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Are signature basses really worth having?

I gas for a Victor Bailey jazz not because of Victor Bailey (though he's of course awesome).

I want it because it looks, sounds, and probably feels great.

If it was called the Pete McGillicuddy signature, I'd still want it.

Same goes for a Jaco jazz or a Roger Waters p.
 
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I own a Rickenbacker 4001 C64S, which amounts to signature McCartney bass. I bought it not so much to be a McCartney fan boy (even if I am), but because it most closely replicated the basic sound I was looking for (the "knock"). This doesn't mean that I can't get any number of other tones out of it with some basic adjustments. But for me, it was the logical starting place to get where I wanted to go.
 
You could search this subject and have enough reading to last a week.

I've only ever owned one signature bass and IMHO is it is absolutely awesome and is the only bass I have that is 100% on my "do not sell!" list.

YMMV...

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I rather just own a regular bass and mod it to my liking to make it my own signature bass...how about you

Then do it. Tens of thousands have done it. You can tell who they are. They're the ones who can't sell their basses.



Also...

Signature Basses

Best and Worst signature bass IYO!

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

Who would you like to see get a signature bass?

Hating Signature Basses.

What do you think of Signature Guitars/Basses?
 
so i believe i missed the point of the thread. let's try again, shall we?

I would buy a signature bass if it connected with me. A bass doesn't care whose name is on the headstock. Good is good. I would own one without hesitation if it was good for me. What i do not believe in is modding an instrument just to become a tribute to some artist.

Sidenote-whats with all the squier p sigs with no tone? not a good selling point, imo
 
Not to dismiss the question, but - it depends on the bass. Like another TB'er who posted in this thread, I own a Fender Roscoe Beck V. I can assure you that my purchase of the instrument had absolutely zero to do with the fact of RB's signature's being on the headstock. I bought the bass because of its unusual(certainly for a Fender) pickup configuration as well as the sound, feel, and functionality of the bass.

It could have said Fender Precision, Fender Jazz, whatever - and I would have bought it for the design, no matter what they called the model.