I dunno - maybe Scott Richardson Valenzuela wants to carve his initials into an old strat - who's to stop him?
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Carving initials into bass
- Thread starter Chicken Wing
- Start date
If you are concerned about theft, have an RFID chip installed in the pickup or electronics cavity. Simple, affordable, and no question about how it got there or who the proper owner is.
Drop another one in your forehead and the band will be able to find you after a long after gig party!
Drop another one in your forehead and the band will be able to find you after a long after gig party!
To make your subterfuge successful, you might want to carve James Jamerson in the instrument. Jameson is Irish whiskey. Which might work also, but to a different crowd...
I think I know what you're getting at, in as much as finding old items with an unknown person's personal touch can fire up the imagination. I've enjoyed finding names and phone numbers written into old LPs, for example. The best of these being some kid writing his name on a sci-fi narrative record with the address "Earth."
I think it's well-clarified that you're not contemplating scratching your initials on a valuable vintage bass, but wondering about folks who may have come across mysterious or historical inscriptions. My first upright bass had evidence of several initial-carvers; it was probably a school instrument at some point. My current upright bass has the last name of the previous owner chalked on the back of the tailpiece (It now also has my name (misspelled), both courtesy of the shop where the bass was purchased and subsequently maintained). I was able to find him via facebook and update him on the life of the instrument as well as glean a bit more info on its history.
I think it's well-clarified that you're not contemplating scratching your initials on a valuable vintage bass, but wondering about folks who may have come across mysterious or historical inscriptions. My first upright bass had evidence of several initial-carvers; it was probably a school instrument at some point. My current upright bass has the last name of the previous owner chalked on the back of the tailpiece (It now also has my name (misspelled), both courtesy of the shop where the bass was purchased and subsequently maintained). I was able to find him via facebook and update him on the life of the instrument as well as glean a bit more info on its history.
OP here, this is correct. I’m more posting this thread for stories and such. I would never defile a vintage instrument. But if a kid scratched his initials into his bass 60 years ago, and played the hell out of it, it’s a cool story to me.
Superman once sent Mister Mxyzptlk back to the fifth dimension for ninety days by tricking him into carving his name backwards into an old Hamer Slammer.
I’ve done this on gigging instruments. Town where I used to live has issues with gear theft. I heard something that pawn shops have to report items as stolen if the drivers license number doesn’t match.
I once bit into a Pino Custom shop that I owned. The teethmarks fit perfectly with the relic job and would have likely have served as some form of identification in the event of theft. The bass had soft wood… sounded soft too (not my cup of tea it turns out). Im sure the new owner has never even noticed it and likely thinks the Custom shop really captured Pino’s road worn vibes.
I have several friends' names carved into the back of my '79 Pbass. 2 of them are no longer with us. It's just one of the reasons why I probably will never sell it.
I'm a firm believer in the "it's your bass, do what you want" principle. I personally would not do it, and would consider someone else's a reduction in value if I was buying a used instrument. But if it's yours, and you're keeping it, do whatever you like. Just don't expect it to do anything but decrease resale value.
When I got this 70's Fender many, many years ago, it came with some etching on the bridge plate. I'm still not sure what it means. I should've asked the guy I got it from, but by the time I finally took the bridge cover off and found the marks, I'd lost contact with him.
Attachments
Before I received a bass with my name at the 12th fret (Thanks Klar!), as soon as I know an instrument is a keeper, I glue a little frog to the body. You can see one in the pic here, that was the 1st bass that got one. My girlfriend at the time did it 3 weeks after I got the bass. Obviously kinda furious at first, but I kinda dug it, and her placement was perfect. I acted really mad about it for a while, because, well, you know...
Ever since, every keeper has gotten a frog. A few remain un-frogged, but only because I haven't found the right frog. Looking for a super small pewter one to go on the squire franken-P with the Fralins, and a cut wood frog for my other Karl Hoyt, which is zebra wood.
As for initials, I have carved my tag into a certain black beauty with onboard distortion, and some famous toenails hammered to the body under a bottle cap.
IYKYK
Ever since, every keeper has gotten a frog. A few remain un-frogged, but only because I haven't found the right frog. Looking for a super small pewter one to go on the squire franken-P with the Fralins, and a cut wood frog for my other Karl Hoyt, which is zebra wood.
As for initials, I have carved my tag into a certain black beauty with onboard distortion, and some famous toenails hammered to the body under a bottle cap.
IYKYK
I have a 61 Melody Maker gtr with original case lined with LEVIS !! has the kids name a homeroom # written in it , Kinda Cool IMO
