Signature Instruments—-What Do We Think About Them?

[stingray69]

I don't understand the appeal of having an artist endorsement - I guess others might appreciate it, not judging.

If it's a brand I like, and has the things I'm looking for in an instrument - I would buy it regardless. Artist endorsement carry zero weight in my decision making process.

 

[JimmyM]

I don't understand the appeal of having an artist endorsement - I guess others might appreciate it, not judging.

If it's a brand I like, and has the things I'm looking for in an instrument - I would buy it regardless. Artist endorsement carry zero weight in my decision making process.

It’s for sure appealing to have one, though

I know a lot of people say they don’t buy based on endorsements, but I can’t think of very many successful products and companies that don’t do endorsements. I feel a lot better about buying stuff that has at least a few working pros as endorsers or users, although occasionally I can be talked into taking a calculated risk.

Anyway, sig gear is imho a different beast from your average endorsement, but it does work.

 

[primussucks9126]

I started on a Geddy Lee jazz when I was 15. I had no idea who Geddy was.

I asked for that or a Schecter Stiletto Studio for Christmas because they were among the highest rated basses on Musiciansfriend at the time. My dad has always been a Fender guy, and he made the executive decision.

I never really thought much about it, and these days I still don't.

Signature basses can be a cool opportunity for obscure feature sets to get a wider release, but not many of them line up with my interests and preferences. Too often they're just a regular bass with a paint job.

I did REALLY like/want that Yamaha Peter Hook signature from a few years back, though.

 

[stingray69]

It’s for sure appealing to have one, though

I know a lot of people say they don’t buy based on endorsements, but I can’t think of very many successful products and companies that don’t do endorsements. I feel a lot better about buying stuff that has at least a few working pros as endorsers or users, although occasionally I can be talked into taking a calculated risk.

Anyway, sig gear is imho a different beast from your average endorsement, but it does work.

Agreed, I'm not saying it's not a worthwhile endeavor for companies to do it.

Practically every major brand does, it's definitely a good way to bring attention to a specific model (or your brand as a whole), it just doesn't hold any appeal or sway with me either way. As we know, some times endorsing artists don't even use the gear they endorse either live or in the studio, some do. Sometimes they'll even drop the entire brand after a few years. That's not a knock, just another facet of the topic. It is what it is. So I'm just kinda meh, about the idea of it in general. I'm just over here tryna' be me. If an endorsing artist's model or product holds appeal to me based on it's own merits/tone/whatever, I'll buy it.

 

[Dlew919]

I have a Tim Armstrong Hellcat acoustic guitar. I like it. I have heard precisely one rancid song (which I liked) but it was a good size has a good pickup and I like its tone. I used to want an Eric Clapton strat but like the Marcus miller jazz I used to crave I don’t really like mucking around with batteries. (Though my five string uses them).

If you get what you want from a signature go for it. If you’re a huge fan of an instrument and its wear, go for it. I’d rather just play. And I don’t really mind what I play. And I mind even less what you do.

 

[JesterR]

If specs are nice for me, then does not matter how manufacturer called particular model.
Here is my JMJ Mustang:

And my Jason Isbell Tele:

Both of them has specs which I like. And when I tried them in the store I was blown away on how they sounds and feels and bought them. Definitely my favorite guitars.

 

[fretno]

So I have that Moon but also a Matoba Wataru SG. Who is a anime character lol

 

[pklima]

I have one. Liked how it looks, thought the concept was pretty funny. Checked out the bassist's playing a bit, the music was OK but not really my thing. But that satisfied my curiosity and I bought the bass.

So, the marketing works both ways - sure I didn't love the music and buy a bunch of albums, but the cool-looking sig bass did get me to check it out and listen to a few songs on yt.

 

[Watchootognbout]

What do I think?
They are based on the mistaken hope that We all had that if I had my bass heroes bass,I would be able to play just like them.
(Just a little)

 

[Tim Schnautz]

There are mentions of Signature basses (such as the Chris Squire Rickenbacker) all over the “Basses” threads and in some other areas, but have we ever discussed them as a whole? Yes, I know, it is difficult to generalize about them because by nature they are all different because they reflect the wants of the Artist. I DID search by the way!

So, do you have any? Do you like it/them? Why? Would you never buy one? Why?

Interestingly, I don’t have any Signature basses but quite a few of my acoustic and electric guitars are signature models. Why did I gravitate towards them? Well, it ISN’T what many naysayers think about Signature instruments. I am not a Fanboy, nor am I trying to cop someone else’s tone and style. Just the opposite…I like instruments that are unique and stimulate my creativity because they are different.

Examples: my first Signature was purchased because it was the opposite of most Signature instruments. It was NOT really expensive. Just the opposite. It was a Jewel Kirchner “JKSM” Taylor guitar. I knew nothing of her when I stumbled on it when it was new. It played even better than most Taylors. It has a voice that is so sweet. It is a “green” instrument (Jewel wanted sustainability to be the focus). It is simply appointed. But many people gravitate towards it much more than my Martin or other guitars. It even has a sweet smell unlike any other guitar due to its Satinwood. It was $1300. I see one on Reverb for $2000. Anyway, it was the start. My other Signatures are very different and were chosen for different reasons.

So what say you TalkBass members? Let’s try to emphasize basses, but I think it is cool to discuss whatever Signature instruments come to mind.

I was tempted in buying a Geddy Lee Jazz bass. I liked how it played and though different, I liked how the neck felt.
I started reading other boards about them and heard there were complaints of the unstable necks, twisting and warping so I stayed away from it.

