Signature guitars. Discuss.

[LordOVchaoS]

Yea, Dave Weiner is quite the foolish guitarist.

It doesnt change the fact SOME people who do recognize the guitar, is going to make assumptions based on your guitar about what you sound like, just like when people see a guy with long hair, He instantly is linked to metal. Im not saying I personally do this alot, but this is the SOCIETY we live in, Appearance is everything. And its sad but true, but this happens more often than not. And if you are using a Sig guitar on stage, chances are at least ONE person in the audience knows what it is and might make the assumption that you are a clone of that person (esp because like JJ said, Sig models tend to be priced retardedly, anyone to buy one should be a major fan.. Not saying this applies to 7 strings because they are so few good 7s, but for 6 strings.. Who honestly is going to spend $3000 on a Slipknot Mick Thomspon model with "EVIL" inlaid in it or wahtever, except a hardcore fan?)

I know personally when I see someone on stage with that Dean dimebag model with the rebellion flag on it, it kinda turns me off from listening to them, thinking Oh great, another wannabe skinhead dimebag clone.. Not saying its right to do that, but it happens at times, APPEARANCE means alot in the music business, weither you like it or not. And its not going to change either.

As soon as they hear me churning out technical death metal from my UV it should be very obvious that I'm not a Vai worshiper. I don't even own any of his albums. I bought my UV because it feels and looks good, has nothing to do with Vai. Morbid Angel had a little influence in my wanting one in the beginning but after I actually laid hands on one it was purely based on how well the guitar feels in my hands.

I doubt anybody has ever walked out of a Morbid Angel show thinking Trey was a Vai clone.

This thread =

 

[SnowfaLL]

So the best response is to sink down to that level? Do you really care if people are shortsighted enough to make assumptions like that?

I rather spend every day of my life NOT having to deal with people coming up to me asking me if im a so and so fan/clone.. Its a matter of avoiding annoyance from idiots like that, and gaining a larger potential audience because people who may have a personal vendetta against someone, will not listen to me because I use that persons gear.

 

[distressed_romeo]

I rather spend every day of my life NOT having to deal with people coming up to me asking me if im a so and so fan/clone.. Its a matter of avoiding annoyance from idiots like that, and gaining a larger potential audience because people who may have a personal vendetta against someone, will not listen to me because I use that persons gear.

Be realistic...how many music listeners know (and care) enough about guitars to do that?

 

[SnowfaLL]

Be realistic...how many music listeners know (and care) enough about guitars to do that?

They are out there. Maybe you dont do that, but you cant speak for the billion of people in North America.

 

[Stitch]

The only people I can think of are the crowds at solo artists gigs like Vai, Satriani, etc. And if you are playing music like that consistently and well then (like bulb) you probably already have a custom instrument to plug in.

They are out there. Maybe you dont do that, but you cant speak for the billion of people in North America.

But neither can you!!

 

[distressed_romeo]

The only people I can think of are the crowds at solo artists gigs like Vai, Satriani, etc. And if you are playing music like that consistently and well then (like bulb) you probably already have a custom instrument to plug in.

But neither can you!!

 

[Pablo]

I've only owned 4 guitars that weren't signature guitars... which actually surprises me, as I have never been an absolutely avid fan of any one guitarist. My very first guitar was a copy of an EVH MM signature - got it because it looked cool and had a Floyd (never was an EVH fan BTW).

I actually only found out about John Petrucci because of this amazingly cool Ibanez owned by my guitar teacher - I dug the guitar and had to know who the player was. So in a way I became a fan of Petrucci through his guitar - I subsequently went on to own both an Ibby JPM and an EBMM JP... and I'm hoping to add a JP7 to that list.

Other than that, I've owned a Blackmore Strat (I am a BIG fan of Blackmore) and currently own two Yngwie Malmsteen Strats (not a huge Yngwie fan) - basically because I missed my old scalloped Strat and the Blackmore had gone out of production. As it would happen, my local gear pusher got a YJM Strat into the shop just as Stratitis and GAS was at their all-time high.

