What signature model is actually worth it?

[Boz68]

I was surprised as well. I scanned and had to mention it.

Ditto. My US Geddy is worth every penny & more!

 

[Rolling Thunder]

Jack Casady

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Why are both of these special?

Because they look, sound, and play really great, and aren’t too expensive to buy.

 

[Chrisk-K]

The only sig instrument that I am interested in is the Fender Tony Franklin Fretless.

 

[Killing Floor]

The Gibson “Les Paul” is worth it.

 

[Scarysharkface]

I just learned the Dave Grohl signature guitar is going for upward toward $25k. That seems insane for what is likely a standard 335 style guitar with little diamonds instead of F-holes. 335s are expensive enough, but now this?

Got me thinking about other signature guitars and basses and wondering if any of them are special or unique enough to warrant a premium, or are they just valuable to a fan because the fans like the player. Of course, fans want to buy what their idols play, thats understandable, but are any of these guitar or bass signatures good enough that a non-fan would want the unique specs?

Edit: if you know of one, list it and add why it's special. Thanks!

Alembic Stanley Clark Signature and Mark King Signature basses are actually less expensive than their Series counterparts.

John

 

[J Wilson]

Conceptually I'm less interested in signature instruments that are visual riffs on an existing common design, like the Adam Clayton Fenders. More interesting are designs you can't really get anywhere other than on that signature instrument.

That said, the Gary Willis Ibanez comes to mind as pretty cool. The electronics approach, both in terms of pickup placement and what the pickup and preamp are, is unique to that instrument. As are the fingerboard wood, ebonol choices. The bass sounds pretty unique, though probably closer to a fretless Stingray than anything else. And the factory installed ramp isn't available on any other Ibanez that I'm aware of.

Along with another fretless signature bass, the Alain Caron Fretless Six, by FBass:

OK, this one's a five, but I can dream about one.

So is that an F-hole, or an FBass hole?

 

[Ricky Rioli]

The Johnny Marr Jaguar almost makes me wish I still played the guitar.

 

[MAJORA64]

I recently purchased an Ibanez Gerald Veasley off of Reverb and it was amazing right out of the box. Not only was the thin string spacing way more comfortable than I expected but it is also solidly build with a little weight to it, very good quality. Thinking of getting one of those silver MM John Myung Bongos soon since the Ibanez was so comfortable.

 

[Tanner5382]

The Gibson “Les Paul” is worth it.

A solid-body guitar? That'll never catch on.

 

[Tanner5382]

Pretty niche, but the Roger Glover sig Vigier Excess is cool. And gives you a mid control which the standard Excess does not have.

 

[shirojiro]

For the money, the OLP Tony Levin sig bass is a great bass for cheap.

 

[mdogs]

Fender Roscoe Beck

That pickup/preamp setup is absolutely perfect. I have never owned one, but played one a friend of mine owned several times. I may eventually have to buy one.

Hope you’re not too disappointed when you find out that stock bass has no preamp.

 

[Cristo]

I just learned the Dave Grohl signature guitar is going for upward toward $25k. That seems insane for what is likely a standard 335 style guitar with little diamonds instead of F-holes. 335s are expensive enough, but now this?

Got me thinking about other signature guitars and basses and wondering if any of them are special or unique enough to warrant a premium, or are they just valuable to a fan because the fans like the player. Of course, fans want to buy what their idols play, thats understandable, but are any of these guitar or bass signatures good enough that a non-fan would want the unique specs?

Edit: if you know of one, list it and add why it's special. Thanks!

Years ago I got a CIJ Geddy Lee sig jazz bass, and it was every bit worth it. At the time it did not cost more than other typical jazz basses.

 

[REV]

For my money the Geddy Lee Jazz Bass is just about the best production Jazz Bass Fender makes. Both the MIA and the MIJ.

 

[Bruce Pete]

A solid-body guitar? That'll never catch on.

I guess that's why there are hundreds of thousands out there, geesh!

 

[mikewalker]

The Johnny Marr Jaguar almost makes me wish I still played the guitar.

OK, I bit and had a look... swapped around bridge hardware bits, couple new switches and a couple bareknuckle pickups... cool! Then I looks at the price - that's a HEALTHY premium!

 

[Richard Lindsey]

On the skinny-string side, the Carvin/Kiesel Holdsworth models. Thoughtfully designed, idiosyncratic, well made, and not massively expensive as these things go (unless you go crazy with the bling) ... but definitely not for everyone. Not even for me, as it turns out. I had a couple but ended up moving them along--both to the same guy, as it happens, who absolutely adores these models.

On the fat-string side, I've never seen a sig bass I really wanted to have. The Patitucci Yamaha probably came closest but still had a couple of things I didn't want. Lately, it's worked out better for me to go the custom route. Jon Shuker in England has been my guy for that.

 

[39-Bassist]

I thought the TF basses were on a decent pricing, and the MIJ GL too.

 

[Tanner5382]

I guess that's why there are hundreds of thousands out there, geesh!