I own no sig basses or amps but if I needed a bass of a certain style and the best candidate was a sig, I'd buy it in a minute. Totally couldn't care less.
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Problem with signature basses
- Thread starter InThePocket123
- Start date
- Jun 9, 2013
- 173
- 97
- Disclosures
- Bacchus / STR Endorsing Artist and direct Dealer of new and used MIJ Brands.
Yup, I would play a signature bass no problem. Some signature basses have excellent spec and are more versatile than other standard models simply because the artist requires those qualities in the instrument. The few signatures I've had come through my hands have been fantastic to play and i would wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone.
Specifically, I had a Yamaha JP1 and JP2 come through my little shop (p-ups weren't my favorite but the neck and build was just amazing), and a Jino 6 (still have that now and it is one of the best 6'ers I played, next to the STRs) all of which are superb instruments, expensive yes, but worth the price tag due to the instrument's versatility, quality of build, tone and feel. And as someone rightly said, getting all those features on a custom build is going to bump the price up...plus sometimes having a signature model can affect the value of the instrument in the future. eg; The JP1 retained it's value, because it was rare and collectible where as non signature customs, even if just as good, depreciate quickly.
Specifically, I had a Yamaha JP1 and JP2 come through my little shop (p-ups weren't my favorite but the neck and build was just amazing), and a Jino 6 (still have that now and it is one of the best 6'ers I played, next to the STRs) all of which are superb instruments, expensive yes, but worth the price tag due to the instrument's versatility, quality of build, tone and feel. And as someone rightly said, getting all those features on a custom build is going to bump the price up...plus sometimes having a signature model can affect the value of the instrument in the future. eg; The JP1 retained it's value, because it was rare and collectible where as non signature customs, even if just as good, depreciate quickly.
I understand. I will play signature models like at a gc or music store because a lot of the time they sound great, but the name is kind of a deterrent to me I don't know why. Its not because I can't be caught playing a bass with someone else's name on it its kind of an ownership thing for me I feel it can never be my bass in a way.
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Personally, I'm not so full of myself that I can't bear having a famous player's name on my bass.
Hey, you're just the bass player, check your ego at the door.
If a guy like Joe Bonamassa can play a sig guitar (EBMM Steve Morse) on the Big Stage, where do you get off thinking you're above playing one at the local bar or in the living room?
Reality check?
Hey, you're just the bass player, check your ego at the door.
If a guy like Joe Bonamassa can play a sig guitar (EBMM Steve Morse) on the Big Stage, where do you get off thinking you're above playing one at the local bar or in the living room?
Reality check?
It's not an ego thing for me, it's a visual clutter / ugly / gimmick thing. I've enjoyed & gigged some great sig basses, however would much prefer them without the fanboi graphics.
As evidenced by this thread, many if not most of those who play a sig bass just like it for its qualities and don't care much or aren't even big fans of the artist.
Put the sig on the back if it must be on there, a-la Will Lee.
As evidenced by this thread, many if not most of those who play a sig bass just like it for its qualities and don't care much or aren't even big fans of the artist.
Put the sig on the back if it must be on there, a-la Will Lee.
I think limiting yourself due to a sig is kind of silly. Thats like not playing a P-bass because thats Jamersons sound.
I bet i could (being the stealthy awesome ninja i am) steal Geddys bass off his techs bench, plug it into Geddys rig and sound nothing like him. Mostly because it will always be the carpenter not the tool and partially cuz i suck
I also think Fender made a mistake with its price point on the AC bass, i wouldnt pay that much for it, but maybe in a couple years ill pick one up used. Im a sucker for a matching headstock
We live in a time of almost infinite musical options for basses, amps and pedals, There's almost bound to be something for everyone regardless of their budget.
