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FDP Forum / Miscellaneous and Non-Fender Topics / Signature Guitars...worth it?
(This message was last edited by Moose0130 at 10:34 AM, Oct 6th, 2008)
FDP Forum / Miscellaneous and Non-Fender Topics / Signature Guitars...worth it?
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smrybacki
Contributing Member
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Earth
Less gear....more practice! Never club!Oct 6th, 2008 07:04 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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This guy (link below) makes some good points I think. I never have gotten the whole signature guitar thing personally, but then I don't get the relic thing either. Write me off to curmudgeon status I guess, but unless a signature guitar has some very unique features that I could not otherwise acquire, they don't mean to much to me just because so-and-so authorized their name be used on it. I think they are a marketing scheme only.
Lesterstrat
Moderator
Crestview, Florida
Wanted: Dependable "Yes" Man.Oct 6th, 2008 07:19 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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He wasted a lot of time and space to get to the meat.
"Personal Preference"
Rudeboy
Contributing Member
****
Okinawa, Japan
Master of the Rudecaster®Oct 6th, 2008 07:23 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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Must be a market for them or they wouldn't be around so long. Bottom line, I don't care what others do with there money.
smrybacki
Contributing Member
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Earth
Less gear....more practice! Never club!Oct 6th, 2008 08:00 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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I don't care what others do with their money either, but I was hoping someone might be able to explain what the big deal is. There must be a reason that both Fender and ESP have so many signature models.
brandobean
Mc Earth
Stop me from trading gear. HELP!Oct 6th, 2008 08:06 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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I have never owned one in my past 18 years playing and 20-30 or so guitars the only 2 I came close to buying were the Cobain and Hendrix models.
I only considered those because of speculation on future value. However I needed something to play and beat on. Then the sig loses its investment valuse. I passed both times with no regrets.
If it is for an investment you are speculating. You must pack is away to keep it pristine and therefore top dollar. Your choice.
Vic Vega
Contributing Member
***
Massachusetts
Happy to be at the top of the food chainOct 6th, 2008 08:16 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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"There must be a reason that both Fender and ESP have so many signature models."
Yes. Because people buy them.
smrybacki
Contributing Member
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Earth
Less gear....more practice! Never club!Oct 6th, 2008 08:20 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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Thanks for the insight Vic.
Fred132
Contributing Member
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Ham-fisted playerOct 6th, 2008 08:56 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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I own 2 - a JV strat and a JM strat.
The JV was a great value.
The JM had a combination of color & features not available elsewhere off the rack.
I'm keeping both.
Vic Vega
Contributing Member
***
Massachusetts
Happy to be at the top of the food chainOct 6th, 2008 09:29 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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"Thanks for the insight Vic."
You asked for a reason. That's the reason.
Coral Head
Contributing Member
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Sunshine&Hurricanes
We are on earth to fart around....Oct 6th, 2008 09:38 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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"I think they are a marketing scheme only."
You answered your own question. I admit I own a Jimmie Vaughan that I bought because of the neck, not the signature.
Neo Fauve
Contributing Member
Salsa dancing
is awesome!Oct 6th, 2008 09:44 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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According to "Jon" on Guitar Noize: "Well the original signature model was the Gibson Les Paul."
Gibson offered two Roy Smeck models in the 1930's.
And the LP wasn't remotely a case of a player's name being applied to an existing model with a few tweaks, maybe some preferred pickups or something.
Most current signature models fit this description pretty well.
smrybacki
Contributing Member
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Earth
Less gear....more practice! Never club!Oct 6th, 2008 09:47 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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"Roy Smeck"
????
****Stares blankly at screen trying to discern who the hell Roy Smeck is*****
ConchoBill
Contributing Member
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Universe of Tejas
Bluz CowboyOct 6th, 2008 10:03 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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I second Jimmie Vaughan Strat. I really like mine but I changed the pickguard (a lot of people would say not for the better) and the neck and middle pickups for Rio Grandes.
