Still Some Bonamassa Sunburst Les Pauls Available (Page 1 of 2)

Pardon the following ramblings....just my thoughts...maybe someone can clear my head....

Before I start I mean NO disrespect to Joe and other artists who have signature guitars...I'm just confused

As a musician, shouldn't we be out to make our own sound?  What is the real reason to own a signature guitar?  Will they make a player get pigeon-holed into a particular sound with no escape or is it just fan worship?

There is NO doubt that these signature guitars are of the highest quality and NO doubt that they deliver the goods.  Is that the real reason to get them?

As I grew up I always want to play guitar like Rik Emmett...Ace Frehley....Eric Clapton...and now along comes Joe and man I want to add his technique to my playing.  But I am also VERY realistic.  After years of lessons...practicing...jamming with others...I am not where I thought I would be and I am guessing I will never be there.  I have known Rik for a number of years and he has given great advice.  As a matter of fact he was one of the reasons behind me picking up the guitar again.

ok got a little sidetracked....back to the sign. guitars.

So as you can tell I would love to own a signature guitar from my 4 guitar heros (Yes I love the Jimmy's but they didn't have a huge influence on me playing like Rik and Ace did).  I want a Bonaburst...I want Rik's flying V...Ace's LP... and Eric's Blackie.  But here is where I am so messed up over this.  If I get these guitars, am I just hero-worshipping?  I know each of the guitars are top quality and you can be very versatile with each but are we being ourselves or just trying to be our heros?

Again no disrespect for any master player with a sign. guitar....I think the greatest compliment to a musician is the fact that others would like to emulate them.

Damn I am just rambling here...Do I become a collector of these GREAT guitars?  Will these gutiars make me sound like ME?  Will I ever be good enough to be worthy enough to play these guitars?

All of the guitars were produced to be played...just play and who cares other than yourself whose name is on the Headstock.  The crowd watching you doesn't care...only the player does.....

I tried to trade in my 58RI and my Traditional to Wildwood for a BonaBurst, but they were not interested.  I have since emerged myself with both guitars to find ME.  I'm in there somewhere, just haven't found ME yet...if the musician in me even exists...can be very frustrating.

So now I think about amps....pedals....pickups....and I get more and more confused.  I am thinking about ordering a pre-wired RS Guitarworks set of pots and caps to replace those in my Traditional in order to get a more vintage sound.  I have heard great things about them...Do any of you have experience with them?..good or bad....

Do I get a Bonaburst?  boy are they pretty and no doubt sing with unbelieveable style and tone...

what to do what to do....

I could use advice....from all of you...and especially Joe...please help a struggling musician....

sorry to hijacking this thread....

Barry

...waiting for Marshall to offer a Silver "JoeBilee" signature Marshall amp. 

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping.

The Marshall Jubilee amp. I have wondered for years why Marshall has not reissued this amp. It has become as much of a "myth-legend" amp as the plexi are & prices just keep going up. (I know they did the Slash reissue).  Marshall's 50th is comming up maybe then?

IT'S EASY TO GET CAUGHT UP IN A PLAYER AND SUDDENLY YOU WANT "HIS" GUITAR, "HIS" AMP ETC..  I LIKE SOME OF THE FEATURES IN SOME OF THE SIGNATURE GUITARS AVAILABLE ALSO SO I TRY AND DUPLICATE WHAT I LIKE ON ANOTHER GUITAR AND CHANGE A FEW THINGS SO IT'S NOT EXACT.  YEAH THE MONEY THEY CHARGE FOR SOME GUITARS IS HORRIFIC, BUT THATS MY PERSONAL FEELINGS.  EVERYBODY HAS THEIR PRIORITIES, I STILL OWN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF GUITARS ANYWAY BECAUSE IT MAKES ME HAPPY.  ALSO, AXETREME CREATIONS  OFFERS A BLACKIE STRAT I THINK.  OR AT LEAST THEY CAN MAKE YOU ONE MUCH CHEAPER THAN FENDER AND YOU COULD HAVE THEM TWEAK IT SOME SO IT'S MORE "YOU". -S.

