# Ibanez Endorsement



## Xiphos68 (Aug 4, 2009)

3 Questions?
What do you get out of them?
How do you get one?
What are they looking for in their endorses?
All info is appreciated.


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## vampiregenocide (Aug 4, 2009)

There are different levels of endorsements, some give you reduces prices on production models, some free guitars, some access to custom shop etc. Depends who you are on which one you get.


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## Xiphos68 (Aug 4, 2009)

How do you get into the custom shop?


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## DomitianX (Aug 4, 2009)

Xiphos68 said:


> How do you get into the custom shop?



Crowbar and blow torch.


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## Xiphos68 (Aug 4, 2009)

DomitianX said:


> Crowbar and blow torch.


haha. That hard to get into?


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## vampiregenocide (Aug 4, 2009)

Xiphos68 said:


> haha. That hard to get into?



Very hard. Short answer : Tour lots and and sell lots of records.


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## Esp Griffyn (Aug 4, 2009)

Put it this way; if you have to ask, you arent getting endorsed


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## Xiphos68 (Aug 4, 2009)

vampiregenocide said:


> Very hard. Short answer : Tour lots and and sell lots of records.


man. Really? You can't be like Chris Letchford and still not get in.


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## AngelVivaldi (Aug 4, 2009)

Xiphos68 said:


> man. Really? You can't be like Chris Letchford and still not get in.



Chris who?! LOL


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## vampiregenocide (Aug 4, 2009)

Xiphos68 said:


> man. Really? You can't be like Chris Letchford and still not get in.



Talent means nothing in the music industry come on 

You have to be like Meshuggah, and sell records as well as have talent.


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## Superbonk (Aug 4, 2009)

This guy's kinda goofy but I enjoy his videos. And this is the most informative piece i've ever seen about getting endorsed. My brother went to music school and said this video had more info on the subject than he learned in 2 years at school.


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## splinter8451 (Aug 4, 2009)

vampiregenocide said:


> Talent means nothing in the music industry come on
> 
> You have to be like Meshuggah, and sell records as well as have talent.



So you can't be like Tosin? 

I do not think Reflux was THAT popular and he got an Ibanez endorsement and a LACS guitar. 





But really watch that dudes video up there, it is really informative.


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## vampiregenocide (Aug 4, 2009)

splinter8451 said:


> So you can't be like Tosin?
> 
> I do not think Reflux was THAT popular and he got an Ibanez endorsement and a LACS guitar.



Basically you need a fan base though at the end of the day. So there may not be mainstream popularity, but if you have a large underground fan base its all good.


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## Excalibur (Aug 4, 2009)

AngelVivaldi said:


> Chris who?! LOL


The guitarist for Scale the Summit.


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## Rick (Aug 4, 2009)

You need to be incredibly lucky to get an Ibanez endorsement.


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## iamrichlol (Aug 4, 2009)

Superbonk said:


> This guy's kinda goofy but I enjoy his videos. And this is the most informative piece i've ever seen about getting endorsed. My brother went to music school and said this video had more info on the subject than he learned in 2 years at school.




Haha thats awesome, definitely going to check this guy out some more


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## AngelVivaldi (Aug 4, 2009)

Making it in the industry is all about two very simple things. If it was about talent guys like Rusty Cooley and Dream Theater would have Top 10 Hits left and right... so we can scratch that being one of them

It's all about:
A- who you know
B- being at the right place at the right time

Thats why I strive to try and be everywhere hence Black Market Hero, Enstride, With Daggers Drawn, Methodical and of course my solo material. 

But I've seen first hand, bands who are fucking obnoxious and non deserving of an endorsement get guitars and gear handed to them like air. It sucks, but that's the raw truth


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## ShadyDavey (Aug 4, 2009)

iamrichlol said:


> Haha thats awesome, definitely going to check this guy out some more



He's one of the nicest guys around and definately believes in keeping in touch with his fans - he's also prepared to give out down-to-earth advice that some folks seem to regard as trade secrets.

In short, lots of respect for Mr Chapman. 

(he's a damn good player too...).


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## Daiephir (Aug 4, 2009)

Watching that vid was 9 minutes well spent, thanks


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## B36arin (Aug 4, 2009)

To feed your jealousy a bit more, I talked to a guy that I know last weekend who is endorsed by Ibanez and just received his first LACS guitar. And according to him, he got his guitar for free from LACS...


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## Xiphos68 (Aug 4, 2009)

B36arin said:


> To feed your jealousy a bit more, I talked to a guy that I know last weekend who is endorsed by Ibanez and just received his first LACS guitar. And according to him, he got his guitar for free from LACS...


It's probably worth a lot of money too. Chris Broderick has 4 rga 7 strings I just saw the fourth one it was a gray maple top. Did he pay for all of those or did he get those for free?


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## kung_fu (Aug 4, 2009)

B36arin said:


> To feed your jealousy a bit more, I talked to a guy that I know last weekend who is endorsed by Ibanez and just received his first LACS guitar. And according to him, he got his guitar for free from LACS...









*"We need a name! Give us a name!"*


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## JohnIce (Aug 4, 2009)

Esp Griffyn said:


> Put it this way; if you have to ask, you arent getting endorsed


 
As unhelpful as it may be, this still sums up this topic pretty well. Basically, endorsements don't come before success (in 99% of the cases or more, anyway). Ibanez is also, from what I've heard, very hard to get endorsed by either way, much moreso than ESP or Schecter for example.

- edit - However, smaller and less known companies are easier to deal with, if you're only looking for free guitars. They're also easier to contact. I got major discounts from a swedish guitar company for making soundclips of their guitars. I'll be doing some videos and clinics for them later this year (which, by the way, is an AWESOME way of promoting yourself), and after that I'm pretty much set as far as free instruments go. So unless you have to be endorsed by one of the giants right away, this is an alternative.

But then again, it's silly to be chasing endorsements before you reach any success with your music. Focus on establishing yourself and making good music first, then when you start touring for longer periods an endorsement may come in handy.


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## Xiphos68 (Aug 4, 2009)

JohnIce said:


> As unhelpful as it may be, this still sums up this topic pretty well. Basically, endorsements don't come before success (in 99% of the cases or more, anyway). Ibanez is also, from what I've heard, very hard to get endorsed by either way, much moreso than ESP or Schecter for example.
> 
> - edit - However, smaller and less known companies are easier to deal with, if you're only looking for free guitars. They're also easier to contact. I got major discounts from a swedish guitar company for making soundclips of their guitars. I'll be doing some videos and clinics for them later this year (which, by the way, is an AWESOME way of promoting yourself), and after that I'm pretty much set as far as free instruments go. So unless you have to be endorsed by one of the giants right away, this is an alternative.
> 
> But then again, it's silly to be chasing endorsements before you reach any success with your music. Focus on establishing yourself and making good music first, then when you start touring for longer periods an endorsement may come in handy.


Great advice thanks.


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## EliNoPants (Aug 4, 2009)

ESP also gives a damn fine deal, i've got buddies who aren't even in the band that they got their endorsement for anymore, and they still get free LTDs, other friends were getting any 3 LTDs a year free, not sure if that was for the band, or for each of them, but it's still a sweet deal...and NONE of their other endorsements were for free shit, NONE of them, not even strings, not even picks, and most definitely not the Mesa stuff


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## Variant (Aug 4, 2009)

JohnIce said:


> As unhelpful as it may be, this still sums up this topic pretty well. Basically, endorsements don't come before success (in 99% of the cases or more, anyway). Ibanez is also, from what I've heard, very hard to get endorsed by either way, much moreso than ESP or Schecter for example.
> 
> - edit - However, smaller and less known companies are easier to deal with, if you're only looking for free guitars. They're also easier to contact. I got major discounts from a swedish guitar company for making soundclips of their guitars. I'll be doing some videos and clinics for them later this year (which, by the way, is an AWESOME way of promoting yourself), and after that I'm pretty much set as far as free instruments go. So unless you have to be endorsed by one of the giants right away, this is an alternative.
> 
> But then again, it's silly to be chasing endorsements before you reach any success with your music. Focus on establishing yourself and making good music first, then when you start touring for longer periods an endorsement may come in handy.



