Endorsement

[greyskull]

ive got artist prices on fender, ernie ball (yuk) and some amp company that i dont want anything from.

 

[Saculus]

 

[lordofthestring]

You gotta be kidding me? If you play one gig a day, thats like atleast half of the year on the road. There is maybe 6 finnish bands that play that many shows a year :Smug: I know that Ancara is endorsed by Schecter, Crate and Skull strings and the other guitarist is endorsed by Marshall, but Ancara has played only 109 gigs so far in 2003-2009.

I know plenty of bands that are on the road for more than half a year. I've been on the road 60 days straight and when I got back home I got offered a few weeks later to be on another 60 day tour. Thats reality bud...the labels will slave you if you're a popular band, you have to supply the demand. Remember that label relations coincide with show quota...180 gigs per year is usually the average for a bigger endorsement.

 

[Razorjack]

Something that really bugs me here is the use of the term endorsement. YOU endorse the company/products, the companies do not endorse you. As with most things in life getting endorsements are sometimes as simple as asking, you just have to remember - what can you offer them in return for the discount/free gear? If you've got a project with lots of press exposure and some high profile shows then push that when discussing the deal.

 

[smy1]

lordofthestring: I am with ahjteam here. 180 gigs is the upper end of what bands can play, not the norm. And that's definitely not a prerequisite for endorsements.

 

[lordofthestring]

Hey, I'm just going by reality. I know 180 shows is a lot but that's the figure I know of for bigger gear endorsements. Three 2-month tours a year is not uncommon whatsoever. Like I said earlier, the shows played can be balanced out with label relations and media exposure. As previous posters said before me, it just depends on what you can do for the company.

 

[ahjteam]

I know plenty of bands that are on the road for more than half a year. I've been on the road 60 days straight and when I got back home I got offered a few weeks later to be on another 60 day tour. Thats reality bud...the labels will slave you if you're a popular band, you have to supply the demand. Remember that label relations coincide with show quota...180 gigs per year is usually the average for a bigger endorsement.

BUT that is a totally different thing, if you are a singer (aka artist) that can play with any band as long as they have the score sheets, or a musicians instead of a band. Even being a roadie is easier to get gigs than as a band. I did ~270 gigs in 2007-2008 as a FOH-mixer. But with different bands, six to be precise, and the supporterbands in some cases too.

And again this totally depends on the market. Finland is such a small country that there just isn't enough business for 180 gigs a year for a single rock band. Even the band that has among the higher amount of gigs in Finland is Lauri Tähkä & Elonkerjuu and they have topped at 97 gigs a year, in 2008. And Apulanta had 85 gigs in 2005. And the iskelmämusic band Yölintu has topped "only" 135 gigs a year, in 2008. Even Nightwish toured only 118 gigs on 35 countries. On average the top selling Finnish artists play only about ~50 gigs a year.

There just isn't enough demand and places to gig as a band in Finland.

 

[lordofthestring]

Yes, it was for a different band but the band I had just previously toured with was going to Europe for two and a half months after only a few weeks home. I know countless bands that exceed 180 shows a year, they work their asses off and get rewarded very well for it. That should be common knowledge for people in bands today. Bigger labels don't want slouches, you should be able to be comfortable touring anywhere from 4-8 months a year and write a GOOD record every 1-2 years.

As for Finland bands, I don't know what their longevity is with touring but imagine it not being as lengthy as a band touring the states...so no disagreement there.

 

[JeffTD]

Something that really bugs me here is the use of the term endorsement. YOU endorse the company/products, the companies do not endorse you.

While I agree for the most part, an endorsement is just a public declaration of approval or support - a company can endorse and individual or a band, in that aspect.

 

[crazykarl]

Buddy of mine has a Ddrum deal. He got a kit for free and anything he wants at whatever it cost to make it. He plays for everyone though, he was on tour with Der V for a bit.

 

[Jevil]

Yesterday i talked to a guy on the business and a ex-endorsed drummer.
Both told me that it only worths when you have total endorsement.

I could only aim to have 33% discount. Considering that in some stores I can have a 25% and Thoman and other online stores have even better prices than that...
Then you have to play ONLY with that brand, and have some obligations that does not worth that discount...

