Bad signatures

[bottle12am]

Guys and gals--

 

Just something I was wondering...

 

With all the 'signature models' being produced, which ones are the worst-case examles -- i.e. done just to capitalize on the popularity of the artist or make a quick buck?

 

I was thinking for every Geddy Lee Fender bass, there must be at least a few Suzanna Hoff Rickenbacker guitars (anybody remember that one)?

 

While some signature models are innovative, I want to know which ones are just a new coat of paint or tiny switches like 'I reversed the positions on the P and now I'm a genius', etc...

[SteveC]

I think the Geddy Lee Jazz is a great bass -signature or not. Judging by the popularity of the bass and the lack of popularity of Geddy Lee and RUSH (other than devoted fans)I don't know how much the "signature" has to do with that model.

[jcadmus]

Probably the Leather Tuscadero/Suzy Quatro Signature B.C. Rich bass from the late '70s would qualify as a least-deserved sig model.

 

I believe there were such animals around. Or maybe I'm hallucinating.

 

Anyway, it's such a bad idea, I'm sure someone must have thought of it, if not outright did it.

[jeremy c]

There have been many Nikki Sixx models.

 

I think that Dude (of the Dudepit) actually collects them.

[saxofunk]

A couple years ago I handled a Jeff Berlin model by Dean for a bit. It was well made and felt good. I was not impressed with the sounds - it was muddy, seriously lacking trable. Perhaps it was this particular example; maybe an adjustment issue about the string height in relation to pickups... but I wasn't sold.

[Danzilla]

I mentioned something about this in a thread on the Guitar Player forum. How many signature models are really just a reissue of a certain year, and how many are more specific to the needs/designs of that particular artist? Do we really need so many Lynyrd Skynyrd or Joe Perry model Gibsons?

The Geddy bass is at least close to his specs which weren't exactly stock (neck width, bridge & pots, I think). I think that bass players, having had so few stock choices in the past, had to "customize" their axes or have something special made, just to get what they needed; so their signature models are a bit farther from the stock models than a lot of signature guitars.

Then again there are the Sting P-Bass and the Noel Redding J-Bass which are prety much just re-issues of a certain year's model, with their signatures on it.

[lug]

I have a theory that the Mark Hoppus model fender in good condition will be the most sought after collectable 30 years from now. Think about it, most who buy it are in punk rock bands so they are most likely gonna get banged up. If you have a mint Hoppus model 30 years from now, it's will be the only one in good condition in the whole world! Well, that's my theory, anyway.

[LizzyD]

Originally posted by SteveC:

I think the Geddy Lee Jazz is a great bass -signature or not. Judging by the popularity of the bass and the lack of popularity of Geddy Lee and RUSH (other than devoted fans)I don't know how much the "signature" has to do with that model.

Wha? Lack of popularity? Rush can still fill stadiums all over the world! Either they must be popular, or they have a massive number of devoted fans (is there much difference?) And among bassists, Geddy Lee is still quite revered, so I think in fact his sig does have a lot to do with the popularity of the bass, at least it had to initially when it came out 10 or so years ago. Though I realize there are many people who aren't fans who buy them simply because it's a great 70's reissue bass, and the sig is discreet and unreadable so it isn't an "obvious" sig bass. If Ged had anything to with that part of the design, props to him. He doesn't seem to be a real ego-driven kinda guy.

 

Anyway, there seem to be a lot of flavor-of-the-month signature guitars out there that won't be around a few years from now. Like that one that's covered in duct tape...I forget whose it is. One glance through the latest Musician's Friend catalog and there they all are.

[LLroomtempJ]

Originally posted by lug:

I have a theory that the Mark Hoppus model fender in good condition will be the most sought after collectable 30 years from now. Think about it, most who buy it are in punk rock bands so they are most likely gonna get banged up. If you have a mint Hoppus model 30 years from now, it's will be the only one in good condition in the whole world! Well, that's my theory, anyway.

