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Do you, or would you, buy an endorsement guitar or pedal?


charlie brown

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Well technically, I play Les Pauls. That's an endorsement right there.

 

Anyway, I would only buy a signature edition (other than a Les Paul of course) in the event that it was significantly different to the standard version. And even then, price would be a major factor.

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My only "endorsement" model, is my Gibson "Lucille!" As much as I love BB King,

the REAL reason I got it, was that (at the time) it was selling for 300 dollars

less, than a standard, non-Custom Shop, ES-335! Gibson, has since rectified that

discrepancy, and then some. I own no other "endorsement" guitars, or pedals.

 

But, I am curious, as to why other members, here, DO buy those models, or just your

feelings, in general, about that, and paying the handsome premium, for the "privilege?"

 

 

CB

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Well technically, I play Les Pauls. That's an endorsement right there.

 

Anyway, I would only buy a signature edition (other than a Les Paul of course) in the event that it was significantly different to the standard version. And even then, price would be a major factor.

 

Understood, regarding "Les Paul's." What I meant was say a "Slash," or "Bonamassa" Les Paul model, to name just 2, instead of a "Standard" or "Traditional," which you could "trick out," the same, for less money?

 

CB

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Understood, regarding "Les Paul's." What I meant was say a "Slash," or "Bonamassa" Les Paul model, to name just 2, instead of a "Standard" or "Traditional," which you could "trick out," the same, for less money?

 

CB

 

Well my username may be a bit of a giveaway. I fell in love with the 59 les paul owned by both Slash and Joe Perry at some point. It can be seen in the November rain video. I searched for one in that finish for years, but never found one.

 

So yes, I would buy a reasonably priced signature version of that guitar, but given the fact that the guitar was a 59, I think it would cost more than I'd be willing to spend. So I hope at some point to have a nice standard/traditional/whatever Gibson want to call them refinished to look exactly like it.

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I'm not keen on an endorsees signature guitar, unless the only sign of it could be easily changed- like a truss rod cover. When defaced with personalised inlays or signatures on the headstock, or worse still a stupid cartoon of the guitarist in question, it would have to be VERY heavily discounted for me to buy it. I would buy a signature pedal because that's not so obvious but I'd base the decision on the tone fitting with the rest of my stuff than emulating somebody else's tone.

 

BTW, I noticed recently that there were massive discounts on a lot of LTD signature models before Xmas. That tells me that they couldn't sell 'em!

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If Gibson made a James Hetfield lp custom known as "Iron Cross"...I would forsure sell my first born to get one lol..ok maybe not that far but you get the picture. I do like the RR signature model,that's a very nice custom. I think those are the only two I would ever buy.

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I have a Ibanez John Petrucci signature guitar. It has got to be the ugliest guitar ever in full production! Basically I picked one up in a store just because. I kinda liked Dream Theater (I think Awake was their latest album at that time, to me they went downhill fast after that) but not enough to spend that kind of money on a JP guitar. But when I played it I fell in love with it instantly. A while later I got a chance to buy a returned one cheap (slight marks in the paint on the back, I can't even find them today among all the ones I added to it over time). It's basically an RG but with the best shredding neck Ibanez ever made (it's thin but rounder than the wizard necks, to my hands anyway), two humbuckers with no irritating single coil in the middle which pretty much all RGs had at this point in time and those two Dimarzio's sound great, lopro edge 2 trem... it was perfect to me.

 

I figured I'd use it for recording or maybe repaint it for live use, but the band I was in at the time broke up a while after I got it so it is still around in all it's ugly glory today. I actually keep an eye out for old ones just in case I find one really cheap. I wouldn't mind having one or two more.

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If I like the features and it's not over priced then I'll get it.

 

The only way to get a Red and White Polka Dot Strat is to get Buddy's sig model, so I got it.

 

But I won't buy one just because it's endorsed by my favorite artist, it has to suit me.

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I did almost buy a Randy Rhoads signature Les Paul Custom once though. I decided against it. It would probably be cheaper (and better) to buy an old, well preserved but faded white custom.

 

A very good point. RRs LP custom was just a white LP Custom, not a sig model. Signature models usually come later. Has anybody ever seen Angus play his own signature model?

 

In their prime these guitar heroes were playing pretty much what we get......custom shop if they were lucky and had a couple of albums behind them.

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A very good point. RRs LP custom was just a white LP Custom, not a sig model. Signature models usually come later. Has anybody ever seen Angus play his own signature model?

 

In their prime these guitar heroes were playing pretty much what we get......custom shop if they were lucky and had a couple of albums behind them.

