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Author Topic: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?  (Read 52182 times)

Offline firemodel55

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #125 on: August 10, 2007, 05:59:27 PM »
Deltaslim,

Thanks. 

Don't worry, I will tell him to give you the EXTRA special guitars when you call or email. :)

Offline skunkyfunk

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #126 on: August 10, 2007, 06:00:07 PM »
Statistically, here is my take on boutique stuff.  (Hindi ito OT.)

The buyer of a boutique piece of gear is actually subsidizing the other "possible buyers" of the same piece of gear, granting that the raw materials were not screened with very low tolerances.

With endorsement deal gear, they are trying to market a product with some famous axeman's sig as something "special" but not to the extent of throwing out 70% of the product's raw material inventory.  Maybe they should make them a tad more special than the production line by adding extra features like flame tops, or extra hardware. 




Offline Single Stroke Seven

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #127 on: August 11, 2007, 07:39:20 PM »
Because their last priority is sound!!!

Upon opening the latest Guitar World magazine I was shocked to learn that Steve Vai uses a Fender amp for his clean sounds.  What happened to 3 years ago when he promoted his Carvin Legacy as IT in terms of clean and distortion?  Remember that he was downgrading from a Bogner XTC.  Then he goes on to say in the video that Legacy combos are still great amps but the Fender adds a new dimension to his sound.  Furthermore, he goes to say that he is planning to design a Carvin Legacy 2 with an additional channel.  What the...?  Why didn't he stick to the XTC in the first place which already had 3 channels built in and with some minor tweaking from Rheinhold would actually turn any Carvin amp to crap?  Regardless of sound qualify, my point is that Artists should qualify that they sound the way the do because of the TOTAL system and not because of one particular component and that they give endorsement at that SPECIFIC POINT IN TIME ONLY.  Look at his Gear Diagram in the latest Guitar World and you will understand that it ain't only because of his Carvin Legacy.

Now a month before that, I was reading the Eddie Van Halen Issue and he says that the EVH III is his best amp to date.  And yet, why the hell didn't he design the 5150 to sound as good as the EVH III?  I bought one Peavey 5150 head and good riddance.  I had enough sense to realize that it sounded inferior to the amp that it was copying.  So,stay tuned for EVH XX? Now for all I care, it could be the best sounding amp head for US$2,000 but my point is that when will artists finally deliver sincere goods that have no attachments of endorsement deals and free equipment and when will they stop putting their names on amps, effects and guitars that they know they will outgrow in the future.  The number 1 offender is Fender which started this and Gibson as a close number 2.  PRS is also starting to this today.  By the way, I have heard more crappy sounding Santana  USA guitars than good sounding ones.  Fender YJM has its lastest incarnation now which according to a close YJM fan friend of mine who was able to test 4 new models a few weeks ago still sounded like crap compared to the older YJMs.

Back to Steve Vai, hasn't everybody wondered why after 20 years of JEM production Ibanez still cannot come up with JEM guitars to beat EVO and FLO?  The answer is because wood is too variable to control and Steve Vai says this in the guitar world video.  In short, out of the thousands of JEMS produced, only BO was added and the rest of the guitars are substandard vis - a -vis EVO and FLO.  Because if it sounded any better, Ibanez would send it first to Steve Vai instead of you.  By the way, I have yet to hear an Ibanez that sounds really killer.

Take a good look at Joe Satriani.  I have all his DVDs and I play them back across a good hi fi system, not the high end ones like KRELL but definitely not your plain vanilla asian or japanese sound system.  When I put in his latest DVD with his signature JSX Peavey Amps, I was floored because I never remembered hearing Joe sound so NGONGO.  His pick attack was missing in his lead runs.  His highs sounded harsh.  Though I know that it was only a DVD and it will be a different experience live I knew I was living with much better gear everyday of my life.

