EBS_freak

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1452608627' post='2951571'] I shall retire to youtube and investigate... [/quote] The question is... will he make you want to buy Vanderklay gear?

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1452608448' post='2951565'] To me yes definitely ... although on the subject of Mr Vega I've never heard anyone sound that good with a pick before, so the demo video inspired me to check out some more of his stuff. So in a way it was Mesa that put me on to him not the other way round [/quote] If you like his stuff, you may enjoy Cody Wright... emerging pick player.

[quote name='ern500evo' timestamp='1452607945' post='2951554'] I'd say in the case of signature basses it can even have the opposite effect. For years I wanted a Yamaha Attitude Ltd but always felt that if I turned up at a gig with one, people would be expecting masses of two handed tapping through a stereo rig at 500mph! Having said that, I'm at the age now where I don't really care about that, which is probably why I can't stop looking at Torvic's sea foam green ltd in the ads section! [/quote] I had a similar conversation with somebody about swirled Ibanez guitars. If you got one of those out at the local pub, you better make damn sure you can sweep, pick and tap to hell to avoid any cringe...

[quote name='Cato' timestamp='1452608129' post='2951559'] Judging by Fenders current range there must be some sort of significant commercial mileage in signature models. Although who actually buys them is a bit of a mystery as most people I've come accross seem to be in the 'I don't want people to think I'm a wannabe suchandsuch' camp. Having said that I would love a Dee Dee precision or the latest Adam Clayton jazz, but that's because I find both models particularly aesthetically pleasing. [/quote] From what I understand, there's a lot of collectors of signature models... guys that can't really play but like to have a collection of guitars that are as "played by their heroes". Remember having an argument with an investor of these instruments once that a generic 60s strat would be a better investment than a modern day custom shop model. I can't see the sort of returns on vintage models being realised on signature models... But I guess not all collectors go for that. As for the Dee Dee and Clayton basses - would you prefer them without the signature on them though? - from what I understand, the artist association with these instruments is of no interest to you?

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1452608002' post='2951557'] I had no idea who he was until I saw the video... So no but, I was definitely influenced by the sound the rig made when he was playing thorough it. Of course it wouldn't sound half as good with my picking technique though [/quote] Ha! So you could argue that his (presumably) endorser status is meaningless. Get any tasty player that could play in the same style would have hooked you. So... isn't great demos on Youtube (or at trade shows) more important than who is using them?

Just another thought - the power of endorsements... I guess it's not all about the individual themselves being able to shift gear - but the suggestion that a brand is good when a punter opens a catalogue and sees a load of pro players in there... Generates the "well, it must be good if all these guys are using it" thought pattern... So if this is the case, why would Aguilar push a full page spread of DS in a magazine as opposed to a full page spread of a few handfuls worth of "name" players ...?

Good call on amps... Again, MK has probably been responsible for selling enough TE, Ashdown and TC in his time... Did Flea do anything for Acoustic when he flirted with them briefly. Is he responsible for increased sales for GK? Does (did) Macca shift any Mesa 400s due to his using of them? If so, I'm guessing it would be insignificant compared to the bass sales that he's generated for Hofner...?

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1452607403' post='2951545'] Having said that, I wanted to buy a new mesa subway rig after I saw this on youtube... [media]http://youtu.be/Q_2fqm73wGE[/media] [/quote] But was that because of Bobby Vega? If another unknown bass player had played exactly the same lines and sounded exactly the same... or it didn't disclose it was BV playing or his his identity, would you still be interested? What I'm trying to say, is your interest in this product influenced anyway because of Bobby Vega?

Yes - the Sire is probably a good example. The Flea bass is another good example... and I would actually wager he was responsible for selling a few Stingrays and Modulus in his time too. As for the Pino example, I guess we can add the Jaco fretless in that bag too.

Stemmed from the Scott Devine post, its got me thinking... Who, as a player, is big enough to influence a great number of people to buy the equipment that they are using. The only one I can really think of at the moment, is Mark King and Status. It doesn't really matter what the bass is, if it's a Status and MK uses it, you can guarantee theres a queue of people waiting to buy... many times without even touching the bass in question. Do other players really have the might to sell equipment like this? Dave Swift for example - loads of endorsements... but does anybody actually buy this stuff because Dave Swift uses it? How many extra units has Aguilar shifted because of his using of their gear. What about MXR? (Does DS actually require the effects pedals that he has to do the Jools gig?). Dunlop strings? And what about the streams of custom built basses that he's had over the years? Have any luthiers actually sold basses because he uses them? Has Dingwall sold more because of Lee Sklar using their gear? I suspect not...? And then we have the signature gear... do people really buy the signature stuff because somebody uses it... or do they buy it because a certain player uses it? I loved my BBNE2... but I think I would have preferred it without the (Nathan) EAST inlay... Nathan is a great player but had nothing to do with me buying that bass. What about Marcus' jazz? Do people buy that because of Marcus... or because it offers something that other jazz basses don't and the Marcus link is of no consequence? Just thought - I guess Macca has been responsible for the sale of a lot of Hofners... C'mon, who are the players that could encourage sales of gear due to them using it?