My Mapex endorsing friend quitted.

Anyway I'll keep on asking.

 

[hogan666]

I / my Band got a Framus/Warwick Deal, Peavey & G-Lab.
Our Drummer has got an Anatolian (Cymbals), Agner (Sticks), Taye (drums) & Protection Racket Deal.

These are all B-Endorsements --> nice but not "woooaaaah".

My experience is, that a minimum of 40-50 shows is ok. Having a small lable-deal and being around a bit isn't the worst thing. ;-)

Just see it from the aspect, that they want to do marketing with your name.
If you're just playing 2-3 Gigs the year, you are no "ad space" for them.

Another advantage could be, that they simply like your style of music.
Nice press kit + shirt + ... will help too.

Cheers, Markus.

 

[AndrewPGlover]

My band has a handful of endorsements with different companies. Some of the larger companies know they don't need to give you anything to get you playing their stuff. For instance, Mesa Boogie has given us 50 percent off for years and will not renegotiate at all unless you are selling hundreds of thousands of records and having national television exposure. On the other hand Fender gives us loaner amps but will not give guitars out for less than 50 percent.

In my experience companies that will give you a 100% deal want you to sign a contract. For instance, I signed on to ESP for 2 ESP and 2 LTD guitars and I am contractually obligated to play them live for a year and at the year I have the option to continue for another year or terminate the contract. I don't know what I'd do with more basses, but the company takes great care of us and the Japanese ESPs are really fantastic instruments.

For the show argument, I think we toured 8 months last year which would put us well over 200 shows. I don't think companies count your tour dates but I know they definitely want to see that you are getting around and not just sitting at home with a bunch of discounted gear.

 

[Fredrik-Ablaze]

I'm endorsed by ENGL, or manager set me up to it.

 

[-Noodles-]

A large company, with world wide distribution will give it's A* guys equipment all over the world.

Part of the reason that Paul Gilbert left Laney was because of this, as I was working for him on a few shows where Laney dropped the ball with massive consequences.

I don't think 180 gigs a year is excessive.
Better than working at McD's or doing a 52 week a year desk job?

 

[Uladyne]

I have a deal with Dean Guitars, as my band already had a deal with them and Ddrum before I joined. Didn't have to do anything! On tour we stopped by the factory for a tour and I fell in love with a bass and haven't touched my previous bass since the night before that visit, haha.

We also have a deal at Gallien Krueger but I have been to broke to even afford a discounted rig, haha. Also we each get a free set of EMG's a year. I like that a lot.

 

[Let it burn...]

I swap gear around way too often to get a valid endorsement going. Amps/guitars/pedals/cabs for live use basically change every show.

I do however could use a string and pick endorsement

 

[Melb_shredder]

I have a few endorsements:
Jackson guitars, Seymour Duncan, and a few more...

But I can safely say it was all the hard work on my behalf lol. I had to show them and give them reason why I would be a good person/ band to endorse. What could we do as a band to help the company.

So generally they expect it to be a 2 way thing, as it should be. You know, represent the company and help us, and you will also get some help etc.

Personally though, I would never go for an endorsement unless im 100% sure I would use that companies gear religiously. I dont touch anything that isn't part of my endorsement simply because I rather enjoy to the most degree those companies, even before I aimed for endorsement.

 

[halcyonwayband@aol.com]

Endorsements are definitely like anything else in this business.....you gotta go after them until you hit "A-list" status, then they're going to be tossed at you. Most of them are artist pricing as well. In my case, the first one I got was with Madison, then they seemed to come more easily after that one. The one I had to work for the hardest was Brian Moore, they're a small boutique manufacturer and I'd played them for years, but I finally got their attention and now it's paying off in the form of a sweet custom shop I have headed my way.... Fractal was tough too, had a referral from my guitar instructor and still it took me 3 months to get them on the phone, lol.... But bottom line, I think you make your own opportunities. So don't be shy, be confident and send anyone & everyone a polite email talking about how great your band is, and why you like their product, and how you believe in making it a partnership, not just a way to get free stuff.....