me.

[neurotictim]

If the money was right, I'd endorse Daisy Rock basses... But you'll never see me on stage with it...

As a bassist, it bothers me, but you gotta remember these guys are walking the line between bassists and businessmen. If you make your living playing, you gotta pay for it somewhere.

[Woodchuck]

Eh, it really doesn't bother me, but I have to admit; guys with signature models with 2 or 3 different companies at the same time makes me laugh sometimes.

[Steve]

It's an opinion not a marrige. You're allowed to like more than one bass and more than one amp at a time aren't you?

I'd recomend different stuff for different applications.

Now if you're sticking your name on something you don't really believe in just for a paycheck that makes you...ah...er...politician? and we can't discuss that here.

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by SC Bassboy

Does someone being a sponsorship whore bother you guys? It really bugs me. And I’m not talking about guys like Stu Hamm or Marcus Miller who always step on stage with the same bass. My gripe is with people like Doug Wimbish, who has a Ibanez signature model yet he never plays one. Every time I’ve ever seen him perform he is playing Spector basses. And Tyson Ritter from the All American Rejects. For the last few months there have been advertisements in Bass Player magazine from EBS and Ashdown featuring him as an endorsing artist. Hello?!?! Who’s stuff does he play? Chuck Rainey is also guilty of being in multiple adds endorsing several different basses all the time. That stuff just bothers me.

I think you should ask Doug why he chooses to play his Spectors over the Ibanez DW model.



Maybe if you knew how some of these companies say one thing to get the artist and once they get the artist, things change and usually not in the best interest of the artist.

With all due respect, don't be so quick to place blame on the artist.

[NickyBass]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

I think you should ask Doug why he chooses to play his Spectors over the Ibanez DW model.



Maybe if you knew how some of these companies say one thing to get the artist and once they get the artist, things change and usually not in the best interest of the artist.

With all due respect, don't be so quick to place blame on the artist.

Good point.

[nad]

I agree with Bill Hicks:

"Here's the deal, folks. You do a commercial: you're off the artistic roll call, forever. End of story. Okay? You're another corporate ****ing shill, you're another whore at the captialist gang bang and if you do a commercial, there's a price on your head. Everything you say is suspect and every word that comes out of your mouth is now like a turd falling into my drink."

Well, maybe not quite that harsh for artist deals for equipment actually used that one would support sans monetary compensation, but still. Point remains.

[Pearl_jammin]

And it's an extremely valid point at that, but yes posssibly a bit harsh, but Bill was hardly understated

[NJL]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

Maybe if you knew how some of these companies say one thing to get the artist and once they get the artist, things change and usually not in the best interest of the artist.

With all due respect, don't be so quick to place blame on the artist.

+1

[Valerus]

Originally Posted by Woodchuck

Eh, it really doesn't bother me, but I have to admit; guys with signature models with 2 or 3 different companies at the same time makes me laugh sometimes.

Definitely.

[Dr. Cheese]

I'm not so hard on Chuck Rainey. He is an old session player. It is not like he had several platinum albums that he earn royalties off for the rest of his life. This man is soon to be 68, and I bet you he still has to hustle. I recommend we walk in his shoes before we criticize him.

[mccartneyman]

I would like to think that name players would not play an instrument that they don't like.
I would like to think that if I were a name player, I would actually buy the instrument rather than accept one gratis.
But if I were 20 years old and just coming up, I don't know if I'd be able to resist the lure of free equipment.

[santucci218]

Originally Posted by mccartneyman

I would like to think that name players would not play an instrument that they don't like.
I would like to think that if I were a name player, I would actually buy the instrument rather than accept one gratis.
But if I were 20 years old and just coming up, I don't know if I'd be able to resist the lure of free equipment.

NOTE THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE ENDORSED DOES NOT MEAN ITS FREE. Many endorsing artists still pay top dollar for their equipment.

[Lesfunk]

Doug Probably doesn't play his Ibanez's Cuz they suck. ( I don't know Doug. It's just a guess.)
I've personally played two of his own personal custom shop Ibanez basses.
They're not terrible but they are just kinda.... lame.

I don't pay any attention to who the artist is.
I play Flea basses cuz I think they're great; not because of Flea (although I like him just fine).
Same thing with My Michael Anthony Yamaha. Aside from the queer chili pepper inlays, It's absolutely killer! Better than any ****** Fender bass I've played.

[perfektspace6]

Originally Posted by santucci218

NOTE THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE ENDORSED DOES NOT MEAN ITS FREE. Many endorsing artists still pay top dollar for their equipment.

Then my question would be: what is the point? If I endorse Fender and help them sell basses there needs to be a reciprocal gesture of some kind other than my name on their website.

[Lesfunk]

Originally Posted by santucci218

NOTE THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE ENDORSED DOES NOT MEAN ITS FREE. Many endorsing artists still pay top dollar for their equipment.

true dat

[JAUQO III-X]

For the record, since Chuck Rainey seems to burn a lot of people up when it comes to him endorsing a product. He plays a Spector and yes he payed for it.


One more thing. a lot of times when you see an artist endorsing a bass or amp and they've gotten it for free, in most instances they should get it for free because a lot of these artist sell a lot of product for the company that they endorse. People have a serious misunderstanding of how endorsements work, most companies would not still be around if they're product was not endorsed.

A lot of these artist know what they are worth and in the end that's all that matters.

[mccartneyman]

Originally Posted by santucci218

NOTE THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE ENDORSED DOES NOT MEAN ITS FREE. Many endorsing artists still pay top dollar for their equipment.

And that's the way it should be. Maybe manufacturers should explain up front which endorsing artists pay for their equipment.

[The Lurker]

Originally Posted by Woodchuck

Eh, it really doesn't bother me, but I have to admit; guys with signature models with 2 or 3 different companies at the same time makes me laugh sometimes.

*cough* Bromberg *cough*

I also recall reading in a few interviews with Billy Sheehan and some other players that some companies' idea of an artist sig model is considerably looser than others...the artist gets a superdeluxe custom-made one, but the off-the-shelf versions are built to a considerably lower standard and price point-- e.g. Geddy Lee (though not that the fender GL isn't a nice bass in it's own right).

Roger Sadowsky used to make a point of saying that Jason Newsted paid full price for all eight or so of the Sadowsky basses he bought when they were getting ready to tour for Load in the late 90s, and didn't try to haggle or wheedle an endorsement deal.... so Roger gave him a ninth one free.

[Lesfunk]

Sadowsky...LOL