[quote name='Merton' timestamp='1452604781' post='2951494'] Excellent post [/quote] Thanks Looking at your signature has made me think of another aspect. Status for example - sell a lot of basses due to the strong ties with Mark King. Buying a King Bass certainly won't make you play like Mark King... it won't necessarily make you sound like Mark King... but if Mark King is your hero, having a bass, or a collection of basses as used by your bass hero has got to be reason enough to buy one for some... In fact, Mark King is one of the few endorsees that I can think of that can actually sell gear. I'm not convinced there's another player that can shift gear like Mark King can. I think that's partly down to his notoriety in the bass world and the fact that the majority of fans are now of the age where they can spend generous quantities of money on basses. In fact, this has made me think of a new topic....

In the past, I've done the Jam Man thing. Now, I've delegated to a SPD-SX in the drummer's domain.

I guess a lot of it is to do with the fact that a lot of people get a lot of joy out of buying different instruments, even if the latest j bass is just a take on the same old bass we all know. This bass thing we do, is not all about the playing for some people. I've met countless players who can't play for toffee but have the most immense collection of instruments... and you know what, I'm not one of these guys that subscribes to the thoughts of "nice basses deserved to be played by great players" because these basses can bring a lot of joy to some who just like them hanging on the wall. There's enough people that buy super cars that can't drive the cars to anywhere near their potential - or desire to - but like to have something in their garage which represents the pinnacle of engineering and is something nice to own. In reality, people do get caught up in pickups and their positioning, preamps, neck profiles etc etc... but hey, people get different pleasures out of the bass. Some by playing, some the social aspect of being in a band for example... and I guess having a fleet of super basses is achievable for more than a garage full of super cars. I think Scott is targeting the people who think that buying the latest bass will somehow lead to improving your playing. Hey, it may do, or may not... but you have to have a reason for getting a purchase past your other half right? I don't really think anybody really subscribes to the thinking that a bass can replace practice... but there's so many different reasons for buying a bass... and the playing of it may actually be pretty low down on the list of reasons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7icGpchTH4c @2:05 "My c**k is still sore from last night" Player.

[quote name='thebassist' timestamp='1452180928' post='2947349'] Check out this Ken Smith... not sure about that at all! [/quote] That's a bass that has been made into a single cut as opposed to a bass being designed as a single cut. Yak.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1452510872' post='2950527'] As if the bass can change your playing or make you a better player. Only dedication, focus and study can do that. [/quote] Not sure if I agree on the "change your playing" bit. A hollow body bass with flatwounds, makes me play very different to how I'd play an uber modern slap monster. Some instruments simply command that you play it differently.

Probably predictable... but Let's Dance.

I played through a Tech21 SansAmp RBI Bass Driver Pre-Amp this weekend, into a powered Berg setup (IP cabs?) - really impressed and when I looked it up when I got home, they're not even silly money... there are more expensive preamp pedals!

Just to throw another one into the mix, I have had the Akai Advance 61 for a good four or five months now. Really cool work flow, defo worth checking out if you work a lot with plugins. Bundled software is very strong also. Good build quality, good keyboard action... just one cable to make it all work, powered from my Mac. This is worth a look to get a feel for what it's all about - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZcsbN5RCs4

I've been GAS free for many years. That's a bit of a blessing I guess. Yes, I get intrigued by new basses... but to date, haven't been in the position where I think, wow, must get this... or be in the position where I think a new bass would unseat my current basses of choice. In terms of amps, the thing that killed all enthusiasm for amps was going in-ears. Decent PA > any bass amp. My only purchases nowadays seem to be things like fret wraps and the like. I haven't even bought any new straps for years.

Make some time to read this thread - http://basschat.co.uk/topic/205633-in-ear-monitors-help-needed/ It will tell you everything that you need to know and a lot more. Well worth the time.

My GB basses were all named for me... Sparky (because the tree that it was made from was stuck by lightning) Bentley (because apparently it looks like a Bentley dashboard) Gabbie (the woman logo that Bernie uses (with the arse forming the base of the bass), is called Gabbie. He thought my bass should have the name because it's a Rumour with all options - at the time, not other Rumour had been specced that highly). And my Yamaha RBX? "The Yammy" But none of my other basses or instruments are named as such... they are generally referred to as - "the black strat, the burst strat, the tele, the Lakland, the Jazz etc..." or "The Nathan East" or "The Taylor"... You get the idea.

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1451915807' post='2944515'] Apparently these have been discontinued now... [/quote] All we need now if for Chris Whasshisname from Muse to use it and then we can all cash 'em in.

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1451906392' post='2944381'] Yeah, the guy who is talking of tracking issues is comparing it to a Boss sy-300 or Roland v-bass which are very different animals from the FI. [/quote] Hmm. I don't think that the SY300 tracks that well... Wonder what that means then...

Yup, I know Funkle Dave. He's grand.