Playing and/or modding a signed bass

[DanDBassist]

From my experience a signature does not have much value until the signee dies. My consignment music store had an Ibanez bottom of the line acoustic 6 string guitar that was signed during a radio station promotion at a CS&N concert. It hung on the wall for quite a while with nobody interested. The person who consigned it just wanted to sell it and it was priced right. So I removed the signatures and it sold the very next day. Don't ask me what I used to erase the signatures, it was 1992.

 

[jd56hawk]

From my experience a signature does not have much value until the signee dies. My consignment music store had an Ibanez bottom of the line acoustic 6 string guitar that was signed during a radio station promotion at a CS&N concert. It hung on the wall for quite a while with nobody interested. The person who consigned it just wanted to sell it and it was priced right. So I removed the signatures and it sold the very next day. Don't ask me what I used to erase the signatures, it was 1992.

True enough, and this one's never going to be on anyone's "Gotta have it!" list, not twenty years from now, not fifty years from now.
Seriously, a Kevin VanDam Glarry bass would probably be worth more.

 

[Warpeg]

If you want a bass without her signature, a rag, some rubbing alcohol, and a bit of wiping, and you'll have a nice white bass. That'd be my first move.

If it were me, I would go a step further give that bass body a both in paint stripper. You know, just to make sure there are no traces of her signature left on it.

 

[JohnnyChatter]

Huh. I had to also google her. That all about the bass song was pretty famous but I don’t think she’s a notable star and I don’t think her fans would ever seek out this item. That being said it’s a 230 dollar bass. If you scrubbed the name off i doubt you could sell it for more than 180 and that’s pushing it. I would personally just go and buy the same bass and hold on it to if maybe just maybe her signature becomes a big deal.

Or… you could take it to pawn stars and see if you can get a spot on the show!

 

[cnltb]

What are your opinions on modding a signed bass?

In your case I'd go ahead and mod.
If the bass was signed by someone else I might not, but having never heard of Meghan Trainor myself ,modding it into a bass , more enjoyable to me ( well cleaning it first ) would not be a problem for me.

 

[ardgedee]

Put it up for a trade for another Squier bass at equivalent value.

That way you get to start over with a Squier you won't feel bad about modding and someone else can worry about its value as a collectible.

 

[Ostie]

Where did you try to sell it? There’s gotta be a Meghan fanboy (or girl) out there somewhere. Did you try FB and offer shipping?

When charities give these things away, they always give the cheapest guitars they can get. Squier Affonity is not the top of the Squier line. There are thousands of them out there. It’s a perfectly functional bass to learn on. If Meghan becomes a huge star someday and you wore her signature off from playing the snot out of it, well, you will have had a lot of fun playing your bass.

 

[Nuage420]

She's not a rock star but she's a musician who found more success than the majority here. No need to act like she's got bad juju.

If it's your only working bass I suggest you play it. If it can stay in tune and be intonated then you're in business. You mention you want to get into pedals and effects, maybe your funds would be better utilized purchasing a multi effect pedal and a decent amp.

 

[Killing Floor]

I don’t think her autograph will decrease the value of a Squier by more than 15-20%. So it’s up to you whether you choose to spend the cost to fix it. It doesn’t affect the playability. If you like the way it plays/feels go ahead and upgrade whatever you prefer.
It’s not any different than scratches from normal use. You can refinish or get a wrap if you want to change the appearance. A bass isn’t an investment, play the heck out of it.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

A couple years ago I won a bass signed by Meghan Trainor. Thought it was cool, tried to sell it but she has one hit nobody cares about now and it’s a Squier Affinity. I wanted to sell it to finance a “real” bass but gave up and just started playing this one. After doing a setup, I’m really starting to dig it!

I’m starting to find the tone a little monotonous; it’s a PJ and I’m using a Vox Pathfinder Bass 10 amp. I really want to play with some synths, octavers, or chorus pedals but do you guys have any suggestions in the meantime? I’m just coming back to bass after a LONG time away.

Also, the Stormtrooper white and black is a little… boring. What are your opinions on modding a signed bass? I desperately want to get some teal and orange on this thing, maybe even colored pickup covers, or plastic knobs in different colors instead of chrome.

Her signature didn’t seem to interest anyone before and the website/charity she did it through (If Only) appears to be defunct now so proving provenance might be difficult anyway… should I take a sander to this thing and repaint it?

Yes

 

[Oddly]

Jeez, you guys.
A woman does a song called 'All About That Bass'...with a fun catchy bassline, no less, and you've never heard of her?

 

[Eric R Shelton]

Jeez, you guys.
A woman does a song called 'All About That Bass'...with a fun catchy bassline, no less, and you've never heard of her?

Yeah, I’m more than a little surprised how many people said they needed to Google her. But I’ve also got some decent reassurance to not worry about it and just play, so that’s been nice.

 

[iiipopes]

I would work on the Ibby bass first and see how it goes and if it gets you down the road to where you want to go. And as far as mods go, unless you are contemplating a paint job on the body, a little clear coat to preserve the signature would help, and as above, simply changing the pickguard and the pickups will do a lot for that bass, without too much effort. If you got the opportunity to sell it, you can put all the original parts back on it or ship them with the bass.

 

[Rib 13]

She's actually had some catchy pop hits. My daughters dig her stuff.

List it in the concert tickets section of your Craigslist. That's where the music fans go. You may get a hit.

^This.....Theres a better chance of trying to sell it to Fandom than trying to sell it to a musician.........For example, If I had it to EBay, I would list it as a Collectable listing rather than Musical Instrument listing

 

[Lownote38]

I would find a cheap new body for the bass, and replace the signed one. I've ended up with signed basses before, and I just replace the part that's signed so I can use the bass, but keep the signature intact.
No one knows what will happen with Meghan's career in the future. She could easily have another big hit, or 12. She was a songwriter first, and a talented one at that. I've met her personally, and there's plenty of creativity there to have future success.
The last signed instrument I had was a MIM Fender fretless Jazz Bass. I used it as the starting point to build a totally custom fretless jazz. The first thing I took off was the pickguard, and it was signed by Bob Babbitt. I don't have any other parts for that bass currently, but I kept that pickguard for sure!!

 

[FollowMeDown]

Jeez, you guys.
A woman does a song called 'All About That Bass'...with a fun catchy bassline, no less, and you've never heard of her?

At least for me because she's one of the worse examples of a whole genre of ... music??... that I actively avoid listening to and wasting brain cells on.

 

[bolophonic]

I’d wipe it off.

 

[DwaynieAD]

Idk that's pretty cool. I'd second the pick guard swap to tort. It will look great. Maybe drop some new pick ups in there. Affinities are awesome basses for the money and I Def think you may end up regretting doing something to the signature

 

[DwaynieAD]

At least for me because she's one of the worse examples of a whole genre of ... music??... that I actively avoid listening to and wasting brain cells on.

Yeah most people on tb have an aversion to any kind of music that is successful or makes money. Stay the course. You're killing it.

 

[lfmn16]

Chris Squire signed bass? Leave it alone. Joe (or Jane) Lunchbucket signed bass - do what you want with it.