Questions regarding endorsees

[lukejp21]

hey guys.....well i was in the barber shop today and u know how gossip flows inthere lol, turns out there were a few guitarist there so we start talking about what it takes to get an endorsement. I mentioned how companies don't really give out full endorsements just to give em out. Let's take our pride and joy EBMM we have guys like luke, jp, lee, morse, and benji??? he,he --- and i think 5 is alot compared to other companies like gibson for example (wheres slash's freakin sig model lol) Anyway i guess my question is this.....i play guitar for church -- play to 500 folks several times a week just recently i played for a few thousand in a youth weekend retreat. After the service a ton of kids gave me compliments on my sound and especially on my beautiful jpm pearl redburst he,he lol. Why don't i have an endorsement hint,hint lol...........just kidding.

My real question ---- what does it take......obviously i understand the demand for great musicians to get a sig -- something that will sell. I mean i don't see myself getting a call from ebmm anytime soon to make a sig model lol but will i ever get a minor string endorsement, or be a musicman case endorsee or maybe a tshirt??? lol Although my ultimate goal is to be there........

Just curious ---- if any of u guys r endorsed what did it take.??? i'm sure there r requirements.....Does vinnie moore get guitars, does tony levin receive wholesale prices??? Does dave larue get those cases we oh so crave as mm players lol

I know it's alot to absorb lol --- but curiosity got the most of me.

Hope to hear from ya.
danny

 

[ripley]

I sent SWR an email once and raved about their amps (which I've been using for 10 years now). they sent me a nice t-shirt and some posters and catalogs... so I guess I'm an SWR t-shirt endorser....

 

[phatduckk]

i think i read in a post that its pretty tough to get an EBMM endorsment unless you're signed. I think Jon chimed in saying that winning the EBMM battle of the bands would be a non-signed guitarist's best shot.

i'd like a bass endorsment tho. ... oops, wrong forums

 

[jongitarz]

I've been told you can't even get a string deal unless you are signed to a major lable, and it's like that with most companies.

 

[mesavox]

I would say it's unlikely that not being signed hurts you that much. I can see several "hired gun" name guitar players who are endorsed, and our friend Paul Warren is endorsed largely because of his music school. For most companies, exposure is the key. For some that means being signed. However, Vinnie Moore isn't signed to any major label with any sort of deal that said signing gives him any real exposure. His name, touring, and ability would seem much more likely reasons for his endorsement than being signed. How many people know who Benji Maddsen is compared to the number of people who actually know who Vinnie is? So, Benji is more exposed but I would say that Vinnie is a more valuable endorser overall because of his influence on the serious musicians. Which is where reputation comes from. Sales may result from Benji's endorsement, but reputation is built upon because of Vinnie's endorsement. Two different benifits, two different reasons for being endorsed.

If Angus Clark(a guitarist that I would guess most of you havne't heard of...) were to seek a Music Man endorsement, I would imagine that he would be able to get it. He's not on a major label, and not very well known, but he does play with Trans-Siberian Orchestra every year which is one of the top 20 grossing tours every time out. Even if he didn't have his history of playing with Kitaro, I would think the TSO tours would be enough because there is a lot of exposure and there is a connection to Jon Oliva, Paul Oniel, Bob Kinkel, Al Pitrelli, Chriss Cafferry, and the rest of the Savatage gang.

I'm sure it's hard to get on board at EBMM, but I don't think being signed will necessarly make it any easier. There are lots of signed artists who have the marketing value of a lead brick.

 

[jongitarz]

I am just telling you guys what our artist reps told me. I am not talking out of my a$$. Vinnie has been with us a while now, and it was easier to get a deal when he was signed on with us.

 

[OrangeChannel]

Most companies have clamped down due to rising production costs on tossing free stuff to just anybody....Ibanez used to be a pretty large offender, and if you've seen the 2k5 US range, you'll see that their prices increased by at least $200 or so across the board, and it can't just be the case thats now included (sound familiar on the included case? hmm....)...most cats think Mesa hands stuff off but it ain't the case either...they use artist cost incentives to get guys to buy their stuff, it;s just not cost effetive to hand out stuff unless you've got a shtload of exposure and are selling millions of records. I also know for the record D Addario stopped their endorsement program for lesser known entities as well....

 

[mesavox]

I am just telling you guys what our artist reps told me. I am not talking out of my a$$. Vinnie has been with us a while now, and it was easier to get a deal when he was signed on with us.

I think I was still typing my post when you posted. I wasn't implying anything. I just didn't see your post. Sorry.

 

[jongitarz]

I think I was still typing my post when you posted. I wasn't implying anything. I just didn't see your post. Sorry.

No problem mesavox. I had to leave work this afternoon with a migrane, so if I sounded pissed or anything, it was just pain

 

[OrangeChannel]

No problem mesavox. I had to leave work this afternoon with a migrane, so if I sounded pissed or anything, it was just pain

Hate those! I get them periodically....will ruin your day everytime...feel better!

 

[kbaim]

Or what used to be called, hangovers.

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Or what used to be called, hangovers.

Do those make your fingers and arms go numb, too? Or is that just some other gift that keeps on giving?

 

[jongitarz]

Or what used to be called, hangovers.

I wish it was a hangover

 

[OrangeChannel]

The puking part is nasty!

 

[slukather]

No problem mesavox. I had to leave work this afternoon with a migrane, so if I sounded pissed or anything, it was just pain

I get Migaines all the time. And the best thing to do is sleep in a dark room. I would prefer a hangover than a migraine.

Scott.

 

[jongitarz]

Me too bro!

 

[JDouglee]

Try a good chiropractor...did wonders for me.

 

[jongitarz]

You know what? A few years back, I ws going to a Chiropractor, and the headaches did go away!

 

[dwf1004]

Perhaps you should look into that again...put that EBMM medical plan to work.

Hope you're feelin' better, dude!

 

[slukather]

Try a good chiropractor...did wonders for me.

Thats my next stop, lugging aroung all my heavey guitar equipment all the time.

Scott.