Nowadays between manufacturers and Artists I tend to believe small high end  manufacturers more because you know that they have a specific biased agenda and that if they do not deliver on their expensive price the market will yank them out of existence versus the name brands who use looks and endorsement to sell their bad sounding gear (on the average) to guitarists who never had the opportunity to get exposed to good tone.  Artist agenda is not so clear.  They can be swayed by endorsement deals and looks and their ego while short changing equipment manufacturers who really know how to deliver good tone.  Unfortunately it is also happening locally, you know of local artists who are endorsing a Korean Brand or Korean Made Guitar but after a while I don't see them anymore playing that specific Korean Brand or Korean made guitar.

And I blame all of us for trusting so much our beloved idols ...


Ganyan talaga sa endorsements. Walang pinagkaiba sa

1. Sikat na artista, nag-endorse ng sardinas
2. Sikat na model, nag-endorse ng shampoo
3. Sikat na basketbolista, nag-endorse ng gatas

But for all you know, si artista never na kumain ng sardinas in real life or kung kumain man once or twice a year lang pero sa commercial the best sardines daw yun kaya lagi nya kinakain! Or si model, nung gumamit daw ng shampoong yun, nawala yung falling hair pero in real life ala naman talaga syang falling hair! Or si basketbolista, inom daw sya ng gatas na yun for a stronger body pero sa totoo lang whey protein at weight training lang pala ang sikreto!

Truth of the matter is: "Pera lang ang katapat mo."  :-D

Just call me SSS...

Offline Lahed92801

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #128 on: August 11, 2007, 08:09:25 PM »
It really is sad. Artists sell out in a different way  :-D

Offline Chicco

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #129 on: August 12, 2007, 12:20:16 AM »
Well, that's business. That's their way to make a living.


Offline markflo

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #130 on: August 12, 2007, 01:02:30 AM »
ya gotta remember...gear is just gear....it's a tool....if you're passionate about it, fine. the artist does what he does (this includes business moves eg endorsements) to keep on doing what he does (play music instead of sitting at a day job for 8 hours a day).
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt. - Abraham Lincoln

Offline blues2death

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #131 on: August 12, 2007, 06:02:52 PM »
why didn't EVH make his first 5150 amp to sound as good as the third 5150 amp which is supposedly his best sounding amp to date?

kasi everyday your tastes and preferences change.....and besides, the 5150 III was his best amp TO DATE.. ibig sabihin may susunod pa.

gusto rin nila parating may improvement sa kung anuman pinagkakaabalahan nila.

if EVH or VAI didnt improve their tone....or kung wala sa atin ang nag hangad mag improve ng tone natin sa paggitara.

hanggang ngayon naka mandolin at lute tayo

...d na naimbento ang les paul at stratocaster...at d na naimbento ang blues, heavy metal, rock n roll, thrash, jazz, fusion at kung ano pa.

guitarist telling the drummer what the intro to laklak was. caught on video.at binilangan pa ang drummer 1-2...1-2-3..lol

Offline firemodel55

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #132 on: August 12, 2007, 07:41:19 PM »
Blues,

Sorry my tastes do NOT change.  I add to my palette.  I know what I want and expand my equipment just as the way I expand my musical choices.  I still love 80s rock now with the same intensity as I love nu-metal today.  My very first Mesa Boogie is still with me today its 18 years old and sounds as good as it was back in the day and would still beat a lot of marshall, peavey and fender combos today. 

With regards to gear, I get rid of something if I find something better.  Thats what happened to my 5150 but correspondingly becausemy  Mesa Boogie Caliber 22 combo sounds so unique and nice, it stays.

So if your tastes continue to change, then you don't know what you want.


Offline firemodel55

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #133 on: August 12, 2007, 08:06:51 PM »
To further elaborate on the point above, I have this Marshall 2553 tube amp mini head which I bought way back in 1991.  At that point in time, I knew what kind of sound I was looking for in a good tube amp.  Heard it and played it for some time and kept it.  Lately, Arie and Miks were just so amazed with this amp.  They couldn't believe it sounded good for a late 80s designed Marshall amp -- read my lips "NON BOUTIQUE".  Arie who does not like Marshalls is actually re-assessing his preferences.  Miks is so stoked with it and believes it gives a different flavor compared to his Bogner Shiva which is a newer design -- about 20 years later but it hangs in there with his Shiva.  I keep on telling them that this is diode clipping.  They just dont care because it sounds good to their ears.  These are two people with uniquely different requirements or so-called TASTES in amp or so it seems because of their different musical styles.  Yet both agree its a killer sounding amp.  The other guys is just having fun and knocking himself out just changing preamp tubes.

