Thoughts on Signature Guitars?

[DonK]

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.

I'm a huge SRV fan as sell. I agree, the neck is one of the great features, though I'd bet willing to put the EJ neck and more recent Beck neck up against it. I replaced the SRV guard within a week of getting the guitar; last thing I wanted was to have "SRV" initials blaring while I was fumbling around on the frets. The owner of the store where I bought it told me most of the people he'd sold them to came back for a replacement pickguard.

[Josh S]

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.

 

 

Those are awesome basses, eh? So good!

[Bob411]

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.

Me too. Saw him 83 or 84. On the beach, on South Padre Island. Oh yeah, it was free. Budweiser put on the concert during spring break. I wasn't in college, but I sure as {censored} wasn't going to miss that.

[BydoEmpire]

I love my SRV strat. I bought it because of the feel of the neck, the playability and the tone. Even though I'm a big SRV fan, he had nothing to do with my buying that guitar. It was the best strat I played in my price range. I replaced the pickguard with Perloid because the big "SRV" logo was too much and I didn't want anybody having preconceived notions that I was some kind of SRV wannabe or impersonator. I just liked that strat.

 

If the guitar is really obviously a signature model, it's kind of a turn off, to be honest. If it's something more subtle like a signature on the headstock then I don't have any problem with it. I can't see myself ever playing a Brian May signature guitar unless I was in a Queen cover band.

 

 

last thing I wanted was to have "SRV" initials blaring while I was fumbling around on the frets. The owner of the store where I bought it told me most of the people he'd sold them to came back for a replacement pickguard.

Hah, finally read the end of the thread after posting. That's pretty funny. I had the pickguard replaced the day I bought it - never even took it home with the original one on.

[mikesr1963]

They're nice eye candy but I've never wanted one. I've played several sig models and liked them all, but it just seemed like I was playing someone elses guitar and if I wanted to mod it I would be alter something that wasn't mine. I think they're just weird.

[Alecto]

I'm with those who think signature guitars add something new to the party that other guitars just don't have. Hell, I have two Les Pauls and those are signature guitars (ol' Les, or his estate, gets 5% of every one sold) in my book.

For instance, I would love to get an EJ and/or SRV Strat (actually my #1 is already a pseudo-SRV Strat since it has a Warmoth SRV neck on it) simply because they have features that Fender hasn't put on any other guitars, such as the 12" radius fretboards with fat necks. And I'd love to get a Joan Jett sig, if the pickup's good.

And yes, I'd mod them if I wanted. I'd probably put in my initials instead of SRV's on the SRV Strat's pickguard, just to {censored} with people's heads (we have similar initials).

[Josh S]

Some people just dig the features of signature guitars. For example, I love the pickups, the mid-boost, and especially the neck in the original Clapton sig. I even like the colour. So it was a no-brainer for me.

 

Sig guitars aren't just for posers. Have you ever noticed just how many famous artists actually play the Clapton sig, for example? Quite a damn few.

[*BLEEP*]

Far and away my biggest complaint about "Signature" models is the price.

Other than that, as long as a Signature model doesn't have some screwball feature (like the neck on the John5 Telecaster below), I like them because Signature models almost always are made from excellent materials and have better build quality than the regular production models.




John5 Telecaster

[dcooper830]

At the risk of getting flamed....... I love my ZW sig LP. Plays and sounds great and I like the look of it.

[*BLEEP*]

At the risk of getting flamed....... I love my ZW sig LP. Plays and sounds great and I like the look of it.

 

 

 

The Zakk Wylde Epi is one of the best Epiphones ever made. That heavy duty maple neck is simply the bomb!

[mcmurray]

I have no problem with signature guitars other than you're paying extra $$$ for nothing other than the artist's name associated with it.

Agreed, but it's not the case for this particular guitar;



Now THAT is what I call a signature guitar. Oversized, 27" scale and arcade kill switches

[tacdryver]

I try to look at why the guitar was designed that way...vs 'he plays it I guess I should too'

[EJD]

I really, really want a Mark Knopfler Strat

 

[o.versteer]

I can't really see a problem with signature guitars. If you've got your own style and sounds, you'll sound like you even on a guitar to someone else's spec. A spec that might just suit you very well too, by the way.

