Signed Mandolins by Famous Players

[good_ol_al_61]

I noticed the other night at a jam that a guy had a MK signed by Ronnie McCoury, Rhonda Vincent and Jesse McReynolds. He said that the mando increased in value by $2k. I really didn't think so, actually, because that would triple the street value of that mando. But he insisted it did. Maybe in his mind it did.

Cafe Memebers, What do you think?

Only opinions are allowed here.

[Mando4Life]

This is going to sound bad probably....but none of those folks have passed on. I would think that's the only way it would increase the value.

Now if it had Lloyd Loar's signature...well then maybe a $2000.00 increase is realistic..... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[bdisp]

A mando, or anything else for that matter, is only worth what some one will pay for it.

It ain't worth $2K to me....................

[John Flynn]

This is just for me, others can do what they want, but I think the signing of instruments on the outside finish is tacky. I would simply not buy such a mandolin, unless I was getting so good a deal that I could afford to have it professionally refinished. So basically, it would considerably lower the value for me.

[man doh]

I can't imagine that one of those signatures would be very hard to get. I haven't been to a festival where one of those artist or any others are hard to speak to.

So I would say its decreased the value because you spent half a festival running around trying to get an autograph when you could have been enjoying the music.

I really don't get the signiture facination.

And if you are asking for my opinion, I'm not old enough to like Rhonda Vincent. On another thread they were talking about a bluegrass cruise with her. I would jump off the ship!!

[Bob DeVellis]

I would consider an association with a player I really admired as adding a little bit to an instrument's value but I wouldn't want that association to be a name scrolled in Magic Marker across the face and the added value wouldn't be nearly as great as the person you know is describing. Most performers will give autographs (on paper or anything else) during the intermission of their performances when they're selling CDs, etc. I really don't think that adds hardly anything unless you find someone who's just crazy for the performer in question. An instrument that can be documented as having belonged to a celebrity might go up in value somewhat but there have been examples of those around and the marginal increase seems pretty modest. Having a mandolin that was a celebrity's primary instrument would probably increase its value, but more because it would speak to the likely quality of the instrument's sound than because of mere ownership by a star. Just my 2 cents.

[neal]

I'd have to say no. Even if they had passed on. Now, if you had an old Harmony Monterrey that Monroe signed in, oh, say 1955, I'm sure it would carry a higher tag than one without, and only if it played really well. But I wouldn't part with my money on it.

Does anyone remember the Ebay bowlback a while ago with some ladies signature from Frank Zappa's Mother's of Invention? I forget her name, but he wanted like 3000 for this 100.00 bowlback. Yeesh.

[John Flynn]

On another thread they were talking about a bluegrass cruise with her. I would jump off the ship!!
On yet another thread, we proved that your mandolin would help keep you afloat! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Tom C]

I'm not big into autographs either. I see more banjo players with signatures on the skin. But skins are mean to be replaced. If anything I would have them sign the pickguard, this way orig instrument is in tact, it can be saved separatley from the mando. It can be replaced like it was never signed. Plus if somebody wants to steal it for autographs, maybe they will just take the pickguard.

[Links]

Personally, I would not buy an instrument that had a signature on the finish. I would consider the instrument "damaged" unless they could be safely removed. Have you ever noticed that higher price instruments are parctically never signed? Although not expensive instruments, MK's are quite nice and should be left alone, IMHO.

Strictly as an autograph, I can't imageine that any of the signatures on the mandolin have any real value (on or off a mandolin). They are all fine musicians, but I doubt that their autographs have any market value.

[PaulD]

I can only imagine autographs increasing the value to the person that had it signed... as a momento of a particular concert or festival. Not that I'd ever let anybody write on any of my instruments! Maybe this guy figures, with the personal sentimental value, it's worth $2000 more to him. Best of luck to him if he ever goes to sell it, I'm sure he's in for a big surprise!

Maybe somebody needs to start reproducing famous musicians' autographs on clear stickers that can be put on an instrument and removed later. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

pd

[Larry Simonson]

In perhaps the worlds largest market for mandolins- the Cafe's own classified, I don't recall ever seeing an instrument's desciption include "autographed by___" as part of the sales pitch. Hmmm?

[Ken Sager]

I'd never buy an autographed mandolin and it would take a great deal of restraint to keep from laughing out loud at anybody who claimed their MK was worth $2k simply because it had some autographs on it.