Options are a great thing, Unless you are Indiana jones trying to pick the holy grail, then fewer options are clearly better
I bet i could (being the stealthy awesome ninja i am) steal Geddys bass off his techs bench, plug it into Geddys rig and sound nothing like him. Mostly because it will always be the carpenter not the tool and partially cuz i suck
I also think Fender made a mistake with its price point on the AC bass, i wouldnt pay that much for it, but maybe in a couple years ill pick one up used. Im a sucker for a matching headstock
We live in a time of almost infinite musical options for basses, amps and pedals, There's almost bound to be something for everyone regardless of their budget.
Options are a great thing, Unless you are Indiana jones trying to pick the holy grail, then fewer options are clearly better
Eh...most of the sig basses have a tiny little sig on the headstock, barely legible from three feet away, non-intrusive to the overall aesthetics. To the point where only the owner knows it's there. Logic dictates that any objection to its being there is only an emotional reaction. Kinda anal in my view. I'll stick with the ego/vanity perspective. Fascinating, really.
Ok. I realize that this is probably just me, but I just can't bring myself to use gear with someone else's name on it! I'd rather have a bass with no name on it, than with someone else's. The new thread talking about the Adam Clayton bass reminded me of how I felt. It doesn't matter how good the product is, if it has some other dude's name on it, count me out! Anyone else feel this way? Or am I all alone?
I kind of know where you're coming from, but as someone already mentioned, some of the signatures have unique features. I'm gassing for a Tony Franklin P Bass for the upgraded PJ elctronics. I currently own a few signature models and have owned others in the past. I bought my Geddy Lee Jazz for the neck and because it reminds me of my old 72 that I wish I still had, I own a Chris Aiken Squier P Bass because it was cheap, has a great neck and sounds awesome...did I mention it was cheap? And I have owned a Steve Harris Precision which I sold because the neck felt like a baseball bat, was a pain in the ass to play, and it didn't sound as good as my American Special Precision for which I actually paid less money. I actually made out on that sale. I also have a Precision that I made up to look like the one Phil Lynott used to play with the mirror scratch plate. It's not a signature model, but it should be. Heck, everyone else has one, why not Phil.
I have one too- damn fine bass! In fact, beautifully built, looks great, plays like a dream (haven't touched truss rod or saddles since I bought it new some years ago- over six or seven years from memory) and it sounds great.
I have since become the lucky custodian of a 56 P and the Sting is a different beast- but a very good beast.
People I know get weird over the inlay- I say play it.
I spend no time listening to Sting and my band plays none of his stuff. To be honest, I don't like his stuff. The inlay was actually a draw back in me buying the bass because of all the carry on about it- I though, I won't be able to sell it!- Guess what? It is a definite keeper, so doesn't matter.
My adult son has a first issue Fender Dirnt- this example is a beauty- he wanted the single coil vibe but with split sound- not to look like Mr Dirnt. He likes Green Day, but actually plays Jazz basses- he bought the bass for the spec, how well it played and sounded, when he was looking for a P Bass.
Those are our dalliances with signatures models- not bought because of the artist's name (in fact, in spite of them), but because of the spec of the instrument.
So - no, sig models don't bother me. As long as they are what I am looking for, I may even buy them and use them.
Would I buy something simply because it has the endorsement of someone I do like as a bass player- NO. I am too old and cynical.
The first thing I did when I got my Chris Squire Signature Rickenbacker, was to get a replacement blank white pick-guard made (Rickenbacker put Chris' signature on the pick-guard, under the neck pickup). The signature wasn't the reason I replaced it (although it is very noticeable, ahem), I replaced it to keep the original pick-guard unscratched. Nowadays, I use the signature pick-guard, as the rest of the bass (looks wise) has gone to hell-in-a-hand-basket anyway. I originally purchased the bass because of it's 1.) sound 2.) feel/playability and 3.) uniqueness (it was hard to find a new 4001, with dot markers). Sorry Chris, but you were the 4th reason I got it. I have had literally thousands of hours of pleasure from it and all my complaints are aesthetic, only. It's a big world with lots of options. Get what you like, if you can. Leave the rest behind for others. 
