bass endorsers and their basses.

[saibuster]

Im usually not a naive person but i have a question that some of you might find funny or naive

Do all these great basses such as Nathan East and Jeff berlin really play the instrument that they endorse?
Or do they have a hand made, master luthier built one of a kind bass that is than replicated in some factory in
china?

I mean, why would Nathan East choose to play a factory made bass when he can have a hand made built to perfection
bass? ( No offense to yamaha, i love their basses and think they are amazing for the price they sell for).

[Machines]

Because they get paid to play them too ! Yamaha can afford it far more than some small custom luthier.

[saibuster]

[quote name='Machines' post='346701' date='Dec 5 2008, 06:31 PM']Because they get paid to play them too ! Yamaha can afford it far more than some small custom luthier.[/quote]

Does the contract they agree on with the bass manufacture also means they have to use the specific bass for recording
as well? or is it only when they are in public?

[Kiwi]

The game is fundamentally about media coverage. So most of the time its about getting profile for the instrument (which isn't going to happen in the studio unless the endorsee really likes the instrument). For example, while endorsing Modulus and Musicman, Flea used a range of other instruments in the studio including an Alembic and a Wal.

It's also not been unknown for some endorsing artists to require a hand made specification instrument, which looks like the production model too. I believe this has been the case with some Gibson endorsees in the past.

[lemmywinks]

I recall a link to a Billy Sheehan vid from another thread in which he states that the bass he uses is the off the shelf signature model, no special gubbins or woods, exactly what you'd get if you bought one.
Has to be applauded, even if he is a scientologist

[Jase]

Jeff Berlin uses a normal Dean....doesn't he? What about Geddy? or Tony Franklin, anyone know?

[SJA]

[quote name='saibuster' post='346706' date='Dec 5 2008, 06:37 PM']Does the contract they agree on with the bass manufacture also means they have to use the specific bass for recording
as well? or is it only when they are in public?[/quote]

they'd insist they get a mention in the album liner notes- as for that product actually being used on the album- very difficult to tell, let alone enforce. I reckon guitar companies are satisfied with the artist being seen using the product.
hence on old Skid Row, Def Leppard albums you find endorsement mentions for Hamer etc. when it was probably actually a bog-standard P bass on the recordings (eg. DL's High & Dry & Pyromania, Skid Row's slave to the grind).

[johnnylager]

[quote name='Jase' post='346735' date='Dec 5 2008, 07:19 PM']Jeff Berlin uses a normal Dean....doesn't he? What about Geddy? or Tony Franklin, anyone know?[/quote]
Ged uses his '74 with a sig model neck and has a selection of sig models, a Jaco fretless and a red Jazz 24. Big interview in BP a while back.

[saibuster]

I think I believe Jeff Berlin when he says he only play that one bass, he seems extreme enough.

[chris_b]

I don't know if it's stock or not, but I’ve never seen Nathan East without his white sig bass.

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='chris_b' post='346944' date='Dec 6 2008, 12:55 AM']I don't know if it's stock or not, but I’ve never seen Nathan East without his white sig bass.[/quote]
the same Nathan East, who swore by his NE-1, then was in ads with the Aphex pedals, then was seen extoling the virtues of the PJB bass buddy.

[MacDaddy]

Does Tony Levin use his signature model OLP? If it's not good enough for him, it's not good enough for me.

For me that applies to all who have a signature instrument but don't actually play it.

[s_u_y_*]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='346728' date='Dec 5 2008, 07:03 PM']I recall a link to a Billy Sheehan vid from another thread in which he states that the bass he uses is the off the shelf signature model, no special gubbins or woods, exactly what you'd get if you bought one.
[b]Has to be applauded, even if he is a scientologist[/b] [/quote]

+1!

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='s_u_y_*' post='346968' date='Dec 6 2008, 01:49 AM']+1![/quote]
Do we believe Billy Sheehan receives no further incentives to play Yamaha products?

[s_u_y_*]

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='346976' date='Dec 6 2008, 01:59 AM']Do we believe Billy Sheehan receives no further incentives to play Yamaha products?[/quote]

But still, he could have easily gone the route of most artist sig models and their cheaper manufactured counterparts. He deserves a bit of kudos for that at least.

[Delberthot]

The thing with Nathan East from what I've read is that he likes to take advantage of his high profile by taking the mickey and blagging loads of free stuff.

Fantastic player though.

I believe Sting has a special Custom Shop Fender to replicate his old '57 single coil, as does Andy Summers and David Glimour.

Edited December 6, 2008 by Delberthot

[saibuster]

[quote name='Delberthot' post='347020' date='Dec 6 2008, 08:28 AM']I believe Sting has a special Custom Shop Fender to replicate his old '57 single coil, as does Andy Summers and David Glimour.[/quote]

Sorry for my ignorant, but does fender Custom shop means that it has been built by hand?

[bass_ferret]

Yes.

The whole endorsement thing is one of the less savoury sides of the business. Mark King would be playing GB basses but Bernie would not give him a hnadful of Rumours because he would have had to charge this other customers more to cover the costs. Good or bad move from Bernies point of view I dont know. It did mean none of my money ended up in Mark King's pocket.

How many King Basses has Rob Green sold and how much was paid to Mark as a result; we will probably never know.

[Kiwi]

There's another story that Mark felt the basses were too inconsistent for swapping on stage.

Mark apparently pays Rob for his instruments, if you believe the folk on Statii.com.

[M4L666]

Paolo Gregoletto off Trivium only plays his Signature BC Rich models live. But he uses more basses for recording, I think a Custom Shop Mockingbird as well? He used to use that one live as well, there's lots of photos of him using that.

[M4L666]

[quote name='saibuster' post='347031' date='Dec 6 2008, 08:51 AM']Sorry for my ignorant, but does fender Custom shop means that it has been built by hand?[/quote]
Yeah, I think Custom Shop means your specified specs, which would be hard to replicate in a factory (unless you're Ibanez).

[Kiwi]

Speaking of Mark King, there was an interesting discrepancy a while back over the situation with his Alembics. Alembic at one point claimed that they'd never given basses away while Mark King claimed he'd been subject to an unsolicited approach by Alembic in 1987 while on a Madonna tour (the implication being that he'd never had to actually pay Alembic for the instruments they offered to build for him.) Mica has stayed very schtum on that issue from what I'm aware. There was also a similar situation when Alembic presented Stanley Clarke with his birthday bass too. But its just two basses, I know Fodera players don't get their instruments for free by any means. Far from it.

[saibuster]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='347061' date='Dec 6 2008, 09:43 AM']... I know Fodera players don't get their instruments for free by any means. Far from it.[/quote]

On the last Bass Guitar Magazine there is an interview with Anthony Jackson and his journey with Fodera. Anyways, he also talks there about how
Fodera Fine tune (setup) his bass and maintain it, even if he didn't get the bass for free this is priceless.

[bass_ferret]

Bernie fine tunes my GB's for me. Thats part of any decent luthiers after sales.

[saibuster]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='347143' date='Dec 6 2008, 11:31 AM']Bernie fine tunes my GB's for me. Thats part of any decent luthiers after sales.[/quote]

Really? even after a couple of years?
If so, this is another justifications for a higher price tag.