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Originally posted by jgcable
These comments themselves aren't really inflammatory; they’re just statements defending his decision to switch to another brand of guitar. “Jacksons aren’t as good as they have been, and I was having feedback problems.” Perhaps not 100% accurate, but certainly understandable. The actual and real trigger to switch was likely monetary, sure. ESP got him a good endorsement deal and the ink was signed. Business is business. To a large degree, the media pounces on this to make good news and sell magazines. I’ll take it a notch further, however, and say that our own guitarist mental-illness makes us perceive these comments as being more significant than they are by several orders of magnitude. Permit me to ramble:
A guitar is just a tool and, let’s face it, established artists and Musicians (with the capital “M”) tend to know exactly what they want in a tool. Whether it’s made by Fender/Jackson/Charvel, Ibanez, ESP, Sears-Roebuck, or DeWalt, their specs are probably exact and generic enough that there will be little to no real difference from one manufacturer’s end product to another. (I’m thinking of Steve Vai having “litt’l JEMs” sent to him by dozens of guitar manufacturers, each one almost exactly the same in every way.)
What I find truly fascinating is the concept of brand image and loyalty. In general, with say Nike and Coca Cola, it’s a very interesting and puzzling thing. With guitars, though, it gets kicked up to the nth degree. Does anyone else find this totally intriguing?
It’s one thing when you want the exact product your hero has or endorses on pure fascination alone. Babe Ruth uses only WadaChoo tobacco. Kinds wanna be like him and stuff their cheeks pack full of terbaccer and vomit in the outfield. Mean Joe Green flings a sweat soaked filthy jersey at a kid and the world, tears in eyes, drinks Coke for the entire six month NFL season. It’s all good.
But guitars, man … it’s like we take that hero thing to a whole new level. Arnie Shredhero uses Fingerflame guitars. All the kids want to use his Fingerflame guitar under the misguided perception that it’ll make them as fast as Arnie. Okay.
Under normal circumstances, assuming a normal reaction by a normal population (you see what I’m getting at here – we’re ABNORMAL!), it would end there. But not us. O … no. Suddenly Fingerflames start appearing in the hands of ALL the hot guitarists (thanks to Arnie’s popularity and some sweet deals from Fingerflame’s parent company, General Electric), and an entire style is associated with that one particular instrument. A Fingerflame wouldn’t be seen in the hands of a country player any sooner than a Telecaster would be in Arnie Shredhero's.
Then the wheels fall off: Arnie suddenly puts down his Fingerflame and picks up a Yubihi for his new album. Yubihi built an axe just like the Fingerflame, but with a new paint job and some trick inlay. Then they backed a dumptruck full of Yen to his front stoop. Arnie caved and tells the inquisitive press that he thought the string tension on the Fingerflame was too high on his last tour, and he "helped design, not just endorse!" the Yubihi.
Our world is shattered. Fingerflames suck! They’re no longer useful for shred! Yubihis are the greatest instruments in the world and they’re – gasp -- Japanese!!! The balance of power is in ruins!
Seriously – what the heck causes this? Why in the name of Skippy Peanut Butter did I plunk cold hard cash for a Charvel when I know goshdarn well that I could have bought a Wayne, made by Mr. Charvel himself, for a couple of bucks more? You know why? To hell with Mr. Charvel, that's why! I don't want a goofy droopy headstock with the dorky word "Wayne" on it, I want a pointy headstock with the cool guitar-shaped Charvel label on it!!! Why? ‘Cause that’s what Steve Vai pretended to play in Crossroads, darnit! Yeah, I know it was just a prop! I don’t care! I’m a visual creature and I have needs!
Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I think about this too much. My head hurts. Sleep now.
. I've never EVER heard of certain types of woods being more prone to feedback. That's not to say it doesn't have any impact whatsoever. But I wouldn't even put it on a list of significant contributing factors. Feedback is most definitely more of an electronics issue.
White leather boots and all. 
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