Lug, the first thing that i'm gonna do when i graduate is buy a mark hoppus bass and put it in a case and leave it there. I don't particularly like how fenders feel...so i would have no problem not playing this one.

 

jason

[mcbn]

Originally posted by lug:

I have a theory that the Mark Hoppus model fender in good condition will be the most sought after collectable 30 years from now. Think about it, most who buy it are in punk rock bands so they are most likely gonna get banged up. If you have a mint Hoppus model 30 years from now, it's will be the only one in good condition in the whole world! Well, that's my theory, anyway.

I have to disagree. Please don't confuse pop punk Blink 182 with punk rock. The people buying this bass are probably going to be beginning bassists, not seasoned punk players. Their parents will drive the minivan to lessons for a month or two before little Johnny loses interest and puts the bass in the corner to collect dust. These basses are going to be filling up the pawn shops soon enough.

[jeremy c]

"seasoned punk players"?

 

Isn't that an oxymoron?

 

(ducking for cover)

[mcbn]

I like the Fender Mike Dirnt sig P bass. It is a cool vintage looking bass with a decent pup and a Badass bridge.

 

Of course, THIS is probably a total waste

[mcbn]

Originally posted by jeremy c:

"seasoned punk players"?

 

Isn't that an oxymoron?

 

(ducking for cover)

Seasoned and skilled aren't necessarily the same thing!

[Nicklab]

Originally posted by lug:

I have a theory that the Mark Hoppus model fender in good condition will be the most sought after collectable 30 years from now. Think about it, most who buy it are in punk rock bands so they are most likely gonna get banged up. If you have a mint Hoppus model 30 years from now, it's will be the only one in good condition in the whole world! Well, that's my theory, anyway.

A bizarre theory by far, lug! You're not a money manager by trade, are you?

 

This is quite possibly one of the most undeserving signature models that I can think of. But Fender must have thought that there were enough Mall Punk (yes, Mall Punk) fans that would buy this crap, so they put it out. This guy's lines are so uninteresting that he makes Mike Dirnt of Green Day (also the holder of a signature model) seem virtuosic in comparison.

 

But what about one of the coolest signature models? The Lemmy model Rickenbacker!

 

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/f/fc/Lemmy_kilmister.jpg

[jeremy c]

The Rudy Sarzo model basses were pretty good, but I'm not sure if he ever had enough name recognition even though he played with five major bands.

 

The Tim Landers basses were great and I've never met anyone who's heard of Tim Landers. I did see him playing on a Late Night TV show where the band leader was Tom Scott.

 

I've never seen a Noel Redding bass....or maybe I've seen millions of Noel Redding basses...I don't see anything different from the signature model than any other bass from that time span (mid '60s)....and that was the point: they just copied his bass for the signature model even though it was just a regular production line model. His original bass is on display in The Experience Music Project in Seattle.

 

I've often wondered if Sting takes his actual '51 P bass with him on tour or if he is using a signature model.

 

How about the Tom Araya (Slayer) signature bass?

I bet that's a hot seller.

[LLroomtempJ]

i just assumed that mark hoppus was good and derserving of a bass...good thing i have you guys to talk some sense into me after lug misguided me. (shakes fist at lug)

 

jason

[Mike Bear]

I have 3 students who have the Geddy bass. I think it's the best value, price, tone, and feel wise. 2 of my students have the Mike Dirnt. It's one of the only MIM Fenders I can think of that's a signature. I have warm and cold feelings about that bass. I don't think the sound is very magical. I Marcus Miller signature seems cool. I've seen quite a few folks with the MIJ models. The MIA models aren't worth it in my opinion price wise. If they were, I'd get the 5-string version.

 

I used to do sales at a store in '97. I used to always pick up the Noel Redding Fender Jazz. I really liked that one. Should have bought one while they were still around. Fenders that I've noticed didn't do too good. I'm very sad to say as an Iron Maiden fan that the Steve Harris signature didn't last too long. I have one friend who purchased one but she was in the Iron Maidens, an all female tribute to Maiden. I don't see as many p-bass styles sold as jazz bass styles, unless they are entry level prices. Not that p-basses aren't purchased or liked at all.

