I feel the "outrage" comes from the marketing. Using your example of string companies, if you make a video saying, "Cleartone strings are the best strings I've ever used." Then you switch to Ernie Ball and make another video, "Ernie Ball strings are the best strings I've ever used." Then say, you switch to Dunlop, Stringjoy or whoever and make another video, "This company's strings are the best strings I've ever used." Me as a gear consumer who trusts your opinion, now I don't know what to think because you have said all of these are the best. So, I can see where some people feel lied to.
but what if up until you tried Ernie ball clear tone were literally the best you've ever used and then you stick with Ernie ball for 14 years and never try any thing else and you receive a new guitar that has d'addario strings and then you're like woah I'm blown away by these. that can literally happen though right? so those points are still valid?
Totally lied to. Or, to be fair "it's their job" so take some of their advice with a grain of salt. At this point, this community needs a few trusted channels trashing the products that are garbage. It's easier to trust the ones that save me time and money, the smaller channels that don't bend for money just yet. An even better idea, we the consumers should pay youtubers to review these products. Full transparency with full pay.
I get it. I'm not even an "artist", but tastes change. I love D'Addario strings, but found a slightly different gauge range readily more available on a different brand that I preferred out there. I was also always a Dimarzio fan but found some Duncan's that work as well or better for me. Use what makes you happy. Period.
It’s honestly a bit insane how worked up people get over the gear we use. The quantity of people upset in the comments that I was ditching my Apollo and going back to Avid HD interfaces was shocking. And it’s just like you said, it’s just what I need at this point in my career. It has nothing to do with anyone else.
Its because they feel financially invested, bc they bought said product based of videos and when you change they get butt hurt and act like oh bro youre a turncoat blah blah. And tbh, the ppl complaining about this type of thing have no idea how the industry works as we know you can be sponsored or endorsed but still want to play what you wanna play ie what sounds best for the job type of thing.
Haha people freaking out about something that has absolutely NO effect on their lives? Play whatever you play. Make yourself happy & rock faces off! 🤘🤘
I respect this straight talk. Thanks for keeping on and pushing through with people who apparently have nothing better to do than whine about your pickups or reviews or ad partners. Again, respect for doing your thing.
I generally don’t like criticism of musicians for sponsorships or anything commercial. The economics of the business are so bad now that any assistance is important to keep music going.
Keep in mind any hate that comes from endorsement most likely comes from unsponsored channels. It’s just jealousy. Keep on rocking man. Love the channel
But that’s what fluff mainly is in a kind of way outside of his limited touring experiences. I’m not to say who deserves endorsements or not because I’d certainly love to but it is crazy to see the caliber of enticements he has gotten and continues to get.
Spoiler, all big brand manufacturers are shilling to RUclipsrs. As with any business agreement, one party thinks they are worth more or less. Those parties either agree, or both manufacturer and RUclips guy move forward. At no point did qualify or performance matter. It’s about free, exposure, and ultimately greed.
I was more surprised that you switched to passive pickups than companies, but needing a variety of sounds for recording and producing makes a lot of sense. Also the JB is maybe the greatest pickup of all time.
Appreciate the insight! The reality for the vast majority of pro musicians they aren't making tens of millions of dollars...they have to hustle and get endorsements to be able to keep making a living playing music without a day job. So long as the artist isn't disingenuous and endorsing purely for the money, why would fans care?
I don’t give a shit what your endorsements are or were. I dig your channel and love the content and perspective brother! Keep the videos coming because over the years you’ve provided me with tons of inspiration that nobody else on RUclips has!
THE craziest thing I remember with artist change was EVH moving from Kramer to Music Man (blew my 13-year-old mind) .....and then to Peavey. I don't think I was upset at the time though. Like you said, Fluff, at some point you need a change. I remember when I decided that I was tired of playing Boogies after about 10 years and started buying Marshalls 8 and 900s..... then after about 10 years, because I wasn't playing out as much and after weeding down the herd, traded my last Marshall for a Super Reverb.... then decided to buy a Soldano after several years because I needed to scratch that itch. Change is good. I have switched between Duncans, DiMarzios, and EMGs so many times through the years. Not that one was better than the other. Just what fit my needs and taste at the time. Great vid as always sir. Cheers. ***never endorsements, just a gear nerd chasing tone
Funny how people still think the music industry is lead by money… I always ask them the same question: when’s the last time you spent money towards an artist? Anything? Albums ? T-shirts? Stickers? They all answer the same : it’s probably been 10/15 years… So where is that money coming from? 😮
One minute you love one thing.. then another thing… ooh wait there’s this.. I must have it! Needs and demands change. What I needed at 19 is different from what I need at 36. Not sure the why people freak out with change when they themselves change things incrementally through time themselves in all aspects of life. Great video Fluff as always. Can’t wait to see more content with SD products.
