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Are Signature Basses Special?

Special, both, player, roasted carrots?

  • The original bass was special!

    Votes: 17 8.1%

  • It was the player, and therefore all hype.

    Votes: 81 38.6%

  • It was both!

    Votes: 60 28.6%

  • Roasted carrots.

    Votes: 52 24.8%
  • Total voters
    210
#61
IMHO they are different models of current renditions. I’ve had the Geddy MIJ bass and it was an EXCELLENT bass. (I’d recommend putting a Sadowsky preamp in it)
The Fender Duff Mckagen bass and it was super fun to play and sounded really good.
And the Mike Starr Euro bass Spector. Now I’ve owned QUITE a few Spectors in my time but this one has stayed. It’s got something special.
IMHO it’s all up to the player to see how it feels.
 
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#62
Jaycephas said:
Roscoe Beck 5. I was a huge fan of RB with Eric Johnson, started following him after. His work with Robyn Ford is some of the best.

There was nothing like that bass before he collaborated with Fender. And having Bill Lawrence design the pickups, well, brilliant.

My ‘97 RB5 is still my most unique both shape, style and tone.
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I’ll echo this sentiment. The RBV was an incredibly unique and groundbreaking instrument when it was first released in the mid 90’s. Without Roscoe Beck, it would never have happened. One of the best super jazz basses ever, especially considering it doesn’t rely on active electronics.
 
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#63
I’m not a Rush fan and the music I play is more disco/ funk, r&b , urban Gospel/ Praise & Worship, Neo soul .

But I like Jazz basses and wanted a good 70’s style 4 string to compliment my Jazz V and Pbass.

The Fender US Geddy Lee checked all the boxes for me. It didn’t have anything to do with Geddy Lee. The shape and feel of the neck, the fretboard radius, the looks and the tone is what sold me on this bass.
For me it wasn’t about the hype it was about what was right !!;)​
 
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#65
LadyLoveStingRay5 said:
I’m not a Rush fan and the music I play is more disco/ funk, r&b , urban Gospel/ Praise & Worship, Neo soul .

But I like Jazz basses and wanted a good 70’s style 4 string to compliment my Jazz V and Pbass.

The Fender US Geddy Lee checked all the boxes for me. It didn’t have anything to do with Geddy Lee. The shape and feel of the neck, the fretboard radius, the looks and the tone is what sold me on this bass.
For me it wasn’t about the hype it was about what was right !!;)​
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Is the BAII-style bridge an improvement over the vintage style for the music you bought it for? I have been curious about that (not to derail the thread or anything).
 
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#68
I will repeat points already made. Some signature basses designed from the ground up like the Bunny Brunel and Brian Bromberg models. Some, like the Carvin SB5000 or certain Adam Nitti Ibanez models, were inspired by classic basses, but are quite distinct from their initial inspirations. Some, like Pino Pallidino Precision’s, are rebranded basses already being made (the Pino is reliced Custom Shop P-bass.) My Geddy is a bit different than the Pino, because it was a reproduction of a standard model that was no longer being made, a Seventies Jazz. Personally, I always loved Geddy’s because I think they are monster Seventies style Jazzes, I was looking for the kind of bass I wanted, but could not afford when I was a teen. I was never interested in trying to sound like Geddy a Lee although I am a big Geddy and Rush fan. If I were going to buy a Jazz to be a fanboy, I would have bought a Marcus Miller Signature Jazz Bass.
 
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#71
Dr. Cheese said:
I will repeat points already made. Some signature basses designed from the ground up like the Bunny Brunel Bromberg models. Some, like the Carvin SB5000 or certain Adam Nitti models, were inspired by classic basses, but are quite distinct from their initial inspirations. Some, like Pino Pallidino Precision’s, are rebranded basses already being made (the Pino is reliced Custom Shop P-bass.) My Geddy is definitely in the same category as the Pino. Personally, I always loved Geddy’s because I think they are monster Seventies style Jazzes, I was looking for the kind of bass I wanted, but could not afford when I was a teen.
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Come to think of it , the US Geddy Lee Jazz is special or unique in its features . The custom C shape neck vs U shape, the 9.5 vs 7.5 fretboard radius , the special voiced custom shop pickups and the bridge are not found in combination on any other 70’s style jazz bass. And most reissues and vintage models are heavy ash. These are alder which I prefer.
So yes, that makes these particular models special . If not for these features I would never have found my perfect 70’s style Jazz bass.
 
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#72
LadyLoveStingRay5 said:
Come to think of it , the US Geddy Lee Jazz is special or unique in its features . The custom C shape neck vs U shape, the 9.5 vs 7.5 fretboard radius , the special voiced custom shop pickups and the bridge are not found in combination on any other 70’s style jazz bass. And most reissues and vintage models are heavy ash. These are alder which I prefer.
So yes, that makes these particular models special . If it for these features I would never have found my perfect 70’s style Jazz bass.
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Great points!
 
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#74
"Signature" basses....good for you, if makes you happy. I can appreciate them, but sometimes I make my own, makes me happy. Just went over to a luthier friend of mine to say hi, he had what looked like a 335 on his bench, lost his mind when he thought I was going to touch it (reminded me of the scene in "Spinal Tap"), said Eric Clapton was the last documented person to touch it. Alot of what we like/hold holy is complete ********.
 
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#75
Doctor Intrepid said:
A follow up to my question last week.

Every signature bass started as a off the rack bass. Some standard bass that a no one bought and played the crap out of. So was it the bass or the player? What makes the bass special?

I know the signature Geddy is popular, as is some others. Are they special basses found by the right person or is it nostalgia or some type of hype?

Let me know!
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I think it's a bit of both. I'm usually only interested in Signature instruments if they have a customized specs or some kind of feature that's not available on the standard model. My current GAS Obsession is the Troy Sanders Jag. I'm a fan Mastodon, my bandleader digs Silverburst (Custom color) and it has different controls and pickups for a standard Jag.

For me that makes it worth it.
 
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#76
5901196C-271A-47B8-BA12-E26093783F56.jpeg
 
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#77
Sh#t, I wish James Jamerson was around to reply to some of this stuff....you have the disposable income, go for it. I'm an ER doc who loves the bass. Making basses beats the balls off of playing with balls of yarn or heroin....not to sound uppity, but I've put together a few basses that I'd put up against any "custom" MF. Have a nice day.
 
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