Big Poppa
Well-known member
I have been doing guitar and bass design for officially 32 years. That doesn't count whatever I did with Leo.
I have tried to offer players different takes on guitars and basses...from the safe like the Sterling to the disruptive like the Bongo bass and now the St Vincent.
I have never shown disrespect to Fender and Gibson's designs...or anyones for that matter. I may have called the lack of R and D or the need for a custom shop...but never the designs. I believe that the world is a better place with more guitar and bass choices.All I have tried to do is to create tools for artists and more choices.
No lets fold the internet into it....A great tool for us to communicate..but really a very very mean and sometime discouraging factor. If you are working on something that you know is different you have to have the skin of an elephant or disconnect...it's too much negative input...it's overwhelming sometimes. I know the drill and know the barbs are going to come but I try to focus on the player that says..."That really works for me" When I work with an artist now there are seriously hours of prepping comments to handle the negativity.It's much worse that how their music is received. I don't understand how cruel the comments can get....if you don't like it fine...nobody took your favorite away, be nice......relax.
This year we did things that just wadded the panties of so many people. "How dare I make a split pick up bass!"(our biggest reatailers asked for it. I thought that we could offer a different take on the genre.) "What is he thinking making a JP with a Floyd" (Cause JP wanted it.) "Why did he work with St Vincent?"(Cause she is a brilliant and creative force)"Whats with the Sting Ray Guitar"( I wanted to fix one of Leo's rare failures) "the Cutlass..."(See Split pickup comments) "Why did he discontinue the XXXXXX?"(Because nobody bought them and every once in awhile you have to clean house)
As I said above I know the drill and most of the time it comes with the territory but what about the next generation of designers? How can you move the instrument forward if you are not allowed to offer choices?
Here is the beauty of social media and where I get even if it is starting to get to me. I click on their Instagram or Facebook profile and usually I have a few laughs...How can they call this guitar ugly? Look at their pictures! Look at their band! Sometimes even their dog is ugly. glass houses time for me.
Now don't get all worked up but think about about how the camera phone has killed spontaneity...the bashers are affecting the creative design process.
This year we introduced 8 ground up models....we have a bunch on the drawing board.....It's my hope that enough people will like to have another new choice....enough so we can grow and be here in ten years.
I have tried to offer players different takes on guitars and basses...from the safe like the Sterling to the disruptive like the Bongo bass and now the St Vincent.
I have never shown disrespect to Fender and Gibson's designs...or anyones for that matter. I may have called the lack of R and D or the need for a custom shop...but never the designs. I believe that the world is a better place with more guitar and bass choices.All I have tried to do is to create tools for artists and more choices.
No lets fold the internet into it....A great tool for us to communicate..but really a very very mean and sometime discouraging factor. If you are working on something that you know is different you have to have the skin of an elephant or disconnect...it's too much negative input...it's overwhelming sometimes. I know the drill and know the barbs are going to come but I try to focus on the player that says..."That really works for me" When I work with an artist now there are seriously hours of prepping comments to handle the negativity.It's much worse that how their music is received. I don't understand how cruel the comments can get....if you don't like it fine...nobody took your favorite away, be nice......relax.
This year we did things that just wadded the panties of so many people. "How dare I make a split pick up bass!"(our biggest reatailers asked for it. I thought that we could offer a different take on the genre.) "What is he thinking making a JP with a Floyd" (Cause JP wanted it.) "Why did he work with St Vincent?"(Cause she is a brilliant and creative force)"Whats with the Sting Ray Guitar"( I wanted to fix one of Leo's rare failures) "the Cutlass..."(See Split pickup comments) "Why did he discontinue the XXXXXX?"(Because nobody bought them and every once in awhile you have to clean house)
As I said above I know the drill and most of the time it comes with the territory but what about the next generation of designers? How can you move the instrument forward if you are not allowed to offer choices?
Here is the beauty of social media and where I get even if it is starting to get to me. I click on their Instagram or Facebook profile and usually I have a few laughs...How can they call this guitar ugly? Look at their pictures! Look at their band! Sometimes even their dog is ugly. glass houses time for me.
Now don't get all worked up but think about about how the camera phone has killed spontaneity...the bashers are affecting the creative design process.
This year we introduced 8 ground up models....we have a bunch on the drawing board.....It's my hope that enough people will like to have another new choice....enough so we can grow and be here in ten years.
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