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Are "signed" Gibsons (by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame members) really more valuable?


Sheepdog1969

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I have a 1987 Gibson SG that is signed by Robby Krieger of The Doors. It's providence is documented, so there is no concern of the signature or the guitar being counterfeit. Robby is a R&R Hall of Fame member, is credited for writing many of The Doors greatest hits, and is known Worldwide. I simply wonder how one can estimate the "value" of a guitar signed by such an artist? 

https://imgur.com/WLcAqBl

https://imgur.com/suleckY

 

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How much did Gilmour’s guitars go for at auction? Lots. How much did Cobain’s D-18 go for. A heap ton of cash too, and that’s what people paid for them. But those guitars were owned and played by them. Yours is your guitar with his sig  on it. That may be the difference.

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Most, if not all, guitar buyers will dismiss the signature as irrelevant, because for a guitar buyer it is.

Most, if not all, Doors/Krieger buyers will buy it, but the value of it as a guitar is lost on them, that's why most signed guitars go for lots less than most guitar sellers would like to think they are worth.

rct

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Hi Sheepdog,

I had 2 Custom Shop Robin Trower Strats signed by Robin Trower. One was a very rare Bridge of Sighs model, only 150 made and the other was a regular Custom Shop Robin Trower. I also had 2 IBM (Ice Blue Metallic) Strats with Blue painted headstocks that were signed by Eric Johnson. One was a '57 reissue with maple fretboard and the other was a '62 reissue with rosewood board. They were part of a run by the new defunct Mars Music chain in 2001 and only 75 of each were made. When I sold them I got top dollar because they were rare and in pristine, collector quality condition. Not one of the 4 buyers ever mentioned the signatures as a reason to buy.

 

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5 hours ago, JO'C said:

Hi Sheepdog,

I had 2 Custom Shop Robin Trower Strats signed by Robin Trower. One was a very rare Bridge of Sighs model, only 150 made and the other was a regular Custom Shop Robin Trower. I also had 2 IBM (Ice Blue Metallic) Strats with Blue painted headstocks that were signed by Eric Johnson. One was a '57 reissue with maple fretboard and the other was a '62 reissue with rosewood board. They were part of a run by the new defunct Mars Music chain in 2001 and only 75 of each were made. When I sold them I got top dollar because they were rare and in pristine, collector quality condition. Not one of the 4 buyers ever mentioned the signatures as a reason to buy.

 

I thought as much Honestly, I never sell property, guns, or instruments. I just wanted to make sure that my choice to play it, as I do, wasn't selfish or foolish. (It plays to well to just sit in a case.)

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5 hours ago, rct said:

Most, if not all, guitar buyers will dismiss the signature as irrelevant, because for a guitar buyer it is.

Most, if not all, Doors/Krieger buyers will buy it, but the value of it as a guitar is lost on them, that's why most signed guitars go for lots less than most guitar sellers would like to think they are worth.

rct

Some people buy exceptional guitars based on how the guitar plays. Others see them as art, and hang them on a wall rather than playing them. If my instruments ever leave my family, after I die, they better go to musicians, not art collectors! Thanks for confirming this for me!

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George Harrison’s 58 Les Paul that was used as a trade to get Lucy back has a starting bid of $312,000.00 (with Buyers fee). And it’s a Guitar that they say Harrison more than likely never saw or played!

So it depends.

Did Robby play this Guitar on “Light My Fire”? Or something like that? That might make it significant enough to warrant big Bucks?

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He's not talking about a limited run or an artist's personal guitar, he's talking about an autographed one.

To me, no.  It would keep me from buying it unless it can be wiped off with lighter fluid.

Erik Buell was signing motorcycles at an event, I had him sign mine but it was more of a commemoration of an event than anything else.  

Edited by SteveFord
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24 minutes ago, SteveFord said:

He's not talking about a limited run or an artist's personal guitar, he's talking about an autographed one.

To me, no.  It would keep me from buying it unless it can be wiped off with lighter fluid.

Erik Buell was signing motorcycles at an event, I had him sign mine but it was more of a commemoration of an event than anything else.  

You should have had him sign Lucille. Instantly a 20k guitar.

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Here's the way I see it. 

It appears that a signature of a famous artist doesn't increase the monetary value of an instrument. It also seems to be a matter of opinion or preference as to whether someone likes the presence of a signature. For me, the only way it would have any sentimental value would be if I personally met an artist I admire and they signed my guitar for me. Something like that would represent a personal memory I would want to cherish. But just owning a guitar that was previously signed by someone doesn't have much interest to me. Now if I liked the guitar otherwise as an instrument and was considering purchasing it to play, a signature wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

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33 minutes ago, Shannon Redd said:

Now, if it was Slash's Jessica LP  ,signed , Ok,now that guitar was used by him , the 1988 I think was the year, which was a factory second, I watched the Gibson tv on slash ,s guitar collection, which if you haven't seen it it's worth the time, Now  story time, of you be heard of the Ibanez chrome boy , joe satch guitar, he was going around signing them and people where adding thousands to the price , cause they were signed, my favourite was that pawn stars' episode where that guy was trying to sell that 100 $ Strat ,for 3200 $ with the chuck berry signed pick guard, Rick told him that chuck sign thousands of them , so he could make money off the signatures, so the signatures was only worth few 100$.lol

Who in the fuk who knows anything about Chuck, guitars, and music would want Chuck's signature on a Strat?

Edited by Sgt. Pepper
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9 minutes ago, Whitefang said:

Since Robby's  still alive and able to sign things then the value of his signature on your guitar diminishes with each signature he scribbles on anything else.

Whitefang

Since Chuck is not, does the value of his signature go up on the $100 Strat?

Edited by Sgt. Pepper
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5 hours ago, Shannon Redd said:

Yeah if you get a chance look up on YouTube it's pretty interesting video I think it's titled John 5 plays the planet Hollywood guitar collection, anyway the videos about John 5 sits there with the guy from planet Hollywood or whatever company it is and plays  seven different like iconic rock guitars from like,  Duane allman's telecaster,Paul Stanley Washburn, to Jason Becker's guitar to some other ones in there from the planet Hollywood vault.

When I think guitars I always think Planet Hollywood. Is that place even around anymore?

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Getting in on this discussion late, but while signed Gibsons (or any other guitar brand for thst matter) are undoubtedly valuable to some folks, they are not worth any more to me than plain, old models of the same instruments.

As an amateur musician, I have never considered musical instruments to be investments, or anything other than tools that produce musical sounds. Nothing more.

To acquire a guitar owned or played or signed by any famous musician is not anything I'd waste five minutes, or five dollars doing.

RBSinTo

 

 

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