Covering up bass drum logo

[wy yung]

If you aren't compensating me for my advertising space, I'm not sticking your logo on my kit.

I usually remove logos from cymbals as soon as I get them home. Check these out.

If you see a cymbal of mine with a logo, chances are I've not had time to remove it yet.

 

[bobdadruma]

I like the logos on the bass heads of my kits. Im proud of the brands of kits that I have selected. I like the gloss black heads the best. We didn't have them when I was younger. I like the way that they reflect the light when the bass reso flexes!
Im also proud of my cymbals, I leave the logos on them also.
I feel like Andy Rooney as Im writing this!

 

[boomstick]

Logos on drum gear are a major pet peeve of mine, because they are often disproportionately huge. I removed my bass head logo, as well as the logos on my cymbals. I left the badges on the drums though, because those are reasonably sized.

It's odd how people have become accustomed to corporate logos on certain items. I mean, who would buy a kitchen table or a couch with a big manufacturer's logo front and center? Who would wear a business suit with a big logo across the back? Then there are other things that do have logos, but they are reasonably sized. Everyone's car has a badge somewhere. but can you imagine if the logo was proportionally as large as those on cymbals? Cymbal logos sometimes cover nearly half of the surface. Can you imagine a big HONDA or FORD covering half the surface of your car? I sure wouldn't want that, so why should I accept it on my drum gear?

If I were to get an endorsement, or even a deep discount on the purchase price, I'd be glad to display the logos on my drum gear. But since that isn't happening, away they go!

 

[Big_Philly]

That is why the logos are there and all over cymbals, heads and sticks; it is a very subtle form of free advertising for the manufacturer.

I don't think it's very subtle...

I stand behind the gear I bought. However, I generally find logo's on kick resonant heads to be ugly. There's a small remo logo on mine, pretty hard to distinguish unless you already know the brand. I can't be bothered to remove it (I'm also not sure how).
I'd be willing to have bigger logo's on my heads if I were endorsed though.

 

[drumr0]

I like the logos on the bass heads of my kits. Im proud of the brands of kits that I have selected. I like the gloss black heads the best. We didn't have them when I was younger. I like the way that they reflect the light when the bass reso flexes!
Im also proud of my cymbals, I leave the logos on them also.
I feel like Andy Rooney as Im writing this!

I agree with bob. I am also proud of my equipment and it doesn't bother me to have the logos on there. I love my DW drums, my Sabian and Paiste cymbals, and my Evans heads.

I have a 1995 Chevy truck and there are at least 8 places that the Chevy emblem or word is displayed including a huge one on the tailgate.

My whole point of this thread is that it doesn't matter what they are trying to cover up. Someone who is into that equipment, whether it is musical gear, automobiles, or whatever will figure out what brand it is whether the emblem or logo is taped up or not.

 

[eddiehimself]

Logos on drum gear are a major pet peeve of mine, because they are often disproportionately huge. I removed my bass head logo, as well as the logos on my cymbals. I left the badges on the drums though, because those are reasonably sized.

It's odd how people have become accustomed to corporate logos on certain items. I mean, who would buy a kitchen table or a couch with a big manufacturer's logo front and center? Who would wear a business suit with a big logo across the back? Then there are other things that do have logos, but they are reasonably sized. Everyone's car has a badge somewhere. but can you imagine if the logo was proportionally as large as those on cymbals? Cymbal logos sometimes cover nearly half of the surface. Can you imagine a big HONDA or FORD covering half the surface of your car? I sure wouldn't want that, so why should I accept it on my drum gear?

If I were to get an endorsement, or even a deep discount on the purchase price, I'd be glad to display the logos on my drum gear. But since that isn't happening, away they go!

Have you ever seen a ford pick up truck on the back?

No offense or anything but seriously i do think you are possibly flattering yourselves a bit here saying "i should be paid an endorsement for having a big logo on my cymbal" I mean why? They have no idea whether you're a top drummer who plays in front of thousands of people or whether you just play your drums in the bedroom all day. The fact is that 99% of drummers are never going to be respected enough or play in front of big enough crowds to ever make anyone go "hey, that guy uses X cymbals, i'm going to use those as well!" So y'know i don't see why you're expecting some sort of endorsement deal like you're a professional.

 

[boomstick]

Have you ever seen a ford pick up truck on the back?

