Does Mike deserve his own signature guitar?

sapperskunk

I was wondering what some people thought on whether or not he was worthy of a signature strat?

There's a ton of signature guitars out there, here's a simple search. Some worthy, some not.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/home/navigation?d=tp&q=signature+guitars&r=&src=00630


This guy deffinately deserved his.

http://www.gretschguitars.com/whatshot/rhh.html

It's like $ 3,300.00 bucks, yikes.

enharmonic

Well...he's sold millions of records, and he can play his ass off...so I'd say yeah. A shame that they throw a signature guitar at just about anyone these days. I tried a strat in Guitar Center once, and now Fender wants to give me a signature model

I'd say yes if it meant something. Dave Gilmour had to wait about 25 years.

Pearl Jam and toast

enharmonic wrote:

Well...he's sold millions of records, and he can play his ass off...so I'd say yeah. A shame that they throw a signature guitar at just about anyone these days. I tried a strat in Guitar Center once, and now Fender wants to give me a signature model

I'd say yes if it meant something. Dave Gilmour had to wait about 25 years.

Yeah, I think it takes more than just being a bad ass and selling millions of records. He'll deserve one by their standards in 10 years.

moster78

I think he plays too many different types and brands of guitars to get a signature model in any one brand or model.

sapperskunk

moster78 wrote:

I think he plays too many different types and brands of guitars to get a signature model in any one brand or model.

Good point.

keeponrockin

I think Frusciante deserves one.

armanHammer

Unless the artist really wants a bunch of custom specs not available in any one instrument, signature models are just brownie points for the company. They are anyway, actually.

BetterManningNYG

moster78 wrote:

I think he plays too many different types and brands of guitars to get a signature model in any one brand or model.

yeah, but when i think of mike mccready, i immediately think of the '59 strat... the "yellow ledbetter" guitar. that's the one i'd want to see as a signature model.

good description of it here:

http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/PearlJam/gear/mike.html

here's a masterbuilt '59 re-issue from fender:

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=9275000488

they would just have to give it the sunburst paint job and then apply "relic" treatment to make it look like mike's exact model. oh yeah... and a rosewood fretboard.

of course, this signature would be of absolutely no use to mike mccready (i'm sure he'd just buy another original '59 if he had to), and it's unlikely that he'd agree to have it built if it only served him for publicity purposes. but i know a lot fans (especially me) who would be very enthusiastic about the signature model.

moster78

BetterManningNYG wrote:

yeah, but when i think of mike mccready, i immediately think of the '59 strat... the "yellow ledbetter" guitar. that's the one i'd want to see as a signature model.

good description of it here:

http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/PearlJam/gear/mike.html

here's a masterbuilt '59 re-issue from fender:

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=9275000488

they would just have to give it the sunburst paint job and then apply "relic" treatment to make it look like mike's exact model. oh yeah... and a rosewood fretboard.

of course, this signature would be of absolutely no use to mike mccready (i'm sure he'd just buy another original '59 if he had to), and it's unlikely that he'd agree to have it built if it only served him for publicity purposes. but i know a lot fans (especially me) who would be very enthusiastic about the signature model.

I hear you, but when I think of Mike, I also think of him playing a Gibson Les Paul on "Alive" or his LP Jr.

I have nothing against the concept of signature guitars, especially as the proud owner of a John Mayer Strat, but most of the people I associate with signature guitars, like Mayer, or Clapton, seem to always be seen playing just those guitars, and no other brands.

BetterManningNYG

moster78 wrote:

I hear you, but when I think of Mike, I also think of him playing a Gibson Les Paul on "Alive" or his LP Jr.

I have nothing against the concept of signature guitars, especially as the proud owner of a John Mayer Strat, but most of the people I associate with signature guitars, like Mayer, or Clapton, seem to always be seen playing just those guitars, and no other brands.

clapton has signature guitars from at least three different companies that i can think of (fender, gibson, and martin). if mike wanted to go down that road, i'd be cool with it.

moster78

BetterManningNYG wrote:

clapton has signature guitars from at least three different companies that i can think of (fender, gibson, and martin). if mike wanted to go down that road, i'd be cool with it.

