Whats up with the tape?

[futrconslr]

OK I take it from posts on here that some artist like to tape the trademark on the headstock of their mandos......at the risk of sounding like an idiot......why? Or at least why are they saying they are doing it? I guess I am assuming they have a beef with big g. If so why?

[onlyagibsonisgoodenuff]

I really don't know for sure, but my guess is they're taking a cue from professional golfers. Unless they get some form of renumeration, they're not going to advertise for 'em. Like I said, just a guess.

[BigJoe]

We did not know 'some 'artists are covering the headstock. We are not having a tiff with any I know of. We actually have a very good relationship with the artists and give them first rate service.

[onlyagibsonisgoodenuff]

Well, Joe, it's like I said, it was only a guess. Pure conjecture on my part. I just couldn't imagine any other reason to do the tape thing. Unless. . . of course, that's it! The mother-of-pearl inlays are falling out, and the players are just trying to avoid losing any of the pieces until they can have 'em repaired.

[evanreilly]

I seem to remember that the reason Bobby Osborne covered the logo on the album cover was that there was too much glare from the inlay.

[JiminRussia]

Duffy did it for a while, maybe still does. I heard that it was sort of an inside joke among his friends.

[Jedi Bri]

JiminRussia,
If you're referring to John Duffey, he died in Dec 1996. He certainly doesn't do the tape anymore.

[Bandersnatch Reverb]

Black taped mandolins!!!!!

I'm about to pee my breeks, this is great. I'm laughing since my other love, beyond music, is photography.

I shoot with a variety of cameras - but primarily those made by Leica these days. There is a running argument in the circle of Leica shooters that debates the validity of "black taping" the name and logo on the camera.

It seems that this was started a while ago in the Life magazine days, when staff photographers would take their black Leica M2's and M3's and cover the name and logo with black tape. The exact reason is not clear. Some say it was to make the camera less distracting for the person who's picture is being taken. Others say it was disguise the otherwise professional photographer, by hiding the professional name on the camera. And still others say it was to prevent assault for the theft of the camera, easily identified by its name as being valuable.

Leica's start at about $3000 or so for a body with "normal" lens. Other lenses are all in the $1500-$2500 range each. Even in the early 60's or late 50's, Leica was a good three to four times the cost of the Nikon products. And, in todays trendy society, the carrying of a Leica camera around one's neck is considered a form of jewelry. Leica, sometime in the 80's created a distinctive "red dot" logo, which is also black taped. These days, the black tape debate mainly centers around the issue of being accosted for your camera. There was one belief that "thieves look for the red dot". I think its total hogwash.

However, back to mandolins and cameras. There is ONE reason I DO black tape not only my Leica's, but my Canons as well, and thats because when I'm shooting people, for hire, there is a group of folks that will try to engage you in distracting conversation about your gear. No name on the gear keeps that to a minimum (except for hard core individuals, but they usually have the sense to let you do your job). Yes, I've even created ersatz logos to cover the orginal ones - so at time Canon or Leica says Kodak.

I suspect that anyone of note who covers the name on their mandolin is doing so just to remain low key about what they play. A lot depends on the venue I guess, but a lot of times at outdoor festival events, the artists will join the crowd after the show, and mingle... sign autographs.. that sort of thing. This might make life simpler in some ways. Heck, maybe the "Gibson" you thought the artist was playing was really an "El-Cheepo-Supreme" that he takes on the road. I discount the "glare" theory, as either something the artist said to hide the actual purpose, or total BS. There's lots more to glare than the stinkin' logo. I also tend to discount the "having a tiff" theory, unless (and this is a stretch) that the artist was recently either dropped from, or refused entry into, whatever programs the manufacturer(s) were sponsoring. That is (and this is just an example), they might say... "Gibson wont sponsor me, but I still want to play mine... screw 'em, I'll cover the logo". I dont think that would happen very often though, since musicians are a pretty tight group normally when it comes to things like that.

Anyway, thats my 3c worth.

[Fretbear]

Old Bill didn't mess around with tape.....

