How much does an artist's endosement really mean?

[rrobbone]

Do you put any weight on what gear your favorite musicians use?

Other than using "star power" to initially draw your attention to certain newer products that come out, what difference does it make to you?

I love Ed's work - I own no Kramer, EVH, Peavey, or Music Man items.
Ditto Tremonti - but I have no PRS gear to speak of.

Meanwhile, there are dedicated Facebook groups of folks who own every color variation of the various Schecters used by Avenged Sevenfold.

There are numerous guitarists that have earned a place in my radar that will guarantee them an automatic listen the moment they drop new material - but other than my Helix, I can't count one single endorsed piece of kit that I have in common with any of them.

Have you bought gear because "Musician X" endorses them?

[Buddy]

I started buying as many Agiles as I could as soon as I saw Azrael's video.

(sorry for the snarky reply - it's meant as fun - I can not afford any of the equipment my heroes use, but I would love to try them someday... maybe after my daughter is out of college... she is 7 years old now... ugh..)

[bleys21]

I ignore it for the most part. The only guitar I gave a good look at was Alex Lifeson's Gibson with all the cool stuff he was using on tour with Rush the last 5 years or so. It just seemed to have everything I would ever want in a guitar, but the price tag was insane, and, not that I was even considering buying it, but I saw reports of people who did encountering fit and finish issues. So I bought a PRS instead

[slowhand84]

Do you put any weight on what gear your favorite musicians use?

Other than using "star power" to initially draw your attention to certain newer products that come out, what difference does it make to you?

I love Ed's work - I own no Kramer, EVH, Peavey, or Music Man items.
Ditto Tremonti - but I have no PRS gear to speak of.

Meanwhile, there are dedicated Facebook groups of folks who own every color variation of the various Schecters used by Avenged Sevenfold.

There are numerous guitarists that have earned a place in my radar that will guarantee them an automatic listen the moment they drop new material - but other than my Helix, I can't count one single endorsed piece of kit that I have in common with any of them.

Have you bought gear because "Musician X" endorses them?

Nope, never. I have owned a grand total of two signature models in the 20+ years I've been playing but never because of the artist that endorsed them...simply cuz I liked the features and the guitar itself. An artist endorsement is meaningless to me, because I know how many factors go into what you hear tone-wise and I know that buying David Gilmour's $5,400 Fender signature model won't help me play or sound exactly like him. I get pretty damn close to some of those tones with my own gear (and guitars I paid $350-$600 for), but even my '76 Hiwatt Custom 100 was purchased not for its association with the famous artists who used the same amp but simply cuz I tried it in the store and it blew me away.

I actually kind of dislike the entire idea of artist endorsements for guitars because then companys will often also charge a premium just for the artist's name on the headstock...and you get exactly nothing for paying that premium aside from a decal signature.

I get it though...if you're a huge fan of whatever guitarist and you decide you want to have the same guitar as they do there's nothing wrong with that.

[Open G]

I used to buy endorsed equipment. That was years ago. Then I bought the knock off stuff, modified and upgraded it. Upgraded gear works but next time I think I'll buy a name brand guitar. So I'm back to buying artist endorsed gear.

[mickey]

I started buying as many Agiles as I could as soon as I saw Azrael's video.

You must have been thinking Rondo was about to go belly up?

[golem]

I think so and quite a few businesses seem to think the same. I don't know how many people know Les Paul now, but clearly thought he and Mary Ford would sell a few when they put out his signature model.

I don't own nor have ever owned any Santana model, but I definitely liked his music in high school. I definitely saw him playing gorgeous guitars and that's how I first became familiar with the brand. I also saw a lot of alt/metal bands playing PRS gear. That raised the profile even more. Eventually I started buying cheap PRS models. The SE, than beat up used CEs (thanks [mention]andrewsrea[/mention]), and have now owned quite a few models. At some point, I became a fan. PRS coming out with an S-style guitar is already going to be of interest me as I love strats. I like John Mayer, so that's going to intrigue me more. So I'm going to try the guitar for sure. When it came out, did I buy it? No... I waited until I found a stupidly good deal on one that's still hundreds less than they go for. But, does Mayer sell people on the Silver Sky and a few other PRS models he's played live, like the 594 and those sick Modern Eagles? Absolutely. I think no one can doubt that he widened the audience for PRS guitars.

