NBD-Brian Wilson devalues basses

[SirMjac28]

It seems some posters here think Mr Wilson's assistant may sign fir him and include the Parkinson's related squiggles.

Just let that sit for a moment: Parkinson's related instability included.

Yeah, sounds beyond the scope of reality and all that is good in the world, doesn't it?

As one of you mentioned, like Beach Boys or not, Brian was a genius up there with Les Paul, Martin and The Beatles, etc. Pet sounds should be given a listen to by every musician at least once.

Find out the charity and then contact mr Wilson's handlers for verification. If it's good, and provable, sell it to someone that values it for $300 and get one that doesn't have a sig.

+1

 

[Smoove-Groove]

It's called The Sound of Song, on the BBC. Here's the website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04yk00k

Looks like you're in Canada (as am I), so watching it could get complicated. I won't suggest illegal or quasi-legal methods to find it, such as Torrents, YouTube or a DNS service that spoofs your region, allowing you to watch the fantastic BBC iPlayer. Instead, you should wait for BBC Canada to fit it in between reruns of Top Gear, Holmes on Homes and Midsomer Murders. Ahem.

If you like documentaries about studio stuff, make sure you find the Classic Albums series. They're absolutely fantastic, even if you don't like the record in question. Comparing Motorhead's approach to Steely Dan is pretty illuminating. Totally different ways to make a record, but neither more successful than the other...

Thanks for that. Yes, I know about the classic albums series. I have all but 2 or 3 episodes. They are great. I can't remember if there is a Beach Boys one in that series. Would be great if they had a pet sounds one.

 

[Smoove-Groove]

Unfortunately I haven't listened to much early / live beach boys with a critical ear.

Does Brian have a decent reputation as a singing bass player? All I ever see is genius song writer. (I know any later bass stuff isn't him).

It seems a signed bass has a little more relevance for the fact that he is a bass player.

I'd like to think he is a decent bassist. More so in the lines that he composes. Even when studio players took over the bass duties, they were playing the lines he wrote out. He understands how the bass works in a harmonic way as opposed to just supplying the root. There are some interesting lines in BB songs.

 

[GrafZeppelin]

Unfortunately I haven't listened to much early / live beach boys with a critical ear.

Does Brian have a decent reputation as a singing bass player? All I ever see is genius song writer. (I know any later bass stuff isn't him).

It seems a signed bass has a little more relevance for the fact that he is a bass player.

He's actually rather good without being a virtuoso. As you pointed out, he left the actual playing to session musicians in favor of writing, arranging and conducting quite early on but the basslines are still 100% written by him and they are nothing short of marvellous. Very unorthodox for their time but oh so musical.

 

[basspraiser]

Doesn't look much like this one........but then this one could possibly be a fake too...

I read that his assistant will often sign Brian's signature on stuff..

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also - you got to remember, Brian is suffering from Parkinsons...the signature in the photo might have been years ago...his health and hand steadiness has deteriorated so it might be real (I have not seen a recent signature)....if authenticated, I'd buy it from you for $150 JUST for the signature and to hang on my wall.

 

[Howlin' Hanson]

And one thing folks often overlook about Brian Wilson is that he took over producing their records from the company hacks. The Beatles left nearly all their output to George Martin, while Brian was breaking ground over artist control of the recorded sound. He paved the way in the studio for everyone who followed.

 

[basspraiser]

He's actually rather good without being a virtuoso. As you pointed out, he left the actual playing to session musicians in favor of writing, arranging and conducting quite early on but the basslines are still 100% written by him and they are nothing short of marvellous. Very unorthodox for their time but oh so musical.

Pet sounds is STILL one of the BEST albums of all times .....and VERY innovative for the time.

Just like Star Wars... the "new generation" watches it and goes..."What's the big deal? The special effects are so much better now...!"....they miss the fact that the movie was GROUND BREAKING at the time and people got better by copying and enhancing what was done in that movie...the same with Pet Sounds and other similar later Beach Boy albums...