I'd rep you again if I could. Absolutely right. Already rich and famous people get free shit handed to the left and right, no one was there when they were coming up an *really* needed it... and, of course smaller companies are easier to get to help you out, and a lot of their custom shops are really good compared to their production shit. First Act, for instance. 

That guy's vid was quite informative, and I applaud it... but keep one thing in mind, the amount of time and effort that goes into a lot of that _*might *_be better spent just working and saving for the guitar, etc. While there's a lot of overlap there with what your band needs anyway, 60 extra hours chasing an endorsement (which saves you $200 on that $800 guitar) might just be better spent working extra hours at your IT job where you yank down $20/hr. and just going to the guitar store and buying the damn thing.


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## toolsound (Aug 4, 2009)

Another thing to note about endorsements is that it is a business move. The idea is this: If we give this guy free guitars and ask him to play them exclusively, more people will notice our name and be more likely to buy from us. You may be in a big band, or you may be insanely good at guitar, but if you don't give a company exposure then there's no point in endorsing you.


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## B36arin (Aug 4, 2009)

kung_fu said:


> *"We need a name! Give us a name!"*



Sorry man, I can't. I don't know the guy well enough, and don't know if he'd be ok with me posting his name here. All I can say is that he's an amazing guitarist, which you're likely to be if you're being endorsed by Ibanez.


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## kung_fu (Aug 5, 2009)

B36arin said:


> Sorry man, I can't.



 I understand. Having just watched that particular episode of seinfeld (see picture), i was just looking for an excuse to say that.


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## JohnIce (Aug 5, 2009)

B36arin said:


> Sorry man, I can't. I don't know the guy well enough, and don't know if he'd be ok with me posting his name here. All I can say is that he's an amazing guitarist, which you're likely to be if you're being endorsed by Ibanez.


 
I'm sure he doesn't mind publicity if he's trying to make it with his music, but yeah, if you have personal reasons not to show us pics of a brand new never before seen LACS guitar, that's... fine.


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## Rick (Aug 5, 2009)

JohnIce said:


> I'm sure he doesn't mind publicity if he's trying to make it with his music, but yeah, if you have personal reasons not to show us pics of a brand new never before seen LACS guitar, that's... fine.



No, it's not, post some fucking pics of this beast!


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## B36arin (Aug 5, 2009)

JohnIce said:


> I'm sure he doesn't mind publicity if he's trying to make it with his music, but yeah, if you have personal reasons not to show us pics of a brand new never before seen LACS guitar, that's... fine.



He's doing quite well.

I don't have any pics. I'm not the photographer type, and I've only seen the guitar gigged once. I tried to have a friend take a picture with his cellphone, but it was from 20 metres away and with a really shitty camera, so it's a worthless pic.


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## Rob Balducci (Aug 6, 2009)

Hey ya! I am new to the forum and have been looking around and I came across this post.

I am an Ibanez Endorsee and I have been for 15 years now. There is alot of things being said in these post that are not really true. So I will just tell you my story and maybe that will answer your questions.

First off I am endoresed with many companies and what I tell everybody is, even if I was not endorsed with these companies I would be using the product. There are to many players out there who I call endorsement whores... they want endorsements and thats it. That is not the way to go.

My Ibanez endorsement started about 15 years ago, I won a few guitar contests in New York and was able to secure a D'addario string endorsement and I was playing Ibanez guitars. I met one of the reps backstage at a Zappa Universe show. I had cass of my music and I handed him one. I followed up with him and was persistant in calling and got through and he liked my playing. I was teaching guitar and still do and I was in a band that was playing out a lot. Endorements usually start off with paying reduced prices and you work yourself up. My endorsement started with reduced cost on guitars. One thing I must say about Ibanez is they really support up and coming artists. They endorsed me at the time and I think it says alot about them standing behind players who they think are good and take a chance on them.

