The_Sentry Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 OK....I'm going to come out and say it, because to a degree I find it fairly annoying. I can understand how some artists with the Gibson endorsements might get an Epiphone endorsement as well. But what is the deal with actually finding ANY FOOTAGE AT ALL, either audio, or video, with said artists playing these guitars? The ONLY artist I could find a good amount of footage of as far as said artist playing his Epiphone Signtaure Model? Zakk Wylde. That's it. Does anyone know if these guys play their Epiphones, or is it the case of just taking an extra check a month and putting out a slightly less expensive of their Signature Gibson models? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaRouteDu Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Well to a certin degree....yeah its just really a pay check every mounth. Like you, I have been trying to find vids of various sig mods and I cant find jack. Execpt Zack, but i think he puts epips head stocks on gibson les pauls.....Thats just my thought... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biff Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 wtf? Besides during a couple of commercial appearances, when has Zakk ever played an Epiphone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Sentry Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 wtf? Besides a couple of commercial appearances' date=' when has Zakk ever played an Epiphone?[/quote'] You can find tons of stuff on YouTube... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 People who have endorsements with companies have contracts. They are all different. Some have stipulations stating the person must use said product a certain number of times, or all the time. Some never have to, and never do. Can't blame someone for taking free money. There is no "usual deal" thing. They are all different depending on the company and individual. Same for sports and entertainment stars. And the comment about Zak "putting" Epi headstocks on Gibsons......that's just crazy. Why on earth would he do that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Sentry Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 People who have endorsements with companies have contracts. They are all different.Some have stipulations stating the person must use said product a certain number of times' date=' or all the time. Some never have to, and never do. Can't blame someone for taking free money. There is no "usual deal" thing. They are all different depending on the company and individual. Same for sports and entertainment stars. And the comment about Zak "putting" Epi headstocks on Gibsons......that's just crazy. Why on earth would he do that?[/quote'] Yeah......I can understand the money. But at the same time? If your name is going on that guitar....I don't know about you, but if my name was associated with a product, especially something like a guitar, I'd be kind of mindful of the quality of it, and I'd make it a point to play it... Even if it was a Gibson. And hey, maybe they like their Gibsons better...that's cool, perfectly understandable. But how difficult is it for a few of these guys to sit in front of a video cam for 20 minutes (or do an audio track) with them playing these guitars? I know one thing....if I was a kid, (or I just really dug an artist) and I was looking for some actual EXAMPLES of them playing these guitars...I'd be leery if nothing was available. Here's an example (and I'll even use another brand to be fair) Paul Stanley and his Washburn Preacher guitars. You've got a bunch of interviews with him telling you this guitar is great. He even did a commercial. BUT....good luck trying to find ANY actual examples of him playing these guitars. ...or anyone else associated with Mr. Stanley testifying to the worth of these guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biff Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 You can find tons of stuff on YouTube... No, sorry I meant playing for real - not just sitting down demoing the Epiphone model at some back room and playing with a backing track? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Sentry Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 No' date=' sorry I meant playing for real - not just sitting down demoing the Epiphone model at some back room and playing with a backing track? [/quote'] There was no backing track...just him with the Epi. But even that is more than what I've seen with most of these guys....(hey, it's better than...nothing at all, isn't it?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansmitchell Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I'd say it's the same reason EVH doesn't use fender's frankenstrats. Even if it looks, feels, and plays just like your main axe. It's still not yours. Slash's real LP is a b-stock with a 3-piece body and maple top, which has had the hearstock broken several times and also has had the neck changed out. The epiphone wouldn't match those specs, no way no how. The epi has a different neck than any other LP you'll find outside of the custom shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byrds1965 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Some people do use them. Jack Casady an interview I read somewhere he goes to stores now and then and pulls them off the rack to make sure they are still the same. Jorma uses his signature, the last time I was on his website anyway. Sheryl Crow and her band use hers. Petty though Ric plays his if you watch his "Running Down a Dream" the concert DVD. Slash advised his fans to buy the Epiphone version instead. I think there may be a difference where a guitar is copied like the Valensi/Slash and one that is made for them that is not a direct copy of what they are playing. Other than the fact you would want to leave the main guitar at home and use the duplicate. I'm sure there are more that play theirs and ones who just put the freebies they get in the closet or give away to buddies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snookelputz Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 The_Sentry said: I don't know about you, but if my name was associated with a product, especially something like a guitar, I'd be kind of mindful of the quality of it FOMOCO might be doing a little better if the Ford family had thought of that, oh, 15 or 25 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubstar Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 jorma definitely plays his, I've seen it live...and will again, I hope, at town hall in november Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byrds1965 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 jorma definitely plays his' date=' I've seen it live...and will again, I hope, at town hall in november[/quote'] I do not want to start a Gibson/Epiphone war, but I own the Jorma and I own a 335 and I have owned Epiphone Dots in the past and own a Supernova now. I can tell you the Jorma is very close to my 335. The Supernova I like it because it is blue (why I bought it) but it is a fancy Dot. The Jorma does not have the stock Epiphone HBs in it, not the same ones in the Dots or Supernovas anyway. It is the best standard line Epiphone I have ever owned. I really need to go see Jorma at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suicidehummer Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 FOMOCO might be doing a little better if the Ford family had thought of that' date=' oh, 15 or 25 years ago.[/quote'] Don't pull Ford into this. You don't think they get enough bashing already? The Fusion and it's siblings are the top ranked in quality by JD Power. And Mercury beat Honda and Toyota in their dependability study. I'm sick of hearing people bash American cars. They have made great strides and in some cases passed the Japanese companies, and do not deserve the s**t they get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkEpTiKaL Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Don't pull Ford into this. You don't think they get enough bashing already? The Fusion and it's siblings are the top ranked in quality by JD Power. And Mercury beat Honda and Toyota in their dependability study. I'm sick of hearing people bash American cars. They have made great strides and in some cases passed the Japanese companies' date=' and do not deserve the s**t they get. [/quote'] Thank you. Never thought I would have a time to bring this up but yes, American cars are doing better and better. Of course there are many arguments for both sides, but it's nice to see just as many Mustangs out there as Civics. I always see people saying how proud they are to be Americans, and then they drive imported cars. If you're proud to be an American, support our economy! Back on topic, it was mentioned before that the original guitars that belong to the signature people are much more comfortable to play with for them. Though it is true that it would be nice to see them demo their guitars (like Zakk did). I guess whatever rakes in the most money is what gets shown to the general public. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 I think most Signaturees have their guitars custom built for them. They don't play production-line guitars or pick one up at a shop. Can't say I blame them nor to expect any different from a pro-player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carverman Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 The_Sentry said: I don't know about you' date=' but if my name was associated with a product, especially something like a guitar, I'd be kind of mindful of the quality of it FOMOCO might be doing a little better if the Ford family had thought of that, oh, 15 or 25 years ago. [/quote'] Well actually FoMoCo did a few years ago when the build quality and corrosion got so bad that they were in the hole..ah yes the exploding Pinto/Mustang II. Who could forget those....especially with the FoMoCo slogan " Quality is Job 1!" Of course with the situation today, (asians taking over with fuel efficient vehicles), who knows how long the big 3 will last. They are already shutting down SUV plants in Windsor, Oshawa and elsewhere...had they been thinking better fuel efficiency years ago and not maximizing profits, they might have some better vehicles out there. I love my V8 Dakota pickup, but it's very thirsty and now its costing over a hundred to fill up! The hybrids are the solution to the current rise in oil prices which are not going down anytime soon...Asia and China can now afford millions of economy cars because their workers are making better pay in ..ahem!..G*bson/Epiphone factories as well as other guitar brands made there. We need hybrids real fast..otherwise our NA economy is going to take a dive (if it already hasn't started). Ok for guitar content...being an old man archtop lover. my vote is for the Epi Howard Roberts models. There were two models made. A Custom (black with single neck p_up), and another model (Standard?). He was seen playing those in some of his west coast sessions as well as on a record (yes the old vinyl pizza size records), I think it was "Cookin' with Gas"(..no, not the G.A.S that we forum members talk about) or "Howard Roberts is a Dirty Guitar Player". Oval sound hole and florentine cutaway..a real collectors guitar these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRizZ Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Ok, is it possible to put the Stars and Stripes away and stop talking about American cars in a thread about signature guitars? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Ok' date=' is it possible to put the Stars and Stripes away and stop talking about American cars in a thread about signature guitars?[/quote'] No worries...3 lefts make a right 2... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesstringer Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 I'm sure this will draw fire but It seems to me that there are a whole lot of Fender players that are loyaL to their signature guitars. While they may not play them exclusively , they do predominantly, and most have played Fenders for many years/decades, starting with Clapton. Sheryl Crowe was mentioned, she and Peter Stroud stick to her sig Gibbys. It also seems to me that more of the metal guys seem to play their sig brands. As was said, endorsement contracts differ and as in any other industry, 10% of people make 90% of the cash, this is no different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Well we've already heard that Noel Gallagher is now too rich and famous to be bothered playing Epiphones any more, so that answers that question. As to Zakk Wylde, I think the dynamic there is that he started off endorsing the Gibson signature Les Pauls and somewhere along the line they stretched the deal to include some Epiphone versions for the... shall we say... 'budget-minded' Les Paul player. I think expecting Zakk to actually use an Epi is just ridiculous. Just be happy that you can get a decent Bullseye replica for $1,000 Cdn instread of having to fork out $5,000 for the real deal. Everybody wins. You have to take these signature deals for what they are. I think it's rare that these guitars have any bearing from the artists they are named after. Take those $10,000 SRV Custom Shop replicas from a few years back... I bet not one of them actually felt and sounded like the prototype. I've said it before and I'll say it again: as far as I'm concerned, about the only 'signature' guitar that is worth the alder it's carved from is the Eric Johnson Strat... at least Eric was actively involved in its creation. Second to that would be the Jimmie Vaughan Strat, which looks to be an interesting guitar (signature or no), and which isn't priced out of this world either. But I like 'V' necks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Svet Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Don't pull Ford into this. You don't think they get enough bashing already? The Fusion and it's siblings are the top ranked in quality by JD Power. And Mercury beat Honda and Toyota in their dependability study. I'm sick of hearing people bash American cars. They have made great strides and in some cases passed the Japanese companies' date=' and do not deserve the s**t they get. [/quote'] I think that American Automobiles are improving significantly. I bought my first domestic vehicle this past January after my 12 year old Honda Accord finally started breaking down. I grew tired of sinking money into her and she gave me 140k+ of faithful service. I now own an 08 Ford Edge and with a little over 7000 miles this guy is happy thus far. Don't want to say anymore and jinx myself, however... SVet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Svet Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 : as far as I'm concerned' date=' about the only 'signature' guitar that is worth the alder it's carved from is the Eric Johnson Strat... at least Eric was [i']actively[/i] involved in its creation. Second to that would be the Jimmie Vaughan Strat, which looks to be an interesting guitar (signature or no), and which isn't priced out of this world either. But I like 'V' necks. Amen to that! The EJ is an awesome guitar. I was fooled by the marketing hype of the SRV stat and bought one when I was young and stupid. I never grew to like anything about it and sold it off in 02. The EJ is just a fantastic guitar though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubstar Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 I wouldn't doubt McCartney has a few of the recent Texans stashed around the world, but as far as touring and recording, his original Epiphones (Texan, Casino) still do the job (as do his LPs and the basses) so why change? He's always viewed his instruments as a "working" collection so it makes sense he'll keep using what has worked in the past... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfalkens Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Slash advised his fans to buy the Epiphone version instead. Really? Why would he say that. (perhaps he makes a better percentage off the Epi's -just my opinion) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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