Its basically being a sales rep but trying to not come across as a sales rep. Im all for getting as much free stuff as you can from any big name firm so its good stuff ;)
I was torn on responding, but I do feel that I have some skin in the game on this. I was someone who reached out to EBMM when the first Stingray RS was shown and was told no. The “adult” Tom Delonge guitar had a ton of appeal. When the signature model was released I decided to purchase an aqua sparkle. First, it was listed as shipping within a timeframe but came a good bit later, not a huge deal but with the circumstances I was in, it was a bit of a let down as I had to use Affirm. It’s a fabulous guitar and the single cool tones are to die for, very surprising. I’m very happy with the purchase and it’s close to a personal signature I’d make. I did purchase it because of the exposure to the channel, but ultimately I only got it because it was a Stingray RS. When the Seymour Duncan announcement came out it did hit harder than my rational mind should let it. A artist could switch brands entirely, but this one happening so soon gives a bit of a sour taste. It doesn’t change the fact that my guitar sounds great, but it’s no longer what it was when I purchased it.
My band is endorsed by a guitar company. It's a dream come true and they treat us like rock stars - when really we're average scum - we get to use new gear they bring out and road test them, however, because we don't own them, there's always this anxiety of fucking them up whilst playing or travelling. It's like borrowing your friends guitar, you constantly worry that you're going to ding it up. Which, is why the guitars we borrow are usually spare guitars and we'll use our own purchased guitars of the same brand as main guitars, so we don't care about fucking them up. That's just my experience as an endorsed musician :)
U don't know why people are upset!! They spent money on ur pickups. Now they think u feel u don't need them. Now they feel they need to buy ur new pickups to keep up with. Back in the day it was called " Keepn up with the Jones"
Kinda sad you have to justify and explain your switch. Great to see you’re happy with the change and have this new opportunity to explore more flavors! The community 🤦♂️
I went back to using Duncan pickups because there are a lot of overpriced over hyped pickups out there and Duncan makes great quality pickups at reasonable prices they have a large variety of models that cover anything you could want.
I remember when you had your signature fastback old imperial beard comber pickups. I actually bought a set and I still have them in one of my guitars. They still sound great! With that being said, one thing I think would be really interesting to see is a comparison between those, your signature fishmans, and whatever pickups you’re playing now with Seymour Duncan. It would really be a good showcase of how your taste has changed over the years.
I feel like the only reason someone would get upset is they're like "oh x youtuber/guitarist/whatever uses this so i have to use this because they're my favorite" and they form this really, really weird and almost creepy parasocial relationship by owning that same product. and they wig out because the person they're idolizing left that scene on grounds which the angry person in question formed that parasocial relationship and it feels like a break up. that's honestly the only thing i can think of. I use a lot of different gear and none of it because it's what my favorite guitarists use, in fact none of it is what my favorite guitarists use (to my knowledge). wild that people would be angry over a change of pace. more commonly it happens when bands change their sound, if you like the band, if they're happy making the music they're making and you still like them as a band, support them. end rant, either way i hope SD treats you well! maybe you'll land a signature model there and we can get some cool videos out of!
Lots of folks are taking exception with this ad. Not only is it a way of getting paid, but you’re advocating for people to take care of themselves and providing an option. I respect what you’re doing man.
@@ravikant840 I understand it very well. I was a medic in the Air Force. He’s not demanding people go pay them money. He’s giving them an option. Research should be done by the person beforehand, but it’s still up to them to choose whether to use it or not.
I think anyone who gets upset about an artist switching pickups, guitars or basses for example, is mad because they choose their gear to match. I use Seymour Duncan JBs because Mick Mars once used them, I was after a similar sound. He has since changed his pickups but I know what I like, so I’m sticking with the JB. It’s that simple! The same people who get bent out of shape about that may end up changing their own gear down the road, who knows?
I dont get why people are upset. I own lots of gear, and I can honestly say that my favorite guitar of my many rotates depending on the type of music I am playing, the tones I am looking for, or even just how it feels in my hand in THAT MOMENT. Honestly man, just do what you need to for you and yours. 🤘
The only bummer about someone jumping brands, is that there might be a void in gear if you ever need to replace a specific part that was once a signature artist's product. Having said that, the consumer can make no demand for a musician to stay with a brand on some sort of principle. I have a couple of signature guitars that have since been updated/replaced by the manufacturer, or the artist left the brand. I didn't yell at the musicians for the change. And honestly, I didn't buy the guitars because of who played them. I bought them for their features.
People change and evolve, taste in something changes, fashion changes, this goddamn planet changes! You just go on bro, congrats on joining Seymour Duncan!
