Thoughts on Signature Guitars?

[Alex W]

I, have actually never seen anyone else playing a Red/Black burst tele But I see where you are coming from but I like a guitar to be mine, not Steve Vai's or Eric Clapton's.

That's just a perception. Who owns the guitar? You, Eric Clapton, or Steve Vai? All it has on it are features that those particular guitarists like. It's not like it comes stock with a tv changer, and a remote car starter.

I owned a J Mascis Jazzmaster. I prefer jumbo frets and a satin neck. I didn't see another production Jazzmaster with those features that was within my price range. I also dig the purple sparkle finish. So I could have bought the J Mascis or took a stock Jazzmaster and completely redid it wasting time and money.

[BoneNut]

As long as it didn't have the artist's name plastered all over, like the SRV Strat, sure I'd buy a signature guitar.

I'm a SRV fan BTW.

[MKSkud]

Wolfgangs are top notch guitars...

 

[Dougie.Douglas]

That's just a perception. Who owns the guitar? You, Eric Clapton, or Steve Vai? All it has on it are features that those particular guitarists like. It's not like it comes stock with a tv changer, and a remote car starter. I owned a J Mascis Jazzmaster. I prefer jumbo frets and a satin neck. I didn't see another production Jazzmaster with those features that was within my price range. I also dig the purple sparkle finish. So I could have bought the J Mascis or took a stock Jazzmaster and completely redid it wasting time and money.

Sorry, I meant it like... I don't want my guitar to have the same features as Eric Clapton's guitar, just because I don't believe that i'd be able to make that guitar 'mine', no matter how much I played it, gigged it or anything.

[TheBlueStrat]

I would kill for a Jeff Beck or John Mayer strat.

One day......

[Alex W]

Sorry, I meant it like... I don't want my guitar to have the same features as Eric Clapton's guitar, just because I don't believe that i'd be able to make that guitar 'mine', no matter how much I played it, gigged it or anything.

 

 

I didn't mean any offense Dougie. Sometimes I come across like I'm a prick even though that isn't what I meant.

[Electric Monk]

I used to think that paying for the name was dumb, but there's plenty of signature guitars out there that have features that differentiate themselves enough, other than aesthetics. There's nothing wrong with them, in this case.

Also: every tone has been done. Every. single. one. Someone else is shooting for a tone just like the one in your head. THAT DOESN'T MATTER. Dial it in and use it anyway. Who cares if someone else's guitar sounds a lot like yours? There's not as much room for complete individuality with tone as there is the music itself.

[mhuxtable]

My favorite bass I ever owned (I still kick myself for getting rid of it) was the Fender Sting P Bass. From feel to sound, it was a perfect instrument. Hate that I don't have one now.

 

[Bob411]

I don't have any signature guitars. Nothing against them, just don't have any. There are lots of guitars that are not signatures. Wahs on the other hand are almost all signature. Fricken everybody has a signature wah.

[Dougie.Douglas]

I didn't mean any offense Dougie. Sometimes I come across like I'm a prick even though that isn't what I meant.

None taken mate... after spending x-amount of time on HCEG, you just take everything as a joke anyway

[Preacher]

Iv'e never seen anyone get any {censored} for playing A Chet Atkins, Les Paul, or Trini Lopez......

Aren't you the guy with the epi supernova? Pics? Please?:poke:

[paulojcduarte]

SIGNATURE GUITARS They're often a good way of getting something unusual out of a production-line brand, and you can own a symbol of your favourite artist, but does it not reveal a lack of character and individuality when playing one? Would you not feel "fixed" the the artist's style and out of place if you played, for instance, funk on a JS1000? I say this because the new JEM505 looks pretty tasty: Discuss. EDIT: And with this thread, I ascend into the world of memberdom.

As a owner of a Jem (77v bk) and have played the 555, if I'm not mistaken that one is made in Korea like the 555's. If the price is around the 555's stay away from it, you get a better deal out of the higher end RG models, and, if possible get a prestige.

They're nice guitars and all, but in 4/5 years the floyd won't tune and the specs are very distant from the Fujigen jem's.

About my jem, bought it because of the specs, it's a monster guitar, imho built in one of the best guitar factories in the world.

[atrox]

I got my Gilmour Strat for a collectors item because I'm a major fan-boy. Turns out it's just a phenomenal guitar and I want all my Strats to sound like it

[jjpistols]

I knew a guy once who had a signature move.

 

 

Damn.

[guitarmandp]

they suck

[Bleak]

I have a couple.

 

I think if they're good guitars, you should do it. If you're not in love with it like any other guitar you might purchase - don't do it.

I got lucky in that both of my signature guitars are from guitarists I enjoy. Certainly wasn't intentional, but it didn't really hurt me wanting to buy them.

[Goofball Jones]

Well, the ultimate signature is the Les Paul...no?

