Are guitar manufacturers easing up on endorsee's

[Dak]

Or at least ESP? I went and saw Mastodon recently. Bill Kelliher is an ESP endorsee with a couple of signature models. Live he played his signature Sparrow Hawk but a Gibson Les Paul instead of his signature EC model and a Gibson Explorer. Also saw him playing other stuff in their recent "The making of Hushed and Grimm" video I've seen pictures of Metallica playing other stuff as well but firgured they could do what they want because of their stature. There was a time when if you were endorsed by a brand you couldn't be seen playing anything else.

Also he has a Freidman signature model amp but the video shows him using some Marshalls in the studio as well.

[pianoguyy]

I don't know terms of anyone's deals.
But my deal (not a signature) required me to play "brand x" a percentage of each night.


Vai plays mostly Jems and Universes. But he plays a lot of different stuff.
Les Paul could only be play a Les Paul.

[ed]

I feel like theres also many levels to the whole endorsee thing. Some do it for the money and play whatever and some do it to get a good guitar to play.

Offcourse it depends on the contract too. Some artists get to design their signature models and actually like playing those models so offcourse they will be playing them alot for example Vai and Satriani and such. Its kinda like they have got their best instrument they can get and no really any need to get anything else.

Then there are the big names that get a contract that says we will use your name to sell our crappy guitars and you get a milion dollars and a cut of each sale.

[john.w.lawson]

I feel like theres also many levels to the whole endorsee thing. Some do it for the money and play whatever and some do it to get a good guitar to play.

Offcourse it depends on the contract too. Some artists get to design their signature models and actually like playing those models so offcourse they will be playing them alot for example Vai and Satriani and such. Its kinda like they have got their best instrument they can get and no really any need to get anything else.

Then there are the big names that get a contract that says we will use your name to sell our crappy guitars and you get a milion dollars and a cut of each sale.

Kinda like that Jackson video you posted with the prayers. I think they sounded like crap but they're getting a cut for hyping those American series! ( which who know's what's made where besides the floyd) it's "built in America, not made in the UISA.

[eakinj]

With ESP I think Gibson is the issue. They got Mustaine, Kirk is getting a gibson Signature (The ugliest guitar I have ever seen) and there's been teasing of the Hetfield explorer. I think in these cases that the guys are simply older and wanting to be part of a traditional us maker, I dunno. probably wrong, it's probably all about $$$$ I think Gibson is just poaching. As for the AMP, is he using that amp or is it just simple an amp in a studio. Plus no one says he can't own other stuff, just isn't supposed to be playing it in site of anyone.

[Dak]

With ESP I think Gibson is the issue. They got Mustaine, Kirk is getting a gibson Signature (The ugliest guitar I have ever seen) and there's been teasing of the Hetfield explorer. I think in these cases that the guys are simply older and wanting to be part of a traditional us maker, I dunno. probably wrong, it's probably all about $$$$ I think Gibson is just poaching. As for the AMP, is he using that amp or is it just simple an amp in a studio. Plus no one says he can't own other stuff, just isn't supposed to be playing it in site of anyone.

So I did some digging. Seems he (Bill Kelliher) Had signature Les Paul in 2014 The Gibson Bill Kelliher Halcyon Les Paul. Looks Like his ESP/LTDEclipse came out in 2016 followed by his Sparrowhawk in 2017. Maybe as a former Gibson endorsee he has it in his ESP contract he can be seen playing Gibson stuff. As to the amp it sounds like he uses a Helix live and tube amps in the studio. In an Ultimate guitar article He said he used a Freidman HBE Deluxe and a Revv Generator 120 in the studio.