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Signature Models

Would you buy a signature bass ?

  • Yes

    Votes: 117 47.8%

  • No

    Votes: 17 6.9%

  • Not unless it was my signature bass

    Votes: 19 7.8%

  • Maybe, depends

    Votes: 92 37.6%
  • Total voters
    245
  • Poll closed .
#41
No one could be less like Flea than me. In fact, most of you probably like Flea much MORE than I do, but I did at one time own a Modulus Flea 5.

I sounded like Flea. I sold it. Great bass if you wanna do that stuff, though.
 
#44
I own a Geddy Lee Jazz. The reason that I bought it was because I had played almost a hundred MIM's and well over fifty MIA's locally, and it played and sounded better than all of them.

I didn't even notice the signature(and yes, I am a Geddy fan). I saw it, loved the tuxedo finish and black blocks on maple fingerboard(my favorite Jazz neck ever) and when I plugged it in, it spoke to me. I asked the guy at the store how much it was, and he said 'Oh, that Geddy Lee signature Jazz?' I was like 'What?!?!?!?' Looked on the back of the headstock, and how about that!

This was before the MIM was redesigned and the new American Series came out. Fender's quality control and consistency has really come a long way in the past two years. But at that time, this MIJ blew them all away.
 
#47
Another Roscoe Beck Sig fan here... it was my choice as first five-string bass, and years later I play the Fender RB5 every bit as much as the fancier fivers I've bought since (MTD, Modulus, Lull, Warwick).

My choice had nothing to do with Roscoe Beck the player; I had no opinion about him either way. Now I'm extremely impressed with Roscoe Beck... the bass designer! (He's also a very tasty player).
 
#48
I agree on The Allen Woody - I love mine - I like it better than my vintage Hofner. It sounds amazing and plays effortlessly w/ the flats on it. I had a Jack Casady for a while and found that to be a pretty nice player as well. It does not really matter that these are signature models but that they are great basses.

Someone made a remark that the sig models are usually better than bone stock for not much more $. A lot of these instruments are incorporating popular player mods (ala Marcus Miller) into a stock instrument for a good price. Something to think about - it cost's a lot of $$ to put together an "Ultimate parts jazz bass" for example. But for $800 you have that Marcus or Jaco bass and it's ready to go right out of the box. I never understood why fender didn't make a Jaco bass in the 70's or even offer a stock fretless jazz bass until the early 90s
 
#49
I don't think I'd be drawn to a bass particularly because it's a sig model. Even if it bore the name of a player I really admire.

However, I think I might feel a bit weird if I found a bass I loved and it turned out to be a *insert lame bassist name here* signature model.

Maybe I wouldn't buy it due to the stigma I'd associate with it. Call me shallow.

I think a sig model makes me think the bass is more of a marketing gimmick than a quality bass built on custom specs. I know that's not always the case.
 
#56
I voted "maybe, depends" and what I was thinking is that some day when I can afford it, I will probably buy a Flea Bass - and I've never even played one, but they are beautifull and it would make a great conversation piece. I'm a pretty big time Flea fan - there is no other player I admire more and I would own one just because it's Flea's sig. model. (although I have a sneaking suspicion that it would sound and play great!)
 
#57
Originally posted by john turner
the bill dickens sig conklin groove tools bass is an excellent instrument. when we start gigging a lot i will probably get one to use in some of the sleazier dives we will probably have to pay our dues in. :D
Click to expand...

:(
:D
That trade's still open...my Dickens and a bucket of purple paint for one of your $3k+ basses....



"crickets"
 
#58
I'd only count the 'signature' aspect if it was large enough to be obtrusive (and that would be a negative mark).

I would consider any special design tweaks, but I'd still want to play the instrument and make sure it would work for me - I'd also be very wary of paying a premium cost simply because of the endorsement. After all, how many top notch players have made their mark playing someone else's signature bass?

Wulf
 
#59
I avoid signature stuff unless there's no other choice. Since my taste leans towards luthiers rather than the giant companies, I can get whatever I want from them (which could include a signature bass, minus the "signature" part. There ends up being little need for me to bother with signature stuff.

Signatures are a wierd bunch. They're all over the scale on quality and price.
 
#60
I don't have a problem with signature basses, but I do have a problem with the following:

1)Players who switch brands on an almost yearly basis. It's obvious that money has played the major part in such a change.

2)Players who are never seen without their instrument of choice, leading impressionable or easily influenced to think that's how they got their sound and then you discover that they actually recorded the album using a top of the range Modulus or Alembic or similar.

I think some signature instruments are a great idea and truly original:
Fender Roscoe Beck
Ibanez Gary Willis
The Modulus Flea 5-string - electronics mainly

but many are nothing more than just a stock bass with a different finish, maybe some better pickups and different finish hardware
 

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