Another Day, Another Signature Model

I will tell you upfront, there’s no learning here today, no reviews, no tips, just a rant.

Guitar stores who worked hard to keep their doors open during the pandemic are being told to order now for fall 2022 delivery. If what you are seeking is not in stock today, it’s likely to be between six and nine months before it’s available. If you aren’t in America and your dealer goes through a local distributor, it could be even longer.

So if Gibson and Fender and PRS and Ibanez have no inventory and cannot deliver for months, what’s the deal with the near endless stream of “signature” guitars?

Ok, I’m an older fellow and honestly have no idea who half these signature artists are. I don’t listen to the radio, or Spotify or Apple Music for what’s new, mostly because, in my opinion, there’s not much there. From time to time I get a joyous surprise (Larkin Poe leaps to mind) but mostly it’s the same three chord wonders rehashing the same thing without innovation, musicality or story.

Bored now.

As I write this, Gibson has announced a Tony Iommi Signature SG. I really thought that there already was one. Even if I am wrong, is this a custom build to the venerable Mr. Iommi’s personal specifications? Initial looks say no. It’s an SG Special with P90s and a sticker in the box. That does not make it a signature, it makes it a marketing ploy, and I hope that Mr. Iommi earns a ton from it. The Tony Iommi SG Special will not make you play like Tony Iommi, it’s a generic guitar that you will pay more for because it’s a signature model.

Like the Chrissie Hynde signature Telecaster, or the Joe Bonamassa signature Epiphone Les Paul Custom. You pay for the signature and get perhaps a unique colour, or “special” pickups that aren’t really that special.

Every maker is on this signature bandwagon, and this does not mean a better guitar, it’s just a cash grab more expensive guitar. Meanwhile the person who wants a regular American PRS is waiting for over a year, and even someone hunting a Fender Ultra Telecaster is going to find them thin on the ground. Gibson is the worst. You can get a $12K Murphy Lab beaten Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul, but what if you want a plain old LP Standard. Or an Epiphone Sheraton II? Forget about it.

Just my opinion here, but if the makers would just lay off the phony mcmarketing and build the guitars that the real folks are willing to pay for, maybe customers will be less likely to think that the makers are dicks.

And while I am on the soapbox, a satin finish looks like crap and simply tells me that you couldn’t do a nice gloss finish due to incompetence or ineptitude. Mind you, people pay extra for cars off the lot in primer grey, so I am probably not buying into the whole influencer BS.

Have a nice day.