Brand Loyalty

[gardo]

Is brand loyalty a good thing or is it being blinded?

[wankdeplank]

I don't know about brand loyalty but brand familiarity is a good thing IMO. I know that Rickenbackers and Music man guitars are too tight at the nut for me (particularly Rics - string spacing). Tight string spacing at the nut is also an issue on most every budget guitar brand I've looked at. So in these instances it's a case by case issue (try before you buy). Tried to love me some Custom Shop Washburns but the nut spacing was a little uneven and the boards were too flat. Gibsons on the other hand, have the widest string spacing at the nut, but on some cheaper models can have neck angle issues with TOMs maxed out to compensate, then there is the tuning stability issue with the tulips (in my mind at least) and the laquer static issue (some more than others). Another case of try before you buy IMO (and I love my Gibby LP Studio Deluxe Lite with Grovers). Epis are pretty uniform, play really well (more consistent I think than Gibsons) but they don't sound as alive as a Gibby to me. Hamers are the one production guitar (out of production) that I can feel confident to order on line as the variance is nill, they all sound and play well (the lubritrac nut was a little niggle for me), and they are Epiphone not Gibson spacing at the nut - not a big difference, and not too tight spacing. Fender MIM and MIA are fairly consistent, ample string spacing, stay in tune but are often set-up terribly. Learn to install a shim if you buy MIM - not sure if the MIAs still come with the micro-tilt. Don't care for the fat-wide necks on some PRS, but the SE I tried was perfect (might be my next guitar). That's about the extent of my purview on the subject.

[Freeman Keller]

I am very loyal to FKeller guitars. But I'm probably blinded...

[onelife]

A couple of years ago I looked around my studio and noticed most of my gear was Yamaha. Monitors, DAW, piano, guitar amp, bass etc. It's not that I intended it that way but I do think it may have been "unconscious" brand loyalty.

[soundcreation]

Depends on the brand.

 

And depends on the individual.

 

I'm sure there are as many people blindly loyal to brands (probably more) as there are people who recognize quality and support it.

 

 

[t_e_l_e]

i tend to buy what is nearest to my hand with the best price. thats one reason i have a lot EHX efx pedals

for guitars as lefty there is not that much choice, but anyhow if ibanez would make 100 models of lefties i still would not dig them

although i like their older efx pedals alot

 

i think i often come back to a brand if i bought something which i really liked and often don't give a second chance if a product has disappointed me.

 

and reading on the internet before you buy anything always helps (not only guitar related)

 

but saying e.g. only fender guitars are the real guitars is not brand loyal, its just stupid

[Chordite]

In these days of cnc machining I thing many budget guitars perform well (though not all) but there are variations. As many of you know I am rather fond of my old Encore HSS strat copy.

As test I bought another one last month, I had to make a few changes like flipping the bucker wiring because the phase was wrong and setting it up the same. However I couldn't get it to sound quite like the first one, close but no cigar.

I don't know whether Fenders also differ slightly from each other or if they have incredible consistency.

Nile Rodgers says "the Hitmaker" is unique and I trust him.

I am quite happy horsing around on top end Hondo and such and have no real brand loyalty. If I were rich I would probably get sucked into the brand thing and end up limiting myself.

My feelings are more like this guy ( apologies for reposting his vid but it gets the point across)

 

[video=youtube_share;l0MAKdT0B80]

 

 

[thatsbunk]

I'm much more driven by affordability than by brand.

As far as my "inventory" I currently own;

 

2 Yamaha acoustics

Epiphone ES-339

Fender Jaguar

Fender Hwy 1 Tele

Squier Jaguar

Squier Strat

Squier Bronco bass

Ibanez AF-75

Dano 12 string

Gretsch Mandolin

 

I suppose I could sell everything & buy a nice Les Paul, but what's the fun in that?

