Jackson Endorsements

[VoiceX3]

I do have to wonder what the point of endorsing is if Jackson gives no major discounts. If I'm in a band that is just starting to break into the mainstream, I'm sure going to appreciate a free guitar sent my way. No wonder everyone is moving over to ESP. Get arguably equal-quality guitars (I've never played a real ESP, just LTDs, so I don't know for sure) for $2k-$3k less.

$2k-$3k less? Really? Where?????

As well, many studios have "house gear" that, depending on the popularity of the band being recorded, as well as time/financial restraints, the studio requires you to use because the sound setup is easy for them. They don't have to completely reprogram the digital console to get "your" sound and aren't wasting a day trying to mic your cabinet that is still adjusting from the outdoor/in-the-truck climate to the indoor climate.

While each person's tone will be different on the same gear, it's still easier to get a good tone if everyone's using the same gear.

If that was the case anywhere I went to record, I'd be out the door looking for a better studio with somebody who won't take all day to get my sound with my setup.....after all, that is what I'm paying them for right???? I'm not recording to sound like everyone else who records there. Tone is more than 50% of a bands sound, performance is at least 40% leaving 10% to the engineer. Thats why some bands sounds are just completely unmistakable.

Personally, I don't care about endorsees....being endorsed, or getting free crap. (literally) I would rather have a reliable workhorse that sounds and plays great. That just made me think of a GREAT marketing slogan for Jackson.

Jackson - Tools for the working musician!

[toejam]

When did Grover Jackson part ways with Washburn? Maybe Ian was following him

:ROTF: I think Grover was with Washburn around the mid to late '90s.

[Newc]

... and to advertise guitars for a company that wont even give them a few guitars...

Ah, but here's the catch: are you really advertising the brand you play simply by playing it? Are you consciously putting out the effort to promote the brand of gear you use or is it simply a tool to get the job done? Do you finish a gig by broadcasting the slogan of the brand you're using?

I'm not promoting GM's product when I drive my Impala to WalMart, I'm simply going to WalMart. The Impala gets me there. If someone else sees it and decides to buy one, it's not my doing.


By the same token, if I'm playing a gig with a Jackson, I'm promoting my band, not promoting someone else's product.

If the audience perceives my performance as a product advertisement, then either my music is less captivating than the brand I'm using to make that music, or the audience is entirely too impressionable.

[RobRR]

I'm not promoting GM's product when I drive my Impala to WalMart, I'm simply going to WalMart. The Impala gets me there. If someone else sees it and decides to buy one, it's not my doing.

Youre also not driving infront of tons and tons of people that are focusing on you. Guitar endorsements are like race car sponsors. They get their name on the car, driver gets money or parts. Its all about entertainment... the more popular the driver, the better the sponsorship. Same EXACT scenario.

Im not saying n00bs should get free guitars, but reasonably large acts should... the worst thing they could do is lose Mustaine... over a few guitars a year? Come on... thats just bad business.

[VoiceX3]

Ah, but here's the catch: are you really advertising the brand you play simply by playing it? Are you consciously putting out the effort to promote the brand of gear you use or is it simply a tool to get the job done? Do you finish a gig by broadcasting the slogan of the brand you're using?

I'm not promoting GM's product when I drive my Impala to WalMart, I'm simply going to WalMart. The Impala gets me there. If someone else sees it and decides to buy one, it's not my doing.


By the same token, if I'm playing a gig with a Jackson, I'm promoting my band, not promoting someone else's product.

If the audience perceives my performance as a product advertisement, then either my music is less captivating than the brand I'm using to make that music, or the audience is entirely too impressionable.

I really have to disagree. I personally have swayed people to buy Jackson thru my playing them live. Not because I'm a great guitarist by any stretch of the imagination, but because of how they sound makes them curious enough to check 'em out. My other guitarist was an ESP & Gibson guy who now only plays Jackson. When you're driving to the store, there's hundreds of other cars on the road/parking lot, when playing live there aren't 50 other bands playing at the same time.

Youre also not driving infront of tons and tons of people that are focusing on you. Guitar endorsements are like race car sponsors. They get their name on the car, driver gets money or parts. Its all about entertainment... the more popular the driver, the better the sponsorship. Same EXACT scenario.

Im not saying n00bs should get free guitars, but reasonably large acts should... the worst thing they could do is lose Mustaine... over a few guitars a year? Come on... thats just bad business.

+1

[Bengal]

Ah, but here's the catch: are you really advertising the brand you play simply by playing it? Are you consciously putting out the effort to promote the brand of gear you use or is it simply a tool to get the job done? Do you finish a gig by broadcasting the slogan of the brand you're using?

I'm not promoting GM's product when I drive my Impala to WalMart, I'm simply going to WalMart. The Impala gets me there. If someone else sees it and decides to buy one, it's not my doing.


By the same token, if I'm playing a gig with a Jackson, I'm promoting my band, not promoting someone else's product.

If the audience perceives my performance as a product advertisement, then either my music is less captivating than the brand I'm using to make that music, or the audience is entirely too impressionable.

So guitarists don't sell guitars? So the Jem would be as insanely popular if Vai didn't play it? Right.

Anytime a star is photographed with ANYTHING brand name, it's and advertisement. Be it guitar gear, brand name clothing, kick ass rims, sunglasses, ect.

People always want to use the gear their heros use. Been that way since the dawn of time, it's not going to change anytime soon.

Why do some artists cover up the logo with electrical tape? If it's not free advertising, why do that?

The "audience" is not going to percieve anything you do as an ad Newc. But if you had a platinum album and ads in Guitar World, that would be another story. But to say that people are stupid and too impressionable because they want the same kind of gear their favorite guitarist uses it just plain wrong. It's just the way it is. Always has been, always will be.

[diablomozart]

for the record...i use 4 guitars when playing live...two in standard and two in drop d...the extras are merely for backup in case i break a string...usually they never get played...d.m.

[VoiceX3]

for the record...i use 4 guitars when playing live...two in standard and two in drop d...the extras are merely for backup in case i break a string...usually they never get played...d.m.

+1
1 standard, 1 drop D, 1 tremless backup for standard and D, 1 for B/drop A tuning.

[toejam]

Why do some artists cover up the logo with electrical tape? If it's not free advertising, why do that?

I had a pic of Jeff Hanneman from the Seasons In The Abyss tour where he had electrical tape over the logo of his Jackson Soloist. I guess ESP didn't want him advertising for Jackson any more.

[VoiceX3]

I had a pic of Jeff Hanneman from the Seasons In The Abyss tour where he had electrical tape over the logo of his Jackson Soloist. I guess ESP didn't want him advertising for Jackson any more.

Bingo! Saw George Lynch at a clinic some years ago where he just taped an ESP logo over the Charvel logo on the neck....lol:ROTF:

[Bengal]

I had a pic of Jeff Hanneman from the Seasons In The Abyss tour where he had electrical tape over the logo of his Jackson Soloist. I guess ESP didn't want him advertising for Jackson any more.

Was he playing ESP's back in the Seasons era?

Yep, I bet either he was miffed at Jackson and put it on there himself or ESP didn't want him to be playing Jacksons. One of the 2.

My buddy put them over the Jackson logo before he had a deal with Jackson. Waaaaay back on their first tour.

You see artists do this with amp heads and cabnets too.

Everything is an advertisement when you're a rock star.

[toejam]

Was he playing ESP's back in the Seasons era?

I'm pretty sure he's playing an ESP in the Seasons video.

[Bengal]

I'm pretty sure he's playing an ESP in the Seasons video.

I still love that Soloist he has with all the stickers on it. It might be my favorite star-owned Soloist.

EDIT: What I also find interesting is some stars have a "no compete" clause saying they cannot play or be photographed with any other guitar other than the brand they are signed to. I knew a guy who had a deal with Ibanez like that. Then some stars don't have that clause, so they can play whatever they want but the company can still use them in ads and whatever.

The bigger you are, the less restrictions they put on you.

[bibz]

Yeah, see zakk.

I think Araya has a deal too, on one of my dvd's theres a very widow headstock with masking tape and 'esp' handwritten on it

[toejam]

I still love that Soloist he has with all the stickers on it. It might be my favorite star-owned Soloist.

That was one of my favorite guitars, too. I don't know if he had two of them or not, but I remember pics in the booklet for the Decade of Agreesion album where it's got a Kahler nut and another where it's got a Floyd nut. Probably just got the Floyd nut installed later on.