Two thousand bucks and it's yours. You can take it home with you. As a matter of fact, I'll throw in the black keys for free...
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Where do the pro's get their gear?
- Thread starter Charles Riggs
- Start date
Two thousand bucks and it's yours. You can take it home with you. As a matter of fact, I'll throw in the black keys for free...
- Feb 8, 2021
- 153
- 437
- Disclosures
- Endorser of EBS Amplification, Neotech Straps
At one time in my life, I worked for a Guitar Center that had a GC Pro attached to it, and my friends who specifically worked for that department had sent me a couple of their high end clients- names you’d know- who were buying gear. I assume that other stores like Sweetwater and whoever else probably handle similar clients too.
There's "pro" in the sense of "working musician" and there's "pro" in the sense of "celebrity." I think the OP is asking about celebrities. I'm not a celebrity and have no experience in that world, but as I recall the story of how "relic" instruments started begins with Keith Richards. The Stones were preparing for a tour, and Richards of course owns lots of vintage gear, a lot of it in a warehouse or something. He isn't going to bring all this antique stuff on the road with him, so Fender sends him over a bunch of shiny new guitars. Richards says, "I can't play these, I'm Keith Richards, they've got to be old and beat up." So he sends them back, and the Fender Custom Shop proceeds to go over them with sandpaper and acid and stuff until they LOOK like beat-up old bluesmen's guitars, even though they're really fresh from the factory.
The point being, it sounds like a company like Fender or Gibson probably has an Artist Relations Manager or person with some title like that, and if you're a celebrity on the magnitude of a Keith Richards you just call up your guy (or have your personal assistant call him) and say, "I want three of these and four of those" and Fender's Custom Shop puts them together and sends them over. You can also probably call up a boutique vintage guitar shop and have them close their doors for an afternoon so you can come try out all their stuff without the public gushing all over you and begging for autographs. I'm sure more boutique luthiers like Sadowsky and Fodera have personal relationships with high-profile artists who stop by when they're in New York to talk about what they want.
Endorsement deals are when the artist endorses the product, not the other way around (people often seem to get confused about that). But it's good for Fender's sales for people to see that Keith Richards plays Fenders, so they make a deal where he gets benefits in exchange for his endorsement, and they get to run advertising with pictures of him and a telecaster saying, "I love my Fender blah blah blah." Just WHAT benefits the artist gets from the deal depends on how much their endorsement boosts the company. If they're big enough, they may get gear free, while for lower-scale endorsers, it might just be a discount, or free maintenance and repair or accessories or things like that.
The point being, it sounds like a company like Fender or Gibson probably has an Artist Relations Manager or person with some title like that, and if you're a celebrity on the magnitude of a Keith Richards you just call up your guy (or have your personal assistant call him) and say, "I want three of these and four of those" and Fender's Custom Shop puts them together and sends them over. You can also probably call up a boutique vintage guitar shop and have them close their doors for an afternoon so you can come try out all their stuff without the public gushing all over you and begging for autographs. I'm sure more boutique luthiers like Sadowsky and Fodera have personal relationships with high-profile artists who stop by when they're in New York to talk about what they want.
Endorsement deals are when the artist endorses the product, not the other way around (people often seem to get confused about that). But it's good for Fender's sales for people to see that Keith Richards plays Fenders, so they make a deal where he gets benefits in exchange for his endorsement, and they get to run advertising with pictures of him and a telecaster saying, "I love my Fender blah blah blah." Just WHAT benefits the artist gets from the deal depends on how much their endorsement boosts the company. If they're big enough, they may get gear free, while for lower-scale endorsers, it might just be a discount, or free maintenance and repair or accessories or things like that.
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
- 12,122
- 16,793
- Disclosures
- have been on nationally released albums, charting on the Billboard 200
My good friend/colleague Mike sold a vintage Fender to Pino Palladino. Pino was in NY and he just drove up to where he was and bought it. just like anyone else. totally no big deal
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
- 12,122
- 16,793
- Disclosures
- have been on nationally released albums, charting on the Billboard 200
this. I play in the solo band of a singer who's main band has had multi platinum success. He just drives to the music store. Walks in and buys whatever. The workers are obviously super psyched he's there, but it's not a huge deal.
skyline_01
Endorsing artist: Nordstrand Audio, Tsunami Cables
A friend of mine worked for Martin Music in Memphis some years ago. Apparently Robert Plant just walked in one day and bought a harmonica, of all things. You just never know.