[peterbc]

I've notice that mandolin players tend to check out eachothers headstocks when someone walks into a jam. Guitarists, banjo players, etc do do it but not nearly to the extent that I've noticed it with use mando players. Maybe it's a way of avoiding this and making people listen to the music instead of trying to form an opinion based on the coolness of the mandolin?

Peter

[peterleyenaar]

PeterBC, You mean like this ?, Bandersnatch, this was shot with Leica(no tape)

[onlyagibsonisgoodenuff]

Cool peghead! No tape required. I think if that mando sat down next to me in a jam, I'd just quietly put mine back in the case.

[Dan Cole]

I think this is a money issue. Take someone like Grisman who has given Gibson more advertisment than they could have purchased through his wonderful Tone Poems series, which highlights numerous vintage Gibsons throughout the ages. He plays a Loar, but the headstock is covered. Don't see that on his Gilchrist, so the arguement about "its about the music, not the instrument does fly, IMO". Also there have been special Gibson releases for Doyle Lawson, Sam Bush, Adam Steffey, etc etc. No Grisman model. Strange. That in itself should be a clue something is amiss. I think both sides are staying above the mark and not airing the situation publicly.

As for others copying what DAWG started with the Mando taping, there may be some financial issue, but I'd say its to be like the DAWG.

[Scotti Adams]

Old Bill didn't mess around with tape.....
no..he just took his pocket knife and gauged The Gibson out...they made up in later years..

[jim simpson]

I think what everyone here is missing is that obviously the endorsement is coming from the manufacturer of electrical tape. I just hope it doesn't cause a rush on said tape and make it diffucult for the rest of us to buy some. Remember the recent run on duck tape when we had to prepare ourselves for the terrorist gassing!

[sunburst]

Old Bill didn't mess around with tape.....
Maybe that's it! These days musicians fly a lot. You can get a roll of tape through airport security. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[G_Smolt]

"...Dogs smell each others butts. Mandolin players look at each others headstocks. You can tell what they're doing as they approach you with their heads cocked to one side, eyes squinting, struggling to read the tiny mother of pearl script in an angled scrawl about a foot and a half to the left of your head. And you can read the response in their eyes. Having played a hand-made instrument made by a master builder for a company that later became known for banging out inexpensive factory instruments, I'm sure people make assumptions when they read "The Kentucky" across the headstock. Hopefully, they are then impressed by the sound of the instrument and maybe even the player. At the same time, I've recently played a Monteleone and a Gilchrist that failed to impress me. Okay, they were both very easy to play and looked and sounded great but did not strike me as worth $10,000 more than my '84 KM-1500..."

Lifted in entirety from, and posted with deference to (but without permission of) David Zimmerman, of Coydog Case and Mandolin Co.

Possibly the most deft turn of phrase I have heard concerning mandolin players...

[Chip Booth]

This practice is certainly not limited to mandolin players. #Keyboardists are the most visible example of tapers I can think of, but musicians of all sorts do it (and I expect other professionals as well). # I expect the practice centers around the endorsement issue. #An artist may not necessarily have a "beef" with a company, but neither do they have an endorsement deal. #When you are looking for one it makes sense to not support anyone in particluar, even if that support is just using their product. #I know firsthand that many artists who endorse a product do not necessarily use those products. #Even though the headstock may have a company's logo on it that isn't always the brand it actually is. #I know a builder who has custom-made literally hundreds for instruments for endorsees with another company's logo on them (all legal and agreed upon I believe).

[straight-a]

Well if someone doesn't like my headstock, they can just look at the guitar player! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[fangsdaddy]

dawg is taping his headstock because he's playing a mk.

[futrconslr]

Thanks for the information.....It seems to be the general consensus that no one knows for sure! lol I was just curious as it seemed to be rather strange.

[Tom C]

I'll will find out at the mandolin symposium and mention everybody's curiousity.

[muzicfreak]

Peter i am pretty turned on w/ your headstock lol That is a beauty! I am jealous w/ my plain weber imprint.. eek! Maybe next mando i can get the girl and moon! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif