tulsaslim Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Found this gem today: "The 80s rocker who urged an MTV generation to put another dime in the jukebox has become the first woman artist to have a Gibson electric signature model guitar designed after her. Nashville-based Gibson Guitar has announced the Joan Jett Signature Melody Maker guitar the company says is designed to pay tribute to the guitar Jett played on hits like "I Love Rock N' Roll" and "Do You Wanna Touch Me." The Joan Jett Signature guitar is designed with a slab mahogany body with a white worn finish and is handcrafted to the same specs as Jett's original guitar, Gibson says in a release. The manufacturer's suggested retail price: $839." The Infinite Wisdom of Gibson Marketing.......... First, she probably doesn't play as well as that other Gibson signator Keifer Sutherland and second, she hasn't been relevant in, what, 25 years? There are several 'relevant' female guitar players out there but apparently Gibson wasn't interested (or was it the other way around)? This, from the folks who brought you the BFG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Old news, TS. Nonetheless, it looks to be a pretty cool guitar. And nobody pays MSRP. Besides, it's one of those GOM/GOW deals; they're only making 400 of them. And if we're going to compare Joan with Keifer, let's remember that KS is an actor, while JJ is a musician who worked very hard to get to where she was. Nobody handed anything to Joan Jett on a platter but she didn't let that get in the way of her dream... so no matter what you think regarding the relevance of her music, you have to admire her spirit. And I think her cover of 'Crimson and Clover' kicked ***. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funkwire Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 I agree, it's a cool guitar. And she's played it for a long time. Even back in the Runaways, IIRC. Hey, I'm going to be 45 in a few weeks...I don't know who half the people getting signature guitars are these days! At least I know who Joan Jett is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulsaslim Posted June 12, 2008 Author Share Posted June 12, 2008 different strokes for different folks, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 different strokes for different folks' date=' I guess.[/quote']Absolutely. That's rule #1. However I will point out that Joan Jett is probably the most famous artist associated with the Gibson Melody Maker, so it makes a certain amount of sense to base a signature version on hers. I had the opportunity to play a very similar guitar, i.e. a mid-sixties double cutaway MM with a vintage PAF in the bridge position... and if Gibson succeeds in capturing that sound and feel, these JJ MMs are going to be hella cool guitars. I'm just glad they resisted the temptation to cover it with stickers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubstar Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 what's wrong with joan? the early stuff is great and she's still extremely active...I think many artists would like to be as "relevant" as she is 25 years down the road... not that wikipedia is the best source, but have you played the garden, opened for aersosmith, or jammed at the rock and roll hall of fame lately? also named one of rolling stones 100 top guitarists, so someone thinks she is relevant... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Jett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Jack55 Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansmitchell Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 I'd honestly prefer to see a real reissue of the old gibson budget models rather than all these hyper-priced signiture models. Over 1000 for a junior?!?! Over 600 for a melody maker? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lutheran1971 Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 I agree Tulsa, what the heck! From the same peeps who brought us a JJ French Elitist. Wha? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulsaslim Posted June 12, 2008 Author Share Posted June 12, 2008 also named one of rolling stones 100 top guitarists, Come on. Are you serious? One of the top 100 guitarists? Have you heard her play? I'm flabbergasted. One of the top 100 guitarists? Now I know why I don't read Rolling Stone. Do you really believe that? You're either pulling my chain or I've officially entered the Twilight Zone. She wouldn't be one of the top 300 guitarists in Tulsa. I defer to the title of this thread. Lutheran, I've gotta say that JJ French elitist is one great guitar, though. Really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Sentry Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 also named one of rolling stones 100 top guitarists' date=' Come on. Are you serious? One of the top 100 guitarists? Have you heard her play? I'm flabbergasted. One of the top 100 guitarists? Now I know why I don't read Rolling Stone. Do you really believe that? You're either pulling my chain or I've officially entered the Twilight Zone. She wouldn't be one of the top 300 guitarists in Tulsa. I defer to the title of this thread. Lutheran, I've gotta say that JJ French elitist is one great guitar, though. Really. [/quote'] "Best" ah....what a subjective word. A question though.... Do any of her songs show up in the video games Guitar Hero or Rock Star by chance? I'm curious. PS: I'd actually like to see her design a model for Epiphone.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layboomo Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 "these JJ MMs are going to be hella cool guitars. I'm just glad they resisted the temptation to cover it with stickers:" Agreed I played in a band in HS with a guy who had a 60's MM set up like that in was a Great little guitar. The stickers would be part of a Limited Edition/Relic run and would probably add thousands to the value of the guitar........that's the way it usually goes with that nonsense. Tulsaslim " artist" aside......as a concept it's a cool little axe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Do any of her songs show up in the video games Guitar Hero or Rock Star by chance? Well, maybe not, but an achievement in the Xbox 360 version of the game Guitar Hero II is titled the "Joan & Lita Award" in tribute to Joan Jett and Lita Ford. It is awarded to two players who can get a 100 note streak in cooperative mode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Sentry Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Well' date=' maybe not, but an achievement in the Xbox 360 version of the game Guitar Hero II is titled the "Joan & Lita Award" in tribute to Joan Jett and Lita Ford. It is awarded to two players who can get a 100 note streak in cooperative mode.[/quote'] Hmmmm...... I have to admit, I don't really play the game...but to be fair about this Joan Jett endorsement: I don't think it's a question of a comeback per se...but she really does have a lot of respect from both her fans and subsequent female players that have emulated her. (and, on a personal note...if I ever got into a band with a female vocalist, I'd love to back up the Joan Jett archtype...dirty girl with a dirty rhythm guitar! WooT!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulsaslim Posted June 12, 2008 Author Share Posted June 12, 2008 OK, let me start by saying that I am VERY pro-active about girls/women playing guitar, so don't get the wrong idea. But, to me, a 'signature' guitar should be reserved for those artists who are generally considered to be 'good guitar players'. Now maybe Gibson's take on this is "we want to juice up the Melody Maker & at the same time market it towards girls/women" & Joan Jett was only only female guitarist they could find that played a Melody Maker. To me, one of the biggest blunders Gibson marketing has done in the last few years was to create the Vixen and Goddess to market exclusively to women. First (unfortunately) women probably comprise about 5% of the guitar market and by branding those guitars as 'girls guitars' they effectively cut off 95% of their potential market for them. I'm pretty sure both the Vixen and Goddess are great guitars but I doubt any man is going to go out & buy a 'girls guitar'. (Gibson has probably figured that out by now since I'm sure sales on those models are bleak). If Gibson wanted to juice up the MM that's fine. But by calling it a 'girls guitar' (by associating it with Joan Jett) again is going to cut off 95% of the potential market for the guitar. Now I'm not sayin' that having a woman signator is a bad idea but it would be more credible if they'd select a really good female guitarist e.g. Allison Robertson or Jennifer Batten. Unfortunately I don't think either one of them plays Gibsons (although Allison might play an SG, I'm not sure). I'm also not saying that Joan Jett wasn't big back in the '80's but she was big as an entertainer, not a guitarist. To me, her guitar was/is not much more than a prop, a la Elvis (who also had a Gibson sig guitar). Gibson should've marketed both the Vixen and Goddess as a 'generic' guitar (with a different name) but included one 'version' of it as a girls guitar. They would've sold a lot more of 'em, IMO. How many of you guys are considering buying the Joan Jett MM? Just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan 58 Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 I know this dates me, but Lita Ford could play her *** off. Stan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Sentry Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 OK' date=' let me start by saying that I am VERY pro-active about girls/women playing guitar, so don't get the wrong idea. But, to me, a 'signature' guitar should be reserved for those artists who are generally considered to be 'good guitar players'. Now maybe Gibson's take on this is "we want to juice up the Melody Maker & at the same time market it towards girls/women" & Joan Jett was only only female guitarist they could find that played a Melody Maker. To me, one of the biggest blunders Gibson marketing has done in the last few years was to create the Vixen and Goddess to market exclusively to women. First (unfortunately) women probably comprise about 5% of the guitar market and by branding those guitars as 'girls guitars' they effectively cut off 95% of their potential market for them. I'm pretty sure both the Vixen and Goddess are great guitars but I doubt any man is going to go out & buy a 'girls guitar'. (Gibson has probably figured that out by now since I'm sure sales on those models are bleak). If Gibson wanted to juice up the MM that's fine. But by calling it a 'girls guitar' (by associating it with Joan Jett) again is going to cut off 95% of the potential market for the guitar. Now I'm not sayin' that having a woman signator is a bad idea but it would be more credible if they'd select a really good female guitarist e.g. Allison Robertson or Jennifer Batten. Unfortunately I don't think either one of them plays Gibsons (although Allison might play an SG, I'm not sure). I'm also not saying that Joan Jett wasn't big back in the '80's but she was big as an entertainer, not a guitarist. To me, her guitar was/is not much more than a prop, a la Elvis (who also had a Gibson sig guitar). Gibson should've marketed both the Vixen and Goddess as a 'generic' guitar (with a different name) but included one 'version' of it as a girls guitar. They would've sold a lot more of 'em, IMO. How many of you guys are considering buying the Joan Jett MM? Just curious.[/quote'] Eh, who knows with Gibson? Maybe they know something we don't about Joan Jett. It's hard to say what an artist has lined up. But if it's a question where she's going to get a major push in some manner, then Gibson did the right thing by having a signature model ready. If not? Well, then I suppose they could easily take the models, and just sit on the stock for 6 months and push melody makers at a reasonable cost. Lord knows just about everything else by Gibson is getting so expensive that only the well-off can afford them. (or, rather afford to play them out live without freaking out about a 2-3000 dollar axe getting nicked, bruised, or stolen.) Speaking of girl's bands...(and yes, I'm diverting away a bit from the Gibson side of the argument since this is an Epi forum...) I'm serious about this Joan Jett Epiphone model. And, another girl's group I'd like to see EPIPHONE talk to? The Donnas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Sentry Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 I know this dates me' date=' but Lita Ford could play her *** off. Stan.[/quote'] She wasn't hard on the eyes, either....(hell with it. I'm 38....I used to have a major fanboy crush on her!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 But' date=' to me, a 'signature' guitar should be reserved for those artists who are generally considered to be 'good guitar players'. I'm also not saying that Joan Jett wasn't big back in the '80's but she was big as an entertainer, not a guitarist. To me, her guitar was/is not much more than a prop, a la Elvis (who also had a Gibson sig guitar). How many of you guys are considering buying the Joan Jett MM? Just curious.[/quote'] Is this some kind of 'lead' versus 'rhythm' player thing? Does a guitarist have to be able to ring out blistering solos to be 'good'? A rhythm guitarist can still be a 'good' player - check out Guitar George; he doesn't want to make it cry or sing. And no, I'm not considering buying one... I'd rather buy the regular issue MM and then contemplate doing things to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulsaslim Posted June 12, 2008 Author Share Posted June 12, 2008 ....and he knows all the chords. No, it's not a lead vs. rhythm thing, Spud. I just think she's very pedestrian as a player. Just my opinion. As for rhythm, I know this dates me, but do you remember the 'original' version of 'Cowgirl In The Sand'? (As a good Canadian boy I'd be shocked if you didn't). Anyway, Danny Whitten does more with 2 chords in that song than most lead players have ever done in their lives. I frequently point that out to beginning guitarists to show them that you don't have to know a lot to do something sensational. That rhythm part of his, to me, is one of the greatest rhythm parts ever recorded and it was, in fact, unrehearshed. (Neil was famous for playing a song ONE TIME for Crazy Horse then turning on the recorder & saying 'Let's go!'. That's precisely how that song was recorded and Whitten was flying by wire through the whole thing). Absolutely genius. I still get chills when I listen to his part (& it's 2 chords)!. Sentry- Allison Robertson is the lead guitarist for the Donnas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 No' date=' it's not a lead vs. rhythm thing, Spud. I just think she's very pedestrian as a player. Just my opinion.