I sometimes like signature models just because they can have cool specs. I didn't know who Lincoln Brewster and his music really isn't my style now that I have. But his strat has almost ideal specs for my tastes (I like the Silver Sky better overall, but the LB is really versatile). I'd consider buying a Robert Cray or a Jimmie Vaughn for the same reason, I like their specs and the guitars have a good reputation. So sometimes I may not even know or like an artist and their endorsement can yield a guitar I come to love. I bet there are more than a few people who don't like Mayer but do love the Silver Sky.

Have I bought a guitar because a musician endorsed them. Indirectly, it's a certainty. The LB and Silver Sky wouldn't exist were it not for those artists. But am I such a huge fan of Mayer that I'd buy a guitar only because he plays it, definitely not. I think only Hendrix and Derek Trucks have actually made me want to own a particular piece of gear and chase a particular sound (and I don't own an SG or any Hendrix branded Fender).

[fullonshred]

Zero. I like what I like regardless.

[Flatline]

Generally no. I do have a Fender Jimmy Page Dragon tele though. Spec-wise it ticked a bunch of boxes for me and I wanted a tele. Otherwise, I don’t keep up with most artists to know what gear they use.

[dearlpitts]

Test

[msc_]

I do believe there is a real market for artist endorsed gear. I've seen lots of kids buy gear because it's what a good musician endorses, and I've seen lots of parents buy a certain piece of gear for their kids because of an artist endorsement. Could you imagine a guitar infomercial without a celebrity endorsement? There's also the superfans and collectors. I guess an artist endorsement may mean very little or it may mean a lot depending on who you ask. They must make money for the gear companies since they still keep pumping them out.

I haven't bought much because something was endorsed by an artist. However, I own lots of gear that is an artist model, and in some cases I'm not even familiar with the artist, I just like the piece of gear. Here are a few below. I can honestly say I bought a couple of those despite the endorsement.

Jeff Beck Strat

Lzzy Hale Explorer (stock picture)

Ibanez Chris Miller (not my picture, but the same color and configuration)

J Mascis Jazzmaster

[Rollin Hand]

In general, not much, but I do seem to have a lot of VH related guitars:

OLP MM1
Peavey Wolfgang
Watson Wolfgang copy
EVH Striped Series VH1
EVH Wolfgang Standard
My homebrew VH1 copy
My 5150, still in progress.

Then there is my Nuno N3..

And I have one more on the way, kinda.

Maybe it matters more than I thought?

[PsychoCid]

Do you put any weight on what gear your favorite musicians use?

Other than using "star power" to initially draw your attention to certain newer products that come out, what difference does it make to you?

I love Ed's work - I own no Kramer, EVH, Peavey, or Music Man items.
Ditto Tremonti - but I have no PRS gear to speak of.

Meanwhile, there are dedicated Facebook groups of folks who own every color variation of the various Schecters used by Avenged Sevenfold.

There are numerous guitarists that have earned a place in my radar that will guarantee them an automatic listen the moment they drop new material - but other than my Helix, I can't count one single endorsed piece of kit that I have in common with any of them.

Have you bought gear because "Musician X" endorses them?

There definitely will be kids who own every color of Avenged Sevenfold guitar, but it's also important to remember most of what you see on social media and the news is fake.

If you wanted to sell Avenged Sevenfold guitars, you would set up a community group and create a whole bunch of fake profiles that talk about how they have every color.

It's consensus cracking, a form of mind control.
It's unfortunate, but that's modern marketing.