Timbre is something that changes often but the basics don't.  When an artist endorses another brand and design, we have to ask the question if the basics sound better.  In the case of the Peavey 5150, the basics were never ever near the Soldano SLO100.  In the same breadth, I will tell you that my Marshall 1972 Super Lead Head is different and closer to the classic VH sound.  I like it too but not as much as my SLO100 because of the SLO100s flexibility.  Still it will hang and stay in there because it has a unique sound that I and others will like regardless of changes in so called taste.   A SLO100 will never be Super Lead and the Super Lead deserves its place where it is BUT I WILL NEVER EVER CHANGE MY OPINION THAT MY SPECIFIC SUPERLEAD HEAD SOUNDS GREAT AND UNIQUE.   

Offline cowboi_way

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #134 on: August 12, 2007, 08:39:13 PM »
sir OAS, pa view naman ng mga pictures sa lahat ng mga sinasabi mo? :wink: or links or youtube or frienster? :-D
fender standard strat (standard lang)squire by fender strat cali (crap)fender fm 25dsp (crappy)marshall ms-2r (great sounding amp, cool od)yamaha fx370c (ok na rin)kahon - maestro ( nakita sa mag used by escueta)line 6 - floor pod ( yeah  ! )
fender-dc60

Offline deltaslim

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #135 on: August 12, 2007, 09:03:14 PM »

So if your tastes continue to change, then you don't know what you want.

Alex - It's good that you are confident about what you want and are very focused at getting it.  In my case, and prolly blues2death's too, I know what I want.  But what I want evolves and also expands as I pursue my muse and absorb new musical influences.  It's fun too.

Offline firemodel55

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #136 on: August 12, 2007, 09:26:25 PM »
Cowboi Way,

Hirap kunan lahat ng pictures. I am in the process of purchasing guitar cabinets and I feel that I am not confident to post pictures of my heads without matching cabinets.  So, I will save the picture taking for later...  However, I do have some pictures of my stuff from that thread on "First Baker B3 in the Philippines..."

Deltaslim,

For clarification and I do hope you do not mind answer the question "So what do you want?"

1) Specifically, what do you  look for in a good sounding guitar?

2) For amps, what do you look for in a good sounding amp?

3) For effects, what do you look for in a good sounding effect?   

Describe in detail.  Thanks.

Offline IncX

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #137 on: August 12, 2007, 09:39:17 PM »

So if your tastes continue to change, then you don't know what you want.



as much as i agree with a lot of things you say, i do not agree with the above statement.

reason: ever heard of a band or even a guitarist who used the same exact gear for 5, no, 3 albums worth? ...

well, at least the guitarists/bassists i like always evolve. they change gear, but they dont necessarily think  their old one's suck... they just want a different sound as to bring a different inspiration.

YES... that is what it is all about. change of sound = new inspiration. the bass lines i made with my current fender bassman 250 are different with the basslines i made with my marshall 20 watt valvestate. dont get me wrong... eventhough i sold my marshall valvestate, there are days where i miss its tone along with my old Greco Mongrel J-bass copy.

the sound is just a means to better song writing and playing... not an ends to itself. as much as i love gear... i only buy it when it inspires my playing - and when i say inspire, i mean, the crowd goes wild and hears my bass out there. that wild cheering makes me wanna study more scales and learn tapping harmonies, so i can go on with the cycle.

Offline skunkyfunk

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #138 on: August 12, 2007, 09:58:14 PM »
I think my taste changed over time.  Used to be a "Boogie" guy.  Now I am more of a "marshall" guy.  I mean, I love amps derived from Marshall tone.  I still lean towards the EL34-ish grind, while back in the early days, i wanted to sound more Recto. 

But I want to own both Boogies and Marshalls, and everything in between.