Those tailgate logos on pickups are obnoxious, but they are an exception to the rule. I think they are also largely a relic of the past. I don't see many (any?) new pickups with those giant logos on them. For example:

http://www.fordvehicles.com/assets/images/vehicle/gallery/page/f1510_pg_016_ext_lg.jpg
http://www.fordvehicles.com/assets/images/vehicle/gallery/page/f1510_pg_002_ext_lg.jpg

Makes me wonder why they stopped doing it. Though, if I had to guess, I'd say it's because people don't like giant logos on their trucks. Also, even those old tailgate logos still don't compare to cymbal logos proportionately. In terms of how much surface area is covered, I think you would have to cover the entire hood of the pickup with a logo to be comparable to a lot of the cymbal logos these days. At any rate, the vast majority of passenger vehicles are not branded with humongous logos. On the other hand, giant logos on cymbals and bass heads are the norm.

No offense or anything but seriously i do think you are possibly flattering yourselves a bit here saying "i should be paid an endorsement for having a big logo on my cymbal" I mean why? They have no idea whether you're a top drummer who plays in front of thousands of people or whether you just play your drums in the bedroom all day. The fact is that 99% of drummers are never going to be respected enough or play in front of big enough crowds to ever make anyone go "hey, that guy uses X cymbals, i'm going to use those as well!" So y'know i don't see why you're expecting some sort of endorsement deal like you're a professional.

At least do me the courtesy of addressing what I actually said. I did not say I "should" get an endorsement deal, nor did I say I am "expecting" an endorsement deal. I said if I got an endorsement deal, or at least a discount on the purchase price of the gear, then I would display the logo. It was a hypothetical point, to illustrate the only way I would accept big logos on my gear.

Now, if big logos on my gear has no value for the company, as you have implied, then why did they go through the extra trouble and expense of putting them there in the first place? The truth is, it does have value to them. It is part of a business model that has been replicated many times over across many different industries. Do a little research on "brand" or "corporate branding" and you will see what I mean.

 

[bobdadruma]

The best thing about logos is that if you don't like or want them, you can remove them!
To each their own. There is no right or wrong answer. Certainly nothing worth arguing about!

I like the big bow tie logo on the grill of my Chevy truck also!
I wear a Guinness beer hat at gigs a lot. I like the beer, I wear the hat! Thats my choice! People often compliment my hat and a conversation ensues. I meet new friends!
I don't feel slighted that I am not endorsed by the manufacturers of the products whose logos I display.
No one has ever commented on my Gretsch, Zildjian, Paiste, or Pearl logos at gigs! People don't seem to care or notice!

 

[boomstick]

The best thing about logos is that if you don't like or want them, you can remove them!

Not always. I used to have a mountain bike that had a ridiculous amount of logos on it. For some reason, they thought it necessary to put the company logo on the top tube, the down tube, the seat tube, the head tube, on each side of the front forks, on the handlebars, and on the seat! The frame stickers were underneath the clearcoat, so they were staying there unless I had the bike repainted. And that brings me to my second complaint about logos: They can really uglify your possessions!

 

[bobdadruma]

Not always. I used to have a mountain bike that had a ridiculous amount of logos on it. For some reason, they thought it necessary to put the company logo on the top tube, the down tube, the seat tube, the head tube, on each side of the front forks, on the handlebars, and on the seat! The frame stickers were underneath the clearcoat, so they were staying there unless I had the bike repainted. And that brings me to my second complaint about logos: They can really uglify your possessions!

Your right! That is carrying things to far! I was speaking of one logo on a bass head or a cymbal.

 

[Pocket-full-of-gold]

The fact is that 99% of drummers are never going to be respected enough or play in front of big enough crowds to ever make anyone go "hey, that guy uses X cymbals, i'm going to use those as well!"

True, but 'brand recognition' is a powerful tool. People are unlikely to rush out and buy a kit based on the fact a little known local drummer may be playing them. But they'll be aware that Pearl, DW, Sonor exist and are available to be bought.

Not everyone who attends a sporting event drinks alcohol, yet there's never a shortage of grog signage other grog advertising and 'branding' at sporting events....the BRAND is out there and if enough people see it, it will result in sales....diff. example but same principle.

Now, if big logos on my gear has no value for the company, as you have implied, then why did they go through the extra trouble and expense of putting them there in the first place? The truth is, it does have value to them. It is part of a business model that has been replicated many times over across many different industries. Do a little research on "brand" or "corporate branding" and you will see what I mean.

Correct. It works....it's been proven time and time again. There really is no argument here. Leading companies like Coca-Cola and McDonalds wouldn't spend billions on advertising strategies if it didn't work. Clearly their efforts result in sales.

In fact it works TOO well. Why do fast food advertisements always appear at meal times? There are calls by health organisations to have this type of media saturation reduced at these times. Cigarette companies (at least in this country) are banned from advertising altogether. What about the furore when Coke used subliminal advertising by flashing "BUY COKE" for less than a second in movie theatres, back in the day??

Clearly advertising works, whether it be a sky writer at a sporting event, a TV ad campaign....or a logo on your bass drum head.

 

[boomstick]

Your right! That is carrying things to far! I was speaking of one logo on a bass head or a cymbal.

Yes, that was an extreme example, but it was actually the tipping point which really turned me off with regard to logos. Again, for drum logos, it's the size that bothers me more than anything. Badges are fine. Bass head logos are too big, but at least they are easy to replace. It's the cymbal logos that I really dislike, and it mainly has to do with size. They have gotten bigger over the years. I love my A Custom crashes, but they both have a large "Avedis Zildjian" and a large "A Custom" logo on top, and a large "Zildjian" on the bottom...at least they used to, before I removed them. So, it is possible to remove them, but it does take some work. The thing is though, if they had just put one reasonably sized Zildjian logo on them, I probably would have left them on.

 

[jwildman]

I know man. Whenever I see a live show video or a music video I have like a scavenger hunt to find out what he plays. For example, I saw a children of bodom video and the drummer plays Pearl Drums, Remo Heads and Meinel Cymbals.

 

[elpol]

There's definitely a personal choice element here. Some of us like to wear what we play proudly, and others couldn't care less...

I've had endorsements (I've allowed to lapse). Recently, when playing on a TV show, backline supplied Yamaha gear for me (not uncommon). I really didn't feel like giving Yamaha the free advertising, plus I'd forgot to bring the removable band logo, and I had the logo covered up. It's doubtful anybody even noticed, and it satisfied my desire not to advertise.

fwiw, on my gear rider, I don't specify any one drum co. anymore, just examples of what I deem acceptable.

in addition to amplifiers and some keyboard brands, Bass-reso head logos are just a wee bit too big for my taste. Drums don't really have an iconic, brand or style identifying shape that helps the viewer to identify if not the brand, then the 'style'. i.e. Fender Strat or Tele body. Gibson Les Paul; even less widely known brands have some visual identity, i.e. Godin Guitars, Chapman Stick, Steinberger, even Takamine/Ovation guitars. Drum Lugs do serve this purpose, except that their size makes them more difficult to decipher when viewed on stage or on TV (Big screen tv's aren't fair...)

 

[boomstick]

One more point I'd like to add: It costs a lot of money to design logos and place them on products. So, how it this expense covered? It is included in the cost of manufacturing, which is used to determine the retail price of the product. So, you, the consumer, are actually paying to have these logos added to your gear by way of a higher retail price. We are paying extra for something which does not improve the product whatsoever, it only serves to boost sales for the company that manufactured it. So, these logos really add insult to injury: Consumers are providing advertising for these companies, and they are actually paying these companies to do so. It should be the other way around.

 

[mrchattr]

One more point I'd like to add: It costs a lot of money to design logos and place them on products. So, how it this expense covered? It is included in the cost of manufacturing, which is used to determine the retail price of the product. So, you, the consumer, are actually paying to have these logos added to your gear by way of a higher retail price. We are paying extra for something which does not improve the product whatsoever, it only serves to boost sales for the company that manufactured it. So, these logos really add insult to injury: Consumers are providing advertising for these companies, and they are actually paying these companies to do so. It should be the other way around.

This is not really true. Companies are going to design logos, etc, anyway, for places other than placed on their products. Any company/new line/etc will have their own logos designed for advertising purposes, etc. The cost of putting a logo on a product is almost non-existant...only the slight price of the ink.

 

[Skitch]

I like the logos on the bass heads of my kits. Im proud of the brands of kits that I have selected. I like the gloss black heads the best. We didn't have them when I was younger. I like the way that they reflect the light when the bass reso flexes!
Im also proud of my cymbals, I leave the logos on them also.
I feel like Andy Rooney as Im writing this!

LOL!


