Signature Gear

[octatonic]

Was just chatting with a friend over coffee and we were musing about the distict lack of "Signature Gear" in recording gear.
It is all over the guitar/bass/drum world with seemingly every week some new 'officially endorsed, XYZ worked with ABC company for 3 years honing the instrument to 'give me my tone'.' (Groan...)

Whilst I am glad that this hasn't happened in the pro audio world I am wondering why.
Certainly amongst some of us the names of producers/engineers does have some currency- why haven't gear companies tried to cash in on the trend.
Will we see the Andy Wallace SSL, the Bruce Swedien 1176, the Charles Dye Icon?

Massenburg gear doesn't count for obvious reasons.

[gainreduction]

Mercenary already put their name on everything.

[danasti]

Originally Posted by richmondjames

... the distict lack of "Signature Gear" in recording gear.

It is all over the guitar/bass/drum world with seemingly every week some new 'officially endorsed, XYZ worked with ABC company for 3 years honing the instrument to 'give me my tone'.' (Groan...)

I think it's a little cheesy to do it with like a popular engineer or producer.

You want your gear to be associated with a function or specific functionalitys not pop idols...

[max cooper]

All Joe Meek gear.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN

[joeq]

I have a "Phil Spector" model .38 revolver, does that count?

[84K]

Originally Posted by joeq

I have a "Phil Spector" model .38 revolver, does that count?

[Tibbon]

Very little signature gear IMHO (guitars, basses, amp, etc) ends up being the same, or as good as, what the artists actually use. The Brian May AC30 is a pretty good example of it. Yes, it's a neat amp, but it's not what Brian May was using to get 'that sound'. Last thing I'd want would be a 1176 that only had a few settings, or something, to make it sound like what one mix engineer has often used. The guitars and basses that are 'signature' items also really don't have the type of modifications or setups like the real tech would have them using on the road or in the studio likely. Whenever I've messed around with a pro's guitars, they always have a few little tricks done to their instruments that are rarely present i'm guessing in their signature instruments. Look at the crap that the did with the Fender Jag-Stang.

I'm sure we will end up seeing it at some point. Aren't there there SSL Presets from the Alge bro's that you can get already?

If the gear was ACTUALLY better, or more unique in a good way, than the real deal (like say... some engineer having had replaced all the resistor's in most of their gear with 1% metal film resistors instead of 5% tolerance ones, and replacing a switching power supply with a linear power supply or whatever they might have changed out for the better), then that would be good. If it was just to get 'that persons' sound... then forget it.

[AdamLazlo]

Who knows... it might happen one day. I'm sure marketing and ad execs might've played around with the idea (f'ing vultures).

I guess you could say the same about filmmaking or digital cameras... you probably won't see "The Steven Spielberg Bolex 70mm Wide Angle Lens".

I'll say this: I think there are too many options for a single engineer to lend his or her name ON just one company. Endorcements are different, I know a few live sound guys and clubs that have deals with EV or Shure and so on, so that's all they use.

I suppose most of the people that have insight on a particular pre or what-not is less offensive. Didn't Presonus come out with a dual pre that's relying heavily on a cross-campaign? I don't think that's "signature" but it seems heavily influenced (marketing-wise) who "built" it. I don't think that justifies the cost (I know it's pretty spendy) considering it is Presonus (don't get me wrong, I do like the ACP-88).

Maybe it was proposed to recording engineers at one point but none of them said "yes". I think most companies that make decent pre's, compressors, etc... maybe don't want to have a niche item? There's already a multitude of great gear out there that I don't think it's a wise venture to have a signature item.

I think the backlash would be worse if a pre didn't live up its expectation... there are more factors like the studio, mics, source, mix, mastering and so on... yeah, too many variables. Plus I think the product would be too costly to make based on the discerning ear of a recording engineer. Plus my tastes change or there isn't just one or two things I use for everything.

The only way it would work for a company is if it was something they could make cheap, sell for a consumer price, and make a profit.

But ya know what, I don't rely on just one thing all the time to do anything even if a company or myself created "it".

I like this thread... it's a good topic of discussion I'd like to have with the friends of mine that recording hobbyists.

-- Adam Lazlo

[TonyBelmont]

There's a couple guys who have signature models...

CLA Waves SSL presets & the "Al Schmitt" EQ from Oram come to mind.

[joelpatterson]

I'll volunteer....

[Sqye]

no one's mentioned the babyface mod.

[AdamLazlo]

Originally Posted by Sqye

no one's mentioned the babyface mod.

The Babyface mod? Or is this a question I'll regret asking?

-- Adam Lazlo

[AdamLazlo]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

There's a couple guys who have signature models...

CLA Waves SSL presets & the "Al Schmitt" EQ from Oram come to mind.

Ah yes, that's right.... the Al Schmitt EQ... I do remember that. Does it actually have his name ON it?

-- Adam Lazlo

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by AdamLazlo

Ah yes, that's right.... the Al Schmitt EQ... I do remember that. Does it actually have his name ON it?

-- Adam Lazlo

Yep... and it's only $9000 for that name...

[Sqye]

Originally Posted by AdamLazlo

The Babyface mod? Or is this a question I'll regret asking?

-- Adam Lazlo

http://www.gearwire.com/avalon-vt737sp.html

[AdamLazlo]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

Yep... and it's only $9000 for that name...

Yeah, I'll pass both my low and high filter on that purchase. I "heard" about it but I never knew the cost, that's way too insane. I could amass a bevy of wonderful EQ's for less... hence further solidifying my earlier points.

-- Adam Lazlo

[jhg]

I ran into a couple of younger engineers(I'm sure they're lurking somewhere here) talking about the ee mod involving 1176s(if I remember correctly) a few months back in Brooklyn at a gallery opening. They had no idea of name lineage, just a mix article...Could be a signature thing...

if Ed is lurking, please elaborate...

Joel

[Alex Wyler]

Eventide should come out with two new signature models:

H3000DL/E (Daniel Lanois Edition)

ENOBOX (Brian Eno in a box)


I'm sure lots of folks would pay big buckaroos for all of Dan and Brian's treatments

[WidgetNinja]

That Presonus box was an unfair example. It's not really spendy for being a top flight tube box with 2 channels. Saying "it's a Presonus" has been the major hindrance to it really breaking out. It's really more like an ADL box that has been manufactured, marketed, and distributed beyond his ability.

Think the Toft stuff. It's designed by him, it is Toft gear, marketed by a big company that knows how to handle the business of marketing and manufacturing.

Blue/Violet. Same deal.

Massenburg and I believe Daking was being sold by Musician's Friend or AMS for awhile, but I don't know if the manufacturing was delegated at any point.

It would actually be nice if more gear could be made this way. There's lots of small designers that don't have the manpower or capital to really bring their ideas to market. In that respect I'm a big fan of PMI in that they aren't making anything decidedly poo, but acting as a vehicle for actualizing good ideas.

But as to the originial theme, nobody mentioned the signature Beyer tom mics with the big price tag.

[Tibbon]

What exactly is the point of Signature gear? The artist/engineer wasn't using a 'signature version' (unless there was some serious custom work done, which seems rare oddly enough). Why buy a special 1176 when I can get any 1176 that will do the same thing?

[seaneldon]

i think a true engineer/recordist doesn't really give even half a shit what bruce swedien or charles dye is playing around with. i think higher end equipment companies know that, for the most part, and would rather not tarnish their name by alluding to something like "bruce uses it, and he's got tons of platinum credits! you could, too!"