 

Yup. I could get a 20-30 year old white les paul custom in good condition for less that the RR signature. Not sure whether the RR is chambered/weight relieved, but I don't like that. As long as the secondhand custom was a player, I would have no regrets.

 

As for Angus, I can't say I've ever seen him use his first signature, but I've seen him use the second signature version. Having said that, he was using one like that long before Gibson put that signature edition out. I used to go in for all that "signature version" crap, but a friend once gave me some good advice which you've just repeated. If a normal Les Paul, custom shop or otherwise was good enough for the likes of Randy, Joe Perry, Slash, Gary Moore and Joe Bonamassa etc then it's definitely good enough for the rest of us.

 

I would prefer choosing an unusual finish at the same price than going for a signature edition that costs twice the price.

 

Having said that, my LP is a HCS and I've also owned a goldtop, so nothing out of the ordinary there.

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Well, admittedly, I'm playing a bit of the "Devil's Advocate" here. But, I guess

what set this topic off, was the latest "Endorsement" guitar, Ace Frehley's "Budokan"

Triple Pickup Les Paul Custom, at (MSRP) $7,529.00, street @ 4-5 grand? [scared] WHY?! :-k LOL

 

CB

 

.........and again it was probably 5 years in before Ace started to use LPs with his own lightning bolt inlays and personalised headstock (EDIT: OK maybe 4 years if Budokan Alive II 1977 is where the inspiration for this model came from). I'd have to watch the vids but I'd say was using two pickup LPs until at least 1975.

 

As for the Lucille and, of course, the Les Paul itself, they have become established as classic models in their own right.

 

Another great debate you've started here, CB! [thumbup]

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I've done it before and most likely will do it again. I bought my Fender Geddy Lee Jazz bass because it was different from all of the other basses I had at the time, I wanted a maple fretboard and the block inlays appealed to me. The only sign that it's a signature is Geddy Lee's signature on the back of the headstock. If a guitar that has the features and sound I'm looking for at the time happens to be a signature so be it, it doesn't bother me.

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There are a couple that I would buy if the price was right. I've pretty much made up my mind on buying the new Tweedy sig SG RI, simply because that guitar has everything I want once they removed that ugly logo for this year's incarnation. Honestly not a huge Tweedy fan, just love the guitar. Of course this is as long as the price is about what last year's went for.

[drool] [drool] [drool]

83153_l.jpg

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Lots of different issues.

 

For one, buying ANY new guitar for an investment is a bad one. And technically, buying ANY guitar for investment purposes is a bad one. For investments, that is putting money somewhere to make a profit, talk to a broker, NOT a guitar dealer.

 

As for signature models, I tend to want it to be MY signature (not that there is a chance of that). I don't consider the way Slash or Clapton to have their guitar set up to be better than the way I like it. So, I tend not to view any guitar with a signature to mean it is a better guitar.

 

But, I also have respect for the way a lot of folks sound, or their knowledge. Such as Eric Johnson. I might try a signature model out on the chance it might be a guitar I like, so the signature version might be a selling point that legitimately draws me to it.

 

As for an actual signature or the knowledge that an artist signed it or touched it, it might be cool but autographs and such never did much for me. I might buy a toilet seat that Elvis owned, just because the thought of taking care of business on the same seat as he would be pretty cool, but I wouldn't make any major sacrifices financially for it.

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Sound and playability. The only reasons I buy guitars. If it has a signature on it or not :).

 

Yup! I (generally) avoid "signature" guitars, and/or pedals, like the plague! Maybe I'm

"missing" something, but...I'm fine with "plain vanilla," with some of my own "sprinkles"

and/or "sauce" added, if wanted. [thumbup]

 

CB

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I own a Nick Valensi sig Riviera, but when I bought it I didn't even know who he was. I just loved the guitar, and especially the P94s. I could change the truss rod cover and nobody would ever know it was a sig model, but my guess is 99% of people who came up and looked at the guitar wouldn't know what "Valensi" on the TRC meant. "Oh, this must be a jazz model. That's an Italian word, right?".

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I wouldn't go out of my way to buy "signature" gear just because of the name on it. On the other hand, I wouldn't rule out something either on that basis. If I was looking to buy and I really like it and the price is right I would get the gear even if it had a signature of someone that I'm not a fan of.

 

Perfect example is my Carvin Legacy amp. It had nothing to do with Steve Via or his tone. I just wanted a new tube amp and that was the one I decided on.

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I couldn't own a signature guitar because people would say 'you think you're '?????' don't you? I like the red Sammy Hagar les Paul and the Joe Perry but could never have one because of the link. Just like a 'Luke' Music Man or an EVH guitar. Just a normal Les Paul will do just fine thanks.

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