Cheers,
Neal.
Cheers,
Neal.
Me Too. The worst of it is, Mrs. Pony said "Ooh, that's nice, why don't you get one of those next time?"
Just when I thought I'd stopped buying basses...
Mind you, she also asked me why I don't try my hand at the Cello.
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I wouldn't have the slightest problem using a bass with a woman's name on it. The Eva gardner bass is one I'd be happy with. I've tried one, and liked it. I thought it was named for the movie star!
I've just been perusing the "signature basses" page over at Thomann, and some of them look good, and aren't particularly expensive. The warwick Artist Series P Nut caught my eye, and the Bootsy Spacebass.
They also have the new Jack Casaday in White, which is really how I would like it if I bought one.
Sandberg 'Ken Taylor' is nice, but I have no idea who he is.
I think I hate this thread!
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She's also now rockin' a sweet Lakland Bass VI in addition to the Glaub.
I bought a geddy a few years back. I'm a huge rush fan and I always loved j basses. After playing a lot of them, Nothing had quite the feel nor the powerful tone the geddy has. To me, having the Sig on the back is just a plus the the amazing power house of the bass. Swapped the pickguard though for an original ish touch
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Stuff like Sting's bass or Pete Wentz's bass are ew in my opinion. The stupid bat on the Wentz model is kind of lame, but that's just me.
I love the Geddy because it will be the closest thing I will own to an actual 1970s Fender jazz bass...
I love the Geddy because it will be the closest thing I will own to an actual 1970s Fender jazz bass...
What is an even more interesting question, to me anyway, is how companies choose who is deserving of a signature model. Since Fender is the most obvious company for this, let's use them. Some signature models are no brainers. Jaco, Geddy Lee and Steve Harris are the reasons millions of bass players of a certain age even own a bass. Now, maybe I'm dating myself, but Pete Wentz, Chris Aiken? If it were not for their signature models I wouldn't even know these guys existed. Does the guy from U2 really rank a signature bass? Nothing against these players, but to me a signature bass should be like an induction to the Hall of Fame, there shouldn't even be a second thought about who deserves one. Jaco Pastorius signature model...absolutely. Nate Mendel...not so much. Does anyone really play bass because of Mike Dirnt, Mark Hoppus or Troy Sanders? Maybe, but I've never met one. Again, nothing against these players. There's a whole Facebook page dedicated to getting Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy a Fender Precision Signature Bass. Why not him? If Roger Waters has one, why not Phil? The Duff McKagen so called signature is nothing more than a White Precision Bass Special or P Bass Lyte 80s style. You can usually find an identical bass on Ebay from the 80s cheap. At what point does marketing signature models get silly? Maybe when I get one.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
No, because somebody might offer me a million dollars and tell my wife. Then I would have to take it and I wouldn't have the Gaolee signature Zombiecaster any more. There isn't another one.
I appreciate that that is your opinion about what signature basses are for (the 'Hall of Fame' idea), but the reality is that they are primarily a marketing exercise. Pete Wentz has a signature Squier because Fender decided that they would be able to sell basses in that price range to Fall Out Boy fans by doing so. They've made multiple Jaco models (plus the Squier VM fretless Jazz, which is near as anything to a 'Jaco sig' because legions of bass players think Jaco was amazing and Fender want to sell basses at all of those different price points to people who like Jaco.
Like it or not, plenty of teenagers started playing bass because they were inspired by the people who were playing their favourite rock music at the time. When I was starting to play bass, me and plenty of other musicians loved Green Day (Mike Dirnt), Blink 182 (Mark Hoppus), and Foo Fighters (Nate Mendel). These are massive, massive acts that have sold millions of records - why shouldn't some of those records have been sold to young musicians? I would never have gotten into, say, Weather Report if I had not first caught the music bug by playing simple, fun punk rock with my friends.