Offline ubersam

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #139 on: August 13, 2007, 04:30:54 PM »
Deltaslim,

For clarification and I do hope you do not mind answer the question "So what do you want?"

1) Specifically, what do you  look for in a good sounding guitar?

2) For amps, what do you look for in a good sounding amp?

3) For effects, what do you look for in a good sounding effect?   

Describe in detail.  Thanks.
Good thing I am not deltaslim. Personally, these questions would induce an OCD attack in me. When it comes to guitar, amps, efx, etc... I never really know what I want, like, or am looking for, until I hear and feel it. For example: my main guitar- I ended up buying it because I played it and liked how it felt and how it played, and I thought it sounded great even unplugged. I never tried to break down in detail why I liked it, it was enough for me to know that I do. I always thought that it was pointless and a waste of time to try to put into words the reasons why I like it, no need to explain it to myself. Besides, I had better things to do, like learning how to play the thing.


...But what I want evolves and also expands as I pursue my muse and absorb new musical influences.  It's fun too.

I think my taste changed over time...But I want to own both Boogies and Marshalls, and everything in between.

I will third that thought. I think that as we develop as musicians, out preferences develop as well. But not so much as to completely abandon what we previously preferred, but more so that we develop an appreciation for something different.

Here is another personal example: My most recent rig consists of a guitar straight into a 4ch high-gain amp. That was my preference, I liked the searing lead tones, the heavy rhythm tones and the "dirty" clean tones. One night, due to circumstances, I had to play through someone else's lower-gain, guitar into pedals into a vintage Fender Bassman. Years ago, I most likely would have protested. But that night, I really appreciated the great, but different, tones that I was playing with. So, does this mean that I will ditch my 4ch high-gain amp for a pedal-amp set-up? No. This means that as I developed as a musician, I also developed an appreciation for different sounds and learned to use those sounds as my own.


Offline nealyu

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #140 on: August 13, 2007, 07:37:02 PM »
if it's up to me, i wouldn't buy those crappy guitars those manufacturers make... true, they make decent guitars but it's overpriced!!! you just pay for the name and not the quality. it's better to buy a hand made custom guitar for the same price than a les paul....  :-D
custom makers can put duncans to your guitar... better wood... +deep set neck tenon for attaching the neck and the body of the guitar for better tone and sustain... +25in scale!!! like what prs uses. 24 frets... overall, the guitar will be better made and will sound better  :-D

Offline deltaslim

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #141 on: August 13, 2007, 08:27:46 PM »
Deltaslim,

For clarification and I do hope you do not mind answer the question "So what do you want?"

1) Specifically, what do you  look for in a good sounding guitar?

2) For amps, what do you look for in a good sounding amp?

3) For effects, what do you look for in a good sounding effect?   

Describe in detail.  Thanks.
Good thing I am not deltaslim. Personally, these questions would induce an OCD attack in me. When it comes to guitar, amps, efx, etc... I never really know what I want, like, or am looking for, until I hear and feel it. For example: my main guitar- I ended up buying it because I played it and liked how it felt and how it played, and I thought it sounded great even unplugged. I never tried to break down in detail why I liked it, it was enough for me to know that I do. I always thought that it was pointless and a waste of time to try to put into words the reasons why I like it, no need to explain it to myself. Besides, I had better things to do, like learning how to play the thing.


...But what I want evolves and also expands as I pursue my muse and absorb new musical influences.  It's fun too.

I think my taste changed over time...But I want to own both Boogies and Marshalls, and everything in between.

I will third that thought. I think that as we develop as musicians, out preferences develop as well. But not so much as to completely abandon what we previously preferred, but more so that we develop an appreciation for something different.

ubersam - you took he words out of my mouth.  :-) 

alex - even if i did bother to answer now, it's just a snapshot in time. the answer was different yesterday, it would be different tomorrow, etc. due to the reasons cited.

Offline firemodel55

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #142 on: August 13, 2007, 08:28:46 PM »
Ubersam,

I understand your experience.  Let me rephrase it another way...  What was common between your 4 channel high gain setup and the low gain bassman setup that really attracted you?  Forget about timbre and all the scientific mumbo jumbo about how different a bassman is from your 4 channel high gain amp and just center on the common positive aspects of both.

