New artist pups

[buckethead]

I dont want this to come off as a rant , but more like an observation.

I will start with the relevance of artists pups's. I know there are all kinds of factors in getting sig pups. That being said. i whole heartily believe that Jimmy vaughn, Jerry cantrell and tom petty are really deserving of some sig pups.

now im not turning this into i hate so and so, but certain new artist acquisitions of sig pups, just boggle my mind.

To keep this to the point. I know as wonderful as SD products are, i also understand its a buisness, but i hope maybe some sig pups in the future collaborations will be made before they pass away.

[Agileguy_101]

And your point is....?

[youngthrasher9]

Jerry Cantrell does have a sig G&L pickup in his rampage guitars.

[ex-250]

Motor City Pickups make a Jerry Cantrell sig I believe. Or are in the process of developing.

[Guston7]

I think Buckethead should be added to the list...well deserving of sig pickups.

[metalmachine]

I want a Kurt Cobain sign pup made by gfs

[Aceman]

I want good pickups, made with good quality, that let ME get the sound I want/need from my guitar.

Cantrell? Petty? Seriously?

I like AIC, and I'm playing/singing petty every other night. But I'm not feeling the sig need. I think this is just you.

I have some very strong feelings about sig gear period and believe it is soooo overdone it is stupid. Search sig guitars

[ItsaBass]

I can't really think of a modern musician whose tone I'd like to cop. Maybe Benjamin Bunny, the current guitarist in the Murder Junkies. He plays a Lucite Ampeg Dan Armstrong that sounds like a chainsaw...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9a2TdktTp0

[Myaccount876]

I want good pickups, made with good quality, that let ME get the sound I want/need from my guitar.

Cantrell? Petty? Seriously?

I like AIC, and I'm playing/singing petty every other night. But I'm not feeling the sig need. I think this is just you.

I have some very strong feelings about sig gear period and believe it is soooo overdone it is stupid. Search sig guitars

Well, I'd say Jerry Cantrell really deserves a signature pup, but he just uses stock JBs or the Motor City JB clone. No point in really having a signature pup for him.

[marvelous_seven]

I think to deserve signature pickups the artist must have distinct playing style and tone. For example Stanley Jordan have unique playing style, but his tone is your standard professional jazz musician's tone so IMO he's not that worthy of having a signature pickup. Except when he want one, now that's a different story.

[Edgecrusher]

Screw that. Im all against artist sig pickups. Usually the tone people are trying to cop was made on run of the mill production pickups then they want me to pay an extra 20-40 bucks per pickup cause some scrubby dude stands in front of a camera and says they use this pickup?

And its funny to see people suggest well this person "deserves" a custom pickup? Why cause you like them? You really dont understand the concept of "endorsements" do you. You can be a killer musician with great unique tone but that wont get you an endorsement. Why? cause endorsements are about using your name to sell more. Some obscure player that only other niche guitar players know is a bad endorsement. You pick people who are visible that people will associate the name and be willing to pay that extra 40 bucks for.

[SAVAGE DISTORTION]

sig pickups are stupid! they cost twice as much and still wont get you the exact tone of that artist.
Look at vanhalen all the different pickups he put out and still people are asking what pickup for his tone!

[blueman335]

And its funny to see people suggest well this person "deserves" a custom pickup? Why cause you like them? You really dont understand the concept of "endorsements" do you. You can be a killer musician with great unique tone but that wont get you an endorsement. Why? cause endorsements are about using your name to sell more. Some obscure player that only other niche guitar players know is a bad endorsement. You pick people who are visible that people will associate the name and be willing to pay that extra 40 bucks for.

+1. Signature anything is about name recognition, which only has a loose relationship with music quality and integrity. Most of the band/musician names we know are famous because they been pushed by record companies and radio stations. There has long been a mistaken assumption that the acts that sell the most records must be the most talented.

Jimmy Vaughn was an 'okay' guitarist in the early T-Bird days; anymore he sounds like he's falling asleep when he's playing. His tones are thin and tinny, his playing clumsy and half-hearted. How many players want to emulate that? Who takes Tom Petty seriously as a guitarist? I don't know that I've ever seen a thread here about his tones or playing.

[Mr. B]

I don't think anyone should get a signature anything. It always adds some cash to the price on my end.

[Aceman]

Agreed - a lot of that is about sales period.

And like I have said about MANY Artists:

You want the Eric Clapton sig sound? well, he got that with off the wall American Standards.

You want Warren DeMartini? That's a stock JB

The sounds and guitars that made you WANT the sig, are as was said, mostly stock stuff in the first place.

These days Sig stuff has just became an extension of endorsement.

[Guston7]

Oh, come on! This sounds great to say that 'you don't fall for any of that stupid signature marketing crud', but most of watch the gear of our guitar heros pretty closely--and usually use some of it. Aceman, I specifically remember you gettin' major wood for a new Frehly Les Paul you were gassing for. In the end, you didn't buy it because if was NOT signature enough! How many threads in this forum praise the JB, Pearly Gates, Screamin' Demon, etc.?

My rig doesn't mirror anyone else that I know of, but it does include several signature pieces of various artists. I always check out new gear that my fav's endorse and see if it's something that might work for me.

[Edgecrusher]

Oh, come on! This sounds great to say that 'you don't fall for any of that stupid signature marketing crud', but most of watch the gear of our guitar heros pretty closely--and usually use some of it. Aceman, I specifically remember you gettin' major wood for a new Frehly Les Paul you were gassing for. In the end, you didn't buy it because if was NOT signature enough! How many threads in this forum praise the JB, Pearly Gates, Screamin' Demon, etc.?

My rig doesn't mirror anyone else that I know of, but it does include several signature pieces of various artists. I always check out new gear that my fav's endorse and see if it's something that might work for me.

I'm really not trying to dog you here but this is EXACTLY why they do signature series and artist endorsements cause they know that it hooks people like yourself. Not saying is good or bad just that it works and your a great example of it.

Note noone said sig stuff was bad necessarily sometimes its good stuff sometimes its junk. 90% of the time it isnt what was used then first starting digging whatever guitarist. My whole beef with sig stuff is that they tack on an extra cost for that endorsement. Most of the time not small either.

Too many times people see an endorsement and run to it without knowing the truth. Case in point Marty Friedmans Blue Voodoo endorsement. Most people dont know that his endorsement contract didnt require him to record with the amps. Didnt even have to use them in concert. In concert he only had to use the cabs. The only time he was to use a blue voodoo was during clinics or personal appearances. I caught one of this clinics during this era and was able to chat with him and asked him and he explained this to me it not as many words but I caught the drift. Side note his tone was very blue voodoo at the clinic thin and buzzy nothing at all like what he would get normally.

Long story short. Just cause you see a flashy magazine ad doesnt mean thats what the guy is using or maybe he used it for 10 minutes long enough for them to take some pictures.

Sure it doesnt hurt to check out gear cause you see your hero using it. What does hurt is if that influences your decision on if it works for you or not. If you check it out and it works for you great! Everyone wins!

Oh well rant off

[Guston7]

I didn't say I run out and buy it. Please read post. And, you were completely unaware of the VH connection when you bought your 5150? What a boat load.

[Guston7]

And, about it making money for the musician, that's fine with me. So many people steal music nowadays. If artists can bring in money endorsing products, I say more power to 'em.

[misterwhizzy]

And, about it making money for the musician, that's fine with me. So many people steal music nowadays. If artists can bring in money endorsing products, I say more power to 'em.