 

Nice higher end signatures in my thoughts are the Yamaha Nathan East and the John Pattatuci. I do think that the feel and quality of the Yamaha's have gone down quite a bit over the past few years though. I think the John Myung signature stinks.... both that came out.

 

As Jeremy mentioned above the Sarzo bass didn't do too good. If I recall that bass wasn't too reasonable price wise. I also agree with the name of Rudy Sarzo, he is not recognized enough.

[Nicklab]

Originally posted by jeremy c:

The Tim Landers basses were great and I've never met anyone who's heard of Tim Landers. I did see him playing on a Late Night TV show where the band leader was Tom Scott.

I knew who Tim Landers was because of the bass and for no other reason. A friend of mine had the TL-6. Nice bass. I think this bass was definitely on par with the Yamaha TRB-6, but probably not as well marketed.

 

Originally posted by jeremy c:

I've never seen a Noel Redding bass....or maybe I've seen millions of Noel Redding basses...I don't see anything different from the signature model than any other bass from that time span (mid '60s)....and that was the point: they just copied his bass for the signature model even though it was just a regular production line model. His original bass is on display in The Experience Music Project in Seattle.

The Noel Redding bass wasn't that signifigant other than the fact that it literally had his signature on it. I think he actually autographed the entire production run. Other than that, it was rather typical of Fender Jazz basses from the mid 60's. But with his signature right on the pickguard, it seemed much more like a museum piece than anything else. Especially now, in light of his passing.

[groover]

The only signature basses that I've ever been remotely interested in are the Rosco Beck and the Geddy Lee. Everyones taste and needs are different and I don't see why someone would buy a bass that was designed for someone else. Just MHO.

 

I think that one of the most pointless signature basses is the Carvin Timothy B. Schmit. Two stacked humbuckers and ONE volume. No way to solo a pickup or even blend them a different way. I like simple but this goes just a little too simple and for a wapping $900! At least the Mark Hoppus only has one pickup for its one volume control. Once again, just MHO.

[EddiePlaysBass]

Well, D\'Alegria has a Trevor Bolder (Uriah Heep) and a Felipe Andreoli (Angra) signature model, both of which look cool.

 

But I'm not sure the basses are even available outside of Brasil, which sort of makes me miss the point. I still want one of their Darts, though *drool*

 

Mike B, you know Wanda? Cool I mailed back and forth with her for a while, but haven't heard from her in ages. She probably won't remember me anyway

[Fred TBP]

They're nearly all made a year too late and seem like Velveeta to me - someone else's idea of a modified stock instrument. We should each build our own signature instrument!

 

There are rare exceptions here and there, though. The Yamaha Billy Sheehan bass really kicks booty when each pickup is run through a separate amp; the Aria Steve Bailey 6-string fretless is almost an ideal bass; the Alembic Stanley Clark model is spot-on, if you're into duplicating his sound. These are the ones I've played, but I'm open to thinking there are others that qualify as innovative instruments.

 

But these Fenders? Bah, humbug! The only signature models I'll even look at are the BenLoy LE model and the highly-rumored but never photographed "lug" model. (supposedly even rarer than the Gibson Moderne)

[DONUT]

OLP has both sides of the coin.

 

Tony Levin

 

Benji Madden from Good Charlotte

 

Both are great for the dough, though. Anyone get to try a Levin yet? The first thing I expected was a noisy active preamp. Not so.

[J.A.]

Anyone ever see or try the Victor Bailey Jazz bass? It looked sweet, but I'm a broke ass.