The artist endorses the product, not the other way around. The manufacturer may compensate or sponsor the artist in a variety of ways: free products, direct compensation, ad buys, etc. As you say it is a two way street. At the core of the relationship is the artist’s equity as a recognizable name. The artist is endorsing the use of the product, leveraging their name equity to convince others to buy the product. The manufacturer does not endorse the artist. The manufacturer compensates the artist for their endorsement.
At the end of the day, aside from being an artist, they are people too. People change, needs change, and new things come out all the time. A changing opinion or a changing need does not negate any previous or current statements about the “old” products. People and products evolve. At the end of the day, artists have to stay true to themselves above all else. Just my nickel’s worth of opinion.
The thing is its great for the artist of band. Free stuff in exchange for promotion of their product by using it. But the problem at least for me is its hard depending on the person to trust what they say about the things they endorse because youre thinking always that "of course theyre gonna say its great because theyre endorsed". That being said theres fanboys of everything so if you switch or say something negative about the company they like they lose their minds.
One person I trust on their endorsement deals is Nita Strauss. Yes she's endorsed by these companies but she's such a genuine person that I believe what she says. I actually got some nyxl strings because of her video on them.
We'd all accept free quality gear! I do it regularly with plugins. My gut feeling though is that switching sig gear in particular a lot, just feels a bit ADD and indecisive.
This channel for many many years primarily consisted of pickup demos (yes, I've been watching for that long, I am 30 years old currently), so no grievances here! Likewise, sometimes it's nice to change things up.
Great idea making a video on the topic. Should greatly serve as a palate cleanser for anyone who was left with a bad taste in their mouth after the switch. 👍
Makes sens, nit sure why people get riled up about this. On another note, while I understand the need for sponsorships please stop with better help, they are a scummy company selling very very sensible data about patients.
Not knocking you for endorsing products, or knocking you whatsoever more so the audience. Use what works for you. The major brands of guitars, pickups, strings, picks, amps, whatever all make great products now and as long as you can get the sounds you want with the gear there is nothing wrong with it.
I don’t think any 2 of all the guitars I have, have the same pickups… generally if I need a certain sound, I reach for that guitar.. so yeah.. I get it. 👍
I think some of the reason is because people may like a particular product themselves and when their favorite artists (sometimes even the ones that introduced them to that product) leave a company they suddenly feel like their stuff is less “credible” or great etc. I’m a huge fan of Mayones guitars. I would be lying if I said it didn’t cut a little deep when both John Browne and Aaron Marshall left for Schecter. I totally get it, but some of this is people feeling like you are on their “team” or not in validating their purchases/opinions
Yeah I get it man, sometimes you just want to try something different. Fishman has amazing tech but nowhere near the amount of different pickup options as Seymour Duncan. Plus it looks easier to get a custom passive pickup - anyone can order something custom from SD. Whereas it doesn't look like custom versions of Fishman pickups are available - their philosophy seems to be that they develop pickups to be exactly what the artist wants, so they would never need to change anything (at least when that is the sound the artist still wants!). Doesn't appear that there is any way to order a pole piece Fishman pickup in a multiscale config, or a 7 string version if they only released it as a 6 string (Fluff's for example). Some weird limitations TBH. They can clearly make 8 string single coils as the AAL guys use them, but you can't buy them separately. Odd business model. Your pickup is still on their website btw Fluff. Does that mean they still sell them but you just don't get a cut anymore? It is nice for the consumer though when a company still makes a product after the signature artist leaves...DiMarzio still make both of Tosin & Javier's previous signature pickups. Some brands are a bit more chill and don't seem to mind their signature artists using other stuff though, a shame they can't all be that flexible.
I saw the IG post and was more surprised than anything, and yet was interested to see why you left. This makes sense to me. Dunno why everyone is so butthurt
This answered a lot of questions. Thank you, Fluff. Do you still have a set of your old Beard Comber pickups some where? might be cool to revisit those...
Another question is at which point do you actually NEED an endorsement. Twice now, I have toyed with the idea of getting an endorsement, but both times, it never seemed important enough to bother actually DOING. As a minimalist, I already have what I NEED, and that is what I tour with. So, at what point do you actually genuinely NEED that endorsement? What criteria do you need to meet to require you to actually NEED more than what you already have? (Genuine question.)
I know enough about the industry to just assume that artists switch brands usually because they want change or whoever they mostly communicated with at whatever brand left that job. What kinda annoys me is the lack of transparency and honesty. For a lot of people it seems very sudden, one day your playing x brand, the next your playing y brand. Behind the scenes it's been happening for awhile, but for us normies it appears very sudden
Not no difference, just not enough to care about. The differences are barely noticeable isolated, and indistinguishable in recording or live contexts - where people will actually hear your guitar.
Happens all the time. So what. Dime and Washburn to Dime and Dean..Dime and Randall to Dime and Krank. Oh man....why did I sell it...Just thought about my Washburn Culprit...I bought it new back in the day....That is one guitar I regret selling.
I still use cleartone ioer ernie ball, but no hate my dude. Your needs and preferences change. And at the end of the day we have different prescriptions and different biases. Plus as you've said sometimes you just want something different, especially in a studio environment
I remember reading the comments on the SD video and was really disappointed. A lot of nasty shit being said because a guy switched brands. I appreciate this video and discussion on your perspective, Fluff. FWIW, I think having access to SDs vast line of pickups would make way more sense for a studio guy. I will say, though, that I’m hoping to see a Fluff signature passive based on a tweaked JB or Invader (perhaps lower output as you’ve said you like the invader far away from the strings) and/or a fluff signature active take on the blackouts. Keep doin you, man!
The most universal change: You just recently entered your early 30’s and you can’t explain why you are addicted to telecasters and have a huge love overnight.
Entitlement in the guitar community is absolutely crazy. At the end of the day you earned the right to be endorsed, if you then want to change no one other than yourself needs to understand why. Its mad how people react to other peoples lives
Passive pickups are better than active ones is what I took away from this. Just kidding, but wondering if this means you and Ernie Ball will work together on another signature with Duncans? I love the HS layout of your model I just personally don't like having batteries in my guitar. Great video!
Things change. I would think you still feel the same about Fluence but Seymour Duncan which have always been good has offered you a better deal. Time constraints, availability, delivery times.
I'm really interested in trying to convert my Schechter km 7 from active to passive. I didn't mind the signature set to begin with but lately I've found they have to much output which is overdoing things on the front end (requiring tweaking from all of my settings which I used for multiple other guitars) I just don't know where to start so many brands with so many big promises. I've heard good things about many 😅
Some of the most famous musicians stick with the same products they've used for decades because it works well for them. Many of the hobbyists and younger generations (mostly from the 90s to present) have and like a large variety of gear options and are more into experimenting with a wider array of tones produced by different types of brands and gear. There's no right way I guess but not everyone falls into the opinions here.
Put whatever butter you want on your bread. People need to work a little harder at forming what works for them rather than playing what they perceive as the greatest based on what an artist uses.
The hands thing…..and never really gets to the point. What a headache, i gotta go take Advil now, and it’s not about the money, i have no signature pain killer with them.
I feel the "outrage" comes from the marketing. Using your example of string companies, if you make a video saying, "Cleartone strings are the best strings I've ever used." Then you switch to Ernie Ball and make another video, "Ernie Ball strings are the best strings I've ever used." Then say, you switch to Dunlop, Stringjoy or whoever and make another video, "This company's strings are the best strings I've ever used." Me as a gear consumer who trusts your opinion, now I don't know what to think because you have said all of these are the best. So, I can see where some people feel lied to.
Totally valid point I agree
but what if up until you tried Ernie ball clear tone were literally the best you've ever used and then you stick with Ernie ball for 14 years and never try any thing else and you receive a new guitar that has d'addario strings and then you're like woah I'm blown away by these. that can literally happen though right? so those points are still valid?
Totally lied to. Or, to be fair "it's their job" so take some of their advice with a grain of salt. At this point, this community needs a few trusted channels trashing the products that are garbage. It's easier to trust the ones that save me time and money, the smaller channels that don't bend for money just yet. An even better idea, we the consumers should pay youtubers to review these products. Full transparency with full pay.
@@YTisGay that would be cool to be fair. Depends how much someone changes their opinion I guess
I get it. I'm not even an "artist", but tastes change. I love D'Addario strings, but found a slightly different gauge range readily more available on a different brand that I preferred out there. I was also always a Dimarzio fan but found some Duncan's that work as well or better for me. Use what makes you happy. Period.
It’s honestly a bit insane how worked up people get over the gear we use. The quantity of people upset in the comments that I was ditching my Apollo and going back to Avid HD interfaces was shocking. And it’s just like you said, it’s just what I need at this point in my career. It has nothing to do with anyone else.
Colt! Love your channel dude. Hope the atmos rig video drops soon 👍
Seymour Duncan invaders rule
Its because they feel financially invested, bc they bought said product based of videos and when you change they get butt hurt and act like oh bro youre a turncoat blah blah. And tbh, the ppl complaining about this type of thing have no idea how the industry works as we know you can be sponsored or endorsed but still want to play what you wanna play ie what sounds best for the job type of thing.
Haha people freaking out about something that has absolutely NO effect on their lives? Play whatever you play. Make yourself happy & rock faces off! 🤘🤘
Some endorsed artists lay it on thick with “this is the best piece of gear”. So when they switch and act like its no big deal it looks strange
People get mad because they bought your stuff for the wrong reasons and now they have to go buy it again. That's what it comes down to.
I respect this straight talk.
Thanks for keeping on and pushing through with people who apparently have nothing better to do than whine about your pickups or reviews or ad partners.
Again, respect for doing your thing.
I like these vids good mixup from the usual gear demo ect
Yes, I love scam ads for Better Health.
“Without change something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakes. The sleeper must awaken.”
-Frank Herbert
I generally don’t like criticism of musicians for sponsorships or anything commercial. The economics of the business are so bad now that any assistance is important to keep music going.
Keep in mind any hate that comes from endorsement most likely comes from unsponsored channels. It’s just jealousy. Keep on rocking man. Love the channel
Thanks for explaining this Fluff. I really appreciate how honest and down to earth you are, I like your perspective on things a lot.
Bunch of bed room musicians in the comments upset about endorsements?
Wild.
But that’s what fluff mainly is in a kind of way outside of his limited touring experiences. I’m not to say who deserves endorsements or not because I’d certainly love to but it is crazy to see the caliber of enticements he has gotten and continues to get.
Spoiler, all big brand manufacturers are shilling to RUclipsrs. As with any business agreement, one party thinks they are worth more or less. Those parties either agree, or both manufacturer and RUclips guy move forward. At no point did qualify or performance matter. It’s about free, exposure, and ultimately greed.
These deep dive talks like the beard files you used to do are so good dude. Channel has been on fire lately.
I was more surprised that you switched to passive pickups than companies, but needing a variety of sounds for recording and producing makes a lot of sense. Also the JB is maybe the greatest pickup of all time.
My change tastes all the time too man
Appreciate the insight! The reality for the vast majority of pro musicians they aren't making tens of millions of dollars...they have to hustle and get endorsements to be able to keep making a living playing music without a day job. So long as the artist isn't disingenuous and endorsing purely for the money, why would fans care?
I don’t give a shit what your endorsements are or were. I dig your channel and love the content and perspective brother! Keep the videos coming because over the years you’ve provided me with tons of inspiration that nobody else on RUclips has!
I have never cared when someone changes endorsements. Do what is best for you man. That said, thanks for bringing us into your headspace on this.
THE craziest thing I remember with artist change was EVH moving from Kramer to Music Man (blew my 13-year-old mind) .....and then to Peavey.
I don't think I was upset at the time though.
Like you said, Fluff, at some point you need a change.
I remember when I decided that I was tired of playing Boogies after about 10 years and started buying Marshalls 8 and 900s..... then after about 10 years, because I wasn't playing out as much and after weeding down the herd, traded my last Marshall for a Super Reverb.... then decided to buy a Soldano after several years because I needed to scratch that itch. Change is good.
I have switched between Duncans, DiMarzios, and EMGs so many times through the years. Not that one was better than the other. Just what fit my needs and taste at the time. Great vid as always sir. Cheers.
***never endorsements, just a gear nerd chasing tone
Funny how people still think the music industry is lead by money…
I always ask them the same question: when’s the last time you spent money towards an artist? Anything? Albums ? T-shirts? Stickers?
They all answer the same : it’s probably been 10/15 years…
So where is that money coming from?
😮
My change tastes all the time too!
One minute you love one thing.. then another thing… ooh wait there’s this.. I must have it! Needs and demands change. What I needed at 19 is different from what I need at 36. Not sure the why people freak out with change when they themselves change things incrementally through time themselves in all aspects of life.
Great video Fluff as always. Can’t wait to see more content with SD products.
Its basically being a sales rep but trying to not come across as a sales rep.
Im all for getting as much free stuff as you can from any big name firm so its good stuff ;)
Makes sense to me, artist tastes change. 10 years is plenty
Great man. Love the honest, down to earth approach you have in your videos. All cool man!
I was torn on responding, but I do feel that I have some skin in the game on this. I was someone who reached out to EBMM when the first Stingray RS was shown and was told no. The “adult” Tom Delonge guitar had a ton of appeal. When the signature model was released I decided to purchase an aqua sparkle. First, it was listed as shipping within a timeframe but came a good bit later, not a huge deal but with the circumstances I was in, it was a bit of a let down as I had to use Affirm. It’s a fabulous guitar and the single cool tones are to die for, very surprising. I’m very happy with the purchase and it’s close to a personal signature I’d make. I did purchase it because of the exposure to the channel, but ultimately I only got it because it was a Stingray RS. When the Seymour Duncan announcement came out it did hit harder than my rational mind should let it. A artist could switch brands entirely, but this one happening so soon gives a bit of a sour taste. It doesn’t change the fact that my guitar sounds great, but it’s no longer what it was when I purchased it.
My band is endorsed by a guitar company. It's a dream come true and they treat us like rock stars - when really we're average scum - we get to use new gear they bring out and road test them, however, because we don't own them, there's always this anxiety of fucking them up whilst playing or travelling. It's like borrowing your friends guitar, you constantly worry that you're going to ding it up. Which, is why the guitars we borrow are usually spare guitars and we'll use our own purchased guitars of the same brand as main guitars, so we don't care about fucking them up. That's just my experience as an endorsed musician :)
U don't know why people are upset!! They spent money on ur pickups. Now they think u feel u don't need them. Now they feel they need to buy ur new pickups to keep up with. Back in the day it was called " Keepn up with the Jones"
Kinda sad you have to justify and explain your switch. Great to see you’re happy with the change and have this new opportunity to explore more flavors! The community 🤦♂️
I went back to using Duncan pickups because there are a lot of overpriced over hyped pickups out there and Duncan makes great quality pickups at reasonable prices they have a large variety of models that cover anything you could want.
Dude you got to do what’s right for you. I am happy for you my friend. I love Seymour Duncan the JB4 is just classic.
I remember when you had your signature fastback old imperial beard comber pickups. I actually bought a set and I still have them in one of my guitars. They still sound great! With that being said, one thing I think would be really interesting to see is a comparison between those, your signature fishmans, and whatever pickups you’re playing now with Seymour Duncan. It would really be a good showcase of how your taste has changed over the years.
I feel like the only reason someone would get upset is they're like "oh x youtuber/guitarist/whatever uses this so i have to use this because they're my favorite" and they form this really, really weird and almost creepy parasocial relationship by owning that same product. and they wig out because the person they're idolizing left that scene on grounds which the angry person in question formed that parasocial relationship and it feels like a break up. that's honestly the only thing i can think of.
I use a lot of different gear and none of it because it's what my favorite guitarists use, in fact none of it is what my favorite guitarists use (to my knowledge). wild that people would be angry over a change of pace. more commonly it happens when bands change their sound, if you like the band, if they're happy making the music they're making and you still like them as a band, support them.
end rant, either way i hope SD treats you well! maybe you'll land a signature model there and we can get some cool videos out of!
Lots of folks are taking exception with this ad. Not only is it a way of getting paid, but you’re advocating for people to take care of themselves and providing an option. I respect what you’re doing man.
You don't understand basic patient-doctor/therapist confidentiality. Do you? The cause is appreciated but not the "brand".
@@ravikant840 I understand it very well. I was a medic in the Air Force. He’s not demanding people go pay them money. He’s giving them an option. Research should be done by the person beforehand, but it’s still up to them to choose whether to use it or not.
I think anyone who gets upset about an artist switching pickups, guitars or basses for example, is mad because they choose their gear to match. I use Seymour Duncan JBs because Mick Mars once used them, I was after a similar sound. He has since changed his pickups but I know what I like, so I’m sticking with the JB. It’s that simple!
The same people who get bent out of shape about that may end up changing their own gear down the road, who knows?
As a fan of passive pickups. I look forward to more pickup demos.
Also, the pizza metaphore is a great comparison.
I dont get why people are upset. I own lots of gear, and I can honestly say that my favorite guitar of my many rotates depending on the type of music I am playing, the tones I am looking for, or even just how it feels in my hand in THAT MOMENT.
Honestly man, just do what you need to for you and yours. 🤘
Got burned too bad on the last talk video you turned the comments off? 😅 cmon now, harsh truth is what you need sometimes
lol harsh truth
it still blows my mind that people who don't play gigs get endorsements and even crazier, signature models.
The only bummer about someone jumping brands, is that there might be a void in gear if you ever need to replace a specific part that was once a signature artist's product. Having said that, the consumer can make no demand for a musician to stay with a brand on some sort of principle. I have a couple of signature guitars that have since been updated/replaced by the manufacturer, or the artist left the brand. I didn't yell at the musicians for the change. And honestly, I didn't buy the guitars because of who played them. I bought them for their features.
Can’t wait to see what you do with SD. Also, can you finally do that shoutout w/ the Saturday Night Specials and Pearly Gates???
People change and evolve, taste in something changes, fashion changes, this goddamn planet changes! You just go on bro, congrats on joining Seymour Duncan!
thank you for addressing this :)
The artist endorses the product, not the other way around. The manufacturer may compensate or sponsor the artist in a variety of ways: free products, direct compensation, ad buys, etc. As you say it is a two way street.
At the core of the relationship is the artist’s equity as a recognizable name. The artist is endorsing the use of the product, leveraging their name equity to convince others to buy the product. The manufacturer does not endorse the artist. The manufacturer compensates the artist for their endorsement.
At the end of the day, aside from being an artist, they are people too. People change, needs change, and new things come out all the time. A changing opinion or a changing need does not negate any previous or current statements about the “old” products. People and products evolve. At the end of the day, artists have to stay true to themselves above all else. Just my nickel’s worth of opinion.
The Seymour Duncan Invader is badass. I've this in most of my guitars.
The thing is its great for the artist of band. Free stuff in exchange for promotion of their product by using it. But the problem at least for me is its hard depending on the person to trust what they say about the things they endorse because youre thinking always that "of course theyre gonna say its great because theyre endorsed".
That being said theres fanboys of everything so if you switch or say something negative about the company they like they lose their minds.
One person I trust on their endorsement deals is Nita Strauss. Yes she's endorsed by these companies but she's such a genuine person that I believe what she says. I actually got some nyxl strings because of her video on them.
Pickup variety is important! That’s what I build new guitars to try out new types of pickups
Another great example is Mark Morton switching from Jackson Signature models, to Gibson.
We'd all accept free quality gear! I do it regularly with plugins. My gut feeling though is that switching sig gear in particular a lot, just feels a bit ADD and indecisive.
This channel for many many years primarily consisted of pickup demos (yes, I've been watching for that long, I am 30 years old currently), so no grievances here! Likewise, sometimes it's nice to change things up.
Great idea making a video on the topic. Should greatly serve as a palate cleanser for anyone who was left with a bad taste in their mouth after the switch. 👍
Makes sens, nit sure why people get riled up about this. On another note, while I understand the need for sponsorships please stop with better help, they are a scummy company selling very very sensible data about patients.
Not knocking you for endorsing products, or knocking you whatsoever more so the audience. Use what works for you. The major brands of guitars, pickups, strings, picks, amps, whatever all make great products now and as long as you can get the sounds you want with the gear there is nothing wrong with it.
"Our change tastes all the time." -Ryan 9:22
I don’t think any 2 of all the guitars I have, have the same pickups… generally if I need a certain sound, I reach for that guitar.. so yeah.. I get it. 👍
Fluff, you are a class act brother!
My guitars have various pickups. From Seymour Duncan to EMG to Tom Anderson to Kent Armstrong.
I think some of the reason is because people may like a particular product themselves and when their favorite artists (sometimes even the ones that introduced them to that product) leave a company they suddenly feel like their stuff is less “credible” or great etc. I’m a huge fan of Mayones guitars. I would be lying if I said it didn’t cut a little deep when both John Browne and Aaron Marshall left for Schecter. I totally get it, but some of this is people feeling like you are on their “team” or not in validating their purchases/opinions
Yeah I get it man, sometimes you just want to try something different. Fishman has amazing tech but nowhere near the amount of different pickup options as Seymour Duncan. Plus it looks easier to get a custom passive pickup - anyone can order something custom from SD. Whereas it doesn't look like custom versions of Fishman pickups are available - their philosophy seems to be that they develop pickups to be exactly what the artist wants, so they would never need to change anything (at least when that is the sound the artist still wants!).
Doesn't appear that there is any way to order a pole piece Fishman pickup in a multiscale config, or a 7 string version if they only released it as a 6 string (Fluff's for example). Some weird limitations TBH. They can clearly make 8 string single coils as the AAL guys use them, but you can't buy them separately. Odd business model.
Your pickup is still on their website btw Fluff. Does that mean they still sell them but you just don't get a cut anymore? It is nice for the consumer though when a company still makes a product after the signature artist leaves...DiMarzio still make both of Tosin & Javier's previous signature pickups.
Some brands are a bit more chill and don't seem to mind their signature artists using other stuff though, a shame they can't all be that flexible.
I saw the IG post and was more surprised than anything, and yet was interested to see why you left. This makes sense to me. Dunno why everyone is so butthurt
The danger of endorsements: this entire channel
and the comment section
@@RiffsAndBeards and the comments of comments.
😂
What’s amazing is that someone’s identity can be threatened by a RUclipsr using different pickups
Honestly never understood the hype about Fishman, the voices barely have a difference to them especially in the Fluence Moderns.
Just further proves why he liked them and why he switched. I think making a video on the switch definitely helped.
This answered a lot of questions. Thank you, Fluff. Do you still have a set of your old Beard Comber pickups some where? might be cool to revisit those...
"as guitarists, our change tastes all the time"
There are so many wonderful guitars and gear that you can find all around the world. It would be crazy to not try this things.
Another question is at which point do you actually NEED an endorsement.
Twice now, I have toyed with the idea of getting an endorsement, but both times, it never seemed important enough to bother actually DOING. As a minimalist, I already have what I NEED, and that is what I tour with.
