Graham Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Perhaps he' realised that most basses, particularly played through a big stadium PA sound broadly the same and he's gone for the company that'll pay him to use his name [/can of worms] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero9 Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 U2 are also heavily associated with iTunes. Does this mean I'll need an Adam Clayton signature bass before my Apple Watch will work, or will an older Fender Jazz still be ok? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 [quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1410336461' post='2548180'] I say this as a huge fan of the Ramones... ...whats the point of the Dee Dee sig? Does it have any non standard features whatsoever? Or is it just a white P bass? [/quote] Probably just a regular white P-bass, but I`m glad that Dee Dee is getting his name on a sig model, seeing as, to my knowledge, all he ever used were white P-Basses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChunkyMunky Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Oh, boy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storky Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 [quote name='Jus Lukin' timestamp='1410345393' post='2548315'] That's a good looking Jazz, and the P does have that classic 70's punk rock look to it. I find it most amusing that so many people hate Clayton for hammering out root notes, and love Dee Dee for the same thing, though! Clayton- Smug **** with the bass skills of a child. Dee Dee- Master of understated servitude to song and style. [/quote] +1 OK, so I admit it; I play bass in a U2 Tribute band. (Doesn't mean I can't play other things though!) I took a Fender Classic '70s Jazz and had it re-finished in Sherwood Green and with a pearl plate and it looks very like the new sig' model, which I am sure is a very nice bass. Wonder how much it is.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman Steve Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Sort of thought an Adam Clayton would be based on his original Precision with Jazz neck bass with the chunk of scratchplate missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Storky' timestamp='1410361450' post='2548561'] +1 OK, so I admit it; I play bass in a U2 Tribute band. (Doesn't mean I can't play other things though!) I took a Fender Classic '70s Jazz and had it re-finished in Sherwood Green and with a pearl plate and it looks very like the new sig' model, which I am sure is a very nice bass. Wonder how much it is.... [/quote] Guitarguitar have it on pre order for £1545. Ouch!! [url="http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/bass_guitars_detail.asp?stock=14090414041532"]http://www.guitargui...=14090414041532[/url] Still, I seem to remember that Warwick fugly thing was around £6000. Or was I on drugs at this point? [size=4] [/size] Edited September 10, 2014 by jezzaboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 I'd never buy a signatue bass... but that is one nice looking jazz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Mind you, it might not look as good once you've taken sandpaper to the end of the headstock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Bwahaha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 How much difference does a signature make? do more people actually buy them? I guess they must or fender wouldn't bother... For me thats a lovely bass ruined by a signature... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammeFriday Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 The Marcus Miller and Geddy Lee sig Jazzes seem to be well regarded round these parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 [quote name='GrammeFriday' timestamp='1410426067' post='2549245'] The Marcus Miller and Geddy Lee sig Jazzes seem to be well regarded round these parts. [/quote] I'm sure they are fantastic instruments but for me the last thing I would want is a signature bass.... It's my bass and my sound, I want my playing and tone to sound like me... not an immation of someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 (edited) [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1410422566' post='2549205'] How much difference does a signature make? do more people actually buy them? I guess they must or fender wouldn't bother... For me thats a lovely bass ruined by a signature... [/quote] Find me a Fender (or any brand!) precision bass with a jazz width nut, nitrocellulose lacquer, hand-rolled fingerboard edges, Seymour Duncan quarter pounders a gig bag and cost under £750. There isn't one, except the Fender Nate Mendel signature, so I bought it. I also own a Geddy Lee jazz bass. There isn't a SINGLE bass I've ever played (including all the ones that went through the music store I worked for and all the ones I've tried in other stores and belonging to friends etc) that has a neck profile like the Geddy Lee. It is unique! Some signature basses offer a bass off the shelf that is less costly but uniquely suited to some players without having to have a custom build. Im all for them :-) Also, sound and tone comes from the player (phrasing, note choice, rhythmic phrasing etc), not the bass, so I don't follow that logic :-) I've never had anyone comment on my playing after a gig and say 'it was awesome but your bridge pickup sounded a bit too much like Geddy Lee' Edited September 11, 2014 by skej21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 (edited) [quote name='skej21' timestamp='1410426931' post='2549256'] Some signature basses offer a bass off the shelf that is less costly but uniquely suited to some players without having to have a custom build. In all for them :-) [/quote] Arrives a damn sight quicker than a custom build as well.... Edited September 11, 2014 by CamdenRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1410427063' post='2549259'] Arrives a damn sight quicker than a custom build as well.... [/quote] Yup! I got mine off the shelf at a decent enough price that I can take it out without worrying but get the advantage of a familiar neck profile, hotter quarter pounder pickups (ideal for the majority of our pub/function set) and nice nitro lacquer. Even at retail price of £711 (the RRP when I got mine in January) it was a good £100 cheaper than my Limelight precision. Whilst my limelight precision also has a jazz profile nut and was quite custom in its spec, it also was more expensive and took a coup of months to turn up, so I can totally see the appeal of buying a genuine Fender with uniquely similar spec at a lower price point straight off the shelf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1410422566' post='2549205'] How much difference does a signature make? do more people actually buy them? I guess they must or fender wouldn't bother... [/quote] I own a signature bass (not a Fender, a Yamaha BJ5B). I had zero knowledge of the person whose signature bass it was (Takeshi Terauchi) until I bought it. I just wanted a Yamaha SBV shaped bass with 5 strings and this was the only way of getting such a thing without having it custom made. I'm also quite interested in acquiring a Reverend Brad Houser Bass, again not because of the signature name (I don't like anything I've heard that BH has been involved with) but because it's a cool bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Fair enough... looks like it's just me then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammeFriday Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 I totally get where you are coming from - there is something a bit naff about the whole concept of signature basses, and there is always the worry that people might think you are the kind of person who is deluded enough to believe that buying a sig bass will make you sound like or be as good as that player. (I should have listened to my mother's advice not to care what other people think!) But as previous posters have said, sometimes you've just got to bite the bullet. I bought an MTD Kingston Andrew Gouche sig 5-string quite irrespective of its signature association - in fact I had to get over my instinctive cringe about the whole sig concept to buy it. But for the money I was prepared to spend and the kind of instrumentI was after, it was simply the best bass in the shop - there was just no getting round it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammeFriday Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Although in my case it probably helped that hardly anyone has heard of Andrew Gouche (or MTDs, for that matter) anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1410429233' post='2549289'] Fair enough... looks like it's just me then [/quote] For me the whole point of signature basses is that they offer an instrument with a design and features that doesn't otherwise exist. The actual signature name is irrelevant if the bass appeals to you. Apart from a handful of models the Fender signature basses seem to be just a combination of cosmetic features that aren't usually available for the standard models. Not really a compelling reason to buy one. To me the AC bass posted earlier in the thread is just a green Jazz Bass. I can't see what all the fuss is about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 (edited) [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1410430855' post='2549309'] For me the whole point of signature basses is that they offer an instrument with a design and features that doesn't otherwise exist. The actual signature name is irrelevant if the bass appeals to you. Apart from a handful of models the Fender signature basses seem to be just a combination of cosmetic features that aren't usually available for the standard models. Not really a compelling reason to buy one. To me the AC bass posted earlier in the thread is just a green Jazz Bass. I can't see what all the fuss is about. [/quote] Totally agree RE the Adam clayton. It's essentially a green USA standard with blocks and a matching headstock. I used to hate the idea of signature models and would never have bought my Geddy Lee if the Internet had been the place I was looking, just because I didn't like the idea. However, I went with my teacher to get my first 'decent' bass and he just got a load of stuff out that was in my price range and made me play them all and I instantly fell in love with the neck on the Geddy. He then told me it was a signature and I recoiled, then bought it and got over it. The signature is on the back of the headstock where I (and everyone else) don't see it, I put a black plate on it and forgot all about it... It's my bass as at as I'm concerned and I've never played anything remotely similar to Geddys style on it either. Edited September 11, 2014 by skej21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Do Fender read these forums, I wonder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 I have mixed feelings about signature models, the player whose signature it is can certainly affect my opinion of the instrument. I own three (Fender Marcus Miller, Yamaha Attitude, Ibanez Gary Willis) and think they are great basses but if they had a different names on them, I might not have bought them. For example, I played an Ibanez K5 once, and really liked it but couldn't handle that huge logo on the fingerboard. Some signatures make me want to check them out (like the Marcus), some turn me off (most Ibanez signatures), and others it makes no difference because they are just good instruments(Like the Fender Geddy Lee or Nate Mendal). With regards to these new Fenders, the Adam Clayton looks smart (except for the lollipop tuners), but I don't get the Dee Dee Ramone on-It just looks like a Squier Matt Freeman bass but with a Fender logo. Neither of them seem like anything particularly special though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 (edited) - Edited February 22, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.