Rise and fall

ash · Post by **ash** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 11:46 pm

I was thinking about this the other day, but todays mention of Slash's AFD Marshall has added to the question of artist's influence on gear fashion...

It seems to me that the various peaks of fashion experienced by certain brands and models of gutars are matched by their noted users at the time.

For example, In the late '60s, every prick had a LP or 335, then old EC turns up with a black and a brown strat. Even though Hendrix had already made his name with strats, it seems that EC's change over had more influence on the market. perhaps those who were alive then and can remember the times could comment more conclusively on the matter...

Another: in the mid '80s Ibanez were really suffering. The US arm of Hoshino Corp was bordering on bankruptcy and then some bright spark in the company decided to give Frank Zappa's lead guitar man, Steve Vai a custom Ibanez for Christmas. Vai made his recommendations, signed on with his buddy Satriani and within 5 years Ibanez was a guitar giant riding on the backs of Vai and Satriani's success

And the one that gets trotted out regularly: about the same time, Gibson were taking a hammering until Slash showed up with his LPs on MTV and 'saved' their hairy asses. It seems that the current revival of interest in LPs coincides partly with the revival of Slash's career in Velvet Revolver...

And here's one closer to home... Since the Datsuns rose to prominence with Dolf clutching a Thunderbird bass, I've notice alot more interest in Thunderbirds and Firebirds. I'm not sure if Dolf is the instigator or a follower in this regard though.

Anyone else have any wacky theories about swings in Artist/GAS fashion?

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 7:47 am

I can't talk for anyone but myself. My interest in Fenders came from my very first influences leading me to playing music - the Shadows & the Ventures.
, both of whom sported that marque. So I was suckered in for then.

After I found Fenders I tried most of the others, moved in part by influences like you've said - Bruce, Entwhistle, Wyman, Macca, Squire etc, but those changes all proved to be passing fads for me. I'd been lucky to find the sound I wanted straight off (Fender basses) and the others have proven to be just passing fancies which suited those particular players but not me.

You are right - the younger players (as I was then) are easily influenced by those whom they admire and can be swayed to try to emulate them, instead of finding their own voice. Its very sad and proves once again how gullible we all can be.

After I grew up, I realised how compelling the whole emulation sales techique really is and realised that what makes the artists so good is their talent, not their gear. This revelation was tempered in part by the fact that I'd done it myself before I realised how ridiculous and sheep/lemming-like it really was.

To me, the worst exploitation of this marketing ploy is the signature guitars/basses. Why we believe that the magic of a signature model will make a difference to us is a question for the psychologists among us, not me - but the ploy works for the hard-of-thinking (which I was when young).

So, for me - I've been there - I grew up - I woke up - I realised I'd been suckered - I won't go there again.

Tsuken · Post by **Tsuken** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 10:56 pm

I can certainly see it about. For me personally it was rather variable I think. Strat = yes (because of Hendrix); LP = no (despite Billy Gibbons, Brian Robertson, and Scott Gorham). I never wanted a Jem - despite Vai, nor a JS - despite Satriani. I wanted (and still do) a Yamaha SG2000 because of Carlos Santana - but don't want a PRS, despite his later association with them. I wanted an Ibanez Saber since 1987 - but at that stage didn't know any famous people who played them; of late I've found a few - so that one went in reverse

The Scarecrow · Post by **The Scarecrow** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 11:52 am

See, I've always wanted a Telecaster, not because Richie Kotzen and Johnny Greenwood made them sound good, but because for the indie rock I play, they suit the sound I'm after - that single-coil-slightly-gained-up-clean-biting-sting. But I notice that certain bands/artists using specific models of guitars does make them gravitate towards market demographics.

Take a band like Sonic Youth - they all use CBS-era Strats/Jags/Jazzmaster/Mustangs etc, and and they were kind of one of the founding "indie/grunge" bands, now all the young musos with side part mops and skinny figures (me included) love those vintage Fenders. Jack White and his Airline guitar is another example. Jack White often goes on about how shite that guitar actually is stock - impossibly hard to keep in tune, rubbish pickups standard and odd to play initially, but it hasnt' stopped them from becoming big items on Ebay.

ash · Post by **ash** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 1:27 pm

The Scarecrow wrote:
Take a band like Sonic Youth - they all use CBS-era Strats/Jags/Jazzmaster/Mustangs etc, and and they were kind of one of the founding "indie/grunge" bands, now all the young musos with side part mops and skinny figures (me included) love those vintage Fenders. Jack White and his Airline guitar is another example. Jack White often goes on about how shite that guitar actually is stock - impossibly hard to keep in tune, rubbish pickups standard and odd to play initially, but it hasnt' stopped them from becoming big items on Ebay.

Yep, thats exactly the kind of thing I'm on about. Not so much the individual basis, but the global trends linkable to certain stars. Cobain changed the way Mustangs and Jaguars were viewed and his interest in them possibly stems from Sonic Youth.

I think Raz has mentioned before that Hagstoms are becoming pricier since Franz Ferdinand's debut (and probably others like The Hives etc).

Teles on the other hand have always been a fairly steady background presence. Keef and Springsteen have both been seen with them regularly for the last 30-40 years, so prehaps not so much of a peaking effect.

jimi · Post by **jimi** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 3:37 pm

My understanding on Kurt using mustangs and jaguars is because they were cheap unwanted old guitars in bargain shops. Their popularity courtesy nirvana / sonic youth etc is kinda funny in the same way as the popularity of Jack Whites guitar because most pics of Thursten Moore's guitars and Kurts Jag that I have seen show them pretty heavily modded - no stock single coil p-ups in sight.

As for the Strat, I'm pretty sure it was going to be scrapped from the product line until Hendrix gave it so much publicity. When I talk to my girlfriend and other non-musician people about guitars to them when they see my strat they talk about how thats the guitar that Hendrix played, some people mention Buddy Holly - Clapton never gets a mention.

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 3:49 pm

My non-musical friends wouldn't know a Strat from a mouthorgan.

Sanctuary · Post by **Sanctuary** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 5:41 pm

Ok, I confess...Chuck Schuldiner led to the purchasing of a BC Rich Stealth

Tehhaxorr · Post by **Tehhaxorr** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 7:48 pm

Chuck Schuldiner

All the good ones have to die.

I im not really influenced by anyone, i just buy the gear than suits me, its always been like that.

ash · Post by **ash** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 9:36 pm

Rog wrote:My non-musical friends wouldn't know a Strat from a mouthorgan.

I have one friend who recognises a strat headstock, but can never remember the name or significance of it. He just says things like "I saw one of those guitars today. You know, the one with the curly bumpy bit on the end of the long part".

Tsuken · Post by **Tsuken** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 7:30 am

heh. my wife recognises - and likes - Ibanez'

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 7:35 am

My wife knows Fender and that's about it.

Sanctuary · Post by **Sanctuary** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 6:21 pm

Tehhaxorr wrote:Chuck Schuldiner All the good ones have to die.

Amen. He actually died on my birthday

Tehhaxorr · Post by **Tehhaxorr** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 8:34 pm

Sanctuary wrote:
Tehhaxorr wrote:Chuck Schuldiner All the good ones have to die.
Amen. He actually died on my birthday

Some birthday that would have turned out to be eh.

Post by Bg » Tue Jun 14, 2005 11:39 pm

Chuck who?