How do musicians get endorsements for instruments?

seachto7

Ok, apart from the mega famous, where it's pretty self explanatory, how would you go about getting an endorsement deal from smaller guitar companies (not fender and gibson).

I would imagine there are certain criteria that must be met: album, profile, publishing deal and/or record deal, a certain amount of media profile..

I know a guy who has drum stick endorsements from some bit of steam he had built up years ago, but he has no current profile, but still gets drum sticks.

I was looking at the Hagstrom site the other day. I fancy one of those Vikings when I can justify it, and out of curiosity I was looking at the guys and gals who are endorsing Hagstrom guitars. Now some of them, I have heard of, other, I have no idea who they are. I'm sure they could have a good profile in their own countries, but it's interesting....

For example, I play a Jazzmaster, hypothetically speaking, no way I would ever get an endorsement off fender. Imagine the queue of bands wanting to advertise their gear for them, while playing the main stage at Oxygen!

But,I do like semi hollows. I have played an Aria one, a cheap one, and this is a brand I would have no problem endorsing, or Tanglewood, or Cort, etc etc.

Is it a case that the band approaches the company or the company approaches the band....?

Demeyes

Usually the band approaches the company unless they are really famous. I don't think most of the smaller companies have set requirements for endorsements but you need to prove you can help them sell stuff. Showing you play on lots of albums through session work, or that you gig a lot are great ways to show that you will help them advertise.
Also most endorsements won't get you free anything. Usually endorsements offer discounts such as 40% off or they sell stuff to you at cost. It depends on the company but it's usually only the bigger bands that get fully free guitars/drums.

artvandulet

The musician approaches the company, and then usually the company refers the musician to the distributor. The band member then would need to send in a press kit , bio & discog. etc. and an assessment is made. As the previous poster stated, generally, out and out freebies are reserved for the big names. But you might get yourself an artist discount which would be high.
So my advice is to contact the Irish Distributor - in many cases this is the UK distributor too!

PMI

One of the main tricks actually is how much will that instrument be seen and by how many??

I know you wont like it but alot of guys in cover bands get endorsements from the smaller companies as they play alot to alot more people, therefore alot of fellow musicians end up buying some of the stuff they see and hear.

I know guys who have kits, sticks, guitars, Basses but rarely anything larger such as PA/keys as thats for the next level up

Vater sticks are the easiest i believe anyone with an original CD that has been released can be endorsed by them but it only ends up being trade prices not freebies as some would expect.

seachto7

That's interesting about the endorsements for cover bands. yeah, I know guys too who get discounts on stuff like strings and sticks and so on, but I've always thought would it not be worth going to the likes of tanglewood, or cort, and saying, I like Takamine guitars, but I would happily play one of yours at a similar level.. (not saying it's going to be me or anything, but in an ideal world...)

NoQuarter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBOFbTYNQcE

PMI

He captures alot of it there in that vid

its all about who is going to see it and buy it, if you play 1 gig a month and play 10 50 people its not gonna happen, where as if you do 5-7 a week and play to over 300 per night then your more viable to that company.

One I guy I know was prob the 1st guy in Ireland to be playing a parker fly in one of the biggest cover bands for the last 20 years and due to him being such a sick player, almost every cover band after that had a guy playing a parker fly worst thing was he wasnt endorsed but parker owe him a big hand shake for making it happen

Original acts tend to find it harder until your at the mid stage ie: corona, blizzard, delo, republic etc.. area and then the script who can ask for coke now

CianRyan

My band have two endorsements at the minute with others on the horizon.
Both of them are handy ones, the one most here would interested in is Dunlop.
We get strings and plecs for factory prices which is lovely and really takes a load off for the likes of going on tour and knowing we're not going to run out of strings or accidentally throw out all of our plecs to the crowd.
For this, we just emailed the American distributor with the bands information, i.e. Our releases, bands we've toured with, our fan bass and future plans.

The second is a tshirt endorsement, not as nice as the Dunlop one but it's nice and gives us a more professional look while talking to managers and labels.
For this, we get sent out free clothes from their current line and we wear them for our photoshoots, on stage and we'll be wearing them for our video too.

Right now as a band we're at a stage where we're starting to get a bigger name for ourselves.
Regular gigging, main support slots for big touring bands both in and outside of Ireland, headline tours, etc...

So the way to get endorsed?
Get name for yourself, get established in the business, get some sweet recordings and start emailing people.
Hope this little insight helped.

Good luck, lad.

seachto7

cool, good stuff to know.. I would have no problem approaching smaller companies (if I were ever in the position to...), and say "I'd love to play your axe!"

CianRyan

I wouldn't go looking for a guitar just yet.
You should start small and be happy with them.

I know a few bands that have gotten Marshal endorsements, but they're still only getting discounts.
These are lads with very big fan basses that are touring and playing gigs as a living.

If you want your guitar endorsement, you'll get it. It'll take a few years though.

PMI

Backed when I worked with Marshall in the Retail field they would NEVER endorse, its mad how times have changed