Just don't start looking like Andy!

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com
http://www.patentcoachmike.com
http://www.youtube.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.myspace.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.facebook.com/mike.mccraw
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemccraw
http://twitter.com/mikemccraw

 

[Skitch]

There's definitely a personal choice element here. Some of us like to wear what we play proudly, and others couldn't care less...

I've had endorsements (I've allowed to lapse). Recently, when playing on a TV show, backline supplied Yamaha gear for me (not uncommon). I really didn't feel like giving Yamaha the free advertising, plus I'd forgot to bring the removable band logo, and I had the logo covered up. It's doubtful anybody even noticed, and it satisfied my desire not to advertise.

fwiw, on my gear rider, I don't specify any one drum co. anymore, just examples of what I deem acceptable.

in addition to amplifiers and some keyboard brands, Bass-reso head logos are just a wee bit too big for my taste. Drums don't really have an iconic, brand or style identifying shape that helps the viewer to identify if not the brand, then the 'style'. i.e. Fender Strat or Tele body. Gibson Les Paul; even less widely known brands have some visual identity, i.e. Godin Guitars, Chapman Stick, Steinberger, even Takamine/Ovation guitars. Drum Lugs do serve this purpose, except that their size makes them more difficult to decipher when viewed on stage or on TV (Big screen tv's aren't fair...)

For my purposes, if the backline kit is quality and set up, I don't care....it sounds great as I am headed to the hotel room while the crew is taking it apart!

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com
http://www.patentcoachmike.com
http://www.youtube.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.myspace.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.facebook.com/mike.mccraw
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemccraw
http://twitter.com/mikemccraw

 

[Skitch]

Yes, that was an extreme example, but it was actually the tipping point which really turned me off with regard to logos. Again, for drum logos, it's the size that bothers me more than anything. Badges are fine. Bass head logos are too big, but at least they are easy to replace. It's the cymbal logos that I really dislike, and it mainly has to do with size. They have gotten bigger over the years. I love my A Custom crashes, but they both have a large "Avedis Zildjian" and a large "A Custom" logo on top, and a large "Zildjian" on the bottom...at least they used to, before I removed them. So, it is possible to remove them, but it does take some work. The thing is though, if they had just put one reasonably sized Zildjian logo on them, I probably would have left them on.

Back in the 70s and early 80s, you would have been in heaven! The logos were hollow on the bottom and just the model name was inked on top.

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com
http://www.patentcoachmike.com
http://www.youtube.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.myspace.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.facebook.com/mike.mccraw
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemccraw
http://twitter.com/mikemccraw

 

[eddiehimself]

At least do me the courtesy of addressing what I actually said. I did not say I "should" get an endorsement deal, nor did I say I am "expecting" an endorsement deal. I said if I got an endorsement deal, or at least a discount on the purchase price of the gear, then I would display the logo. It was a hypothetical point, to illustrate the only way I would accept big logos on my gear.

Now, if big logos on my gear has no value for the company, as you have implied, then why did they go through the extra trouble and expense of putting them there in the first place? The truth is, it does have value to them. It is part of a business model that has been replicated many times over across many different industries. Do a little research on "brand" or "corporate branding" and you will see what I mean.

Well it looked to me like that's what you were saying. About the ford thing, if you actually scaled down the logos so they were the same size as on a car as you seem to be suggesting if you had a 6" splash then the lettering would be practically microscopic! I still don't think this whole "ball game" idea works out because it's still pretty difficult to see the logos at a gig and most people probably won't notice them. Besides what if someone actually liked the sound of the cymbal you were playing and they couldn't see what brand it was? They'd have to go ask you or they wouldn't be able to get one.

So is it that you don't like the logos aesthetically or you have this sort of left wing marksist anti corporate view against all the cymbal companies? Because i think that's slightly unfair. For a start the thing you thought about having to pay for their advertising is not true because it doesn't cost the company much at all per cymbal to silk screen a logo whether it's 2 or 10 inches big.
Do you not want to support the cymbal companies at all? Do you not want to help them out for making such good cymbals or is it all a matter of you being paid? Well whatever i really don't mind the logos or displaying what brands i have on them. Maybe i am advertising but then again if someone really likes the sound of my drum gear and that makes them decide to buy it because they can see what logo it is then surley that can only be a good thing?

Also you should look at TRX cymbals as they usually have pretty small logos on them:

would that suit you if they were that size?