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Joe dart .. Ernie ball jazz !
- Thread starter PeaveyPlayer
- Start date
People insist I'm not growing up. But they can get out of my tree house.
I think the issue with Flea and TL not getting signature models is due to who was in charge of business decisions at the time. The last several years have seen EBMM doing a lot more unique features and signature models, indicating a changing of the guard to me.
In terms of parts, yeah.
But any time they make an instrument that isn't a standard StingRay Special, it disrupts their production line.
StingRays are their bread and butter - guaranteed money in the bank.
If they're not making as many StingRays, they're effectively losing money, so the cost of anything that isn't a StingRay has to cover the disruption, and help mitigate the risk.
They've already stated that due to Covid, and the resultant global supply line issues, they've had to temporarily cease production of anything other than StingRay Specials (that's why they aren't currently making StingRay Classics), and the range of available colours will be more limited.
Consequently, there have been more BFR offerings, whereby they've taken the StingRay Special, and dressed it up for the ball.
And yet they've still managed to release the Tim Commerford, the DarkRay, the Cliff Wiliams, the Joe Dart short scale, and now the Joe Dart 2, all during the pandemic.
It seems they were only able to remain that agile, by being a small family owned company, that had the autonomy to be able to scale back, focus on the essentials, and do right by their highly valued, highly skilled American work force, paying taxes in California.
Who wouldn't want to pay less for their instruments?
But I get why they're priced the way they are.
Looks aren't everything...but If I'm gonna spend that much money on a bass, it's gonna look better than that...
A compact bodied JBass with 21 frets and EBMM attention to build detail? Yes please.
(shame about the lack of finish options).
Kind of reminds me of this article from the Onion: Humanity Still Producing New Art As Though Megadeth’s ‘Rust In Peace’ Doesn’t Already Exist
People keep trying to innovate, but is less features and tonal options really an innovation that anyone needed? But you do you.
People keep trying to innovate, but is less features and tonal options really an innovation that anyone needed? But you do you.
Not justifying the cost. But the entire EBMM proceeds from the first run Cliff Williams sig went to charity. That was in the marketing blast.
Plus, there is a significant delta in the commercial viability of AC/DC and Vulfpeck. We can debate our preferences but we can’t dispute the relative marketing value. Not suggesting in any way that one is not a good bassist. Just that if Cliff Williams puts his name on something to you have to consider from their perspective the ceiling is higher.
Got one or the first batch. Should ship out Thursday. I'm excited.
You know, I recently (3 months) ago purchases a SBMM Ray34H PB. I paid like 1,000 bucks for it new. AS of today, I wouldn't trade basses with a EBMM Stingray for just about any amount of money and I damned well wouldn't shell out $2600 bucks for one either. It's not that I don't appreciate the EBMM - I DO. However, playing this "cheap" copy of one, I can NOT tell the difference between the $1,000 bass and the $2600 "higher end" model.
YMMY -- And only one man's opinion.........
Unfortunately most of those guys are no longer around (or active) to endorse such models.
Besides the potential for legal complexities, when dealing with deceased artists, I'm not entirely sure how much use legacy artists are, in terms of appealing to a younger market.
Seems to make more sense to inspire the next generation, with the current generation of hot endorsers.
Legend has it that after EBMM introduced the "Flea" bridge (as a direct result of feedback from Flea, suggesting that they reposition the bridge slightly offset, to prevent the strings from being so easily pulled out of the saddles, by aggressive finger players) Flea wanted the StingRay to be re-branded as "The Flea Bass".
That may be apocryphal, but supposedly EBMM's refusal to capitulate, is why they fell out.
Tony Levin has repeatedly stated that he has no interest in a signature model - it's important to him to be able to go into any music store in the world, grab a stock StingRay off the stand, and it's exactly the same everywhere.
I share the same sentiment as Tony, although since he first made that statement, the StingRay itself has been through quite a few changes (as have music stores etc), so fat chance of walking in to Guitar Centre in 2022, and finding a brand new 1987 StingRay.
Yep. I have two guitars and both are signature models. One is a Schecter Nick Johnston, who is a player I really dig, and it's the greatest strat I've ever played. The other one is a Steve Lukather SBMM signature guitar... I'm not into Lukather/Toto at all, but damn, that's one fine player's guitar. Soft V neck, absurdly comfortable, the pickup voicing is super versatile, and the preamp boost switch to kick the amp into overdrive is a nifty little touch. The specs are what made me consider both of those.
slobake
resident ... something
ha! yes. great comment. Listening to this form of funk is an interesting experience. I mean, it IS funky in a slick sort of way. And yet, it kind of feels hyper produced (as in "music major funk") While I get the great groove, I'm personally more of an old school funk appreciator myself.
I guess I kind of feel the same way about Joe Dart and Vulfpeck. It's hard to argue that they don't bring it, they play well and they seem honestly committed to the genre ... and it's cool that younger cats are bringing the joy like they do, but it all kind of feels sort of like an imitation (a very good one mind you).
Ah well, to each his own.
back to the OP's thread about the Joe Dart II bass
I respect the music majors. You can’t bring the Seventies back anymore than we can bring back post war Chicago. After a while, genres become codified and at least a little formulaic. No matter what I will always love a good Funk groove.
The Lukather is ridiculously amazing! Don’t have one but I have played one. I owned a Morse signature Sabre guitar in the late 80s and I’m not ashamed to say I sold it for nearly 4x what I paid. But then again that was about $800 new.
