Display Your Keyboard Logo On Stage?

[PianoMan51]

15 minutes ago, Reezekeys said:

I guess those of you against "free advertising" also remove or tape over the badging on your cars? 🙂 

Day one: remove the license plate holder advertising the car dealer. 
 

The rest is more difficult. I do remember parking behind a car, then noticing that the metal letters spelled out the name of the manufacturer…

 

DORF

[Docbop]

Only times I've run into this is working for bands doing TV shoots, because it's a financial thing between the TV network and instrument manufacturers.    Otherwise I don't cover anything up because I don't get paid to endorse them.   I have removed a Fender logo off a speaker cabinet that I had replacement the grill cloth with black for a stealth look so not be noticeable on stage in a pit band.  I bought cars and told the dealer not to put their dealership sticker on my car unless they want to knock more off the price.   I don't mind the manufacturers badges on the car but dealership sticker are usually really cheesy looking and can mess the finish up taking it off myself.   

 

Those who say  they don't want to advertise who made their gear is that all your gear, what about your car, your appliances at home, your lawn mower.  Do you take the Nike swoosh and Adidas stripes off your kids sneakers.   Where do you stop with this pay me stuff?  

[Polychrest]

Nord offered me 500 Kronor to cover their logo when I play in public….

[Bobbo Fett]

4 hours ago, Old No7 said:

I'd only do it for a Casio........

 

But it's fine on my other boards. 😉

 

Old No7

Well...my Px5S SOUNDS better than I PLAY, so.....

[Lou Gehrig Charles]

42 minutes ago, PianoMan51 said:

Day one: remove the license plate holder advertising the car dealer. 
 

I usually leave that thing on the car.  Just because people like commenting on it!  "[i]What, are they paying you to advertise?[/i]"  Apparently it bothers them more than it does me. 

 

Fortunately most dealers around here have finally stopped using the stickers.  As mentioned above, those can be hard to remove and can damage the paint.  In the old days, they used to be mounted with screws!  No more of that!

[Mighty Motif Max]

Nope - if I’m gigging a keyboard, it means it’s a good enough product for me to stand behind it. I don’t use garbage - if I use it, I can vouch for it.

 

I was inspired to get into electric keyboards years ago by seeing someone playing a Korg Triton in a band that sounded great, and I could identify what it was.

[Stokely]

Put me down in the "why should I spend effort to worry about free advertising".   In no case would I ever expect to get anything back from a keyboard company for using their gear, so it doesn't help or hurt me if a logo is visible.  ymmv

Speaking of cars, I find some of the giant car brand logos--the example that comes to mind is F O R D on the grill of their giant trucks--pretty obnoxious.  Small little oval "Ford" is fine, thanks.  

[Franz Schiller]

Yes, I absolutely obscure the logo. It is visual clutter, extraneous information. And since the audience is simply looking at you for a long time, that visual clutter draws attention away from more important things, such as the visual of you! The performer! It might seem silly, but the keyboard logos are very often right in the primary sight line. And honestly, comparing concerts to where its visible to where it's not...in the larger context, the logos are simply ugly.

 

I say that as a total keyboard nerd.

[HSS]

5 hours ago, Old No7 said:

I'd only do it for a Casio........

 

But it's fine on my other boards. 😉

 

Old No7

Sorry, OT:  I sat quietly and bit my tongue at a rehearsal on Saturday afternoon while the other musicians joked about another keyboard player who showed up at a gig with a Casio. FWIW... I was using a Numa Compact 2x at that rehearsal, although on other occasions with other bands, I've rehearsed with my Casio CT-x700 and gigged with my Casio CGP-700. 

 

Like most in-the-know keyboardists, I personally think Casio's boards, at least  since the Privias first showed up 15-20 years ago, kick azzz, especially for the price point. 

 

IMO the only problem with Casio boards, at least among non-keyboardist musicians, is Casio's legacy reputation. Hopefully, as more  top shelf players use Casios on stage, Casio's rep will self-correct.

[Stokely]

Casios definitely get joked about among some players, which is really dumb.  Yamaha has a bunch of low-end consumer keyboards too, as do others.   

Those same dingleberries would probably snark at a guitarist with a Squier.  Gear snobs, no time for 'em.

[Delaware Dave]

3 hours ago, Reezekeys said:

I guess those of you against "free advertising" also remove or tape over the badging on your cars? 🙂 

 Reeze for the WIN!

[Delaware Dave]

1 hour ago, Franz Schiller said:

 visual clutter draws attention away from more important things, such as the visual of you! The performer! It might seem silly

 

Extremely .......  🤣 

[xp50player]

Do guitar players cover the brands on their guitars or amps?  To me, fans are interested in the gear you use and it enhances their enthusiasm for the band, so why make it difficult, just to stick it to The Man, which probably makes no difference at all?

[Mr -G-]

5 hours ago, konaboy said:

I only ever use black tape to change Roland to Poland.

Ha ha! I saw a Polish band video that did the same thing.

And I remember somebody modifying the 'Nord' logo in to 'Nerd'.

[Docbop]

31 minutes ago, xp50player said:

Do guitar players cover the brands on their guitars or amps?  To me, fans are interested in the gear you use and it enhances their enthusiasm for the band, so why make it difficult, just to stick it to The Man, which probably makes no difference at all?