 

[Dlew919]

I like signatures that are designed for use. Not replicas of a personal instrument. But if you’re a huge fan of of player X and buy their lovingly crafted signature replica model go for it. I’ll probably gush over it anyway.

 

[Dlew919]

That embarrassment when you’ve already replied to a thread. Fortunately I said approximately the same thing.

 

[Indiedog]

That embarrassment when you’ve already replied to a thread. Fortunately I said approximately the same thing.

It was just because the Thread was sooooo good that you responded twice. As the OP I am being Big Headed, of course.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Having skimmed the thread, I'm sure my thoughts will be echoed, in full or in part, by a few people here.

Personally, I have no problem with signature instruments, but only if they are a somewhat, or possibly even bold, departure from the normal rank & file brand instruments.¹ That, or if it's a decent reproduction of a since bygone instrument.² If it's a name slapped onto a fairly ordinary instrument? Boring!³

And while I do not currently own a full, signature instrument⁴, I have taken some parts and/or inspiration from certain siggys. For example, I converted a Mighty Mite Jazz into a P/J, mirroring the testing and engineering put into the Fender Reggie Hamilton Jazz...

...built my Projekt Black parts-bass around a Fender Geddy Lee body...

...then, gave that same bass a bit of a "facelift" with some inspiration from a Fender-Japan "Ventures" signature bass.

So, to the manufacturers out there (who will likely never read this post), make 'em different...make 'em special...and not just a hunk of wood and metal that bears someone's mass-produced autograph.


¹: Fender Reggie Hamilton Jazz, Blu de Tiger Jazz, Stu Hamm Urge, Roscoe Beck
²: Fender Flea Jazz
³: Fender Dee Dee Ramone Precision
⁴: I owned a Squier Mikey Way Mustang, but not for too long. The body kept yanking the neck upwards and the sound was too "monochromatic" for my tastes.

 

[munkeyfish]

I love my Fender Tony Franklin Fretless. I am generally not one to like signature instruments, but this TF fretless is excellent and it's the only Fender Precision Fretless bass on the market, so if you want a fretless P, this is it. As for other signature basses, it all depends. I don't like them with the artist's signature is prominent. Like the Fender Sting model where his signature is on the 12th fret.

Not sure if anyone else mentioned it, But I recently discovered the Sire P7 and P8 has a fretless option. Both are active/passive, but a P/J Fretless P spec'd P bass with a P neck, not the J neck. Seems like you have to order it direct if you want it new however, I'm not seeing them new in the store.

 

[OMpZoNE]

I have 2 signature model Basses: Edwards E-T-170BD(Tetsuya, the bassist of the Japanese rock band L‘Arc~en~Ciel), and Moon JB-5 Sutoh Model(Mitsuru Sutoh, a famous Japanese bassist in fusion jazz area)
Well, I must say that I choose signatures just because the appearance is the same as the bassist. I hope others can know which bassist or band I love. And to tell the truth, I think signatures (especially the signatures of rock band bassist) are usually more attractive than the common models.
But when talk about the sound, and the product quality, I found that it really depends on price, or the product series/level. In these Japanese brand, cheap signatures may just made a similar appearance, but the electronic system, the woods, the pickups are not good. Even in some cheap model, some control knobs are dummy! My second-hand 170BD is the example, it doesn't use ESP Cinnamon, and the sound and the power is really different Bardic (the top level ESP Tetsuya model). When I bought it, I remember I spend 6500RMB(equals about 890 USD today).
And after I bought my Moon, I found it really sounds like Mr. Sutoh. Maybe the spec is totally the same as Mr.Sutoh's bass. And it is more expensive than my 170BD: the price is 378000 JPN, (equals about 2420 USD)

 

[Bob_Ross]

So, do you have any? Do you like it/them? Why? Would you never buy one? Why?

I do not currently own -- nor have I ever, now that I think about it -- any "Signature" instruments.
And in general there is absolutely nothing about a bass being some other player's pet instrument that makes it attractive to me, no matter how famous that other player is. I definitely don't want to pay a premium because a bass is built to the exact spec that So-and-so played on a bunch of albums, and I'm definitely not interested in seeing somebody else's name written on the bass...especially if I can get a more-or-less otherwise identical bass without that other player's name written on it for less money. Or even for the same money, I don't want to see anybody else's name on my bass.

In short, there is absolutely zero attraction to me for "Signature" instruments just because they are "Signature" instruments.

However, there are a couple of basses that I would love to own -- because they are incredible instruments that appeal to me due to their execution and how they fit into my personal musical aesthetic -- that just happen to be "Signature" instruments. Specifically,
- an F Bass AC-6 (Alain Caron signature model)
- a Fodera Jackson Presentation II (Anthony Jackson signature model)

So I would own those if I could afford them...but not because of Alain or Anthony, rather because they are very nice basses.

 

[sleddogn]

They exist. Who actually cares if there is someone's name on it? It's a bass, rock it or not...

 

[Dlew919]

Of course the second most popular guitar sold is a signature - the Gibson Les Paul.

 

[JakobT]

A thing that has recently occurred to me is that signature basses may be a good way for manufacturers to mix things up a little. They can get a popular player’s take on their instruments, and present something new and interesting that many buyers might want.

Granted, we’re all rugged individualists here on TB, but every time I’ve I gone to a masterclass or clinic with a well-known bassist, the majority of the questions are usually about strings, pickups, and how they get their tone. A signature bass could be a good shortcut for the buyer, and good marketing for the manufacturer.