[/quote']Oh, there's no doubt about that. However her style was right for the music genre she was in. Nothing worse than 'over playing'. I once went to see a band my friend was in, and they were supposedly a 'blues' band, playing a lot of blues/rock tunes, running the gamut from Offenbach to Santana. However their other guitarist was this incredible jazz guitarist (he played a Gibson ES-335 with an Epiphone neck grafted on to it) who just couldn't 'dial it down'. So, while his playing was flawless and very accomplished, it just sounded weird and wrong in a blues group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulsaslim Posted June 12, 2008 Author Share Posted June 12, 2008 Oh' date=' there's no doubt about that. However her style was right for the music genre she was in. Nothing worse than 'over playing'. I once went to see a band my friend was in, and they were supposedly a 'blues' band, playing a lot of blues/rock tunes, running the gamut from Offenbach to Santana. However their other guitarist was this [i']incredible[/i] jazz guitarist (he played a Gibson ES-335 with an Epiphone neck grafted on to it) who just couldn't 'dial it down'. So, while his playing was flawless and very accomplished, it just sounded weird and wrong in a blues group. Unfortunately I've run into a lot of bass players with the same problem. I don't know how many times I've said "Don't play any of those fancy licks when the singer is singing". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Heh heh heh heh. Sometimes, silence is golden. Or, as Red333 would say, less are more. Don't get me started on harmonica players or, even worse, fiddle players that don't know when to STFU! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voodoo Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Meh... <start rant> I have mentioned this before (on the old board). At that time I stated that playing a guitar is a multifaceted concept. 1. There are those who are just starting - everyone has been there, it is a very crowded area. 2. There are those who achieve a measure of proficiency and who may even learn to play with others well - not everyone gets there, but it is a crowded field none the less. 3. There are those who are actually talented - these are the ones who some people may even have heard of and it is here that the numbers narrow sharply. 4. Then, there are those who are inspired - these are the few who can make music and entertain because it is WHO they ARE. Talented, skilled, proficient, and most importantly, dedicated to their art and their art alone. These are the recognized ICONS. Observation: I am sure Tulsa has many of what my father affectionately called guitar bums. This category includes guitarists who fit in areas 2 and perhaps even 3. Heck I've been in OK and can say that it is possible their may even be a 4 there. It was in Lawton that I caught up with Kenny Rogers when he was good (just stopped in to see what condition my condition was in). But I digress........ Joan Jett is a 4. She is an ICON. She is a four because she puts her SOUL into her playing. She may not shred like a viking (who would want to?), but her playing is honest and primal. These are things that cannot be taught or learned. Either you have IT or else you are just another weekend warrior (or bedroom maestro or guitar bum). This is why she plays at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and tours (touring is a professional thing that real professionals do), and the regular (and maybe even technically proficient) guitar heroes do not. There are many local guitar "heroes" that can blaze trails at the local honky tonk, but just stay at home because they just don't have IT. If you were allowed to ask any world class rock band if they would let Joan Jett sit in on a session the answer would be an immediate and unqualified yes. This is the difference - she payed her dues and walked the walk. Further Observations: 1. If your $3000.00 (or $300.00) guitar is too pretty to take out of the house or play, it is only marginally an instrument and mostly a work of art. Sorta like a velvet Elvis. Pawn shop owners call these "wall hangers". 2. If your axe sounds right - it can be chrome plated or covered with stickers - its the sound that that a guitar makes that make the guitar what it is NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. 3. When an ICON proves a certain model (by making a statement of virtuosity with it), it is worthy of a tribute model issue by the greatest guitar manufacturer in the world. <end rant> That being said, here is one excellent axe for a mere $639.00 -with a Dirty Fingers pickup no less: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gibson-Joan-Jett-Signature-Melody-Maker-Electric-Guitar?sku=515668 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layboomo Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 “Music is the silence between the notes.” Claude Debussy quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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