Signature/Artist series basses for semi-famous musicians: why?

[mattbass6945]

i'm with ken on this one, it either has something i want and i buy it, or it doesn't have the features i want and i don't buy it.

[stuhammfan]

I've got a very early modulus flea bass ( lane poor), serial # starts w 96. Called modulus and they said it was actually assembled in jan 97. Anyhow, it is a killer sounding bass and I played it against several musicman stingrays, and I went with the flea. At the time I wasn't specifically looking for a flea bass, but ended up buying it because it sounds so amazing.

[Troph]

Originally Posted by ishkabibble

Regardless of how prolific Marcus Miller, Jaco or James were in their recording, the average layman isn't going to know jack about them. They're musician's musicians.
Those other guys are probably much more famous, even if you personally don't know about them, which in the eyes of a businessmen is a much more viable and profitable avenue to pursue.

Originally Posted by smcd

Fender is trying to sell basses to kids who are learning to play. They figure they already have their market share of seasoned musicians, so they cast a wide net to try and bring in a younger crowd. It's a cheesy tactic, and in my mind it cheapens the brand, but it must be working.

Yes, I think this is the only rational explanation for why these models exist, and why I'm not interested in them.

Based on the featured artists, it seems they're seeking not just a younger crowd, but maybe just anyone who is picking up a bass for the first time. If they make a decision based on name familiarity with their favorite band, having a wide selection of artists helps. How else can you explain the Roger Waters signature P-bass, which isn't even the same instrument he played with Pink Floyd? (I love Pink Floyd, but again, Roger is hardly a bass icon in the way Gilmour is a guitar icon...)

Originally Posted by mattbass6945

i've been playing for about 13 years, i didn't buy a sig because i'm part of a younger crowd. (i know you weren't pointing in my direction) i think sometimes they just offer something slightly different. i couldn't find another olympic white p with a maple neck for well under $500, the freeman worked out well for me.

Absolutely, so there are certainly some bassists who pick up these signature series because they like the style or the feature set, and specifically *not* because of the signature. But obviously they're in the minority, or else these companies wouldn't bother with the artist signature at all...

[mattbass6945]

yeah, they're marketing instruments to people and putting names on it that will sell. that's their job, right? if ya' like it, jam it. don't like it, figuratively poop on it in a bass forum.

don't mind me, i'm grumpy today.......not your fault.

[Phalex]

Originally Posted by Troph

But obviously they're in the minority, or else these companies wouldn't bother with the artist signature at all...

Yeah, Gibson sells the majority of their Les Paul's to Les Paul wannabe poseurs. No self-respecting guitar player would ever play an instrument with another artists name on it.

[pineapplerobot]

Originally Posted by Troph

So, you would buy one then?

FYI, I knew I'd be stepping on toes by mentioning names. But I stand by my argument. Nate Mendel is part of a famous band, but is he widely renowned amongst bass players to the point where people want to clone his instrument?

I want to buy one. Plan on doing so somewhat soon.

[sbpark]

Originally Posted by Troph

So, you would buy one then?

FYI, I knew I'd be stepping on toes by mentioning names. But I stand by my argument. Nate Mendel is part of a famous band, but is he widely renowned amongst bass players to the point where people want to clone his instrument?

I don't think that these artists are semi-famous. I think the distinction you may have to make here is that to YOU they may be semi-famous, and not appeal to YOU, but they do appeal to a lot of others, especially the younger crowd. I'm not saying that all that you listed are bass players I like. Heck, I can't even stand a few of them, but Fender isn't stupid. The younger crowd is going to buy signature basses from players that they are influenced by. A 20 year old guy isn't going to buy a Babbit or Jamerson signature model. Many probably never even heard of those guys, but as another poster mentioned, Nate Mendel is in what is arguably the biggest rock band in the world right now, regardless of it you or I like that band or not!

What you have to understand is, it isn't even about how good the player is, it's their ability to draw in customers who will buy the product.

And FWIW, I grew up on Sunny Day Real Estate (one of the bands Nate Mendel was in before the Foo Fighters, and in the indie rock world they were gods!), so it's almost surreal to even know there is a Nate Mendel signature bass. I think it's pretty awesome! Would I buy one? Probably not, but I'm not really a fan of signature basses of any kind, but still think it's great that he gets some recognition because in the less popular indie crowd he is very well respected by younger bassists. It's no fun getting old! I'm almost 37 and feel ancient!

[20db pad]

There's guys significantly less famous than the players listed in the OP that still have signature basses. In some cases, those players and their namesake basses serve as crystal clear indicators of what you don't want in an instrument, but that's just IMO.

[two fingers]

Meh. Here's my thing. I look for basses with stuff on them I like. The brand, or what signature is on it will neither inspire nor deter me. My main player is a Roscoe Beck Signature V. I like his playing. I don't own a single album with him on it (that I can recall anyway). But the bass is amazing. The features are what I would put on the Two Fingers Signature V. I love it. But I didn't buy it because his name was on it. I bought it because the design is perfect for my tastes.

[unclejane]

Originally Posted by two fingers

Meh. Here's my thing. I look for basses with stuff on them I like. The brand, or what signature is on it will neither inspire nor deter me. My main player is a Roscoe Beck Signature V. I like his playing. I don't own a single album with him on it (that I can recall anyway). But the bass is amazing. The features are what I would put on the Two Fingers Signature V. I love it. But I didn't buy it because his name was on it. I bought it because the design is perfect for my tastes.

