Who is the most endorsed player?..

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I wonder whether anyone has bought a Fender JMJ mustang due to being a big fan of Mr Meldal Johnsen? Everyone on here that has one seems to have bought it simply as its a great playing and sounding bass, and the name on the back of the headstock is largely irrelevant - although it was due to JMJ's input into the spec that made it such a nice bass.

[Raymondo]

2 minutes ago, ead said:

 

I was virtually weaned on 6X, please can I be sponsored by Wadworth too?

 I'm with you on that ... stuff getting a free Fodera   give me 6x !!!

[Rich]

3 hours ago, LeftyJ said:

Brian Bromberg is an interesting one. Basically, he appears to have trademarked "his" signature shape so he was able to take his signature bass model from one manufacturer to the next. Same thing happened with Eddie van Halen, who wasn't happy with Music Man when they continued producing the EVH signature guitar als the "Axis". So he trademarked the Peavey Wolfgang design including the headstock, and took it with him when he went to Fender who created the EVH brand for him.

 

Peavey B-Quad (with a graphite Modulus neck I think?):

 

Dean B2:

 

 

Carvin / Kiesel B2: 

 

The Bromberg basses are probably my favourite signature instruments. I would LOVE to get my hands on one of the Peaveys or Deans (the Carvin has a fatter top horn that I'm not overkeen on). Brilliant, original design with fantastic versatility.

 

[Dood]

12 hours ago, EBS_freak said:

Everything that Flea plays is assembled out the box... and wasn't specifically designed for Flea... with the exception of the Fleabass... which was a failure. Go figure.

 

It easy to manufacture "signature" basses, when they are basically assembled out the parts bin... and then just given a different finish/decal. To do that is not a significant investment.

 

Think about every bass player that you know...who has bought something purely on the fact that their favourite bass player uses it?

 

I mean, look at Dave Swift. He's a list of as long as he is tall. Who has ever bought anything that he has used because he does? 

 

I actually have! He's a good guy, genuine. He's played a million sessions with the very best musicians and with some of the best gear out there. You can't deny that he has a huge amount of gear experience. 

[Dood]

11 hours ago, Doctor J said:

The Geddy Jazz seems to have been a decent seller. If the instrument offers something you can't ordinarily get in a standard model, I don't see the harm. The Joe Dart basses have been something quite different for EBMM. A P bass with a slightly different colour of paint is a bit much but where the instrument deviates enough from standard that you can't replicate it by swapping a couple of parts, then it's all good. The Wimbish Spector, for example, like the Geddy, has a neck you can't get, otherwise, which legitimatises them, in my opinion.

 

Endorsements do work because, even if a signature model doesn't take your fancy, having the popular musicians of the day seen with your instruments in your hand creates an indelible link between the music you love and that brand, whether you realise it or not. Sadowsky might make sublime J basses but there'll never be pictures of Jaco playing one. Hendrix could've stayed in tune if he played an Ibanez RG but he and his music will always be associated with Fender Strats.

 

I'm generally not one for signature instruments but, as a young man, I had the opportunity to buy a Tony Iommi signature model, during his brief stint with Patrick Eggle, for half price and it would haunt me to this day if I hadn't made it mine. Aside from being a very, very nice guitar, they only ever made 48 of them, of which this is #23. 

 

 

And, to answer the OP's question, the correct answer has been mentioned a few times. Mark King, take a bow 🙂

 

Ahh, an ole guitarist of mine had a Patrick Eggle, I can't remember the model but it was a wonderful guitar that refused to make a bad sound!

[visog]

On 08/03/2022 at 02:07, funkypenguin said:

Mark King - Jaydee, Alembic, GB, Status, Fender, Trace Elliot, Ashdown, TC, Markbass, Rotosound

Not sure MK had an endorsement with Alembic or GB as such but it's a good list.

[funkypenguin]

3 hours ago, visog said:

Not sure MK had an endorsement with Alembic or GB as such but it's a good list.

I would class him having a signature model with Alembic as a form of endorsement but yeah, could go either way with GB  and yeah, he's had some really tasty gear over the years! the first boutique bass I ever saw was Mark's quilted maple Alembic series II!