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Re-Branded gear? I'd like to see it.

jbybj

jbybj

Supporting Member
Jun 11, 2008
6,808
16,381
Los Angeles
#1
Back in 1975, my buddy Rob, upon hearing that I was going to learn the Bass, reaches into the back of his closet and produces a small guitar amp and no name Japanese guitar. The guitar was branded with a Dymo label that read "Fwabadap", and his amp had a large metal badge that read "Blodgett". He had rebranded his Sears Silvertone with a badge from a 1950's stove. It was very entertaining to see how other young musicians responded to a Blodgett amp. Everything from "What?!?" to "oh yeah, those are killer amps." In the 50 years since, I have taken the opportunity to rebrand some of my gear, always with the utmost cleverness in mind. I don't know if this practice is common or not, so I ask if anyone has some rebranding of their own to share, please do.

First victim was my beloved Traynor Bassmaster Mark II YBA-1A. The badge was harvested from a space heater at a Goodwill in Santa Cruz California, 1978, long before anyone had heard of Trent. And yes, I used to get lots of compliments on the sound of my Reznor. It doesn't get out much anymore, it leads a life of leisure in my garage.

IMG_2056.jpeg


When I do air it out for old times sake, it plays though this Greenboy designed 12" "Reznor Turbo". The Reznor badge was harvested from an old storefront on Magnolia BLVD in Burbank, late 90's. The Turbo was for my 2012 Chevy Sonic, after its bodywork. I chose to re-task it.

IMG_2057.jpeg


My Helix HXFX became "Special" shortly after I got it, 10 years ago. This badge was harvested from a garage sale, years before, waiting for a proper home.

IMG_2055.jpeg


Had a significant remodel to our kitchen last year. Going through a manual a couple of weeks ago, and out dropped a badge. My new Allen & Heath mixer is now a "Sub*Zero".
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To those who may be thinking, this is juvenile and silly, no need to post this observation. It's a given, not new information to me. If you have any rebranded, or Un-branded gear to share, I welcome it.

Oh yeah, unbranded. My Epifani UL-112 is now a no name cabinet.

IMG_2058.jpeg
 
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#2
For every example of imaginative rebranding such as those in your photos, there are at least 50 people out there who have replaced a Squier headstock decal with Fender. ("I did it for my own pleasure, not because I've afraid of being judged. Anyway, I'm never going to sell it, so what's the difference? And when I do sell it, I'll make the buyer promise to tell whoever it's sold to next that it's not really a Fender.")
 
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#6
jbybj said:
Back in 1975, my buddy Rob, upon hearing that I was going to learn the Bass, reaches into the back of his closet and produces a small guitar amp and no name Japanese guitar. The guitar was branded with a Dymo label that read "Fwabadap", and his amp had a large metal badge that read "Blodgett". He had rebranded his Sears Silvertone with a badge from a 1950's stove. It was very entertaining to see how other young musicians responded to a Blodgett amp. Everything from "What?!?" to "oh yeah, those are killer amps." In the 50 years since, I have taken the opportunity to rebrand some of my gear, always with the utmost cleverness in mind. I don't know if this practice is common or not, so I ask if anyone has some rebranding of their own to share, please do.

First victim was my beloved Traynor Bassmaster Mark II YBA-1A. The badge was harvested from a space heater at a Goodwill in Santa Cruz California, 1978, long before anyone had heard of Trent. And yes, I used to get lots of compliments on the sound of my Reznor. It doesn't get out much anymore, it leads a life of leisure in my garage.

View attachment 7496715

When I do air it out for old times sake, it plays though this Greenboy designed 12" "Reznor Turbo". The Reznor badge was harvested from an old storefront on Magnolia BLVD in Burbank, late 90's. The Turbo was for my 2012 Chevy Sonic, after its bodywork. I chose to re-task it.

View attachment 7496731

My Helix HXFX became "Special" shortly after I got it, 10 years ago. This badge was harvested from a garage sale, years before, waiting for a proper home.

View attachment 7496735

Had a significant remodel to our kitchen last year. Going through a manual a couple of weeks ago, and out dropped a badge. My new Allen & Heath mixer is now a "Sub*Zero".
View attachment 7496737

To those who may be thinking, this is juvenile and silly, no need to post this observation. It's a given, not new information to me. If you have any rebranded, or Un-branded gear to share, I welcome it.

Oh yeah, unbranded. My Epifani UL-112 is now a no name cabinet.

View attachment 7496758
Click to expand...
Well I find it silly and juvenile but I’d do the same as you did ahah 🤣 very amusing and creative 👍🏻👍🏻
 
#8
Not re-branded, but an IMC rep that would come by the store brought in a parts Strat, a prototype that never went into production, but they were getting dealer feedback on it. One hell of a guitar, first Strat I ever saw with the then-new stacked pickups that fit the standard rout, traditional wiggle stick, really, really nice, and dead quiet.

Their tech who built it added a logo on the head right where you'd expect it, perfectly rendered in the black and gold spaghetti font, except it said 'F++ker Strandocaster'. Looked utterly legit from 5 or 10 feet away, only when you really walked right up on it . . . . could you read it.

He assured us THAT part would not be included in a production version . . . . .
 
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#9
Not a bass or a piece of music great, but:
When I built the building to be my guitar building workshop, I used an old VW minibus as my tool shed. After I was finished the bus went away, but I saved the badge and gear shift knob. After the shop was set up I screwed the badge to the side of my big overarm router (a 1000lb cast iron behemoth) and put the gear shift knob on the turret lever. Lots of people thought it was legit.
I no longer have the machine but I’m pretty sure I still have those logos somewhere.
 
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#10
I've de-branded stuff if I hate the logo (I'm looking at you, Peavey), but re-branding is much more clever. I think it's brilliant. Perhaps it was you who inspired Geddy to take it even further and replace his entire stage rig with appliances.
 
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#19
jbybj said:
To those who may be thinking, this is juvenile and silly, no need to post this observation. It's a given, not new information to me. If you have any rebranded, or Un-branded gear to share, I welcome it.
Click to expand...
I've done quite a few over the years, from my Less Paul to de-badged Peaveys to many unlabeled black Krylon primer DIY builds. But the ones that get the second looks have mostly been the stuff that does have my own logos. Wonder why, speaking of juvenile and silly? ;)

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ER2.jpg
 
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