Artist Models

There's always been a stigma about buying a guitar or bass with some artist's name on it. A lot of people have equated the concept of buying them with the idea of wanting to sound just like said artist. This may hold true for a lot of buyers, but the way we see it, artist models are a great way to get guitars and basses with some different options from the factory quo.

As far as sounding like the artist, one must remember that the artist models made available to the public may (and often do) differ from the ones handed to the artists. The actual ones you see may be made in the custom shop of that company, actually have different components and specs. In regards to not wanting to buy an artist model because of there being an artists name on it, we must look at the history of this. Les Paul was an artist that Gibson made a guitar after, and Gretsch 6120's are Chet Atkins models. Duncan JB humbuckers, one of their best sounding bridge pickups gets its JB from Jeff Beck.

That said, we look at the bare bone aspects of artist models as we do any other guitar. In the last decade, a lot of artist models have made available some rather in expensive guitars with great pickups, and hardware. Fender for example, uses a lot of pickups by Seymour Duncan in their artist series. Here's a list of some artist models we've really liked in the past few years.

Gretsch Brian Setzer Models: These have been around for quite a few years now, and they are every bit a 6120 as other 6120 models. The plus side with these is with the Setzer models, you're getting a 6120 with TV Jones Classics, Sperzel locking tuners, a pinned bridge, and trestle bracing. There are a few models, which are like traditional 6120's as far as electronics go, and there are the Hot Rod Setzer models, which sport the Sperzels, TV Classics, and the trestle bracing, but have some great colors not found on traditional Gretsch guitars, and have the electronics stripped down to a pickup switch, and master volume only. Reverand Horton Heat also has a 6120 model with the TV Classics, and Soerzel locking tuners. These work great with the Bigsby trems all these have

Gretsch G5191 Tim Armstrong Model: This guitar is like the highest end on the Electromatic series. It has a hardtail, unique matte black finish, and comes stock with gold Grover tuners (Grover makes a locking tuner that uses a thumbwheel like a Sperzel now, that should be a direct replacement), and with Gretsch "Blackout" HS Filtertrons (HS Filtertrons are stock on the higher end Gretsch models that don't have TV Jones or Dynasonic style pickups, and the "Blackout" is just a cosmetic feature). This guitar doesn't have the tone switch like the higher end Gretsch guitars with Filtertrons, but instead has Les Paul style controls (2 volume, 2 tone, and a pickup switch). Say what you will about Armstrong as a guitarist, this guitar gets a great clean Gretsch tone, and is a major contrast to what Rancid is known for, but is still capable of giving that shredding high-gain guitar sound, as is every Gretsch.

Fender Geddy Lee Jazz Bass: This is by far the best Jazz Bass that Fender has been offering. Made in Japan, and sporting a neck that has a maple fretboard with black binding and black block-style inlays. Plus it comes stock with a Leo Quan Badass II bridge. This is by no means a bass just for Rush fans, it has been seen in every genre form punk, to R&B.

Fender Mike Dirnt Precision Bass: This bass has actually influenced the latest Anniversary model Fender Precision. The Dirnt P-Bass is essentially a '51 P-Bass with a '57 style P-pickup (rather than the single-coil ones on a '51), a rosewood fretboard (most '51 style P-Basses have maple), and also has a Badass II bridge. Great P-Bass tone all-in-all for anyone who likes the look of the '51, but not that single-coil pickup.

Fender Mark Hoppus Jazz Bass: This bass should actually be called a Precision, as the only thing Jazz Bass about it is the body. This bass is a great marriage of P and Jazz bass, as it has a P neck, and Jazz body, but only one P pickup that happens to be our favorite P pickup available; the Basslines SPB-3 Quarter Pound P. There is also only one knob on this bass for volume, which is also a big plus.We never did like tone knobs on P-Basses, and never use them. We highly recommend looking for the pre-2010 models, as the new ones have the P pickup installed reverse from the traditional way. All in all, when comparing these to Standard P-Basses, they have more output with the SPB-3, but when compared to a P-Bass with the same pickup, they're a bit warmer with the larger bodies.

As stated, these are some great guitars and basses with a few changes from the norm. They're also great for customizing as well, and other than the Setzer models, are fairly cheap when compared to the higher-end cookie-cutter instruments by the same company.