Badge whore

[Dingus]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1365437945' post='2039636']
Be careful, though! [size=4]Before you know what's happened it'll have sold off council housing, smashed the unions and stopped free milk for schoolchildren...[/size]
[/quote]
[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1365438060' post='2039637']
Not at all, the ancient craft of thatching is dying out, good thatchers are rare. I was simply hoping to revive a dying industry.
[/quote]
[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1365438559' post='2039647']
Old thatchers never die, they just get put out to grass.
[/quote]

Why all this stuff about Mrs Thatcher today ? Has something happened I should know about ?

[grumble]

Yes I'm a badge whore, mine all read 'Guild', 'Gretsch', 'Italia', 'Peavey' 'Cort' etc.....
I've got a Fender gig bag, does that count ?

[Bass-Driver]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1365439389' post='2039662']
Why all this stuff about Mrs Thatcher today ? Has something happened I should know about ?
[/quote]

How to say it... Her earthly contract was terminated today.

[Stan_da_man]

I care more about the playing than the badge.

[RockfordStone]

id rather have a great sounding 100 quid squier than a sh*t sound bass that just happens to have name to it.

if a band or individual thinks less of you because of the axe you play then they are arses

[discreet]

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1365457275' post='2039991']
...if a band or individual thinks less of you because of the axe you play then they are arses.
[/quote]

+1

[BassTractor]

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1365457275' post='2039991']
if a band or individual thinks less of you because of the axe you play then they are arses
[/quote]

Yup.
The point then becomes how we deal with it.
A buddy and neigbour of mine taught me how. Uninterestedly, low-voiced and calmly, he'd just say: "So dumb you are..."

Much better than getting in stitches over it.

best,
bert

[AnalogBomb]

This is a really interesting topic and one which I have thought about many times! So much so, that I went out and bought a Modern Player Jazz (complete with Fender badge) and I know it is in no way representative of the higher end USA Jazz Basses, but I thought it was important to me to own a 'Fender'! Now I tried everything with this bass, different pre amps, amps, leads, strings - and I decided it sounded absolutely awful.

During the time of me owning this bass, I traded my much loved Squier VM Jazz for a Tokai Thunderbird which was subsequently, also awful (in my opinion) - luckily enough, I mananged to re-acquire my VM Jazz in another trade - plugged it in and it sounded wonderful!

But I know what people mean when they agonise over the badge on their bass, but I've decided I don't care! To me if it sounds good, plays good and looks good - then it is good. I personally can't afford, in my current position of new Dad, first time buyer, to be spending money on USA Jazz Basses or top end Yamaha's! I'd like to think that one day I will own one of these, but if that never happens, I won't be sad, I'll just look at my trusty Squier and think about all the adventures we've had!

So don't worry about it - because I reckon, these gear police folk don't really know what they banging on about - because if they did, they'd know that although your bass doesn't say USA, they'd still know that the Squier VM/CV range, still represents some of the best value for money basses out there..... for me anyway.

[wriggers]

Badger whores, no wonder farmers want them dead!

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='wriggers' timestamp='1365505179' post='2040362']
Badger whores, no wonder farmers want them dead!
[/quote]

Edited April 9, 2013 by MoJo

[DorsetBlue]

[quote name='wriggers' timestamp='1365505179' post='2040362']
Badger whores, no wonder farmers want them dead!
[/quote]

...and Cricketers:

[url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-22039731"]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-22039731[/url]

[tauzero]

I rather like the fact that of my two main basses, one says Antioniotsai on the headstock and the other doesn't even have a headstock, and if you get close enough to read "Sei" on the strip by the bridge then my personal space is being seriously invaded.

[thunderider]

yes im badge whore!!...but not for fender!! and this weekend i fulfilled it buying a rickenbacker 4004....wich i think was on here not so long ago,i also have a 70s lawsuit shaftesbury 4001 copy which is my pride and joy,its rare,but the downside being i always remember a mate telling me that if i gigged with a copy id just get laughed at,we were about 15-16 he was in bands gigging,so i took the trc of my shafty,and then it got lostin the mists of time or knowing my mother it got chucked,just like the 3/4 fender copy i had,also the kawasaki chopper i built but hey ho!!,but in this day and age of ric copys being rare as hens poo id love that trc back on it...knowing ric 4003s are more common than my copy!!....i also have an epi tbird, i love it no shame there either...i have a gsm 200 ibby......well shamed!!...not really!! i may restring it and use it as a recording bass,BUT i am well proud of my shafty!! like said earlier peavey are good basses,not an in name so cheap to buy,also the guy i bought my ric off had an old worn billy sheehan yamaha wich was his go to bass,altho he had an alembic and another exotic,his first was the yam...again very cheap to buy.....

[BILL POSTERS]

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1365368982' post='2038744']
I'm not fortunately, but I do understand it. Also, I once lost out on a gig as I didn't have a Fender!
[/quote]

Only skimmed this thread, but I see the point of the badge. Never lost a gig, but at a rehearsal with a new band, I took my old Eros Jazz copy that I had since 1973. iI plays well, and sounds great, but the guitard said " You will be using your Fender for gigs, wont you?" must amit when I was younger, and couldnt afford Fenders, I was never impressed by bands using copies, I took the Eros badge off within a week of buying it. nothing wrong with Squiers though.

I usually use one of my Ps for gigs, but not always, still use the Eros now and again, sometimes my BC. Band I'm with now are more mature, and dont really give a damn either way..

Edited April 9, 2013 by BILL POSTERS

[Baxter]

Aye, I'm a badge whore. My Verithin, 51RI Prescision and my ibanez ASB140 are all Legit. My ibanez 4001 professes to be real thing and my eastwood is doing a passable gretsch impersonation. I just bought a epi EB-0 for a score that some fool had tried to rout a second pickup hole then changed their mind and filled it badly then covered the body and headstock in primer. The guy that does my guitar work is shaving down the headstock into a gibson shape and making a "kalamazoo bass" pickguard to hide the damage. I'll decide what colour to do it when he gets the paint off to see the colour of the wood itself - I fancy honey blonde if the wood isnt too red.

[anDy LAKIN]

just because you own a ferrari it doesnt make you a good driver (and can also make you look a tit) but the ability to jump into any car and drive it like no other can that gives you kudos

[4 Strings]

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1365457275' post='2039991']
id rather have a great sounding 100 quid squier than a sh*t sound bass that just happens to have name to it.

if a band or individual thinks less of you because of the axe you play then they are arses
[/quote]

You are absolutely right on both counts. Of course its about the playing and playing the instrument that is best for you.

Trouble is, I know I'd still prefer to have the poor sounding bass with the name on it and modify it to sound good. This is wrong but ashamedly true.

I recognise that I'm highly privileged to have the basses (see, even more than one!) I do when more than half the population have to contend with malnutrition and a host of other things before they can consider the words on a transfer on an unnecessarily expensive musical instrument.

[Toddy]

[i]I think this is pretty interesting, and of course its not just musicians that are guilty of such things, certain brands seem to be "Holy" especially Harley Davidson, who make some very old fashioned agricultural machines, but with a massive loyal fan base, guess we pay extra for how certain things make us feel, which may be foolish, but hey it happens. other brand like Jack Daniels and Ferrari also inspire such feelings, weird init. [/i]

[BigRedX]

From reading through this thread, the badge only seems to matter when it is the main identifying factor for your instrument. So if you play a bass whose design has been copied by lots of different manufacturers, then it is important that the badge on it is the right one for you. However if you play something that is unique to a particular manufacturer then the badge doesn't really matter because the instrument itself identifies what it is.

[4 Strings]

The badge is the whole instrument then.

"Oh, he plays a Danelectro" as he is mentally pigeon-holed

http://youtu.be/fFqHlliWmVY

[peteb]

[quote name='Toddy' timestamp='1365691808' post='2043023']
[i]I think this is pretty interesting, and of course its not just musicians that are guilty of such things, certain brands seem to be "Holy" especially Harley Davidson, who make some very old fashioned agricultural machines, but with a massive loyal fan base, guess we pay extra for how certain things make us feel, which may be foolish, but hey it happens. other brand like Jack Daniels and Ferrari also inspire such feelings, weird init. [/i]
[/quote]
I think that the comparison between Fender and Harley Davidson is a particularly interesting one - both make rather outdated machines that have a loyal following mainly based on their historical significance!

However, I can see the attraction of always owning at least one US Fender. Unfortunately there are always band leaders around (and punters of course) who need the comfort of the Fender badge! It's not in anyway logical, but that's how it goes...

Edited April 11, 2013 by peteb

[Jono Bolton]

I sanded the Fender logo off the headstock of my Precision. I'd like to say it was done as an act of defience and 2 fingers up at the badge Nazis, but in reality I just really like the look of plain headstocks. I honestly couldn't give a toss what the name on it is, or where it was made for that matter, my P Bass is Mexican but there's nothing about it that would make it worse than the USA P I had.

Also, is just me or are the Fender and Squier logos sh*t? That's what would put me off a Squier, not the name, but that awful, gaudy decal on the headstock.

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Jono Bolton' timestamp='1365756939' post='2043873']
Also, is just me or are the Fender and Squier logos sh*t? That's what would put me off a Squier, not the name, but that awful, gaudy decal on the headstock.
[/quote]

Seems like you're more influenced by the badge than most others!

[Jono Bolton]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1365761216' post='2043982']
Seems like you're more influenced by the badge than most others!
[/quote]

I guess you're right!

I guess this thread should be re-titled "Brand whore", or does that make me a thread title whore?

[Prunesquallor]

[quote name='andy159' timestamp='1365662296' post='2042404']just because you own a ferrari it doesnt make you a good driver (and can also make you look a tit) but the ability to jump into any car and drive it like no other can that gives you kudos[/quote]

This!

I'm going to get a T-shirt:

Evenin' Squier!
(No Mustang Sally)