[lug]

Originally posted by Gospel7theZealot:

i just assumed that mark hoppus was good and derserving of a bass...good thing i have you guys to talk some sense into me after lug misguided me. (shakes fist at lug)

 

jason

I make no allusions as to Mr. Hoppus being worthy, just that a Fender Hoppus bass in top notch form 30 years from now will be as rare as hen's teeth. Actually, I've played several Hoppus basses and they are fine. It's bassicly a jazz body w/o a tone control, with a Pbass neck and a Seymour Duncan Quarter pounder pickup. Probably one of the most common mods done to Pbasses anyway. If I had one, I'd slap a decent repacement bridge on it and that would be it.

[alexclaber]

15/16?

 

Alex

[dcr]

Originally posted by C.Alexander Claber:

15/16?

That is one nasty signature, all right.

 

I thought this thread would be about that, or perhaps about the material at the bottom of greenboy's posts.

 

I have to agree that the Nikki Sixx signature bass is probably one of the most horrid looking things to come off the line since plastic vomit. And the closer you look, the worse it is.

[_Sweet Willie_]

Is the BenLoy Fender anything like the Geddy Lee Fender? Y'all are starting to confuse me...

 

The Lemmy sig model Ric has a lot of woods that I like in a bass (alder, walnut, rosewood).

 

Peace.

--s-uu

[A herd of angry penguins]

The Hoppus just seems dumb to me. Why not just buy a P-bass and drop in a Quarter Pounder? If you want a tone knob, you've got it. If you don't want a tone knob, just find where you want it to be and leave it there. You're still about $100 richer than you would have been if you bought the Hoppus and you are not playing an instrument named for a sub-par mallpunk bassist.

 

I think the Dirnt is a pretty cool deal. Tele Bass styling with the split pickup, priced similarly to the '51 reissue. I would probably buy it if I had the money and wanted to get a P-bass.

[Bass_god_offspring]

The Hoppus just seems dumb to me. Why not just buy a P-bass and drop in a Quarter Pounder? If you want a tone knob, you've got it. If you don't want a tone knob, just find where you want it to be and leave it there. You're still about $100 richer than you would have been if you bought the Hoppus and you are not playing an instrument named for a sub-par mallpunk bassist

Hey now, That's a "Sub-par mallpunk Bassist" that is 10 times Wealthier than you becuase of it. (Plus, Blink 182 have never wanted to be an ALL MTV band, that performs for Pre-teen girls. Remember, their first video got banned from MTV becuase it had Images of Girls shooting up the band with Shotguns.)

 

Being a hardcore Blink 182 fan, i can give the explanation as to his signature bass (as found in their autobiography, "Tales from beneath your mom").

 

Mark Hoppus' signature bass came about after recording "Enema of the State". Mark Hoppus loved the simplicity and rawness of Quarter pounder pickups in P-basses, but also hated it's chunkyness and how uncomfortable the body was. He would then be switching between his Jazz basses and P-basses throughout the tour as he tried to get the sound he wanted, while still staying comfortable on stage.

 

Shortly after he came to Fender and basically asked them to build him a bass. They agreed and figured out that the best way to work his problem out was to use a Jazz body, with a Precision neck, and pickups. The lack of a tone control came because Mark Hoppus never used it, using the basic punk theory of, "Turn everything up to 10".

 

Mark Hoppus originally never intended to have his bass put into production, and only thought his Signature bass would be used by him...This is why there is no Tone control, becuase he never used it. He said that he didn't even want there to be a volume control, since, being in a band that big, he never used that either, however, Fender forced him to do it for production reasons.

 

The bass was never ment to sound Amazing, just simple, raw, and easy to play, just like his style.

 

...so...there is the history of his bass.

 

 

(i personally like the pink finish, and the way it looks, but sadly i prefer Jazz necks)

 

Mike dirnt bass = Huge piece of crap

Sting bass = Simple, and sting-ish

Geddy Lee bass = Amazing, but the polished maple neck doesn't sound quiet right

(remember, just my opinions)

 

 

[Nicklab]

Originally posted by Bass_god_offspring:

Hey now, That's a "Sub-par mallpunk Bassist" that is 10 times Wealthier than you becuase of it.

Since when has financial & marketing success been the measuring stick for artistic merit? Come on, BGO. You should know better.