IncX,

Now for the sake of deltaslim who is taking a bit of time to answer some questions (-- akala ko ba alam mo anong gusto mo? -- heh heh joke lang:)), I believe that we can try to describe that which attracts us to a guitar, effects or amp.  I went thru the same process and Arie had guided me thru it.  Alam mo kasi, if its not clear in your mind what you want then you will drift to whatever is new or in the moment.  After clarity of mind, you now have to assess where to get what component of sound.  For example, I get response from the guitar and not the amp.  On the other hand, I get distortion from the amp rather than the guitar.  Treble cut, I get from my tone pots and the amps eq controls, etc...  But what makes me different from the person I was 20 years ago with regards to tone, I can estimate much better now what % of the certain factor that I want to adjust is affected by each component that contributes to that specific factor.   At this stage, I can even tell by listening to your playing a guitar if it lacks response specially if you bend it.

True, artists change equipment due to timbre variations that they find new and refreshing at that point in time.  But I never saw an artist downgrade to a hot cabs or lumanog guitar and claim that it provided him a refereshing sound.  This just means that he is still maintaining a certain standard which is what I mean by clarity of mind.  On the other hand, somebody who keeps on changing equipment every quarter sometimes sounding bad and sometimes sounding good, and playing a specific guitar for three months and then moving on to another guitar after that and then moving back to the same type of guitar after a year is clearly uncertain of him or herself or possibly he or she cannot hear the nuances and therefore treats everything as the same because no standard has been set.

In my 20 years buying guitar gear and equipment, I have reached a point where I just call up Cliff or Ken and ask if there is anything worthwhile that I should buy.   Alam nila ibang timbre and hinahanap ko but they will makes sure that they recommend something that has the same basic characteristics that make all good sounding amps sound good and make all legendary guitars sound magical.  Because they know my standard and they themselves CAN RELATE AND HAVE THE SAME STANDARD AS I HAVE, I can buy gear without ever actually hearing it.  Proof my friends is the fact that Baker#55 is here and is killer sounding and proof is the Diezel Herbert  both which I believe have a 90% chance of impressing and getting any guitarist to say that it sounds good.  This phenomenon could never happen if KANYA KANYA lang iyan.

DISCLAIMER: It was Ken Volpe who recommended Baker.  It was Cliff who actually pushed despite my intense skepticism because I thought guitars were KANYA KANYA.  It turns out there are some guys who can prove that hindi KANYA KANYA.  Ang impression ko nga sa kanila ay tingin nila sa akin ay DOUBTING THOMAS, PILOSOPO AT KUNG SINONG MAGALING NA HINDI NAMAN KAHARAP NG MGA PINAMAGANDANG MGA INSTRUMENTO NA PANG GITARA 24 HOURS A DAY.  

Offline nealyu

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #143 on: August 13, 2007, 08:31:05 PM »
baker under ed roman yun diba???  :-D astig mga gitara niya  :-o
« Last Edit: August 13, 2007, 08:32:14 PM by nealyu »

Offline firemodel55

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #144 on: August 13, 2007, 08:35:48 PM »
Nealyu,

Baker B3 po.  Personally na gawa ni Gene Baker na mag-isa.  Siya pa nga nag email sa akin ng scanned copy ng DHL na transmission slip.

Deltaslim,

So answer the questions with this point in time as reference...   How can you tell me that you know what you want if you keep on changing from time to time?  Its like somebody who stays in college for twenty years trying out all the courses and never accomplishing or making a career during in the 20 years of vacilation.  Besides how can you know what to change unless you know what it is today?