I played for a couple of major label artists for a period of about 6 years ending 2011. I didn’t get anything for free but most brands have something called “artist pricing” which is essentially if you prove you play with a national act of value and they can use your name image likeness on their website they give the gear to you for essentially their cost. So it’s like a 10-20% discount off street pricing. This is what is known as an “endorsement”. There are no non-compete or exclusivity with this hence you see some folks with lots of them. Most companies do this but it takes time to go through the process so it’s not for immediate needs.
Back in the late 90's I worked for GC, Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Ty Tabor, Dug Pinnick were customers during regular hours. There were others that, while on tour, would call the store and ask to open after hours, which we would.
it really depends on who's a "pro"
my friends who do headlining gigs at 1500 seat venues are objectively "pros," but they buy everything the same way anyone else does, aside from the odd endorsement deal or whatever.
if you're sir paul, i think you have 'a guy for that'
my friends who do headlining gigs at 1500 seat venues are objectively "pros," but they buy everything the same way anyone else does, aside from the odd endorsement deal or whatever.
if you're sir paul, i think you have 'a guy for that'
I'm definitely no pro. My last big deal was done in the parking lot of a Dollar General. Easily a step or 2 behind Walmart.
Some will go to music stores just to get recorded for their youtube channel lol. I love the videos that Carter Vintage puts out
Like everything, "It depends." I have seen big players at famous shops shopping for gear. I think Victor Wooten's gear stories are pretty well known. I have heard some players talk about pre big tours approaching companies for gear but I don't know if they get the gear for free, discounted, or loaned. Then you have players who have a lot of the gear they just like and use like Marcus Miller and his Jazz. I am sure it is a spectrum.
A long time ago Spoon was trying to buy a synth my band had and I remember almost buying Centro-matics bass rig.
A long time ago Spoon was trying to buy a synth my band had and I remember almost buying Centro-matics bass rig.
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Not to toot my own horn... but I've got a guy at Sweetwater. Even sends me candy and stuff, no van involved.
Having worked in several high and low profile music and guitar shops I can say that some players love to shop and see what can be found. Others rely on their roadies or assistants to get the gear needed or wanted.
For specific vintage gear there are specialty shops, George Gruhn Guitars for example that specialize in vintage gear. I have bought and sold through Gruhn for years, especially helpful for unique or storied guitars.
One reason NAMM is so popular is it is one stop shopping for rock stars.
Touring musicians often rely on the touring support company, finding specific gear is a specialty task, one I did while I was at SHOWCO. Back then it was specific mics and keyboards occasionally an amp.
Endorsement deals are not that big a thing anymore, not like the 80's and 90's where endorsed players either got gear and touring support later cold hard cash in some cases. These daze it is more like a free bass or two maybe some travel for consultation or clinics unless your are a very high profile player like Flea. I doubt Sting made much on his signature bass for instance.
For specific vintage gear there are specialty shops, George Gruhn Guitars for example that specialize in vintage gear. I have bought and sold through Gruhn for years, especially helpful for unique or storied guitars.
One reason NAMM is so popular is it is one stop shopping for rock stars.
Touring musicians often rely on the touring support company, finding specific gear is a specialty task, one I did while I was at SHOWCO. Back then it was specific mics and keyboards occasionally an amp.
Endorsement deals are not that big a thing anymore, not like the 80's and 90's where endorsed players either got gear and touring support later cold hard cash in some cases. These daze it is more like a free bass or two maybe some travel for consultation or clinics unless your are a very high profile player like Flea. I doubt Sting made much on his signature bass for instance.
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Jazzdogg
Less barking, more wagging!
A good friend was a brass player with Tower of Power for several years. Their horn players all play Yamaha; the Yamaha rep hooks them up with just about any Yamaha horn they want. In exchange, they have to play Yamaha gear on stage, and in clinics - he had many custom horns by other makers, but they all stayed home.
Having lived in LA for quite a few years, I’d see certain people in all sorts of shops; there used to be a store in Santa Monica, West LA Music, that prided itself on being a “pro shop”. Lo and behold, I was in there one day, I heard a commotion, looked up, and it was Stevie Wonder and entourage. There was a store that dealt in rare, vintage, and actually liquidated used pro road gear, Black Market Music; I went in one day and the Black Crowes were hanging out. About five years ago, I went to the original GC on Sunset and…
…Billy Gibbons was in line, buying something. Otherwise, there’s all sorts of artists that go to NAMM, forging direct relationships with companies.
Chumps like you and me get entry level Sweetwater Sales Engineers. The professionals get the upper level Senior Sales Engineers. They have access to Sales Engineering technologies that amateurs like us can't even comprehend.
