Question:
I don’t know if this post is a question, or a story, or a proposition, or what it is…well, anyway, here it goes, make of it what you will, but it made me very excited in all the wrong ways…. So last night my band was headlining a gig at a pretty cool venue (for those of you playing at home, it was The Gershwin room at The Espy, St. Kilda), and so a friend of mine, Damo who’s the bass player in Australian band ‘28 Days’ (you may, or may not have heard of them, but they’re doing kinda well) came down and after the show we were talking about bass gear (as we always do), and he knows I’m endorsing Eden stuff, and he’s currently endorsing Warwick basses and amps, and I asked him about his bands latest video clip. In it, they have basically a wall of Marshall stacks, with walls of Warwick quadboxes on either side of this central Marshall stack, needless to say, there were quite a few quadies up there! My guess is that were possible around 20 Warwick 411 pro cabs!! Now, knowing for a fact that Eden have one 410 they lend out for big touring acts, and they probably have, maybe 5 or 6 other 410xlt’s at most in their warehouse, AND that they charge for their endorsees to hire out gear, I had to ask Damo ‘where the hell did all those Warwick boxes come from??’ and he says to me ‘they just give them to me!’ and so I’m like ‘no shit!’ So anyway, conversation ensues, and he tells me how good Warwick are to him – for gigs, he’ll usually just give them a call and THEY will DELIVER four quadboxes to whatever venue they’re playing at - oh no, you don’t have to go and pick them up! And there’s no charge either! Of-course amps and cases included for all… He also tells me how he gets all his Warwick corvettes for free, and…get ready for this…he told me about a new custom made 5 string he had made in Germany and sent to him! Me: How much? Him: Free. Me. No. He then says that because him and Joe (bass player from another Australian band, Grinspoon) are the only ‘A’ grade Warwick endorsees in Australia, and he (Damo, not Joe) is the only full bass & amp Warwick user (Joe uses Eden), so they’re *very* nice to him!! And damn straight – free custom made basses! At this point, my jaw is in pain from dropping to the floor so many times. So then he suggests that I should change to Warwick, since they’re really keen on rock bands like 28 Days, or Grinspoon and since don’t have very many A grade endorsing artists at all are kind of, well, ‘looking’ may not be the right word, but you get the idea! And just to almost seal the deal, he says that they’re really keen about getting a 6 string player on board! So I was just like ‘ohmygodwheredoisign’! So he said to check them out, give them a call, since he got his endorsement to A grade even before their band got big! The only catch (and hardly a catch) is that I’m kind of endorsing Eden, and I say kind of because I never actually signed a contract – when I headed down to make my first discounted purchase, they hadn’t had a contract ready, but of-course being the gentlemen they were, still let me take some gear for a nice price, and to this day, I still haven’t signed anything (even if I did, the contract would be about a year, which is another 3 or 4 months)! Although of-course, you could say it was a verbal agreement, or that the discounted sale can be interpreted as signing a contract…but as if we’ll ever go to court on this. Besides, I’m in no hurry, I have a nice Eden rig, and a nice bass….however, I actually have been wanting a more ‘replaceable’ bass (like, for example a Warwick!), since I’d be terrified if anything happened to my 2nd hand found-by-freak-chance Tune 6 string! And free custom made basses….!!! 