Offline nealyu

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #145 on: August 13, 2007, 09:25:56 PM »
ahhhh... ang alam ko kasi ngayon under kay ed roman na baker or affiliated sila hehehehe

Offline skunkyfunk

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #146 on: August 13, 2007, 10:15:22 PM »
In my 20 years buying guitar gear and equipment, I have reached a point where I just call up Cliff or Ken and ask if there is anything worthwhile that I should buy.   Alam nila ibang timbre and hinahanap ko but they will makes sure that they recommend something that has the same basic characteristics that make all good sounding amps sound good and make all legendary guitars sound magical.  Because they know my standard and they themselves CAN RELATE AND HAVE THE SAME STANDARD AS I HAVE, I can buy gear without ever actually hearing it.  Proof my friends is the fact that Baker#55 is here and is killer sounding and proof is the Diezel Herbert  both which I believe have a 90% chance of impressing and getting any guitarist to say that it sounds good.  This phenomenon could never happen if KANYA KANYA lang iyan.

DISCLAIMER: It was Ken Volpe who recommended Baker.  It was Cliff who actually pushed despite my intense skepticism because I thought guitars were KANYA KANYA.  It turns out there are some guys who can prove that hindi KANYA KANYA.  Ang impression ko nga sa kanila ay tingin nila sa akin ay DOUBTING THOMAS, PILOSOPO AT KUNG SINONG MAGALING NA HINDI NAMAN KAHARAP NG MGA PINAMAGANDANG MGA INSTRUMENTO NA PANG GITARA 24 HOURS A DAY. 

Why tone is a hard subject to talk about:

1.  Some people CANNOT hear the differences of different gear.  Tone-deaf in other words.
2.  Some people who cannot hear the differences are also entitled to personal gear choices.
3.  Most people need experience to test different gear to know what works for him.  Unfortunately our fields of experience differ greatly.
4.  Most people cannot afford high end stuff. 

Offline gutz_3110

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #147 on: August 13, 2007, 10:29:11 PM »
Randy,

So why endorse if you know you will change sound and taste?  And thats the irony of being a paid artist if you know that you will change sound and taste.  You should NOT endorse and this was my point.



baka naman sir yun "the best" that they were pertaining to was "the best" at that particular period? everything changes in time and so do preferences.  for example, it would be impossible for vai to say that his ibanez jem is the best guitar there is when it was the 1970s.  :-D

i just love ibanez....muah!  :-D
« Last Edit: August 13, 2007, 11:38:21 PM by gutz_3110 »

Offline IncX

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #148 on: August 13, 2007, 11:26:55 PM »

IncX,

Now for the sake of deltaslim who is taking a bit of time to answer some questions (-- akala ko ba alam mo anong gusto mo? -- heh heh joke lang:)), I believe that we can try to describe that which attracts us to a guitar, effects or amp.  I went thru the same process and Arie had guided me thru it.  Alam mo kasi, if its not clear in your mind what you want then you will drift to whatever is new or in the moment.  After clarity of mind, you now have to assess where to get what component of sound.  For example, I get response from the guitar and not the amp.  On the other hand, I get distortion from the amp rather than the guitar.  Treble cut, I get from my tone pots and the amps eq controls, etc...  But what makes me different from the person I was 20 years ago with regards to tone, I can estimate much better now what % of the certain factor that I want to adjust is affected by each component that contributes to that specific factor.   At this stage, I can even tell by listening to your playing a guitar if it lacks response specially if you bend it.

True, artists change equipment due to timbre variations that they find new and refreshing at that point in time.  But I never saw an artist downgrade to a hot cabs or lumanog guitar and claim that it provided him a refereshing sound.  This just means that he is still maintaining a certain standard which is what I mean by clarity of mind.  On the other hand, somebody who keeps on changing equipment every quarter sometimes sounding bad and sometimes sounding good, and playing a specific guitar for three months and then moving on to another guitar after that and then moving back to the same type of guitar after a year is clearly uncertain of him or herself or possibly he or she cannot hear the nuances and therefore treats everything as the same because no standard has been set.

In my 20 years buying guitar gear and equipment, I have reached a point where I just call up Cliff or Ken and ask if there is anything worthwhile that I should buy.   Alam nila ibang timbre and hinahanap ko but they will makes sure that they recommend something that has the same basic characteristics that make all good sounding amps sound good and make all legendary guitars sound magical.  Because they know my standard and they themselves CAN RELATE AND HAVE THE SAME STANDARD AS I HAVE, I can buy gear without ever actually hearing it.  Proof my friends is the fact that Baker#55 is here and is killer sounding and proof is the Diezel Herbert  both which I believe have a 90% chance of impressing and getting any guitarist to say that it sounds good.  This phenomenon could never happen if KANYA KANYA lang iyan.