 

In general guitar player don't worry about things like covering up logo, the type of guitar your using in general is pretty identifiable by the body and headstock shape.     Sometime on TV shows you'll see amps with the company name covered up,  trying to put crap on a guitarist headstock you're asking for trouble.   

 

Now there is Jazz guitar legend Barney Kessel who famously cover the name Gibson up on the headstock of his guitar.   Barney had major issues with Gibson over their endorsement and Barney Kessel model guitar they made for awhile.   I went to hear Barney play solo guitar at McCabes Guitar Shop that had a small concert room.   Being a guitar oriented place Barney did a Q&A session during the concert.    Some guy in the audience asked Barney why is there tape on the headstock of his guitar.   Barney said...  a certain guitar company has no respect for Jazz guitarists.   Then Barney said....  if you like your name up there for $5 I will write it on piece of masking tape and leave it for the rest of the night.   Everyone got a laugh out of that and Barney start back playing. 

 

 

[b3plyr]

I have a lot more to worry about in my performing than whether the logo shows. I could care less.

[KuruPrionz]

4 minutes ago, Docbop said:

 

In general guitar player don't worry about things like covering up logo, the type of guitar your using in general is pretty identifiable by the body and headstock shape.     Sometime on TV shows you'll see amps with the company name covered up,  trying to put crap on a guitarist headstock you're asking for trouble.   

In general, generalizations about guitar players are more or less as accurate as generalizations about keyboard players. 😇

Which is to say, sometimes, maybe or maybe not or both or something... 

[Baggypants]

Well now I'm thinking I'll cover my 'boards logos over with a big BONTEMPI

[Jon E]

4 hours ago, Polychrest said:

Nord offered me 500 Krona to cover their logo when I play in public….

They pay 1000 kroner if you label it Korg, Yamaha or Roland.

[Delaware Dave]

3 minutes ago, Mr -G- said:

It could be worse... the keyboard company asking the player to cover the logo! 😀

If the keyboard company asks you to cover yourself up so that they arent embarrassed about you using their equipment.

[Anderton]

I would do it, but it has nothing to do with advertising or whatever. I just think anything that minimizes visual clutter is worth doing, and those logos are often distractingly large.

[Justin Havu]

13 hours ago, Old No7 said:

I'd only do it for a Casio........

 

Same here.  I've never played one that I've gotten along with.  Sounds, action, IDK.

 

Last one I played was at an outdoor gospel concert last July.  I was only doing two songs, so I asked if they had something available.  Needless to say, I wish I'd brought my MODX-7, even for just two songs.  They had a WK-8000, and that was the last time I ever laid hands on a Casio.

[retrokeys]

My lawnmower says Troybilt right on top where anyone can see it. My snow thrower says Ariens.  I'm pretty sure anyone who cares to look can find out what kind of chainsaw I have when I'm using it.  My vehicle is a Toyota even though as an SUV it looks like everyone elses, I've kept the hood badge.  I don't cover those... why would I care about my keyboards. Yes, on a sponsored show on TV or some corporate venue where a competitor might be footing the expenses. I can see why "free" advertsing might be a concern. Otherwise use the damn tape to hold your X brace stand together.   Life is too short. Like the fellow said "Lighten up, Francis." 

 

[David Emm]

Being a synth fanatic, I've always appreciated Ron Mael of Sparks, who played a Jupiter-8 live. The Roland logo was amended to say 'Ronald.' 

[zxcvbnm098]

5 hours ago, Anderton said:

I would do it, but it has nothing to do with advertising or whatever. I just think anything that minimizes visual clutter is worth doing, and those logos are often distractingly large.

This is a succinct response and why I am in the process of looking to cover up my Nord and Kurz front logos and put some other graphics on it. Amps I don't care about because they're not front and center on stage. 

[CowboyNQ]

I’ve never covered a keyboard logo but I have gaffer-taped over a very prominent hand-scrawled backline company’s name as I felt it badly detracted from stage presentation.

 

As a general rule I don’t worry about logos - the above was an exception.

[Piktor]

Some past (2008) thoughts on this topic: https://forums.musicplayer.com/topic/122319-ever-think-of-covering-the-brand-name-on-your-gear/#comments

 

 

 

[Farfisakid]

On 1/16/2023 at 8:32 AM, Old No7 said:

I'd only do it for a Casio........

 

But it's fine on my other boards. 😉

 

Old No7

l covered the logo on my GP 310 with my name plate mostly because it was to prominent on the screen for online lessons but also because of the stigma. For the record Casios Rock …😊  

 

[cphollis]

I can't find the pictures, but for a while I was playing what looked like a "No   Piano" and a "No   Stage".  I have a twisted sense of humor sometimes.

[cassdad]

21 hours ago, HSS said:

Sorry, OT:  I sat quietly and bit my tongue at a rehearsal on Saturday afternoon while the other musicians joked about another keyboard player who showed up at a gig with a Casio. FWIW... I was using a Numa Compact 2x at that rehearsal, although on other occasions with other bands, I've rehearsed with my Casio CT-x700 and gigged with my Casio CGP-700. 

 

Like most in-the-know keyboardists, I personally think Casio's boards, at least  since the Privias first showed up 15-20 years ago, kick azzz, especially for the price point. 

 

IMO the only problem with Casio boards, at least among non-keyboardist musicians, is Casio's legacy reputation. Hopefully, as more  top shelf players use Casios on stage, Casio's rep will self-correct.

We might not know it’s a Casio if they take the logo / name off!…..