Tape Over Logos

[Passinwind]

Rather than taping over the brand name, my preference would be a new logo that is utterly incongruous with the context. Like adorning the headstock with a Raleigh (bicycle) crest or branding my cab with a White Star Line flag. More fun to gonk some heads out there who are sizing up my gear to see if I'm hip enough to use Brand X.

Heh. That just may have had something to do with my choice of "company name." It's fairly common for the conversation to go this way at stage side:

"Whose amp is that?"

Moi: "Mine."

"OK, but whose amp is that?"

Rinse and repeat as needed.

 

[JimmyThunder]

I "tape over" logos as a standard part of my lifestyle. There's one on my alarm clock because I don't need to start every morning with an ad for RCA as the first thing I see. My TV has tape over the Samsung logo, my cars are always de-badged if they're not bolted on, I almost never wear clothes displaying corporate logos, etc. I have worked at ad agencies my whole life, getting paid specifically to put logos on things all day, so I'm not just letting it go for free in my personal life.

Black electrical tape against a black background is practically invisible...my MarkBass head just looks like a blank space where a logo might have gone. Same with my cabinet badge. Unfortunately Fender's natural maple headstocks look bad with black tape - I always felt it DREW attention to hiding something moreso than actually hiding the logo, so I just live with the logo on that one...my Fender with a black headstock remains taped. I think the black tape on my BC Rich headstock is kinda ugly, but not as ugly as the obscenely oversized BC Rich logo. If any of those companies would like to hire me for my advertising services, my rates are reasonable.

 

[inanimate_carb]

There’s a variety of reasons this happens, some of which we’re not privy to. When “Late Night with David Letterman” started gaining popularity and traction, NBC demanded that the guys in the band tape over every brand logo. The network felt it was free advertising. The joke was on them because we all figured out what they were playing and in many cases bought the same stuff anyway.

 

[mellowinman]

What brand of tape is it?

 

[nostatic]

What's the best tape for metal?

Lined or unlined tape?

 

[WardEarth]

I cover my cabs logo up cause I don't want anyone knowing that its a higher end cab, maybe less likely to be a victim of theft. Or maybe not, who knows.

 

[fclefgeoff]

Personally, I dislike logos and remove them most of the time. However, I have never removed the logo from a headstock but have pulled the badge off nearly every cab I have owned. Likewise, I do not buy or wear clothing that has a prominent logo either.

 

[BC Blackmur]

What's the best tape for metal?

Lined or unlined tape?

Black

 

[Badwater]

I've never seen it in club gigs or at wedding parties. But if the player has an endorsement or is playing for a commercial music industry entity it's likely they don't want the promoter/producer to get sued for trademark infringement if the credits don't include the trademark brands or the producer didn't get permission to market the trademark. And I agree, the player may not want to endorse any brands they aren't getting paid for.

 

[beans-on-toast]

I’ve removed logos on amps because I thought that they were gaudy. From a design perspective, I thought that they took away from the look.

I’ve removed logos from instrument cases because I didn’t want them stolen. Some areas can be rough.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

I always thought it had to do with the Production company/TV company and commercialization, and not so much with endorsements. IIRC, I believe I saw a Taylor Swift performance and every single logo on stage was blacked out. I’m sure the band has plenty of endorsements with whomever and the issue is with the TV company airing a sort of “advertisement” for said music companies without getting paid for it.

CBS increased the size of Fender head stocks and logos in ‘65 so that he name could be seen better on TV....THEIR TV...

 

[NOVAX]

What if you just think the logo is butt fugly?

 

[guy n. cognito]

It usually stems from a bruised ego resulting from a rejected endorsement request.

 

[guy n. cognito]

I think most manufacturers would be wise to have naked headstocks and require an audition before a buyer is allowed to have the name emblazoned on said headstock.

How about a weight limit for branded clothes? Now, we’re getting somewhere!!!

 

[tlc1976]

To me it smacks of pettiness on somebody’s part. It also draws sufficient attention that it subverts whatever intent it had in the first place.

I agree, no tape and no big deal, I wouldn't even notice unless the player was exceptional. But tape the logo, and I don't care how good or bad the player is, it draws attention to the equipment IMO. Twice I can think of off hand. 21 Pilots on SNL had a bass with tape on the headstock logo. And Alicia Keys playing a Roland Jupiter 8 with the logo taped, since she has a Yamaha endorsement.

 

[A-Step-Towards]

I took the Gk logos off my cab because they looked like tramp stamps , big ugly ovals on A otherwise clean silver cab grate. They unbolted and I like it much more. The head still shows GK logos and I don’t care to cover it.

 

[superheavyfunk]

I'll take off or cover up brand names and logos if they're really ugly. Otherwise, I'm a firm *meh* on the whole thing.

That said, I NEVER wear clothes that has a plainly visible brand on them because why should I? There's plenty of nice stuff out there and I'm not the type that needs to show off how "brand aware" I am.

 

[mikewalker]

What's the best tape for metal?

that's easy...

 

[buldog5151bass]

As others have stated, I think it is just for contractual reasons, where it HAS to be done. Same way on TV if someone doesn't sign a release, they just blur out the face, or with televised poker, sometimes a logo has tape over it.

 

[Kmonk]

This is referred to as "Product Displacement". The removing of trademarked products from primarily visual media. This is done in order to avoid the payment of licensing fees, if the trademark owner objects, or if the broadcaster would prefer not to publicize a product for free or if the owners of the trademark have not paid for it to be included in a program.