I had a Geddy Lee Jazz once...great bass...I did put a sticker over his signature for awhile, I don't know why....if I ever find a large box of money I might pick up a Pino Palladino P-Bass.
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How do you feel about signature models?
- Thread starter The Wiz
- Start date
Depends on the model. I don't own any sigs, but I've heard good things about several models and bad things about others. I don't think there's a definitive answer to this, it depends on the specific model.
This topic comes up so often that I thought maybe we should have a poll on it and be done with it. So I did a search on "signature poll" and came up with these:
What do you think of "Signature" basses?
Would you buy a non-iconic artist signature bass?
Would you buy a signature bass ?
Which is the most "signature"?
The last one doesn't really address the central question but I found it interesting anyway. I don't think any signature model is more of a signature model than Reggie Hamiltons--he is directly and continuously involved in its design and updates--yet that is not recognized in that poll for some reason. But anyway it looks like those of you who are outright NO on the topic are in the 7 to 10 percent range. That rises to about 25% if you include responses that are kinda NO and to 35% when the option to build your own is included but that really is a different topic entirely and I think that result can be discounted in this discussion.
Those of you who hate or cannot understand the signature model concept appear to be a small minority. But you are very passionate about the topic. You constantly start threads about it!
What do you think of "Signature" basses?
Would you buy a non-iconic artist signature bass?
Would you buy a signature bass ?
Which is the most "signature"?
The last one doesn't really address the central question but I found it interesting anyway. I don't think any signature model is more of a signature model than Reggie Hamiltons--he is directly and continuously involved in its design and updates--yet that is not recognized in that poll for some reason. But anyway it looks like those of you who are outright NO on the topic are in the 7 to 10 percent range. That rises to about 25% if you include responses that are kinda NO and to 35% when the option to build your own is included but that really is a different topic entirely and I think that result can be discounted in this discussion.
Those of you who hate or cannot understand the signature model concept appear to be a small minority. But you are very passionate about the topic. You constantly start threads about it!
Always wanted a Geddy and a Steve Harris sig bass, just can't ever see forking over the $$ they want for them. Plus I stopped playing Fender style basses due to the constant upkeep, tooling, tweaking that goes into keeping them playable...not worth the trouble for twangy tone IME
THE Voice of Sanity!!
I totally don't see signature models as being cheaper/beginners models. Every signature items I've ever owned had extra features above a stock model and cost more too.
Most signature models don't have the artist's name anywhere on them, so really it is just a notation in a company catalog that, "models with serial numbers between X and X are artist X's signature model and has X features."
Not buying a bass because of the name on the headstock makes no more sense then buying a bass because of the name on the headstock. Play it. If you like it buy it; if you don't like it, keep moving.
And a few other shopworn topics as well. Speaks more to the nature of interweb forum participants, than it does to the topic being "discussed". lol
If the bass has features that I'm looking for, I couldn't care less who has signed the back of the headstock.
Alternatively, if it's someone I am a fan of, and it doesn't have what I'm looking for, I won't bother with it.
For example, I really dig the specs of the Troy Sanders Jag bass (silverburst, P/J jag), but I don't think I could tell you a Mastadon song if pressed.
I am, however a huge fan of Chris Aiken and Strung Out, but have no use at all for another White-P bass.
Alternatively, if it's someone I am a fan of, and it doesn't have what I'm looking for, I won't bother with it.
For example, I really dig the specs of the Troy Sanders Jag bass (silverburst, P/J jag), but I don't think I could tell you a Mastadon song if pressed.
I am, however a huge fan of Chris Aiken and Strung Out, but have no use at all for another White-P bass.
Signature basses are at best a novelty to me. If I played one as a main bass, I'd feel like a dirty whore. I love Steve Harris and I would buy his bass but just to say "isn't this cool? It's just like his." I wouldn't play it out.
"Dirty whore" - LOL! Unless you're playing a bass you built yourself, you're playing a bass with someone's signature/corporate logo on it.
I would own this bass, and the ONLY reason I want it is because of whose signature bass it is.
Hell yes! It looks like its made from recycled cuckoo clocks, but I would ROCK it!
I would own this bass, and the ONLY reason I want it is because of whose signature bass it is.
Gepetto?
I never had those issues with my Fender...virtually no upkeep or tweaking at all....and no twangy tone.