[toomanycats]

The only artist "endorsement" that means anything to me is what they really play to get the tone I admire and that I'm trying to emulate. For example, I play a Gibson Les Paul because I'm trying to get the tones of Billy Gibbons, Duane Allman, Page, Cream era Clapton, Gary Moore, and so on. That the artist just so happens to have a business/promotional/marketing arrangement with the manufacture of said equipment means nothing to me. It's a purely pragmatic decision on my part.

[PsychoCid]

The only artist "endorsement" that means anything to me is what they really play to get the tone I admire and that I'm trying to emulate. For example, I play a Gibson Les Paul because I'm trying to get the tones of Billy Gibbons, Duane Allman, Page, Cream era Clapton, Gary Moore, and so on. That the artist just so happens to have a business/promotional/marketing arrangement with the manufacture of said equipment means nothing to me. It's a purely pragmatic decision on my part.

Aren't those guys all playing Les Paul's signature guitar... Or the thin body double cut knock off of it?

[rrobbone]

If you wanted to sell Avenged Sevenfold guitars, you would set up a community group and create a whole bunch of fake profiles that talk about how they have every color.

It's consensus cracking, a form of mind control.
It's unfortunate, but that's modern marketing.

I'm not saying this approach to sales doesn't work, or that it doesn't happen - you could be spot on for all I know - but the groups I'm talking about seem pretty legit to me. They don't just focus on those particular models and like a lot of us here, talk about and own many different guitars. There are enough "down in the weeds" discussions about things only players give a crap about, like pick thicknesses and and tube model variations.

Their advice on my Sun Valley Shredder was very helpful to me. (Ugh, such a cringey guitar name)

[nomadh]

Do you put any weight on what gear your favorite musicians use?

Other than using "star power" to initially draw your attention to certain newer products that come out, what difference does it make to you?

I love Ed's work - I own no Kramer, EVH, Peavey, or Music Man items.
Ditto Tremonti - but I have no PRS gear to speak of.

Meanwhile, there are dedicated Facebook groups of folks who own every color variation of the various Schecters used by Avenged Sevenfold.

There are numerous guitarists that have earned a place in my radar that will guarantee them an automatic listen the moment they drop new material - but other than my Helix, I can't count one single endorsed piece of kit that I have in common with any of them.

Have you bought gear because "Musician X" endorses them?

There definitely will be kids who own every color of Avenged Sevenfold guitar, but it's also important to remember most of what you see on social media and the news is fake.

If you wanted to sell Avenged Sevenfold guitars, you would set up a community group and create a whole bunch of fake profiles that talk about how they have every color.

It's consensus cracking, a form of mind control.
It's unfortunate, but that's modern marketing.

I thought that's what agf was when I first found it. I read here for a month until I figured rondo really was that good or they did such a good job faking a whole website that if the guitars were only half as good as that I'd be hapoy.

[nomadh]

happy. Most of us have a les paul. Probably the only truly successful artist endorsement guitar. I do have 1 real one. Not sure that should even count. Certainly not the agiles. I do have a paul Stanley sig ps10 firebirdesque guitar. Sig embroidered on the hq gig bag and all. I HATE kiss. I got it on closeout I wanted a fb and it has great specs and feel. 700 guitar for 200ish. They had to lower it the extra 100 so I'd accept the endorsment.

[PsychoCid]

happy. Most of us have a les paul. Probably the only truly successful artist endorsement guitar. I do have 1 real one. Not sure that should even count. Certainly not the agiles. I do have a paul Stanley sig ps10 firebirdesque guitar. Sig embroidered on the hq gig bag and all. I HATE kiss. I got it on closeout I wanted a fb and it has great specs and feel. 700 guitar for 200ish. They had to lower it the extra 100 so I'd accept the endorsment.

LOL... have a YouTube video called Ace Frehley Worship playing as I read this

[nomadh]

Speaking of endorsment. What was the exact story behind "endorsment green".
Tell us an agf story grandpa.