My career progressed and I was about to do my first solo cd called Balance this was around 1994 or 1995 and I asked if I could get another guitar but one that was not an artist model etc.. i did not want to use another players guitar etc.. They said yes and I got a purple usa custom etc..

I started doing clincis and gigs.. and my relationship progressed. Now my guitars are made at the LACS and have been for some time. Ibanez makes the best guitars in the world and they very much support artists who are not selling millions. I do not sell millions, but I keep busy doing gigs, teaching, clinics etc...

Thank
RB


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## JohnIce (Aug 6, 2009)

Rob Balducci said:


> Hey ya! I am new to the forum and have been looking around and I came across this post.
> 
> I am an Ibanez Endorsee and I have been for 15 years now. There is alot of things being said in these post that are not really true. So I will just tell you my story and maybe that will answer your questions.
> 
> ...


 
Good of you to post, as you have first-hand experience! I'm kind of wondering though, relating to what I've heard about John Petrucci getting endorsed through a cassette aswell back in about 1990, is it possible that Ibanez as a company has grown to such proportions and is so established now that the chances of getting endorsed your way has slimmed out? After all, 15 years have passed in your case. I'm just asking in case you know anything about how they deal with new endorsements today.


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## Mikeibz (Sep 1, 2009)

Hello all.....I'd be happy to try to answer questions as times permits. I work in Artist Relations at Ibanez....many of the threads hit on valid points, but the truth is, there are many different scenarios that come up and we do look at every endorsement package that comes in. _GENERALLY_, we do look for artists that tour extensively and are signed to major labels or major independent labels. Touring in small, regional circles is usually not enough as well. There are many very talented individuals who are just not at the exposure level that makes sense for us to become involved in an endorsement capacity. We utilize many of the endorsers in our advertising, clinics and promotional campaigns, and it wouldn't work if we based it solely on being proficient at the instrument. We do deals from every level, from cost on to the provided custom shop instruments that many of you see in this forum or on stages throughout the world. 

The address to submit packages is on the website, so if you do submit something, please keep the above info in mind. In addition, it doesn't hurt if the artists are already using Ibanez gear. I can't tell you how many letters I get with people featured in photos with Strats or forget that the letter says "My band loves Schecter..." Please proofread your stuff before you send! haha

Mike


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## vampiregenocide (Sep 1, 2009)

Mikeibz said:


> Hello all.....I'd be happy to try to answer questions as times permits. I work in Artist Relations at Ibanez....many of the threads hit on valid points, but the truth is, there are many different scenarios that come up and we do look at every endorsement package that comes in. _GENERALLY_, we do look for artists that tour extensively and are signed to major labels or major independent labels. Touring in small, regional circles is usually not enough as well. There are many very talented individuals who are just not at the exposure level that makes sense for us to become involved in an endorsement capacity. We utilize many of the endorsers in our advertising, clinics and promotional campaigns, and it wouldn't work if we based it solely on being proficient at the instrument. We do deals from every level, from cost on to the provided custom shop instruments that many of you see in this forum or on stages throughout the world.
> 
> The address to submit packages is on the website, so if you do submit something, please keep the above info in mind. In addition, it doesn't hurt if the artists are already using Ibanez gear. I can't tell you how many letters I get with people featured in photos with Strats or forget that the letter says "My band loves Schecter..." Please proofread your stuff before you send! haha
> 
> Mike



Thanks for that post man! Great insight!