I will never sound like Joe and I will certainly never sound like Rik(no one has a pinkie that wicked) I have been fortunate enough to have the funds available to acquire a few signature masterpieces by Rik and Joe, Mostly due to excessive amount of overtime over the past few years and I found some really good deals in the process. Each of them has their own unique sound anyway.

Are signature guitars any better? Probably not consider some are made overseas somewhere. That’s probably not a bad thing really since some guitars that have been built here have problems.

All markets are consumer driven. People buy name brands products. Celebrities are a brad because of the hard work and dedication to their craft (well most of them anyway, the you know who’s will remain nameless) and deserve to reap the reword of their hard work.

Celebrities like Joe really care about their products and wants the best for his fans, trust me I know. Some could careless and are out for a quick buck (the ones who remain nameless)

I envy Joe and Rik for their talent so I bought their guitars, I know that I will never sound like them. I’M sure that  Joe envy’s Eric Clapton and Rory Gallagher and he will never sound like them. Rik envy’s Chet Atkins and Pete Townshend and he will never sound like them. I know people envy me because I own their guitars.

I also love the fact that Joe says, here I use this, this and this to get my sound. He has spent more money than I ever want to spend on gear, so technically he is saving me money. Thanks Joe...

i understand what you are saying....I own a few signature guitars.....and eric johnson strat, a steve morse music man and a peavey wolfgang.  i love all three of those guitars and I became interested in all of them because of my fondness for those players.  but I had the chance to play all three before buying them and if they had not been great guitars I would not have bought them at all.

i am a king's x ty tabor freak and several years ago yamaha released a signature ty model.  I just knew I would be getting it...but when I had a chance to play one it sucked and I hated it so I didnt buy it...period.

i dont feel like buying a signature model indicates some lame form of "hero worship"...it just means you probably really like the artist, liked the guitar enough to pull thr trigger and most importantly have a good enough job to afford it.

and for the record I dont play like any of the guys that I mentioned above....honestly, i'm a decent guitar player but I just like having nice axes and I have several non signature models as well but I just like me some guitars!!!

so in summary buy what you like and if it's a signature model and you can afford it then get it.

In regards to LesPaul4 post:

Don't let a signature model make you think if you buy it, you'll lose your identity as your own player, especially with Strats, only a gear nut would notice that little signature on headstock or back of headstock.  Strat sig's sell new for under $1,500 if you know how to shop, barter and are probably day in and day out Fender's best quality before going into CS models.

However, when you start getting into very noticable iconic guitars that are sig's that are relic'd, maybe like the Rory, then I get a little weary of buying them for that identity reason that you might get linked to that artist, not saying I would never hang a Rory Strat, just say'n.  You see about 5-years ago or so, I was talking to this builder long distance about doing a relic for me and when disucssing over the telephone what I wanted the body to look like, I mentioned somthing between an EC Blackie, Rory and Mayer's relic strat and I said do what you think and surprise me, just make it Black.  When I got it, it was basically a Mayer relic, but with chrome hardware and I thought, ok, my fault, but it looked cool and he did a great job.  My tech sets up guitar and I go home and guitar really sounds good, has that perfect string tension and had that "woody" tone coming out of my Dumble clone amp, sounded great...THEN...a year goes buy and I start seeing these relics in thr aftermarket everwhere and then I almost resented guitar....THEN went to jam at local pub and I thought I would take it down, if it gets bumped or bruised no worries, keep the expensive stuff at home...when after a few songs a chick yells out for me to play Slow Dancing in a Burning Room by Mayer and at that moment you have two thoughts....hmmm....she's pretty hot and maybe do a little Mayer-ish thing for her and I'm in or .....am I now a Mayer clone because of this guitar......

while this is true. I sound a lot more like les paul WITH a les paul than I do with a strat. 
And for some reason I sound more like Jimmy Page with a Tele than a coil-tapped Les Paul... 

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping.