Fender Telecaster Jimmy Page Signature Model

[Ken Olmstead]

In my world, he and most other rock players had NO impact on me because I have neither listened to or played any rock music (with rare exceptions) that was produced after about the mid 60's. I've said before that I don't listen to music at all unless I'm learning a tune and I'm at a point in my life where I don't have an interest in learning anything I don't like unless it's for a paying gig. So please don't vilify me because I don't appreciate the same things you do. While I have, indeed, heard of Mr. Page, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix and others mentioned, I don't have any desire to become familiar with them as I just don't enjoy their type of music for various reasons of my own. In my original post, I did not denigrate anyone's playing, I merely stated that he had fans who would probably pay a high price for a copy of his guitar and that he was just someone whose music I was not familiar with. I didn't mean to hassle anybody, I was mostly commenting on Fender's building a tribute/copy guitar that will be out of the financial reach of the average player but will most likely not sound all that much different than any other Tele out there. It's just a marketing coup by Fender to get into the pockets of Mr. Page's fan base.

1. If you had a pulse and played guitar, you must be at least somewhat aware of how many players took up the guitar because of Page and went on to do great things themselves, that's all I'm saying.

2. Nobody is vilifying you Skip. This is just a conversation about a guitar player and their signature Tele, not terminating social security benefits. All in good fun. You have my utmost respect, as does everyone on this forum.

3. Yes, you are absolutely correct, this is a marketing ploy and many Jimmy fans will not be able to afford his signature Tele. Corporate bottom line is all this is about, IMO. No, I won't be buying one!

What amazes me is how long it took for this to happen! LOL!

[Skip Ellis]

"1. If you had a pulse and played guitar, you must be at least somewhat aware of how many players took up the guitar because of Page and went on to do great things themselves, that's all I'm saying."

Actually, I was not aware of that fact and I don't think I've knowingly ever heard him play. The person who inspired me to start was an uncle who bequeathed me a 1936 Martin 0-17 when he passed in 1960 just in time for the 'great folk scare' of the early 60's. I came came up in a different generation than many of you which may explain why some of my musical tastes differ from yours. I was brought up on western swing and big band and people like Sinatra, Ella, Tony Bennett, Bob Wills, and later, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Kingston Trio, Beach Boys, Chad Mitchell Trio, Ventures, Duane Eddy, etc. After that, I pretty much quit listening to anything that had overdriven/distorted guitar sounds as I just don't care for it. I also don't like fried eggs on top of my hamburger and won't eat one - pretty much the same thing in my book - I know they exist but I don't choose to participate.

[Rob MacKillop]

No +1's for Syd Barrett? [shakes head]

[Litterick]

I had not heard of Joe Bonamassa until quite recently. It all depends on where your interests lie. I have known young classical music people who are blissfully ignorant of everything in the rock world, and rock music people who could not name a jazz musician.

[morroben]

I love Teles, but a Jimmy Page Tele isn't the kind of thing I would get a bustle in my hedgerow about.

[Litterick]

Fender is trapped in its past. So far as I can tell, all Fender guitars currently in production date from the 1950s and 1960s, with the exception of the Starcaster (1976). Making modifications to models that have been made for decades, reviving models like the Jaguar and creating endorsed versions of those models is what Fender does. It would be nice if they came up with some new ideas, but they obviously do not feel the need.

[mr. beaumont]

Yeah, Fender needs to join us in the 21st century...let's get some self tuning guitars, maybe some baked maple...you know, take some cues from a successful company.

[teleman3726]

If Jimmy, why not a Keef signature model?
That effer would sell, baby!!

[Doug B]

Fender is trapped in its past. So far as I can tell, all Fender guitars currently in production date from the 1950s and 1960s, with the exception of the Starcaster (1976). Making modifications to models that have been made for decades, reviving models like the Jaguar and creating endorsed versions of those models is what Fender does. It would be nice if they came up with some new ideas, but they obviously do not feel the need.

For a start, Fender could re-issue the Robben Ford Ultra guitar:

FENDER ROBBEN FORD electric guitars

That would at least get Fender up to 1990 or so.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

I had not heard of Joe Bonamassa until quite recently. It all depends on where your interests lie. I have known young classical music people who are blissfully ignorant of everything in the rock world, and rock music people who could not name a jazz musician.

I one overheard someone say something like, "Death Metal?! I only listen to Blackened Death Metal! Death Metal sucks."

[Litterick]

Though I’ve long had a sort of morbid curiosity about the bizarre history of Norwegian black metal, until recently I’d never spent a whole lot of time listening to it. Now that I’ve sought it out and listened with an open mind, I’ve developed a true appreciation for the work of bands like Emperor, Gorgoroth, Death, Dismember, and others—even if I do still find the subject matter of a decent portion of it silly or excessively provocative.

The quote comes from an article just published in Premier Guitar. The author makes some points relevant to this discussion and the other current thread about guitar heroes, in particular: 'As our desire to play well increases, so does our belief that whatever got us into playing represents “playing well.” And the more we focus on being able to play on par with those notions, the more we start to look down on music or playing informed by a different set of standards.' I think I may have been susceptible to such beliefs, looking down on the masters of the pentatonic scales when I was trying to learn to be avant-garde.

[neatomic]

The quote comes from an article just published in Premier Guitar. The author makes some points relevant to this discussion and the other current thread about guitar heroes, in particular: 'As our desire to play well increases, so does our belief that whatever got us into playing represents “playing well.” And the more we focus on being able to play on par with those notions, the more we start to look down on music or playing informed by a different set of standards.' I think I may have been susceptible to such beliefs, looking down on the masters of the pentatonic scales when I was trying to learn to be avant-garde.

ah the joys of having eclectic musical tastes..bypasses the "notions"

cheers