DISCLAIMER: It was Ken Volpe who recommended Baker.  It was Cliff who actually pushed despite my intense skepticism because I thought guitars were KANYA KANYA.  It turns out there are some guys who can prove that hindi KANYA KANYA.  Ang impression ko nga sa kanila ay tingin nila sa akin ay DOUBTING THOMAS, PILOSOPO AT KUNG SINONG MAGALING NA HINDI NAMAN KAHARAP NG MGA PINAMAGANDANG MGA INSTRUMENTO NA PANG GITARA 24 HOURS A DAY.  

if you put it that way, i guess i can agree to that.

in a way theres something that we can call "good guitars" that every guitarist would like... there are just some factors that make them not choose the same guitar (i.e. looks/aesthetics, price, playability). if i was given a chance to buy say a baker (like yous, im sure thats an amazing guitar knowing how sensitive you are to tone), and also assuming that i have the money, i dont think i would go for it ... id definitely choose another guitar, although i cannot tell you what it is because i am a bassist and my soul is closely tied to the bass.

i agree with everything you said regarding distortion from the amp, treble cut, etc. (that is also why i dont understand ppl who insist on stomp boxes to have this "godly distortion," not to mention, ppl who compare their stomp boxes to tube amps, when it really is all about the amp).

i guess that "drifting to what is new" is what we call GAS attacks. im still in the stage where i am susceptible to GAS attacks, but not as bad compared to other ppl i know (they really dont have any idea what they want and change their set up everytime they have money). as for me, i keep a "consultation group" in my YM, so i could ask them before i blow money away. i still cant tell how a piece of gear will work in conjunction to my overall sound.

regarding artists downgrading... i guess its rather extreme to compare say a vintage strat and a lumanog downgrade... im not sure how you really consider downgrading whether it is pushing for digital or going for high  end analog. i do not know anyone downgrading for one...  maybe someone who checks out other equipment from the other point of view. billy corgan for one used pro tools on adore but avoided them on machina... i really dont consider it downgrading, its just "trying out new flavors." i also read about some bassists who choose musicman stingray over expensive warwicks and foderas.... do you consider that downgrading? after all, they own both brands.

this is a very healthy discussion, and eventhough i am a bassist at heart, the ideas thrown around are about tone - something both bassists and guitarists strive ... its just, basses tend to be ignored.

Offline firemodel55

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Re: Why I hate artist endorsed Major Brands?
« Reply #149 on: August 14, 2007, 07:09:23 AM »
Skunky,

It would really be difficult to classify people.  For example, under the 4 categories above, where would you classify deltaslim?  Answering that question is dangerous and pointless kasi wala naman AAMIN.  Rather, I believe that when people are exposed no matter the level of experience with a good guitar they will BE ABLE to hear and tell the difference in an AB setup.  I am an optimist despite knowing the ugly truth at the back of mind that some may not be able to hear.

Gutz 3110,

Since  you mentioned Steve Vai, at the beginning of this thread I made mention, despite 20 years of JEM guitars;  nothing made by ibanez to date has topped Steve Vai's FLO and EVO.  Maybe BO.  I dunno.  But this is testimony that when these guitars were discovered by Vai in the early 90s, they have been his stable for the past 15 years!!!  I can imagine how many thousands of JEMs that Ibanez has produced in the last 15 years and yet not be able to rival these two specific guitars.  Conversely, how can Steve Vai say that these two guitars are the best up way past the year 2000?  It is so because he knew what he wanted early on despite numerous succeeding JEM variations in color and pickups.  The funny thing is despite some anecdotes here by people saying that tastes change, I have never heard Steve Vai say it in person or declare that his taste changes.  Rather, the impression everytime I read an article about Vai, watch is video, or his DVD is that the guy knows what he wants.