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## Xiphos68 (Sep 1, 2009)

Mikeibz said:


> Hello all.....I'd be happy to try to answer questions as times permits. I work in Artist Relations at Ibanez....many of the threads hit on valid points, but the truth is, there are many different scenarios that come up and we do look at every endorsement package that comes in. _GENERALLY_, we do look for artists that tour extensively and are signed to major labels or major independent labels. Touring in small, regional circles is usually not enough as well. There are many very talented individuals who are just not at the exposure level that makes sense for us to become involved in an endorsement capacity. We utilize many of the endorsers in our advertising, clinics and promotional campaigns, and it wouldn't work if we based it solely on being proficient at the instrument. We do deals from every level, from cost on to the provided custom shop instruments that many of you see in this forum or on stages throughout the world.
> 
> The address to submit packages is on the website, so if you do submit something, please keep the above info in mind. In addition, it doesn't hurt if the artists are already using Ibanez gear. I can't tell you how many letters I get with people featured in photos with Strats or forget that the letter says "My band loves Schecter..." Please proofread your stuff before you send! haha
> 
> Mike


Thanks Man!!!!


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## ZXIIIT (Sep 1, 2009)

Great info.


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## Scar Symmetry (Sep 1, 2009)

Mikeibz said:


> *GENERALLY, we do look for artists that tour extensively and are signed to major labels or major independent labels. Touring in small, regional circles is usually not enough as well. There are many very talented individuals who are just not at the exposure level that makes sense for us to become involved in an endorsement capacity.*



/thread.


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## Cheesebuiscut (Sep 1, 2009)

We couldn't even get an ibanez rep to respond to anything on the ibanez forum yet we got 2 legitimate responses to this thread on a completely outside forum.

Man I love ss.org.

Thanks for the info guys!


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## Adam Of Angels (Sep 1, 2009)

This place does rule.


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## Rick (Sep 1, 2009)

Mikeibz said:


> Hello all.....I'd be happy to try to answer questions as times permits. I work in Artist Relations at Ibanez....many of the threads hit on valid points, but the truth is, there are many different scenarios that come up and we do look at every endorsement package that comes in. _GENERALLY_, we do look for artists that tour extensively and are signed to major labels or major independent labels. Touring in small, regional circles is usually not enough as well. There are many very talented individuals who are just not at the exposure level that makes sense for us to become involved in an endorsement capacity. We utilize many of the endorsers in our advertising, clinics and promotional campaigns, and it wouldn't work if we based it solely on being proficient at the instrument. We do deals from every level, from cost on to the provided custom shop instruments that many of you see in this forum or on stages throughout the world.
> 
> The address to submit packages is on the website, so if you do submit something, please keep the above info in mind. In addition, it doesn't hurt if the artists are already using Ibanez gear. I can't tell you how many letters I get with people featured in photos with Strats or forget that the letter says "My band loves Schecter..." Please proofread your stuff before you send! haha
> 
> Mike



I totally knew who you were when you joined this place.


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## Dusty201087 (Sep 1, 2009)

Woah, glad I came upon this thread. Being as I'm currently a "lifer" some of this info will come in handy 



Variant said:


> That guy's vid was quite informative, and I applaud it... but keep one thing in mind, the amount of time and effort that goes into a lot of that _*might *_be better spent just working and saving for the guitar, etc. While there's a lot of overlap there with what your band needs anyway, 60 extra hours chasing an endorsement (which saves you $200 on that $800 guitar) might just be better spent working extra hours at your IT job where you yank down $20/hr. and just going to the guitar store and buying the damn thing.




But if you don't have an IT job and your job is marketing yourself and your music, then it _could_ pay to get an endorsement.


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## Vstro (Sep 2, 2009)

Rick said:


> You need to be incredibly lucky to get an Ibanez endorsement.



or play tons and tons of shows!


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## Rick (Sep 2, 2009)

^Exactly.


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## screamindaemon (Sep 2, 2009)

Cheesebuiscut said:


> We couldn't even get an ibanez rep to respond to anything on the ibanez forum yet we got 2 legitimate responses to this thread on a completely outside forum.
> 
> Man I love ss.org.
> 
> Thanks for the info guys!


So true. Maturity, humour and intelligence goes along way.

Now back to practising on my S.


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