:-D:-D He also said he was about to receive one of the new Warwick electric uprights…..! — Kristoff Lajoie Electric Bassist www.kristoff.4t.com www.brockdowney.com
Response:
Hi Kristoff, Just read the post, and yep it’s a story that does lead to some questions.. How does anyone, who hasn’t made it big time.. actually get to be an endorser? Seems to me that while doing shows and concerts generates lots of PR for both the artist and brand name, there seems to be a chicken and egg situation.. do you identify yourself to the manufacturers? offer a proposal, or is it getting in front of them and struttin your stuff? Danny I don’t know if this post is a question, or a story, or a proposition, or what it is…well, anyway, here it goes, make of it what you will, but it made me very excited in all the wrong ways…. So last night my band was headlining a gig at a pretty cool venue (for those of you playing at home, it was The Gershwin room at The Espy, St. Kilda), and so a friend of mine, Damo who’s the bass player in Australian band ‘28 Days’ (you may, or may not have heard of them, but they’re doing kinda well) came down and after the show we were talking about bass gear (as we always do), and he knows I’m endorsing Eden stuff, and he’s currently endorsing Warwick basses and amps, and I asked him about his bands latest video clip. In it, they have basically a wall of Marshall stacks, with walls of Warwick quadboxes on either side of this central Marshall stack, needless to say, there were quite a few quadies up there! My guess is that were possible around 20 Warwick 411 pro cabs!! Now, knowing for a fact that Eden have one 410 they lend out for big touring acts, and they probably have, maybe 5 or 6 other 410xlt’s at most in their warehouse, AND that they charge for their endorsees to hire out gear, I had to ask Damo ‘where the hell did all those Warwick boxes come from??’ and he says to me ‘they just give them to me!’ and so I’m like ‘no shit!’ So anyway, conversation ensues, and he tells me how good Warwick are to him – for gigs, he’ll usually just give them a call and THEY will DELIVER four quadboxes to whatever venue they’re playing at - oh no, you don’t have to go and pick them up! And there’s no charge either! Of-course amps and cases included for all… He also tells me how he gets all his Warwick corvettes for free, and…get ready for this…he told me about a new custom made 5 string he had made in Germany and sent to him! Me: How much? Him: Free. Me. No. He then says that because him and Joe (bass player from another Australian band, Grinspoon) are the only ‘A’ grade Warwick endorsees in Australia, and he (Damo, not Joe) is the only full bass & amp Warwick user (Joe uses Eden), so they’re *very* nice to him!! And damn straight – free custom made basses! At this point, my jaw is in pain from dropping to the floor so many times. So then he suggests that I should change to Warwick, since they’re really keen on rock bands like 28 Days, or Grinspoon and since don’t have very many A grade endorsing artists at all are kind of, well, ‘looking’ may not be the right word, but you get the idea! And just to almost seal the deal, he says that they’re really keen about getting a 6 string player on board! So I was just like ‘ohmygodwheredoisign’! So he said to check them out, give them a call, since he got his endorsement to A grade even before their band got big! The only catch (and hardly a catch) is that I’m kind of endorsing Eden, and I say kind of because I never actually signed a contract – when I headed down to make my first discounted purchase, they hadn’t had a contract ready, but of-course being the gentlemen they were, still let me take some gear for a nice price, and to this day, I still haven’t signed anything (even if I did, the contract would be about a year, which is another 3 or 4 months)! Although of-course, you could say it was a verbal agreement, or that the discounted sale can be interpreted as signing a contract…but as if we’ll ever go to court on this. Besides, I’m in no hurry, I have a nice Eden rig, and a nice bass….however, I actually have been wanting a more ‘replaceable’ bass (like, for example a Warwick!), since I’d be terrified if anything happened to my 2nd hand found-by-freak-chance Tune 6 string! And free custom made basses….!!! :-D:-D He also said he was about to receive one of the new Warwick electric uprights…..! — Kristoff Lajoie Electric Bassist www.kristoff.4t.com www.brockdowney.com
Response:
I don’t know if this post is a question, or a story, or a proposition, or what it is…well, anyway, here it goes, make of it what you will, but it made me very excited in all the wrong ways…. So last night my band was headlining a gig at a pretty cool venue (for those of you playing at home, it was The Gershwin room at The Espy, St. Kilda), and so a friend of mine, Damo who’s the bass player in Australian band ‘28 Days’ (you may, or may not have heard of them, but they’re doing kinda well) came down and after the show we were talking about bass gear (as we always do), and he knows I’m endorsing Eden stuff, and he’s currently endorsing Warwick basses and amps, and I asked him about his bands latest video clip. In it, they have basically a wall of Marshall stacks, with walls of Warwick quadboxes on either side of this central Marshall stack, needless to say, there were quite a few quadies up there! My guess is that were possible around 20 Warwick 411 pro cabs!! Now, knowing for a fact that Eden have one 410 they lend out for big touring acts, and they probably have, maybe 5 or 6 other 410xlt’s at most in their warehouse, AND that they charge for their endorsees to hire out gear, I had to ask Damo ‘where the hell did all those Warwick boxes come from??’ and he says to me ‘they just give them to me!’ and so I’m like ‘no shit!’ So anyway, conversation ensues, and he tells me how good Warwick are to him – for gigs, he’ll usually just give them a call and THEY will DELIVER four quadboxes to whatever venue they’re playing at - oh no, you don’t have to go and pick them up! And there’s no charge either! Of-course amps and cases included for all… He also tells me how he gets all his Warwick corvettes for free, and…get ready for this…he told me about a new custom made 5 string he had made in Germany and sent to him! Me: How much? Him: Free. Me. No. He then says that because him and Joe (bass player from another Australian band, Grinspoon) are the only ‘A’ grade Warwick endorsees in Australia, and he (Damo, not Joe) is the only full bass & amp Warwick user (Joe uses Eden), so they’re *very* nice to him!! And damn straight – free custom made basses! At this point, my jaw is in pain from dropping to the floor so many times. So then he suggests that I should change to Warwick, since they’re really keen on rock bands like 28 Days, or Grinspoon and since don’t have very many A grade endorsing artists at all are kind of, well, ‘looking’ may not be the right word, but you get the idea! And just to almost seal the deal, he says that they’re really keen about getting a 6 string player on board! So I was just like ‘ohmygodwheredoisign’! So he said to check them out, give them a call, since he got his endorsement to A grade even before their band got big! The only catch (and hardly a catch) is that I’m kind of endorsing Eden, and I say kind of because I never actually signed a contract – when I headed down to make my first discounted purchase, they hadn’t had a contract ready, but of-course being the gentlemen they were, still let me take some gear for a nice price, and to this day, I still haven’t signed anything (even if I did, the contract would be about a year, which is another 3 or 4 months)! Although of-course, you could say it was a verbal agreement, or that the discounted sale can be interpreted as signing a contract…but as if we’ll ever go to court on this. Besides, I’m in no hurry, I have a nice Eden rig, and a nice bass….however, I actually have been wanting a more ‘replaceable’ bass (like, for example a Warwick!), since I’d be terrified if anything happened to my 2nd hand found-by-freak-chance Tune 6 string! And free custom made basses….!!! :-D:-D He also said he was about to receive one of the new Warwick electric uprights…..! Anyone offering me an endorsement contract without free equipment, lots of pampering and some cash would discover that I would not be very cooperative. If I ,am good enough to place under contract, I am good enough to pay. This arrangement of obtaining discounts on gear, discounts that do not cost the company a penny, is not something that I would participate in. In my younger days, the idea of having any manufacturer pay attention to me/my band would have been extremely flattering. Even the offering of an equipment discount would have boosted my/our egos tremendously, but, truthfully, it is bad business. Such companies are cheating musicians of their worth. Legally, of course, but it sets a bad precedent. If Warwick is forthright enough to treat musicians well and to actually spend some of their own money on pampering musicians, I tip my hat to them. I would even be tempted, hypothetically now, to use their equipment over someone elses equipment even if it did not quite measure up to the cheapskates equipment. After all, anyone can make perfect music in their bedroom/studio. The real reason that you and your bandmates are playing out is for recognition and the accumulation of wealth, i.e., business. Giving away the milk removes the incentive for anyone to buy or lease the cow. But that is just me and my old-fangled ideas on how business should be done. Me, I’d jump ship, if the opportunity were to arise. Of course, if the original manufacturer saw the light and offered me a better deal, I’d jump right back. Forget this nonsense about "selling out". It still beats working for a living. 8>) Ed Cregger