5Strats
Contributing Member
*********
OKC
Delusions of GrandeurOct 6th, 2008 10:09 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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My 1991 Jeff Beck Strat is an incredible instrument. While I'm a huge Jeff Beck fan, I'd probably buy this Strat even without his signature on the headstock.
PappaRay
B.C. Canada
Do your best, fake the restOct 6th, 2008 10:12 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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I have a MIM Robert Cray Strat. Why?
1) A great $600 guitar that has features unavailable on any other Fender guitar except the more costly CS Cray - hardtail, CS vintage pickups, 9.5 radius RW board, fat 61C neck.
2) Buying it was a vicarious bond with a hero.
Some sig guitars make no sense - Joe Bonamassa Goldtop Les Paul? Like a R7 but with a 2 piece back and $1500 more?
Or Keefer Sutherland CS 336 in gold? I'm sure it's a spanky cool guitar but Keefer's musical claim to fame is as a collector.
Twangmeister
Contributing Member
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US--Downeast (NC)
Soylent Green is *GASP* baby boomers!Oct 6th, 2008 10:21 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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My mother didn't fall for that signature model stuff. She got a Century of Progress Gibson instead of a Roy Smeck.
Ooops--a limited edition. 8>0
Moose0130
Contributing Member
*
USA
DOAIHPSOct 6th, 2008 10:30 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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I would tie it all back to Michael Jordan - the man that really launched the celebrity endorsement. The same rational that supports the "I wanna be like Mike" ethos is behind a portion of the market for signature guitars.
In my personal instance I am a huge SRV fan and thought it would be cool to have a guitar modeled after his... until I played it. (not bashing, just not a 12" radius guy). Interestingly, the more I play and learn the less 'cool' it seems to have a sig guitar - i have no idea why, I guess it feels like I should be able to play better to 'live up' to the guitar - so I feel like a poser.
I ended up buying a JM sig. becuase of the specs. I was actually confused as to why there was a Mayer sig. as I hadn't listened to any of his stuff and thought he was just the 'body is a wonderland' guy. (yeah - i am an idiot). got my hands on one and just couldn't put it down. Then I purchased Trio and figured out why he had his own guitar....
So thats my long winded take - the cache of the name is a big draw for some, the unique specs draw others. I fell into both camps at various points.
For me today, all things being equal, I would rather my guitar was not a sig, but it doesn't really weight on my mind.
(just to clarify - I do not intend to imply owning a sig makes you a poser. Just that my lack of skill doesn't warrent a 'special' guitar. Because my decision to purchase the JM was based entirely on playing it and unrelated to John Mayer himself, I feel better about it. Makes no sense, I know.)
5Strats
Contributing Member
*********
OKC
Delusions of GrandeurOct 6th, 2008 10:58 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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"So Les Paul is a person? Who knew"? (;oD
MLC
Contributing Member
*******
USA
Flying blind on a rocket cycleOct 6th, 2008 10:59 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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"...but I was hoping someone might be able to explain what the big deal is."
No big deal to me - if you like the instrument, buy it. If not, don't. I've never let a signature/endorsement sway me one way or the other.
I've never understood the attitude of "if it has a signature, I won't buy it." To me, that makes as much sense as buying something only because it's a signature model (i.e., it doesn't).
Personally, I own 3 signature products:
1) a Jimmie Vaughan Strat
2) a Robert Cray Strat neck that I bought for a project guitar
3) a Paul Simon signature Martin (the "PS2")
All 3 were purchased because the feature-to-price ratio worked out for me. And I'm very happy with all three.
Taildragger
Contributing Member
****
USA
"behold my lacquered tweed jumpsuit"Oct 6th, 2008 11:12 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search
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I own a JV Strat. Decided to look for one not for because of the signature or artist association (though I do love some of JV's stuff) but rather because it had the neck profile, fretboard radius, frets, tuners, pup wiring variation and headstock style I prefer. Price was also a factor.
I actually find having somebody(anybody)'s name scribbled on a guitar to be turnoff, but can ignore it if the instrument is otherwise a standout.
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