So, at what point do you actually genuinely NEED that endorsement? What criteria do you need to meet to require you to actually NEED more than what you already have?
(Genuine question.)
“variety” = great tonal variation
9:23 "Our change taste all the time!" And so does our language 😅
It is so weird hearing RUclipsrs say, 'i'm a 'so and so' artist'..when they were only sent a couple of free pickups.
Its funny how people go to the "latest and greatest" and eventually goes back to the tried and true.
I know enough about the industry to just assume that artists switch brands usually because they want change or whoever they mostly communicated with at whatever brand left that job. What kinda annoys me is the lack of transparency and honesty. For a lot of people it seems very sudden, one day your playing x brand, the next your playing y brand. Behind the scenes it's been happening for awhile, but for us normies it appears very sudden
Come on Fluff, Glen has already said pickups make no difference. Lol.
Screamed it, in fact.
Wrongly, so. I find pickups make a huge difference in how the instrument plays/my playing translates out to the world.
Not no difference, just not enough to care about. The differences are barely noticeable isolated, and indistinguishable in recording or live contexts - where people will actually hear your guitar.
@@MichaelSheaAudio I know what he said. And he’s wrong.
@@JasonMaynard36oh, well then you're gonna hate the video I'm working on. 😊
‘Variety’ is good, and I really like passive pickups! Just knocked 14 minutes off your video, lol.
Happens all the time. So what. Dime and Washburn to Dime and Dean..Dime and Randall to Dime and Krank. Oh man....why did I sell it...Just thought about my Washburn Culprit...I bought it new back in the day....That is one guitar I regret selling.
I get it, variety is the spice of life.
I still use cleartone ioer ernie ball, but no hate my dude. Your needs and preferences change. And at the end of the day we have different prescriptions and different biases. Plus as you've said sometimes you just want something different, especially in a studio environment
Makes total sense thanks fluff
Changing pickup endorsements may not be about the money, but you selling better help is. Feed your family though if that’s what it takes.
9:23 "Our change taste all of the time."
My change tasted just last week. He’s spot on.
I remember reading the comments on the SD video and was really disappointed. A lot of nasty shit being said because a guy switched brands. I appreciate this video and discussion on your perspective, Fluff. FWIW, I think having access to SDs vast line of pickups would make way more sense for a studio guy. I will say, though, that I’m hoping to see a Fluff signature passive based on a tweaked JB or Invader (perhaps lower output as you’ve said you like the invader far away from the strings) and/or a fluff signature active take on the blackouts. Keep doin you, man!
What about your poor Fastback BeardComber pickups? You can't forget about them, they are still great pickups!
The most universal change: You just recently entered your early 30’s and you can’t explain why you are addicted to telecasters and have a huge love overnight.
Very well said.
Entitlement in the guitar community is absolutely crazy. At the end of the day you earned the right to be endorsed, if you then want to change no one other than yourself needs to understand why. Its mad how people react to other peoples lives
SD makes a great product. So does Fishman. EMGs are great too.
After 10 years my first wife left me. I thought all these changes are happening I’m going to make a change I want. I’ve never done drywall since.
Now Fluff can have all the free Dimebuckers he needs!!!
Passive pickups are better than active ones is what I took away from this.
Just kidding, but wondering if this means you and Ernie Ball will work together on another signature with Duncans? I love the HS layout of your model I just personally don't like having batteries in my guitar.
Great video!
Things change. I would think you still feel the same about Fluence but Seymour Duncan which have always been good has offered you a better deal. Time constraints, availability, delivery times.
I'm really interested in trying to convert my Schechter km 7 from active to passive. I didn't mind the signature set to begin with but lately I've found they have to much output which is overdoing things on the front end (requiring tweaking from all of my settings which I used for multiple other guitars) I just don't know where to start so many brands with so many big promises. I've heard good things about many 😅
Some of the most famous musicians stick with the same products they've used for decades because it works well for them. Many of the hobbyists and younger generations (mostly from the 90s to present) have and like a large variety of gear options and are more into experimenting with a wider array of tones produced by different types of brands and gear. There's no right way I guess but not everyone falls into the opinions here.
Put whatever butter you want on your bread. People need to work a little harder at forming what works for them rather than playing what they perceive as the greatest based on what an artist uses.
The hands thing…..and never really gets to the point. What a headache, i gotta go take Advil now, and it’s not about the money, i have no signature pain killer with them.
Ya, I like Duncan and Lundrigan and Bare Knuckle right now. I’ve tried a few sets of Fisherman Pickups, the Devin set is super Heavy!
People out there really making commitments they dont need to be making
Don't take this one down as well, ok? Keep the conversation going 👍
The danger of taking ad money from a company who sold PHI to Facebook.