Why would anyone buy a 'famous player endorsed model' guitar?

TonyR

I bought my Pete Townshend Rickenbacker because I liked the look of it - end of.

Collings

I brought a PRS DGT not because I'm a Grissom fan, in fact I,ve heard very little of his music.

I brought it as I liked the specs. I wanted a McCarty with a term. Tried one and loved it.

The thing with a DGT is it's not immediately apparent it's a signature model as there's no signature on the headstock just the truss rod cover lettering and I doubt any of the audience at any of my gigs would know who DGT is anyway.

It's simply a well thought through working instrument so appeals to many guitarists and not just Grissom fans. It's also now the only PRS that comes with moon inlays as opposed to birds!!

Doug

I bought a Jackson Adrian Smith SDX (Indonesian/early model)  I'm not a fan of Adrian Smith/Iron Maiden - No offense, but this one really is a Great guitar!

mort

I bought a PRS Zach Myers for the spec.

I have no idea whatsoever who Zach Myers is. 

dindude

That sponge bob squarepants knows how to design a guitar or two

Sporky

mort said:

I bought a PRS Zach Myers for the spec.

I have no idea whatsoever who Zach Myers is. 

I think he's from One Direction.

Rocker

Don't understand why my valid question merited two LOLs.  I asked a valid question that is all.  I am not commenting one way or the other about signature/endorsed guitars.  Simply wondering why people buy them as opposed to standard models.  A lot of the answers have been interesting, higher spec etc.  They are valid reasons as indeed is buying a standard guitar. It always intrigued me when I read that 'I love my #### Jazzmaster' as to what the endorser brought to the standard guitar.....

Strangefan

To be honest theres never a lot of difference between a standard guitar and a signature at the end of the day, a tweak here and a tweak there, I just see them as guitars with slightly different specs, I couldn't care who the player is. I had a malmsteen strat, couldn't stand him but loved the guitar, 

viz

I have Ibanez Jems (and Legacy amps and Morley pedals) because I’m a huge fan of Steve Vai and his music, and so I like playing his signature equipment. 

Vaiai

I have had a few and not because they were sigs - but because they were great quality or had a spec you couldn't get elsewhere. I had a Fender Kotzen Tele - huge neck that's not really available outside of CS stuff (and not that expensive for his sig) and the Guthrie Charvel as he made sure it was a workhorse, had a fantastic bridge and trem and pickups you can't buy anywhere which had a lot of tonal options. Plus he was very involved in the creation of it - not just putting his name on the headstock. 
Same with John Petrucci and Luke - it's their actual guitar and they play it because it's right and not to get paid

Some sigs are not worth the extra tho - no denying that

Bellycaster

If it's good quality build and the specifications are to my liking, then I couldn't care less that it is a signature model Guitar. Peavey EVH Wolfgangs are one of the most wonderful feeling and ergonomical Guitars ever built.

I've got agonising GAS for a Strat at the moment and I love the look of the Robert Cray Model which @Kebabkid can vouch for in quality terms. The Jimmie Vaughan model looks pretty good value for money as well.

amarok1971

I haven't bought an endorsed guitar but I have a satch jvm head and it's awesome, well pleased with it 

Iamnobody

It’s not just about fanboyism - is that a word?! 

Loads of ‘named’ guitarists apparently use Clapton sig Strats. I read it here so it must be true...

Peter Green arguably one of the most revered guitarists was playing a Howard Roberts fusion a few years ago. I’m sure he just liked the guitar.

I dont think everyone buys them them because they want to emulate the associated artist.

I’ve got a Pete Townshend sig SG but can confirm that I cannot windmill and the police haven’t confiscated my laptop.

Flanging_Fred

ellwood said:

I bought a John Mayer Strat because it probably means Jennifer Anniston and/or Katy Perry will be along at any moment to rip my pants off*. Possibly both at the same time. Am still waiting, but seemed worth a punt at the time....




*and also because of all the strats I have played it is one my favourites. And I like the Big dipper pickups. And I like a lot of his stuff.

And it has a really cool gig bag.

Wow! I didn't know signature guitars came with these extra benefits. This has really put me off buying an Avril Lavigne telecaster though.

english_bob

Flanging_Fred said:

Wow! I didn't know signature guitars came with these extra benefits. This has really put me off buying an Avril Lavigne telecaster though.

You mean you don't want Deryck Whibley and Chad Kroeger to turn up and rip your pants off. At the same time?

Not even if they serenaded you with their hits to get you in the mood?

Vibetronic

got/had Jems because they are just really cool guitars. I'd still have them if someone other than Steve Vai had come up with the idea. Got a Shawn Lane Vigier as I wanted to try a guitar with a totally flat board and it was the best thing I'd ever played. I wouldn't buy a guitar because of the name, but if it's a great guitar, then the fact it's a signature model doesn't really matter. 

english_bob

I own an artist signature guitar, but at the time I bought it I was only dimly aware of who the guy was and whether he was any good. Even now I wouldn't describe myself as a fan.

My JD Telecaster was just the best guitar I could find at the time. It was a cool colour and had features that no other guitar had at the time (there are at least three other Jerry Donahue endorsed models out there now with basically the same feature set).

I'd be happy to own any signature model where the artist has designed something, or made "improvements" to an existing design that I like. Most of the artist signature guitars that succeed with the general public are ones where what makes them different are things that players actually want- the Eric Clapton Strat with the hotter pickups and mid-boost is a perfect example- it addresses some things that a lot of players would choose to change about a vintage-style Strat anyway, without straying too far from how a Strat should look and sound. 

Contrast with something like the Buddy Guy signature Strat. It's another Strat, but with spots.

Gassage

Yes- Clapton Strat or EJ Strat from the first run- simply astonishingly good strats, esp the EJ- prob my fave of all modern Strats.

Flanging_Fred

english_bob said:

Flanging_Fred said:

Wow! I didn't know signature guitars came with these extra benefits. This has really put me off buying an Avril Lavigne telecaster though.

You mean you don't want Deryck Whibley and Chad Kroeger to turn up and rip your pants off. At the same time?

Not even if they serenaded you with their hits to get you in the mood?

Im now quite worried that I bought a Hello Kitty Strat a fortnight ago...   A blowjob from Badz Maru on the cards maybe?

hotpickups

I have an Albert Lee Musicman but I bought it purely because I liked the feel, the shape and the build quality. I'm totally not into Albert Lee at all albeit he is a great player. 

If the glove fits then that's enough for me. Fortunately Albert Lee isn't as well known as Brian May or SRV so most wouldn't know straight away it's a signature model etc. In fact in the case of my Albert Lee guitar there is only that one style that he's put his name to so maybe not relevant in this case