Response:
Well… Do you like Warwick basses ? That’s the first question. I’m only speaking for me here, but here’s My Opinion (r) If I were famous and had a proposition from (anybrand) like you describe, I’d say "Non, merci." If it was to come from Spector, I’d pee in my pants. I have a Spector and I’m happy with it. In your case, I’d try to have an endorsment by Tune, if you love their gear. Just my $0,02. — Henry! — "Pleasure in a thing of beauty is the essence of a good life." Zino Davidoff I don’t know if this post is a question, or a story, or a proposition, or what it is…well, anyway, here it goes, make of it what you will, but it made me very excited in all the wrong ways…. So last night my band was headlining a gig at a pretty cool venue (for those of you playing at home, it was The Gershwin room at The Espy, St. Kilda), and so a friend of mine, Damo who’s the bass player in Australian band ‘28 Days’ (you may, or may not have heard of them, but they’re doing kinda well) came down and after the show we were talking about bass gear (as we always do), and he knows I’m endorsing Eden stuff, and he’s currently endorsing Warwick basses and amps, and I asked him about his bands latest video clip. In it, they have basically a wall of Marshall stacks, with walls of Warwick quadboxes on either side of this central Marshall stack, needless to say, there were quite a few quadies up there! My guess is that were possible around 20 Warwick 411 pro cabs!! Now, knowing for a fact that Eden have one 410 they lend out for big touring acts, and they probably have, maybe 5 or 6 other 410xlt’s at most in their warehouse, AND that they charge for their endorsees to hire out gear, I had to ask Damo ‘where the hell did all those Warwick boxes come from??’ and he says to me ‘they just give them to me!’ and so I’m like ‘no shit!’ So anyway, conversation ensues, and he tells me how good Warwick are to him – for gigs, he’ll usually just give them a call and THEY will DELIVER four quadboxes to whatever venue they’re playing at - oh no, you don’t have to go and pick them up! And there’s no charge either! Of-course amps and cases included for all… He also tells me how he gets all his Warwick corvettes for free, and…get ready for this…he told me about a new custom made 5 string he had made in Germany and sent to him! Me: How much? Him: Free. Me. No. He then says that because him and Joe (bass player from another Australian band, Grinspoon) are the only ‘A’ grade Warwick endorsees in Australia, and he (Damo, not Joe) is the only full bass & amp Warwick user (Joe uses Eden), so they’re *very* nice to him!! And damn straight – free custom made basses! At this point, my jaw is in pain from dropping to the floor so many times. So then he suggests that I should change to Warwick, since they’re really keen on rock bands like 28 Days, or Grinspoon and since don’t have very many A grade endorsing artists at all are kind of, well, ‘looking’ may not be the right word, but you get the idea! And just to almost seal the deal, he says that they’re really keen about getting a 6 string player on board! So I was just like ‘ohmygodwheredoisign’! So he said to check them out, give them a call, since he got his endorsement to A grade even before their band got big! The only catch (and hardly a catch) is that I’m kind of endorsing Eden, and I say kind of because I never actually signed a contract – when I headed down to make my first discounted purchase, they hadn’t had a contract ready, but of-course being the gentlemen they were, still let me take some gear for a nice price, and to this day, I still haven’t signed anything (even if I did, the contract would be about a year, which is another 3 or 4 months)! Although of-course, you could say it was a verbal agreement, or that the discounted sale can be interpreted as signing a contract…but as if we’ll ever go to court on this. Besides, I’m in no hurry, I have a nice Eden rig, and a nice bass….however, I actually have been wanting a more ‘replaceable’ bass (like, for example a Warwick!), since I’d be terrified if anything happened to my 2nd hand found-by-freak-chance Tune 6 string! And free custom made basses….!!! :-D:-D He also said he was about to receive one of the new Warwick electric uprights…..! — Kristoff Lajoie Electric Bassist www.kristoff.4t.com www.brockdowney.com
Response:
Hey Kris, give me a buzz, I can pass the numbers onto you for the guys who do Warwick. But IMHO stick with the Eden. I’ve been searching for a new speaker box and done an AB with the eden and warwicks. The Eden s**ts on the warwick for sound! If you really want you can grab my rig to try when I get a new box. I’m going to try and sell it anyway. I had more to say, but forgot… call me 
…oh, one thing, have you tried the Lab Systems? They’re Aussie made amps and boxes and the cabs sound similar to the Edens…. Scott I don’t know if this post is a question, or a story, or a proposition, or what it is…well, anyway, here it goes, make of it what you will, but it made me very excited in all the wrong ways…. So last night my band was headlining a gig at a pretty cool venue (for those of you playing at home, it was The Gershwin room at The Espy, St. Kilda), and so a friend of mine, Damo who’s the bass player in Australian band ‘28 Days’ (you may, or may not have heard of them, but they’re doing kinda well) came down and after the show we were talking about bass gear (as we always do), and he knows I’m endorsing Eden stuff, and he’s currently endorsing Warwick basses and amps, and I asked him about his bands latest video clip. In it, they have basically a wall of Marshall stacks, with walls of Warwick quadboxes on either side of this central Marshall stack, needless to say, there were quite a few quadies up there! My guess is that were possible around 20 Warwick 411 pro cabs!! Now, knowing for a fact that Eden have one 410 they lend out for big touring acts, and they probably have, maybe 5 or 6 other 410xlt’s at most in their warehouse, AND that they charge for their endorsees to hire out gear, I had to ask Damo ‘where the hell did all those Warwick boxes come from??’ and he says to me ‘they just give them to me!’ and so I’m like ‘no shit!’ So anyway, conversation ensues, and he tells me how good Warwick are to him – for gigs, he’ll usually just give them a call and THEY will DELIVER four quadboxes to whatever venue they’re playing at - oh no, you don’t have to go and pick them up! And there’s no charge either! Of-course amps and cases included for all… He also tells me how he gets all his Warwick corvettes for free, and…get ready for this…he told me about a new custom made 5 string he had made in Germany and sent to him! Me: How much? Him: Free. Me. No. He then says that because him and Joe (bass player from another Australian band, Grinspoon) are the only ‘A’ grade Warwick endorsees in Australia, and he (Damo, not Joe) is the only full bass & amp Warwick user (Joe uses Eden), so they’re *very* nice to him!! And damn straight – free custom made basses! At this point, my jaw is in pain from dropping to the floor so many times. So then he suggests that I should change to Warwick, since they’re really keen on rock bands like 28 Days, or Grinspoon and since don’t have very many A grade endorsing artists at all are kind of, well, ‘looking’ may not be the right word, but you get the idea! And just to almost seal the deal, he says that they’re really keen about getting a 6 string player on board! So I was just like ‘ohmygodwheredoisign’! So he said to check them out, give them a call, since he got his endorsement to A grade even before their band got big! The only catch (and hardly a catch) is that I’m kind of endorsing Eden, and I say kind of because I never actually signed a contract – when I headed down to make my first discounted purchase, they hadn’t had a contract ready, but of-course being the gentlemen they were, still let me take some gear for a nice price, and to this day, I still haven’t signed anything (even if I did, the contract would be about a year, which is another 3 or 4 months)! Although of-course, you could say it was a verbal agreement, or that the discounted sale can be interpreted as signing a contract…but as if we’ll ever go to court on this. Besides, I’m in no hurry, I have a nice Eden rig, and a nice bass….however, I actually have been wanting a more ‘replaceable’ bass (like, for example a Warwick!), since I’d be terrified if anything happened to my 2nd hand found-by-freak-chance Tune 6 string! And free custom made basses….!!! :-D:-D He also said he was about to receive one of the new Warwick electric uprights…..! — Kristoff Lajoie Electric Bassist www.kristoff.4t.com www.brockdowney.com
Response:
Of-course, I feel bad leaving Eden in such a hurry, besides I’ve already invested in such a nice setup! I’m in no hurry to receive free custom made basses yet, I just don’t feel….worthy! Besides, I can’t think of a way to write ‘hey, I heard you gave this guy some free stuff, and I want some free stuff to, so can you give me some? And I don’t want a discount, just free stuff – if I have to pay, I’m not interested!’ 
— Kristoff Lajoie Electric Bassist www.kristoff.4t.com www.brockdowney.com
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> <snip> > It is a legal and ethical dilemma. > The legal part is simple: does the municipality of Australia you are > in recognize oral agreements in these situations. My area (Akron, OH) > does. Of course, then there is the ethical dilemma: do you want to be > known as someone who is a front-runner, etc. and whose word is not his > bond? > I have done a lot of things, but I make sure that no one can walk > around town and say I shafted them in business. > Plus, you posted here for the world to see. You are stuck with Eden, > unless you want a tainted rep.
Response:
> <snip> > It is a legal and ethical dilemma. > The legal part is simple: does the municipality of Australia you are > in recognize oral agreements in these situations. My area (Akron, OH) > does. Of course, then there is the ethical dilemma: do you want to be > known as someone who is a front-runner, etc. and whose word is not his > bond? > I have done a lot of things, but I make sure that no one can walk > around town and say I shafted them in business. > Plus, you posted here for the world to see. You are stuck with Eden, > unless you want a tainted rep.
It is all about money with the studios. It is all about money with the distributors. It is all about money with the manufacturers, but as soon as someone tries to look out for himself, the musician, it suddenly becomes an ethical issue? Whatever happened to the old business ethos of, "The highest bidder wins"? I am not suggesting breaking binding written contracts, but from his description, that does not exist. I am not suggesting the breaking of an oral contract that costs the manufacturer money other than potential profits. Profits they earn without paying the band in real terms. Terminating an oral contract that offers a musician/band a discount on musical equipment, equipment that they sell to retailers at probably the same price or less than what they will sell to the band, is not really breaking a contract of merit, IMO. Who suffered a loss upon its termination? No one. The manufacturer might suffer a loss of anticipated revenues because the deal screwing the musicians out of their services was terminated. That really makes my heart bleed. Ed Cregger
Response:
> Of-course, I feel bad leaving Eden in such a hurry, besides I’ve already > invested in such a nice setup! I’m in no hurry to receive free custom made > basses yet, I just don’t feel….worthy!
My lead guitarist brother and I felt the same way. We spent hours fighting about the band’s future and its direction. I am not shy. I am not hesitant to strive for more. While being one of the best guitarists (bass too) that I have ever heard play, he had this overwhelming sense of humility that manifested itself just as you have described. Ever heard of an ass-kicking rock band named Mudcat from the seventies? No? Well, now you know why. Get some therapy and lose that attitude! 8>) Ed Cregger – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Besides, I can’t think of a way to write ‘hey, I heard you gave this guy > some free stuff, and I want some free stuff to, so can you give me some? > And > I don’t want a discount, just free stuff – if I have to pay, I’m not > interested!’ > — > Kristoff Lajoie > Electric Bassist > www.kristoff.4t.com > www.brockdowney.com > <snip> > It is a legal and ethical dilemma. > The legal part is simple: does the municipality of Australia you are > in recognize oral agreements in these situations. My area (Akron, OH) > does. Of course, then there is the ethical dilemma: do you want to be > known as someone who is a front-runner, etc. and whose word is not his > bond? > I have done a lot of things, but I make sure that no one can walk > around town and say I shafted them in business. > Plus, you posted here for the world to see. You are stuck with Eden, > unless you want a tainted rep.
Response:
<snip> It is a legal and ethical dilemma. The legal part is simple: does the municipality of Australia you are in recognize oral agreements in these situations. My area (Akron, OH) does. Of course, then there is the ethical dilemma: do you want to be known as someone who is a front-runner, etc. and whose word is not his bond? I have done a lot of things, but I make sure that no one can walk around town and say I shafted them in business. Plus, you posted here for the world to see. You are stuck with Eden, unless you want a tainted rep.
