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Does Marcus Miller play Marcus Millers?


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When you do a google image search for Justin Meldal Johnsen, you get images of JMJ playing various basses but quite a few feature him with his blue mustang or his signature fender model based on his original. Similarly an image search for Jack Casady returns a lot of images of Jack with his signature Epiphone semi in various colours. However a search for Marcus Miller returns a lot of pics of Marcus with his '77 Jazz and/or the Fender signature based on his '77 but no images of him with the Sire basses that carry his name. Does he actually play them? If not it seems an odd endorsement. Or am I missing something?

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1 hour ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

When you do a google image search for Justin Meldal Johnsen, you get images of JMJ playing various basses but quite a few feature him with his blue mustang or his signature fender model based on his original. Similarly an image search for Jack Casady returns a lot of images of Jack with his signature Epiphone semi in various colours. However a search for Marcus Miller returns a lot of pics of Marcus with his '77 Jazz and/or the Fender signature based on his '77 but no images of him with the Sire basses that carry his name. Does he actually play them? If not it seems an odd endorsement. Or am I missing something?

He’s played them in quite a few FB/ YT vids. Don’t think he’s gigged as prolifically which is probably why there’s fewer snaps and he’s had that Fender bass a lot longer than Sire has been about.

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Apart from promotional work I doubt 'Mr 335'  Larry Carlton will be seen playing his recent Sire skinny stringer range that much, particularly not the HSS Strat or Les Paul inspired versions.

I don't think it's that kind of endorsement. It's more of a 'I'm happy to put my name on Sire guitars because they're a quality brand' than 'I could play any instrument I want and I choose Sire' kind of deal.

 

Edited by Cato
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At the Andertons masterclass he said that he records using his original Fender jazz, the one he's had for donkeys years, but live he plays the Sires. For someone who was there to plug Sires it was interesting, paraphrasing, he said fancy wood tops, etc (E.g the V9 and V10 range that had just come out) don't affect the sound and they're there "for you, to inspire you to pick up the instrument and play" but he is happy with the V7s. Interesting when you think the V10s are double the price! The V3s weren't out then. 

I've seen plenty of recent footage of him playing the Sires. If you follow him on social media you'll see he's nearly always playing a Sire V7. 

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2 hours ago, kodiakblair said:

Seem to recall part of Sire's profits are invested in school music departments, Marcus was happy to help this along by lending his name.

Fair play to him, I’m glad that my natural cynicism was misplaced this time.

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1 hour ago, kodiakblair said:

@la bam

If he had a hand in design then it would be minimal. Sire are an offshoot of Dame Guitars and they were selling those basses prior to Marcus getting involved.

Theres an old video somewhere on youtube where he details what input he had. But, yes, I suppose it could be slightly embellished.

The disappointing thing with sire is now the cheap bass that were meant to be great quality but cheap are now more expensive, and theyve brought out a lesser (but still good instrument) in its place and price point. So the original bass has ended up a mid priced instrument. I would have though the aim was to see marcus playing great quality cheap basses.

Edited by la bam
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Might it be a little naive to expect a major artist to always play the instruments he/she endorses? Sires are excellent for the price (I reckon you'll struggle to do better) and, as far as I'm aware, are presented as such by Marcus Miller and the company. They don't claim it's the finest instrument you can buy. It's marketed as a professional quality instrument (which it is) for a good value price (which again it is). A pal has a Sire P7, which I think is the equal of my MIM P/J that cost rather more than the Sire.

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