Tape Over Logos

[Old Blastard]

I guess if you MUST tape over for legal issues, that's one thing. I don't mind the Fender logos on a headstock or on an amp as long as it's not stupid huge. I bought the gear because it's good and it's just not a burn-in-my-soul issue.

I would never insist that Andrew Drake leave his logo off a bass he made for me.

On the other hand I IMMEDIATELY REMOVE A CAR DEALERS NAME OFF OF A CAR I BUY! He can pay me to advertise his money grubbing arse. Toyota made it. I'll leave their name on it.

Yes, I see the contradiction.

 

[RNG1]

I used to do it when I endorsed an electrical tape company.

 

[jasonrp]

My reasonable guess is that some people are endorsing another product and they have to cover the logo on any competition. My unreasonable guess is that the artist has an overinflated sense of how much people value his opinion on products.

 

[el_Bajo_Verde]

So what about extremely obvious designs like Ibanez or Schecter? It would be useless to cover up the name then...

 

[jam.majors]

I’ve seen it on everything. Keyboards seem to be popular to tape over.

We would tape over the Logo at church because it caught the stage lights real well even when we lowered the stage brightness. So we were try to not have a mega
YAMAHA
visually screaming at our congregants. Most people don't have iridescent logos on their bass, though.

 

[chris_b]

I don't understand why any one would tape over a logo, unless they were being paid to play something else. I have seen several people taking the name plates off cabs. Like there's nothing more appealing than an anonymous black box!

In my bass playing world no one has more than a fleeting interest in the gear I'm using. The only thing anyone is interested in is me (can they have an intelligent conversation) and that my playing is an asset to the band. Nothing else matters, nor should it.

 

[mc900ftj]

What's the best tape for metal?

 

[Old Blastard]

I noticed in photo shoots for some advertisements what is clearly a Fender or Gibson will have its name blocked out or airbrushed so Inassume it's some sort of legal issue.

 

[TonyP-]

What do you think of pros putting electrical tape over the logos in their instruments? To me it reads as “They’re not paying me so I’m not giving them any exposure.” And the corolary on their same gear where you can read the logo, “You can read this logo only because they’re paying me.” So, it doesn’t have much impact to me. Personally, I’ve had opportunities to do a few endorsements but always passed. I’ve received a few discounts in the past (minor) but I play what I play because I like it. IT allows me to afford the gear I want and I don’t feel like I have an obligation to play anything other than what’s best for the gig.

#AlienAudio #Mesa #Ampeg #Fender

Hey Rich
I did not read all the replies (this need to be stated in case I have repeated something).

I can say as an artist who lives in this realm a lot times its not the artist BUT the artists endorsing company that wants that electrical tape on.

There are contracts out there stating you cannot be see sporting another brands logo in a live performance, ect...OR what I have seen, is that it is courtesy by the artist to their endorsing instrument company out of respect and/or gentleman agreement with them.

#mikeLullcustomguitars #GallienKrueger #adesigns #GHSstrings #Nordstrandpickups #Tsunamicables #basswitch #darkglass #DSMNoismaker

 

[bryan gibson]

I've seen this on amps, but never instruments.

Watch the ending of Crossroads. Steve Vai was still playing Jackson guitars at the time, but Michael Jackson (or his lawyers...) didn't want "bad publicity" from Devil-Spawn Jack Butler having a big "Jackson" logo on his Soloist. Thus, the black tape on the headstock.

 

[Pirate Captain]

It usually only happens on television, and movies.

I worked in television for years...you HAVE to do this for brand names and logos. I can't tell you how many times I had to turn bottles around on the backs of bars, or cover the apple logo on a laptop with a generic sticker, or so on.

 

[cdlynch]

Lots of people crapping on the practice haven't read the many posts explaining the most common reason of "Product Displacement," usually related to TV appearances, and not the artists' decision.

I'm not awesome enough to be on TV, but #BecauseI'm12 I like to rearrange the letters of my logos whenever I can:

Mesa Boogie + tape = Boo
Epiphone + Xacto saw = hippo (for a modded Valve Jr.)
Peavey + Xacto saw = Pee
Ampeg+ Xacto saw = mega (but I won't cut my vintage 70's badge because this)
If I had a Fender amp it'd become "nerd."

 

[xnewyorka]

Do you tape over the logos on your car too?

I removed all mine with dental floss. Then some Goo Gone to get the glue off. Works great.

 

[lowend1]

The taping-over for broadcast is a well-known practice and is centered around money in almost all cases. What I don't understand here is how many people apparently play on and through gear that they love, yet obscure or remove logos because they don't want to "advertise". Really? Nothing like crediting the manufacturer with producing something that plays / sounds great. Would you like it if your music went out with absolutely no namecheck whatsoever? Is that an effective marketing strategy? Logo placement is an integral part of industrial design. Get over it.

 

[GwenOnBass]

IMO That big honkin’ silver Aguilar logo they put on their pickups begs to be taped over purely for visual aesthetics if nothing else.

^ This.

And that also goes for other bits like bridges. I hold ever assurance the Babicz bridge is a quality piece. Yet when I consider a new bass with the massively branded Babicz bridge standing out like a sore thumb my first reaction is: replace the bridge. Because, to me, tape looks gauche.

Oddly, I'm okay with subtle branding such as the silks on strings. We certainly have people here at TB who can nail a string brand by the hue of the silks.

 

[jaymelewis]

It could also be because someone tried to work with a particular company and that company refused to endorse the artist. If that's the case, then artist has full right to refuse promoting that company. If the artist is getting exposure, why would he/she bring someone along with him/her that doesn't want to be associated with them? I don't think its stingy, quite often its just business.

 

[40Hz]

Always figured it was an affectation for folks that want to appear "anti-establishment." Nobody really cares what gear you play, only if it sounds good.

+1! This!

I aways found it amusing how somebody rationalizes joining the “anti-establishment establishment” just to show how against being “just like everyone else” (present company excluded) they are.

No fashion is its own fashion statement. Saying “no comment” is making a comment. Having “no opinion” is having one. “Not playing their game” is playing a different game. Rebellion is mostly just moving the goalposts and dropping one rule book only in order to pick up another one. Not much else is all that different.

There’s no escaping the yin-yang dynamic.

 

[buldog5151bass]

^ This.

Oddly, I'm okay with subtle branding such as the silks on strings. We certainly have people here at TB who can nail a string brand by the hue of the silks.

A big part is how subtle the branding. I actually like to know what something is. If I see something I like, it's good to be able to identify it - that is part of how we decide what to buy. But it can go overboard.

 

[jamro217]

Could be that the bass is just a punk.

 

[+6dB Dan]

whatever the reason behind the taping it is a silly practice: there are a number of other elements in the shapes/color patterns of the gear that indicate the brand even with the logo taped over. that reminds me of this guy i saw once in a TV show playing on a huge orange (color) rig with the logo taped over... i am still trying to figure out what was the brand of his rig... any help?

To me, it’s a lot like when lyrics in music recordings are censored. We all know what the singer/rapper/speaker is saying anyway, so what’s the point really?