The songs on there are so complex...listen through headphones and it is amazing at the layers....Also - most tracks used 3 basses (Ms Kaye on Fender, a Fender VI and an upright (or 2)!)

 

[2.6kHz]

Not sure how much value is really there. It has value as an autograph. It has value as a bass. I don't think I've ever seen any example of a signature raising the value of a low end piece of gear, regardless of how big of a name they are. I've seen signatures completely ruin gear value. To any appraiser or collector, the signature may as well be on a napkin, the bass is just an object that was signed in this case. One good thing is it's not a personalized signature (like "To Ken", etc) that would have made the whole thing pretty worthless. Except to whomever "Ken" is.

I'm talking real, can be verified and insured for a value. Whether or not someone is willing to pay more is another story. "Eye of the Beholder" value is impossible to quantify. You might find someone willing to spend more, but I would not count on it.

 

[davy4575]

The longer you hold on to it, the more value it will have, particularly if its genuine. Even if you dont care for the beach boys music. Wilson was a genius, especially in recording technique and composition as well as artistic freedom. Dive into some of the history there about his life and you might find some interesting tidbits there. I would hang on to that til after he kicks the bucket, Dont play it, just set it aside somewhere safe, it will go up in value.

 

[moody]

Pet sounds is STILL one of the BEST albums of all times .....and VERY innovative for the time.

Just like Star Wars... the "new generation" watches it and goes..."What's the big deal? The special effects are so much better now...!"....they miss the fact that the movie was GROUND BREAKING at the time and people got better by copying and enhancing what was done in that movie...the same with Pet Sounds and other similar later Beach Boy albums...

The songs on there are so complex...listen through headphones and it is amazing at the layers....Also - most tracks used 3 basses (Ms Kaye on Fender, a Fender VI and an upright (or 2)!)

Hence why my question was specifically about Brian Wilson as a bass player on the early work when he was actually playing bass. I know pet sounds (and smiley smile and wild honey). I just haven't listened to everything.

 

[God's Favorite Bass]

So this bass was on eBay and I could pick it up locally and save on shipping. I literally bid $100.99 not expecting to win but did so. I like these classic vibe necks so I figured it was worth it for that. I went and got it and the bass is brand new. It was used for a charity auction and apparently went for over $1000. Although its new someone did chip the side. Now it apparently has a autograph of Beach Boy Brian Wilson. I dont like the Beach Boys and boy that autograph looks bad. I know for a fact if I use carb cleaner it wont harm the paint and it will remove the signature ( done it before ) but I haven't committed to it as I dont know if that makes it valuable or what. I guess since I plan on setting the bass up and using it as a practice spot bass and cheap gig bass I can just put a sticker over his sig, play it and remove the stick if I ever sell it thus leaving his signature in place, but in reality I just want to clean it off. Any Brian Wilson fans I am angering? lol

Anyways my cheap classic vibe Jazz with scribbles on it. Had it not been for his sig it probably would have went for around $200 thus my thread title

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Isopropyl alcohol is poly safe and removes sharpie...so will polishing compound. Sorry if I'm repeating someone, I'm at work lol

 

[A-Step-Towards]

Lol some people telling me not to play it? I bought it to play. I will cover the signature but the bass is getting the crap played out of it its purpose was for a practice spot bass a bass I can have in a gig bag as I bike around and as a gig bass. It sounds like as long as the sig is in as good as shape as it currently is that it doesnt much matter if I add some more dings to the bass.

CV basses are nothing short of awesome. Much better then the standard mexican series and I plan to use this bass a lot. I guess I can always offer it to a collector and buy another one but I dont plan to deal with trying to get this certified, as I said it was bought to play I can keep the signature intact and someone in the future can deal with certifying it.

