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Do you want your $5k bass signed?

#21
Signed on the back of the head-stock by the builder is great. Don't take that off, it does maintain the value of the bass. But I'd never have anyone sign the front of any of my basses.

Sad when Stuart retired and quit signing headstocks. Just seemed to be not the same thing after all those years.

I have a few signed, but the latest was ordered right during the retirement. And I do miss the signature.

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#22
CaptainWally said:
I've seen a number of very high end instruments that have the builder's or endorsing artist's signature scrawled in sharpee on the back of the head stock.

Do people like that? Does that stuff come off?

To me, it's like a beautiful piece of art with a little ugly graffiti on the edge.
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It makes sense for a builder to sign their work...adds to the authenticity and soul of the bass. Foreign signatures, though? I could go either way, and yes, they actually can come off quite easily, only if the finish is satin or gloss polyester (maybe urethane...same thing?). Anyway, get some auto adhesive remover, which also might be bug remover. I know that the first takes permanent marker off in seconds, or minutes (if it's old).
 
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#24
CaptainWally said:
I see that as a false analogy.

Generally speaking, the "artists" name is already on the front of the head stock in a well-executed manner.

When an artist signs a painting, it has consistency and coherence with the piece.

On the other end of the spectrum, do you want the CEO of Toyota to scrawl a signature across the back of your Camry? Not an apt analogy either, but illustrative nonetheless.
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Why yes.. because it hypothetically means the CEO of Toyota is putting his name behind his product. in Japanese culture it's rather shameful especially if you put your name behind something and the thing breaks. Do you sign your checks and what's the reason for that? You're vouching for the authenticity and validity of what your signature is on. In terms of a bass, as long as it's the builder's and in a discrete spot, I don't see what the problem is. It means he's putting his name behind his creation. Endorsing artists are a different matter, I don't particularly care for having their signature on my instrument. (oh wait, that sounds so wrong)
just my two cents and opinion, no-one's views are "wrong".
 
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#26
Maxdusty said:
Why yes.. because it hypothetically means the CEO of Toyota is putting his name behind his product. in Japanese culture it's rather shameful especially if you put your name behind something and the thing breaks. Do you sign your checks and what's the reason for that? You're vouching for the authenticity and validity of what your signature is on. In terms of a bass, as long as it's the builder's and in a discrete spot, I don't see what the problem is. It means he's putting his name behind his creation.
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Interesting perspective.
 
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#28
CaptainWally said:
Interesting perspective.
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I mean, no-one's perspective is wrong. In a way, the signature in a discrete spot overrides the more impersonal serial number in lending to it's authenticity. I guess I'm old fashioned that way. As I added to my initial comment, I don't feel the same way about endorsing artists' signatures. :) Marcus Miller on a decal on the front of the headstock is absolutely not what I want. Sure it's an inexpensive bass but still....
 
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#31
two fingers said:
On the back of the headstock I actually think it's pretty cool. It's a personal touch in a world of very few personal touches.

Plus, just from a psychological standpoint, I'm not putting my name on ANYTHING that isn't as perfect as I can make it. I have to sign documents when I finish projects at work. I'm not signing my name until it is DONE RIGHT. I imagine Spector and Tobias and others likely feel the same way. So they are holding themselves to a higher standard. For that reason alone, I like it.
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All of this.

When I was a loading supervisor at work, the last thing to be done before every flight departed was to sign a loading instruction report, which was, in fact, a legally-binding document stating the aircraft was loaded and secured as stipulated. You can believe I never signed one of them until I was absolutely sure. That fact of your name being there did a wonderful job of keeping you focused.

Saying that, my little RumbleKat has an Allen Woody sig on the headstock, on the front. Not an actual signature, of course, but printed. I'd just as soon it didn't. It's not like he actually built it. But if I ever did get a custom build done I'd be very happy to have the actual builder sign it.
 
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#32
Huh. I guess I never thought of the builder's signature on the instrument as an assertion and assurance of quality.

My Mesa amp came with a little card with a bunch of little signatures that denoted various inspections. Which is really cool. It would be less cool if there were a bunch of signatures scrawled on the amp itself.
 
#34
Al of my basses are signed by the builder - his initials are on the front of the headstock in Sharpie (black). He's an incredibly responsive builder - it's like he can read my mind, he makes exactly what I want. All of them are "signature basses"; they're one offs specifically designed just for me. I am, besides being the musician, also the builder.

One of the reasons I sign my basses is that I figure a thief is less likely to run off with one of mine, as the "brand" is unrecognizable to them. I also reshape my headstocks so they don't look like the big F - another way of reducing the likelihood of having one walk.

One note about Sharpie on bass finishes. The silver stuff, if you don't clear coat over it, rubs off pretty easily. The black stuff is a little tougher, but it too can be rubbed off - I've tried Sharpie for position markers on my basses - a couple gigs, and its on its way out. The Sharpie I use on my headstocks is the "super permanent" ink variety, and I clear coat over it, so it doesn't get rubbed off.
 
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#36
Oddly said:
When I was a loading supervisor at work, the last thing to be done before every flight departed was to sign a loading instruction report, which was, in fact, a legally-binding document stating the aircraft was loaded and secured as stipulated. You can believe I never signed one of them until I was absolutely sure. That fact of your name being there did a wonderful job of keeping you focused.
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The Russians invented an even better incentive system. When one of their airplanes received significant maintenance, the mechanics that did the work rode on the next flight - it wasn't their signature, but their life on the line, guaranteeing their work quality. Aeroflot had a remarkable turnaround in aircraft safety after they instituted that policy.
 
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#38
micguy said:
Al of my basses are signed by the builder - his initials are on the front of the headstock in sharpie (black). He's an incredibly responsive builder - it's like he can read my mind, he makes exactly what I want. All of them are "signature basses"; they're one offs specifically designed just for me. I am, besides being the musician, also the builder.

One of the reasons I sign my basses is that I figure a thief is less likely to run off with one of mine, as the "brand" is unrecognizable to them. I also reshape my headstocks so they don't look like the big F - another way of reducing the likelihood of having one walk.

One note about Sharpie on bass finishes. The silver stuff, if you don't clear coat over it, rubs off pretty easily. The black stuff is a little tougher, but it too can be rubbed off - I've tried sharpie for position markers on my basses - a couple gigs, and its on its way out. The Sharpie I use on my headstocks is the "super permanent" ink variety, and I clear coat over it, so it doesn't get rubbed off.
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It's a good distinction. If you *like* the signature, it's nice to have the option.

Otherwise, on a $5k instrument, it is, perhaps, a bit presumptuous.
 
#39
micguy said:
The Russians invented an even better incentive system. When one of their airplanes received significant maintenance, the mechanics that did the work rode on the next flight - it wasn't their signature, but their life on the line, guaranteeing their work quality. Aeroflot had a remarkable turnaround in aircraft safety after they instituted that policy.
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In Russia, FAA kills *you*...
 
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#40
CaptainWally said:
It's a good distinction. If you *like* the signature, it's nice to have the option.

Otherwise, on a $5k instrument, it is, perhaps, a bit presumptuous.
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Yeah, I wouldn't mind a special bass signed by Paul Reed Smith (or whoever built it) on the back of the headstock, but I don't think I'd ever pay money for a bass with an artist's name on the front of the headstock.
 

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