If you don't, and you get a sig guitar to sound like your hero, then, in my view, that's just dandy as well. If you want to sound exactly like Gilmour or EC or Zakk Wylde, then go for it. You most likely won't, but it's all about having fun trying.

FWIW I'm the world's biggest EC fan, and I love the neck on his sig Strat, but I wouldn't bother getting one unless it was truly a great guitar, and none of the ones I've played have been. A sig I'd REALLY love is the PRS DGT. I'm not a huge Grissom fan, even though he's bloody brilliant, the specs on that guitar just feel like they could just as well have been made for me and not him - vintage (not too wide) neck, big frets, vintage 'buckers, great trem, sex-tastic Goldtop finish. Yum. It's the only PRS I'd want.

[Lex.Luthier]

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.

 

 

The 505 is MIJ and has the same spec as a JEM7V except it doesnt have Dimarzio's, vine inlays, an ebony/rosewood fretboard or a hard case.

[csm]

 

Sig guitars aren't just for posers. Have you ever noticed just how many famous artists actually play the Clapton sig, for example? Quite a damn few.

 

 

When Pete Townshend switched over to Strats in the late 80s, he was playing modded Mk 1 -- ie Lace Sensor-loaded -- Clapton sigs, with an added Fishman Powerbridge fior faux-acoustic tonalities. His current guitars, built for him by the Fender Custom Shop, are still based on those early ECs.

 

And John Lee Hooker sometimes played a BB King sig Gibson Lucille.

 

As far as I know, neither of these guys felt that their distinctive identities were compromised, and neither ended up sounding anything like the players whose signatures were on the guitars.

[atrox]

Some people just dig the features of signature guitars. For example, I love the pickups, the mid-boost, and especially the neck in the original Clapton sig. I even like the colour. So it was a no-brainer for me. Sig guitars aren't just for posers. Have you ever noticed just how many famous artists actually play the Clapton sig, for example? Quite a damn few.

 

Pickups on the Gilmour are amazing as well. It's the new benchmark for Strat tone for me personally. I have tried every pickup in the world at some point whether it be for myself or a client, and the combo on the Gilmour is the winner for me. Also, the Nitro finish, Bridge and Steel block are winners. I actually upgraded my block on mine to a Calliham so the bar would be stable though (obviously I kept the original in the case). Mine is also the perfect weight for a guitar

[Fuelish]

Most people are playing signature guitars. I know a lot of guys who play the guitar endorsed and named after Les Paul. It doesn't seem to stop them from playing other styles of music.

This

[BG76]

I don't care whose name is on something. I have even bought signiture models of artists I don't like (like Clapton) because I liked the guitar.

[Dr Wanker]

... but does it not reveal a lack of character and individuality when playing one?

 

 

Isn't it the same as playing a regular stock model then? The stock guitar is one made for the lowest common denominator player, while the Sig model is usually upgraded in some way. If it suits you, why not?

[ExiledCrow]

If it really has the feel you like and the right combo of features, sure why not? If its WAY more just because of the name, then no.

[wagdog]

WRT the comments about replacing the pickguard on the SRV...

 

I thought about it, but decided against it.

 

The drummer I was playing with at the time actually talked me into keeping it. He said you didn't just buy a signature model guitar to take half the signature off. I'm glad I didn't take it off, after playing over 60 gigs with it, it's not really noticeable and to be honest, most people don't care what your guitar looks like anyway.

[asb]

Agreed, but it's not the case for this particular guitar; Now THAT is what I call a signature guitar. Oversized, 27" scale and arcade kill switches

It would look LUDICROUS on me being not quite 5'7".

Even more ludicrous than the Dewey Decibel Flipout or the Flarma SLURM-LARVA 31.

[Brewski]

how is this different than any other JEM?

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.

[Brewski]

the Johnny Hiland PRS Signature has a unique tone and special pickups and sounds great but the neck markers are boring.

I may just buy the pups for my PRS.