 

But I don't mind signature models...that is if they're understated. I do NOT like Martin's signature models...like Clapton's with his signature right there on the fretboard. Or worse yet when Martin had a limited edition "Trigger" signature from Willie Nelson. Instead of just copying Willie's N20, they had to put his signature on the fretboard and a big inlay of the state of Texas on the freboard. Why not just give us a copy of what Willie play's (without the big gaping hole).

[AxAxSxS]

I dont mind em, I think I only have one, but i dont really buy guitars based on weather or not it's a sig. I play them and If I like them, thats the criteria. Some of the more obnoxious ones are a turn off though. If its a band I HATE that might keep me from buying one too.

[GAS Man]

I think it's fine and I don't mind having a sig guitar as long as I'm paying mostly for features and not much if any for the signature.

 

I've got an -

 

EC Martin (wife bought it for me)

EJ Strat

JV Strat

SRV Strat

Los Straitjackets Galaxie IV

Popa Chubby Epi Flying V

Elvis Costello Jazzmaster

Joan Jett Melody Maker

Muddy Waters Telecaster

Brian Setzer Gretsch 6120SSLVO

Ibanez JS100

Kay 161VB (Which some folks call the Jimmy Reed Model)

Yamaha Troy Van Leeuwen SA503

 

and last but not least I bought a Paul Allender PRS CE24.

 

Now on all of those there's really not much of a premium for the signature, at least not in what I paid, but I was getting features that I wanted.

 

But it did surprise me posting them here that I'd bought anywhere near 14 of them.

 

But take that Paul Allender CE24. Even though it was a bit over the top with his signature and fretboard bat inlays, I only paid $409 for it and it sounds better than any of the other SE CEs I've bought. They wound the p'ups per his specs and those pickups have more lively character to them than the other three I bought. I bought the others with pickup mods in mind, but this Paul Allender I bought for my son, so it will be his call. But I doubt it will ever need it.

[GreatDane]

if you don't count the Les Paul, then...

 

top of mind, i've owned the following signature guitars:

JS1000- loved the neck on this guitar and would have never sold it if i could get along with a floyd.

Fender SRV signature- again, greatest neck Fender puts out, and everything else was just killer. i don't regret ever selling a guitar, but this one comes close and i may buy another one day.

Ibanez Universe- i'm including this because it was a Vai thing (close enough, right?). it was a nice guitar, but again i didn't dig the floyd and that fretboard radius was too flat for my playing style and feel. it was the guitar that convinced me that i'd never be a 'shredder'.

Yamaha Blues Saraceno- nice neck, decent pickups, floating bridge (why do i never learn...), finish that i thought was cool in pictures but ultimately was lame, outstanding fit and construction. bought for cheap and sold for a lot more, so i'm happy and no regrets.

 

my opinion (and only mine, so your mileage may vary) is that if the features are pleasing to me and i don't think i'll get killed on resale (sorry, but I do usually think about resale just in case), then I don't really care that much about whose signature is on the guitar.

[tacdryver]

The guitar god idol worship thing never took with me...the more I play the more I want a unique guitar that NOBODY has...

[scottgd]

I have a Custom Shop EC that I got for a very good price. Well worth the money even without the Sig.

[DonK]

To me it depends. I agree that some are really just dressed-up versions of regular models with a big price premium for little or no added value. But there are some that have unique qualities not found in their "regular" counterparts. I paid $1,400 new for my EJ Strat a few years ago, and that guitar rivals any Fender Custom Shop model I've played. It's got a great neck, 12" radius, pup's to die for (only the Fralin's on my Callaham rival them IMO), thin finish, special headstock, etc. Well worth the difference over an American Standard. I bought my Beck Strats primarily for their necks: you don't find necks that thick on any other Strats I can think of.

 

I've owned an SRV Strat; some nice features but not really worth the price premium (though I got mine new for $1,000, from the same store I where I bought the EJ - the SRV had been hanging on the wall for a year and the owner just wanted to get rid of it). I had a Clapton Strat, and found that to be the most overpriced signature guitar I've ever come across. Crappy construction quality, and no way the active electronics justified the huge price premium.

[RocknRollOver]

I doubt anyone knows who it is so pretty much for only myself really, my guitar will be the "Ben Curtis" Swede (hagstrom swede). I know that he plays the same guitar that I do, and plays it better.

[wagdog]

 

As long as it didn't have the artist's name plastered all over, like the SRV Strat, sure I'd buy a signature guitar. I'm a SRV fan BTW.

 

 

I'm an SRV fan from way back, saw him '82 or '83 - I quit playing guitar for 2 weeks afterwards, figured it was pointless.

 

I own an SRV sig strat, however not because I'm an SRV fan. First of all, I love strats. The neck on the SRV is unmatched by anything fender offers. It also came stock w/texas special pickups, which love. I really don't care about the initials on the pickgaurd or the sig on the headstock... and I got a great deal on it.