 

[WRGKMC]

The only loyalty I have is for gear that works well and does a useful job. Aesthetics is good too but it takes a back set to basic functionality. If that gear has good resale value its a bonus too. I have at least 50K wrapped up in studio and live gear and I can easily turn a profit on most of it because I considered its resale value when I purchased it. Of course being an electronic tech helped out immensely. I could take chances others would pass up buying used gear for chump change and restoring it back to specs.

[gardo]

I am very loyal to FKeller guitars. But I'm probably blinded...

 

There's an exception to every rule

[gardo]

I don't know about brand loyalty but brand familiarity is a good thing IMO..

 

That nails it right there.

[gardo]

.......but saying e.g. only fender guitars are the real guitars is not brand loyal' date=' its just stupid [/quote']

Yes it is ,and we have alot of brand snobbery going on

 

 

[gardo]

Depends on the brand.

 

And depends on the individual.

 

I'm sure there are as many people blindly loyal to brands (probably more) as there are people who recognize quality and support it.

 

 

Isn't brand loyalty a safe bet for someone who dosen't really know guitars?

[gardo]

I'm much more driven by affordability than by brand.

That's me as well.

 

 

[gardo]

The only loyalty I have is for gear that works well and does a useful job. Aesthetics is good too but it takes a back set to basic functionality. If that gear has good resale value its a bonus too. I have at least 50K wrapped up in studio and live gear and I can easily turn a profit on most of it because I considered its resale value when I purchased it. Of course being an electronic tech helped out immensely. I could take chances others would pass up buying used gear for chump change and restoring it back to specs.

 

Understanding what you want and recognizing it in a product is the way to go. But this takes experience and the only way to get expeirence is to make a few mistakes

[badpenguin]

I suffer from it, but not blinded by it. I have 10 Ibanez's, 2 Roland amps, a Roland guitar Synth, and a Yamaha THR-10. Why so many Ibby's? Simple: inexpensive, good players, and I know what I am getting quality wise. The Rolands, I have been using for years, and I know what to expect from them.

BUT do I immediate think that the newest Ibanez is THE guitar? Oh hell no! Do I think they are the greatest guitar on the planet? Nope, not at all. BUT I love them just the same.

[speakerjones]

After playing for a while, you find certain things that work for you, and recognize that certain brands offer great products that fit those needs well. I think that is a good thing, and not at all being blind or snobby.

 

I'm not exclusive to any brands, and try to keep an open mind, but I've owned a lot of Hamers, Fenders and G&L guitars over the years, as they fit my likes/needs/wants. I was also a Hamer dealer for a while, and got to know the guys building and selling them (in my home state), so there's bound to be some loyalty there. Of course that company doesn't exist anymore, but I'll still talk up their guitars.

 

Amps and effects I'm very open to. No real brand loyalty there, but if I've had good luck with a product, no matter what it is, I'm likely to check out that brand's offerings first if they have what I'm looking for.

[gardo]

I think brand preference based on past expeirence is smart.

[onelife]

I mentioned in an earlier post that I have/had a lot of Yamaha gear.

 

After reading some of the other posts in the thread it seems that I was still selective in my purchases but the "brand familiarity" led me to consider Yamaha products in most of my purchasing decisions.

 

[BG76]

I like good guitars. I don't like low end junk.

 

Not so interested in brands then in how they play/sound.

[DeepEnd]

I'm much more driven by affordability than by brand. . . .

^ That's me too.

[mistersully]

i have zero brand loyalty... but there are some brands that i know consistently produce quality gear.

 

different brands bring different things to the table... and i want variety

[soundcreation]

 

Isn't brand loyalty a safe bet for someone who dosen't really know guitars?

 

I don't think so. That's just code for being lazy. Someone who doesn't know guitars should be doing research to find out what will be best for them, and then make their decision accordingly.

[soundcreation]

I think brand preference based on past expeirence is smart.

 

It can be. But what if some other company offers you all those great things and even more for their product, but you don't choose it because you never even thought too?

 

 

[gardo]

True enough but how many people will buy a Fender Strat just because it's a "real Strat"

I own one ,and t's a great guitar .The name Fender did influence my decision. But the main reason I bought it was that oncre I played it I had to have it.