 

[God's Favorite Bass]

Lol some people telling me not to play it? I bought it to play. I will cover the signature but the bass is getting the crap played out of it its purpose was for a practice spot bass a bass I can have in a gig bag as I bike around and as a gig bass. It sounds like as long as the sig is in as good as shape as it currently is that it doesnt much matter if I add some more dings to the bass.

CV basses are nothing short of awesome. Much better then the standard mexican series and I plan to use this bass a lot. I guess I can always offer it to a collector and buy another one but I dont plan to deal with trying to get this certified, as I said it was bought to play I can keep the signature intact and someone in the future can deal with certifying it.

If you go that route then, a small square if high grade shipping tape will protect it. I got a six banger signed by Bob Mould 14 years ago, still looks good and no yellowing.

 

[A-Step-Towards]

If you go that route then, a small square if high grade shipping tape will protect it. I got a six banger signed by Bob Mould 14 years ago, still looks good and no yellowing.

Thanks yeah I have shipping tape on hand so I guess that will do. I just want to actually play it since thats why I bought it. I didnt even know the bass players name of the beach boys.

 

[kenneffdupriest]

I'd keep it. He's one of the best songwriters ever and stayed in bed for a year doing coke.

Thats not one but two great reasons to not wipe the sig and I'm a big Beach Boys fan. Pet Sounds is a really great album. All of this is of course is IMHO.

 

[basspraiser]

Hence why my question was specifically about Brian Wilson as a bass player on the early work when he was actually playing bass. I know pet sounds (and smiley smile and wild honey). I just haven't listened to everything.

OK...he is a piano player....his bass playing on the first couple of albums was "beginner".... But he got much better as time went on....

 

[basspraiser]

CV basses are nothing short of awesome. Much better then the standard mexican series and I plan to use this bass a lot. I guess I can always offer it to a collector and buy another one but I dont plan to deal with trying to get this certified, as I said it was bought to play I can keep the signature intact and someone in the future can deal with certifying it.

On your first comment I would agree....the CV series is EXCELLENT for the price....

 

[gjohnson441496]

I'd keep it as is. Even if you aren't a Beach Boys fan, how many basses does Brian Wilson sign? Plus he's getting up there in years...might not allow you to retire but it ain't a bad idea to consider the resale when he kicks it.

I agree with JimmyM. Regardless of how you feel about Brian Wilson, or the Beach Boys he is still a legend and if the signature is authentic it the guitar will be worth more than the $100+ you paid for it

 

[iiipopes]

The sad part is that Brian Wilson played a white P-bass, not J-bass.

 

[two fingers]

Slight derail. I was at a G3 show once. Billy Sheehan and Steve Vai both jumped the railing and literally got in the middle of the crowd of fans waiting to see them. As you would expect, they were asked to sign all kinds of things. Many ran to their cars to get guitars and basses. (I just so happened to have the premier issue of Bass Player mag with me and got Billy to sign it.) Anyway, those guys did something really cool (to me anyway). When asked to sign the front of a guitar or bass, they both tried to talk the person out of it. Oh they were more than willing to sign the thing. But they wanted to sign on the top, back, back of the head, or somewhere less obvious so that the player could still rock out their guitar or bass without some silly signature on the front.

I also knew a guy who had Rocco Prestia sign the front of a perfectly good Warwick bass. Has sprayed some glossy stuff over the signature (on a matte finish bass mind you) and it looked just awful. I literally cringed every time he puled the thing out.

I have been to local shows where others had scribbles on the front of their guitars/basses too. Just silly to me. Never mind that nobody in the room has any idea who signed it. It just looks silly.

My point? If you are indeed a fan, or if you run a charity that intends to auction off a signed guitar or bass, have the guy sign somewhere that doesn't stick out like a soar thumb while playing the thing. And take a picture when it happens!

(By the way, anybody wanna buy a Billy Sheehan autographed magazine? It's for a good cause...... )

That was not a serious solicitation and thus broke no rules. Just sayin'.