Signature guitars

[Tawlks]

I've been looking through guitars and I realised something about signature guitars.

Alot of them have really cool designs and features and are often improvements of stock guitars and would be very marketable.

But... Lots of them have graphics on the fretboard or body that ruin them, specifically band logos, I've found guitars that appeal to me alot and such but are ruined by graphics. Especially if I don't like the band, I'd have to seriously love the band to get someone else's logo on my fretboard, even then it doesn't appeal to me.

Anyone else find this?

(Not a huge fan of these guitars by the way)

 

[rottingcorpse]

when dime got his washburn endorsement, he tweaked the design to make the guitar more solid. this included a larger diamond shaped volute on the back of the headstock. he also beefed up the body thickness, and increased the area above the pickups.

if he had just insisted on neck though..... the hamer prototype they built for him was neck though. the bcrich proto was junky and had a sloppy build quality.

over they years, they did a bunch of finishes for him, but not many made it into regular production. the rebel paint jobs are some of the most sought after, along with the southern crosses.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

The Evil Twin guitar plays great, looks hideous

 

[Gsxrbusa]

I have a signature Paul Allender PRS SE. I had no fucking clue who Paul Allender was (still don't). I know he plays guitar for Cradle of Filth but have yet to hear one of their songs. I liked the guitar. I really didn't care for the fuckin bats on the fretboard but figured wtf. Bats are metal. I would rock the Opeth SE. I would also rock the fuck out of the Adrian Smith Sig Jackson.

 

[Tone Zone]

Good point on the Opeth symbol. Fucking ruins it.

 

[Inquisitor]

I have a Vai universe , and it's actually pretty awesome..

The JEM may have an artist connotation, but its fucking sweet. Successful signatures will carry on, unpopular or uninnovative ones will fail.

What Im interested in is how sales of signature guitars are given to artists who are marked upon them. Its gotta be monetary, otherwise it'd just be a sponsorship.

Artists are capable of creating guitars that nobody wanted to make. They make demands, and the company has to accommodate (depending on the negotiating power of the artist) in order to satisfy the artist. Nobody was going to make a 7 string V guitar, nobody was going to make a guitar with a handle built in it, Randy Rhoads V etc etc. Honestly I'd say signatures are progress. This is because companies are happy with keeping the status quo or developing shitty guitar models based on technology or cheaper parts because they are disconnected from the artists.
Signatures are great, you just have to deal with the association with an artist until they become the standard.

 

[steve_k]

The only one I own is the Cantrell signature Rampage and a couple Jim Root Tele's.

Steve

 

[Khoi]

I love my PGM's. I think I want to get another. They are addicting.

 

[russellconner]

i play one of these:

if i could design the paint job myself, it would have been less outrageous. however, as far as the guitar goes...its the best ive ever had my hands on.

i wanted something from the custom shop (traditional solid body, long tenon neck, etc.) , but built for metal. this thing's maple neck, bigger frets, and stock emg's were perfect for the tone i was after.

now, zakk isnt drawing a lot of positive attention these days, but i kind of like how the bullseye looks...unique compared to other les paul finishes. if ive ever got a bunch of money laying around, i would love to have gibson just build me what i want...but ive got a long way to go before that happens.

-russell

 

[TrentBizzle]

The only one I own is the Cantrell signature Rampage and a couple Jim Root Tele's.

Steve

How do you like the Root's? I've been contemplating ordering one just to try because I can't find them in any store.

 

[sinfish]

I Can't play a signature guitars. It feels like wearing another man's underwear. Sorry guys don't mean to offend. I do like the look of the Bullseye Les Paul. I also really like the look of Al DiMeola's PRS.

 

[Gitfiddler]

i wish my gibson didn't say "les paul" on it. who wants some old man's signature on their guitar?

 

[uglyfuzzface]

[No message]

 

[uglyfuzzface]

[No message]

 

[Tawlks]

I think you guys are missing my point, I did say alot of them are improvements over the stock models, I definitely think that's the case with alot of them.

However, my problem is only with the ones with stupid logos on them, like the ones I posted in my OP.

Some of the Sig PRS models I'd definitely buy if I had the case, The Tremonti, The Prism, the Paul Allender and Dave Navarro ones are killer as well.

I'd buy the Mikael Akerfeldt model if it didn't have that stupid logo on it.

 

[bsp01]

My one complaint about the new wolfgang from Fender is the freaking EVH logo everywhere. Back of pickups and knobs (nobody will ever see, so ok), trem, d-tuna, back of tuners, headstock, accessories compartment in the case, outside of the case... Otherwise, great guitar. To be fair, the logo's on the guitar are very minor, and hardly noticeable unless you look for them specifically with the exception of the headstock.

 

[uglyfuzzface]

i think i know what your on about , its cool to have some improvements or different ideas that make the guitar personal to the artist like pickups or neck and body design and custom colour etc but the guitars at the top of the page seem to be over the top with graphics and inlays and could look out dated very fast , plus not everybody will like the look of them , to me it looks like they will never be clasics because they are fashion based . Saying that the ibanez paul stanley had this kind of vibe back in the day and thats a classic ,,,,,,so ya never know ,,,,

 

[droptrd]

i wish my gibson didn't say "les paul" on it. who wants some old man's signature on their guitar?

Yeah right. Sig guitars...meh

 

[Inquisitor]

I think you guys are missing my point, I did say alot of them are improvements over the stock models, I definitely think that's the case with alot of them.

However, my problem is only with the ones with stupid logos on them, like the ones I posted in my OP.

Some of the Sig PRS models I'd definitely buy if I had the case, The Tremonti, The Prism, the Paul Allender and Dave Navarro ones are killer as well.

I'd buy the Mikael Akerfeldt model if it didn't have that stupid logo on it.

I agree that just having a sticker looking logo on is just for fanboys. But alternative is to Get a custom with same specs I guess

 

[BSRIAudio]

One thing I have always liked about the ESP Carpenters (not the LTDs) is that there is no indication they are a signature guitar other than a tiny little decal on the headstock.