That's kind of how I am about my Bunnies. I love listening to Bunny Brunel, but virtually everything he plays is far enough over my skill set to even try to learn to play. I'm mainly just a rock player who sounds like ass on the fretted bass. Plus I need a well balanced bass, so the BB is a good fit for me.

And I'm fixing to try a Carvin Bromberg also. B2 I also can't play any of his stuff, even though I love listening to him. But it's about the best take on the Jazz bass out there that I've seen, and Ive been craving a single-coil fretless sound for a while.... And since it's also a Carvin, I can get an unlined FL version of it too for no extra cost.

LS

[Beano_z]

Originally Posted by Troph

Is anyone else turned off by these? In my case, the idea of marketing a bass to me by associating it with a semi-famous bass player from a current band is a complete backfire.

Even if I happen to be looking for a model with exactly the same specifications as an artist series, I will usually go out of my way to avoid them. After all, why would I want to be associated with another active bass player, unless I were some kind of huge fan, or playing nothing but covers of that band's music?

There are a few exceptions that seem to work, perhaps because they're iconic models from world-renowed greats. Marcus Miller's 70s Jazz. Jaco's Bass of Doom. Or even The Funk Machine, if Fender would make one. I completely understand the desire to purchase those instruments, almost like a tribute to the greats.

But Mark Hoppus? James Johnston? Chris Aiken? Pete Wentz? Nate Mendel? Pancho Tomaselli? (The list goes on and on...)

I have nothing against these guys. I'm sure they're great people, and good musicians. But they're certainly not icons, and their basses aren't icons either.

Perhaps I'm just not in the target audience? If not, who do these artist series instruments appeal to? Teenagers who idolize these bands?

I assume that they must sell well, or else they wouldn't be worth the trouble to make!

I realize that the model name and the headstock signature don't impact the quality of the instrument or its sound. But why should I have to tell people who Mark Hoppus is every time they ask what model I'm playing, when i don't even care who he is? (And I'm really not trying to pick on Mark Hoppus here, honest.)

I'm not too worried as long as the custom shop doesn't start doing a "tribute" model for those guys.

Having said that, I'm pretty fed up with people telling me the '51 percision bass looks too "punk" simply because Mike Drint is associated with a similar looking bass. For me as a bass player the '51 precision is an all time classic and the one association I would have is Sting recently playing his battered one with the pickguard removed. I'm a blues guy and would love to get a '51 style precision for gigging, but this comment really puts me off! What next? People start expecting me to hang it around my ankles and I get refused to play blues gigs...??

[can_v]

Well, first thing, those name you mentioned, they are famous. Maybe not to people over 40 or serious musicians, but for general audiences they are, or at least their bands are.

It's a marketing scheme. But, Is it wrong? Don't think so. They just offer people a chance to be like their idols, in cheaper to not-so-expensive price range. Well, I was one of them myself. I wish they had done something like these when I was younger. I don't see why they wouldn't do it.

[Templar]

I guess I'm not seeing the correlation between sig basses and beginning players. Most of the sig basses I'm familiar with don't seem to be aimed at beginners or first-time buyers. There were plenty of Lakland sig models, both USA and Skyline.

Not seeing that a Sadowsky Will Lee or a Spector Doug Wimbish is meant to be bought by the average high-schooler, either.

I could go on, the list of not cheap sig basses is pretty long, and it runs the whole gamut of makers, all the way up to Alembic.

What am I missing here?

[Fredescu]

I want a Chris Shiflett Telecaster, but not because I like the guy. Didn't even realise he was from the Foo Fighters before I saw the guitar. I want it because it's basically a 72 Deluxe reissue with a rosewood fretboard and regular humbuckers. These signature instruments allow Fender to make slightly different production instruments to the usual and hey, at least if the specific configuration is unpopular, the signature on the headstock will mean they will sell a few to that crowd and not lose money on it. It's a win/win I think. More production options for the people that want them, and less risk for the manufacturer.

[Im_telling_tim]

It all comes down to money

[thedudebrah]

Your definition of "fame" is subjective.

And yes, I would buy a Nate Mendel P, just because I like the way it looks.

[NYCbassist]

@ OP I want a RIC CS model but other than that I agree with you. I just think the CS is Collectible and rare. Most of the others are kind of abundant and cheap IMO.

[Darren Low]

Originally Posted by Fredescu

These signature instruments allow Fender to make slightly different production instruments to the usual and hey, at least if the specific configuration is unpopular, the signature on the headstock will mean they will sell a few to that crowd and not lose money on it. It's a win/win I think. More production options for the people that want them, and less risk for the manufacturer.

This sums everything up.

[lowphatbass]

Affordable signature models probably sell pretty well, plus they're good business in terms of creating brand recognition and loyalty. If they were around back in the day one of them could have easily been my first or second bass.
For better or worse it's interesting to see some different options, including also the higher end models.

[bass nitro]

I will tell You why - because some peoples like to get exactly same sound sometimes but there no reason to get expensive instruments and etc.Sorry pal,do not take offense but I do not know You but do who is Matt Freeman.If You mean that these artist do not deserve to have their own sign on Fenders and etc.
just tell company to cut off these models.