The main thing about all the signature guitars I've owned is that I play nothing like the guitarists who lent their name to the headstock - and have loved the guitars anyway! But does it really matter? I don't think so! A good guitar is a good guitar - regardless of what the headstock says... and it's only logical that something that works well for a world reknowned musician could work well for many of us.

What would really be silly, is to reject your perfect guitar, because it is asociated with another musician... hold on: that wouldn't be silly - that would just be plain dumb!

Cheers

Eske

P.s.: Lets just keep in mind that 95% of the audience has no clue which guitar you are playing - it's really only fellow guitarists and gear whores that can tell an RG from a Universe, an Yngwie Strat from an Indonesian Squire or a PRS Singlecut from a Les Paul (re-opened a can of legal worms there ).

 

[Chris]

Not ss.org skinheads, Im talking about the ones (mainly where I live) who fight blacks and jews just because they're race, Praise the rebellion flag for a symbol of white power and Phil anseno or whatever his name is because he has racist remarks and act like whites are superior to everyone. Phil somehow became the posterchild for racism, with their confederate flag and all.. If people on these forums are racists and hate people for the colour of their skin, Then I guess I would be referring to them too.

Please stop that nonsense. This is a music site.

I have a confederate flag on my RG, and I am not a racist. You read too much into things.

 

[LordOVchaoS]

Nick has opened my eyes. From this point on every band that has a 5150 on stage will automatically be deemed Eddie Van Halen fanboys and I will leave the show before they start playing. Eddie is a meth head and that automatically makes those who play his signature amps meth heads. I don't support meth users so I can't watch bands that play 5150's.

 

[Chris]

The only people I can think of are the crowds at solo artists gigs like Vai, Satriani, etc. And if you are playing music like that consistently and well then (like bulb) you probably already have a custom instrument to plug in.



But neither can you!!

Nick, if you don't want to listen to a band because of what they play, it's totally your call. I personally think it's a silly way to go about things, but it's all a matter of opinion. If someone kicks ass, it doesn't matter if they kick ass on a Squire or kick ass on a YJM strat, they still kick ass. Music is about music. If you want to constantly focus on image, you're better off watching American Idol instead of listening to technical metal.

 

[Stitch]

Now that I think about it, Sikth are totally like EVH.

What about P.A systems? I'm pretty sure the Coldplay use the same P.A as Morbid Angel at gigs.

 

[Shawn]

Worrying about what people think is not enjoying your life I think. I used to be like that in high school being a metal head and all but I learned that life is too short to worry about what people think.

 

[Chris]

Nick has opened my eyes. From this point on every band that has a 5150 on stage will automatically be deemed Eddie Van Halen fanboys and I will leave the show before they start playing.

I have a Samson power conditioner in my rack, thus, I think Bruce Dickinson is the greatest shredder in all the land.

 

[Stitch]

I have a Samson power conditioner in my rack, thus, I think Bruce Dickinson is the greatest shredder in all the land.

Exactly. Where does it stop?

 

[Chris]

Worrying about what people think is not enjoying your life I think. I used to be like that in high school being a metal head and all but I learned that life is too short to worry about what people think.

When I was in about 6th grade, people busted my balls for wearing a Master of Puppets shirt. A few years later, those same people were cranking One at parties in the woods.

 

[Chris]

Exactly. Where does it stop?

IT DOES NOT. BOW TO SAMSON.

Fuck, I also play a Mesa cab. Thus, Jar Jar binks has godly tone.

 

[Alpo]

Worrying about what people think is not enjoying your life I think. I used to be like that in high school being a metal head and all but I learned that life is too short to worry about what people think.

Yeah, I was a bit like that, too. But then I got over it. You can't please everyone.

 

[ohio_eric]

Signature guitars are fine. Think about it. How many people on this forum have bought a guitar, amp, pickup or pedal to try and get someone's tone? I would guess almost all of us.

 

[distressed_romeo]

My first stompbox was a chorus pedal just because I liked Alex Lifeson and Andy Summers' tones...

 

[Shawn]

Yeah, everybody is going to think what they think anyhow so.

Hey, I love my instruments and I love the music I love. If you all like it too, cool! But if not, oh well. To each his own.