Response:
From my experience, it seems people usually offer a proposal as in an artist will write an email to the distributor saying ‘hi, I’m me, I’m playing in this band, we have this/these release/s we’re playing these gigs with this many people this often’, and then, well it’s all up to the distributor! — Kristoff Lajoie Electric Bassist www.kristoff.4t.com www.brockdowney.com Hi Kristoff, Just read the post, and yep it’s a story that does lead to some questions.. How does anyone, who hasn’t made it big time.. actually get to be an endorser? Seems to me that while doing shows and concerts generates lots of PR for both the artist and brand name, there seems to be a chicken and egg situation.. do you identify yourself to the manufacturers? offer a proposal, or is it getting in front of them and struttin your stuff? Danny I don’t know if this post is a question, or a story, or a proposition, or what it is…well, anyway, here it goes, make of it what you will, but it made me very excited in all the wrong ways…. So last night my band was headlining a gig at a pretty cool venue (for those of you playing at home, it was The Gershwin room at The Espy, St. Kilda), and so a friend of mine, Damo who’s the bass player in Australian band ‘28 Days’ (you may, or may not have heard of them, but they’re doing kinda well) came down and after the show we were talking about bass gear (as we always do), and he knows I’m endorsing Eden stuff, and he’s currently endorsing Warwick basses and amps, and I asked him about his bands latest video clip. In it, they have basically a wall of Marshall stacks, with walls of Warwick quadboxes on either side of this central Marshall stack, needless to say, there were quite a few quadies up there! My guess is that were possible around 20 Warwick 411 pro cabs!! Now, knowing for a fact that Eden have one 410 they lend out for big touring acts, and they probably have, maybe 5 or 6 other 410xlt’s at most in their warehouse, AND that they charge for their endorsees to hire out gear, I had to ask Damo ‘where the hell did all those Warwick boxes come from??’ and he says to me ‘they just give them to me!’ and so I’m like ‘no shit!’ So anyway, conversation ensues, and he tells me how good Warwick are to him – for gigs, he’ll usually just give them a call and THEY will DELIVER four quadboxes to whatever venue they’re playing at - oh no, you don’t have to go and pick them up! And there’s no charge either! Of-course amps and cases included for all… He also tells me how he gets all his Warwick corvettes for free, and…get ready for this…he told me about a new custom made 5 string he had made in Germany and sent to him! Me: How much? Him: Free. Me. No. He then says that because him and Joe (bass player from another Australian band, Grinspoon) are the only ‘A’ grade Warwick endorsees in Australia, and he (Damo, not Joe) is the only full bass & amp Warwick user (Joe uses Eden), so they’re *very* nice to him!! And damn straight – free custom made basses! At this point, my jaw is in pain from dropping to the floor so many times. So then he suggests that I should change to Warwick, since they’re really keen on rock bands like 28 Days, or Grinspoon and since don’t have very many A grade endorsing artists at all are kind of, well, ‘looking’ may not be the right word, but you get the idea! And just to almost seal the deal, he says that they’re really keen about getting a 6 string player on board! So I was just like ‘ohmygodwheredoisign’! So he said to check them out, give them a call, since he got his endorsement to A grade even before their band got big! The only catch (and hardly a catch) is that I’m kind of endorsing Eden, and I say kind of because I never actually signed a contract – when I headed down to make my first discounted purchase, they hadn’t had a contract ready, but of-course being the gentlemen they were, still let me take some gear for a nice price, and to this day, I still haven’t signed anything (even if I did, the contract would be about a year, which is another 3 or 4 months)! Although of-course, you could say it was a verbal agreement, or that the discounted sale can be interpreted as signing a contract…but as if we’ll ever go to court on this. Besides, I’m in no hurry, I have a nice Eden rig, and a nice bass….however, I actually have been wanting a more ‘replaceable’ bass (like, for example a Warwick!), since I’d be terrified if anything happened to my 2nd hand found-by-freak-chance Tune 6 string! And free custom made basses….!!! :-D:-D He also said he was about to receive one of the new Warwick electric uprights…..! — Kristoff Lajoie Electric Bassist www.kristoff.4t.com www.brockdowney.com
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