Good point!

xtremehardy388

Mike deserves one. If Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day), and Mark Hoppus(Blink 182) can get theirs, Mike shoukd get one. Don't get me wrong, I like both Green Day and Blink but Mike is amazing

xtremehardy388

Oh, and the guy from Good Charlotte has one....come on now people...(I hate Good Charlotte if anyone cares)

Scratchin a Letter

xtremehardy388 wrote:

Oh, and the guy from Good Charlotte has one....come on now people...(I hate Good Charlotte if anyone cares)

Yeah, fuck it. We all know how decent he (MM) is, does it really need to be proved in this way? I doubt it

exhausted

xtremehardy388 wrote:

Mike deserves one. If Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day), and Mark Hoppus(Blink 182) can get theirs, Mike shoukd get one. Don't get me wrong, I like both Green Day and Blink but Mike is amazing

it's got nothing to do with skill and everything to do with recognition, association and marketability.

DOSW

exhausted wrote:

it's got nothing to do with skill and everything to do with recognition, association and marketability.

Bingo.

xtremehardy388

Do you think it's selling out though...I mean if a musician has a sig. guitar?

Brez

moster78 wrote:

I think he plays too many different types and brands of guitars to get a signature model in any one brand or model.

EXACTLY what I was thinking...

exhausted

xtremehardy388 wrote:

Do you think it's selling out though...I mean if a musician has a sig. guitar?

the concept of "selling out" is for kids detached from reality.

dont_go_on_me

PT has 4 signature guitars from 3 different companies (that i know of, at least), so that's not really an issue.

To me, however, it doesn't make all that much sense for Fender or Gibson to make a McCready signature guitar. Reason being, Mike plays vintage stock guitars, nothing customized, nothing that really makes it "his". They already do make reissues of late 50's strats and LPs, and they already make relics that show wear and tear...

moster78

don't_go_on_me wrote:

PT has 4 signature guitars from 3 different companies (that i know of, at least), so that's not really an issue.

To me, however, it doesn't make all that much sense for Fender or Gibson to make a McCready signature guitar. Reason being, Mike plays vintage stock guitars, nothing customized, nothing that really makes it "his". They already do make reissues of late 50's strats and LPs, and they already make relics that show wear and tear...

That was going to be my next point.

Pearl Jam and toast

exhausted wrote:

the concept of "selling out" is for kids detached from reality.

You'd think that, but it's possible.. Most of the time people use that term it's total bullshit (like allowing a custom guitar be made in your name - that's just cool). But let me point you to the way Green Day marketed themselves and manufactured an image to sell a record to the trendy 'fuse' crowd. That's a textbook sellout. The word should be in the dictionary with a picture and description of Green Day so people will know exactly what 'selling out' really is I think.

enharmonic

Most people that have them, do not deserve them.

I bet if you asked Mike, he would be more into people playing guitar because they love music, then spending 2-3000 on a Mike McCready signature guitar.

The music isn't in the guitar...it's in the person.

MichaelMcKevin

I don't think having a signature guitar is selling out, but i do think not having one and being good enough to have one makes you less of a sell out, or an anti-sellout, if that makes any sense. The first thing i thought when i saw this thread was "What type of guitar could it be?". He definitely plays too many guitars for one to be his "Signature" model. I like that Mike will play anything if it gives him the sound he wants. He wouldn't play a signature strat on a song that he thought should have a fat p-90 sound just to make fender happy. You can't really attribute one guitar to mike, stone, or eddie. They change too much.

exhausted

Pearl Jam and toast wrote:

You'd think that, but it's possible.. Most of the time people use that term it's total bullshit (like allowing a custom guitar be made in your name - that's just cool). But let me point you to the way Green Day marketed themselves and manufactured an image to sell a record to the trendy 'fuse' crowd. That's a textbook sellout. The word should be in the dictionary with a picture and description of Green Day so people will know exactly what 'selling out' really is I think.

you sell out as soon as you play your first gig for beer quite honestly. it's a stupid concept.

they had just an much of a manufactured image before armstrong started to wear eyeliner.

BetterManningNYG

this thread got me thinking about an article that was in GuitarOne last month. it was called "clapton's 10 iconic axes and essential licks." i just went to their website to see if the article was there, but their site is under construction and i can't find it anywhere else on the internet. it was from this issue if any of you know what i am talking about:

http://www.guitaronemag.com/images/GuitarOne_03.gif

but the article isn't the point. the point is that eric clapton is a musician who has MANY signature guitars... but each one of them is unmistakably clapton. this does not make him a sellout.

the discussion to this point has generally been based around the question of whether or not having a signature model makes you a sellout. but there's another side to this topic that hasn't been brought up yet: the artistic aspect of the guitar-building craft.

building a great guitar is an artform in itself, just like playing music is. some musicians, such as clapton, clearly have a deep respect for the luthiers who build their instruments. therefore it is considered an honor for him to have his name associated with these instruments. i would be honored too (although personally undeserving). i'm not implying that mike lacks respect in this regard; clearly he just doesn't choose to demonstrate it in the same way that clapton does.

but obviously, not all musicians consider the building process. it really annoys me when i see some these pop bands prancing around the stage with paul reed smiths and custom shop gibsons. in my opinion, many of these guys do not measure up artistically to the person who built their guitars (relatively speaking). then of course it's always necessary for them to smash the guitars after their song is over. why don't you show some mastery of the instrument before you destroy somebody else's art? how does that sound?

DISCLAIMER: i am not stating that guitar smashing is always wrong. but it should never be done if it was built by a master luthier or if you fail to demonstrate an ability to play it well.

i really have no idea how i ended up on the topic of guitar smashing. sorry for going off on such a ridiculous tangent there. but i think i've said what i wanted to say.

BetterManningNYG

exhausted wrote:

you sell out as soon as you play your first gig for beer quite honestly. it's a stupid concept.

they had just an much of a manufactured image before armstrong started to wear eyeliner.

+1...

http://toolshed.down.net/lyrics/aenimalyrics.php#07

xtremehardy388

enharmonic wrote:

Most people that have them, do not deserve them.

I bet if you asked Mike, he would be more into people playing guitar because they love music, then spending 2-3000 on a Mike McCready signature guitar.

The music isn't in the guitar...it's in the person.

+1

I totally agree. I never got what selling out was to be quite honest.

lucylespian

exhausted wrote:

the concept of "selling out" is for kids detached from reality.

+ Avagadro's number

Everyone wants to be a rock star so they can be rich ! They also want the music they love to be loved by everybody, cos that proves what good taste they have. Then when that happens, "it's a sellout" !!
ON guitar smashing, I totally agree that it is a crime to smash a beautiful handbuilt guitar. As I have said, they are all female, and it's like bashing women. It shows a total lack of respect to the craftsman who built it, to the music and to themselves. Mass produced junk guitars, maybe under extreme circumstances, like it is old and unplayable and of no use to anyone.

Thorns2010

Is it wrong that I would buy a signature Mike guitar and I don't even play guitar???

Pearl Jam and toast

Making money has nothing to do with "selling out". Green Day changed themselves completely to make money after a couple flops of an album and almost completely disappearing for whatever reason. The album actually wasn't half bad, I'd say better than anything they've ever done honestly, but I can't respect them at all.

Anyway, that's off topic :rolleyes:

If Mike had a signature guitar it would be a dark sunburst strat,.. like that ancient one he plays Even Flow on. But I love how he switches things up so much.. That's something that always bugs the hell out of me is when guitarists never change their guitar. Like Frusciante,.. he's great and all, but cmon, does he have to ALWAYS play a strat?