Joy to all,
KS

[Trip]

I had my starter Fender mando signed by David Grisman at a festival and is now hanging on my living room wall.......I dont believe that Im gonna retire on it, but it probably didnt lose value since it was only worth a couple hundred bucks anyway......but you never know, my great great #grandson may find that its still worth a couple hundred bucks... a hundred years from now........but just to make sure Im gonna get Rhonda too sign it too


www.StrangerStringBand.com (http://www.strangerstringband.com)

What were Ronnie, Rhonda and Jessie thinking when they were signing an instrument anyways? They should know better. I've never been asked for a signature (well, except traffic cops), but if that day ever comes, it's a general rule of mine to only sign CD's, pictures, posters and casts.

[J. Mark Lane]

Fortunately, I didn't have to exercise any restraint, and just laughed out loud at Ken's post. #

I think autographs are silly on anything, and would not own an instrument with one on the face.

I do, however, have an old John Hiatt album, which is autographed "Hi, Mark. #I've never heard of you, either. #John." #My girlfriend stood in line at the record store and told him she was getting it signed for her boyfriend, "who has never heard of you." #So that's how he signed it. #I kinda like that. #

[grandmainger]

I like getting my favourite authors to sign my copy of their book, and also sometimes an artist signing a CD... But rubbing some nasty chemical ink on a mando http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

[Greenmando]

I noticed the other night at a jam that a guy had a MK signed by Ronnie McCoury, Rhonda Vincent and Jesse McReynolds. He said that the mando increased in value by $2k. I really didn't think so, actually, because that would triple the street value of that mando. But he insisted it did. Maybe in his mind it did.
Well it is still just a MK, so my informed opinion is that it could be worth at least a whopping $300 or more. But a used MK would be hard to even collect the $666 which is 1/3 of the $2000, much less when damaged by permanent marker on the finish. In my opinion a MK with those signatures could bring in a max of $700 if it was one of the "top of the line" MK's.

I do collect, trade and sell autographs with my wife. Living here in So CA we meet a lot of actors and musicians. If the autograph is a desirable one it can grab $100 easily enough. But much more than that will only come when the signer is dead.

[TommyK]

A 'signed' anything only increases in value if you can certify beyond all doubt that it is authentic. #I heard recently that some baseball players' 'signed' baseballs were/are signed by the gross by anyone from the team mascot to the manager and in some cases, the signator, himself. #
It also helps the value if the signator is considered great at what he/she does and dead.
I missed out on getting a free guitar from a local radio contest. It was singed by a recording artist. #The only thing I remember is that it was an Ovation and it ain't mine. #The artist?? I haven't a clue.

[f5loar]

If you had a cheap mandolin signed by Bill Monroe Dave Apollon William Place,Jr.Jethro Burns BuzzBusby Red Rector Earl Taylor Joe Val and maybe Ira Louvin too you could add a solid $300 to the value. But what are those odds?

[Joe Mendel]

I do repair work, and you would be amazed at the folks that think a Squier Strat, signed by a more or less unknown rock band, is worth thousands. If anyone dared to write on any of my instruments, my first instinct would be to beat the hell out of them. Hopefully I would see if it could be removed first, but I would not be happy if anyone wrote on my mando.

[kudzugypsy]

yeah, i see that #rock / country star autographed stuff trying to be passed off for $10,000 as absoluetly idiotic. they usually sign the cheapest guitar on the market to boot. A $99 Epiphone (by Givson) acoustic with Garth Brooks autoghraph....$10,000
now that DOES prove there is a sucker born every minute.

....and if you think that sharpie marker stuff comes off......ha, i bought a D28 from a guy who had some lower end country nobody sign the back. i could never get that completely off despite multiple passes on the buffing wheel.
so dont buy it if you dont want to look at it forever.

[Ken Berner]

Why not have your friendly neighborhood luthier take the back off your mandolin. That way you could get all of your heroes to sign the inside of the back; when it is full of all the names you want, have the back glued on again. What a showpiece that would be! Even then, $2,000? Nah!

[mandoman4807]

It was interesting to see, that all the guitars that were signed by big name rock groups hanging all over the Hard Rock casino in Vegas, not one was a brand name I could recognize. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif


Darrell

[krishna]

I had an older freind a bunch of years back, had a 'A4' from the 50s. He went to some fest down in the states and came back all excited. "Look at this!" he said and pulled his A4 out. Bill Monroe had taken a pen knife and carved his name into it.The guy was standing there with this HUGE idiot grin on his face...Anyway the mando was worth a bit before that, but afterwords, I would'nt have given him $200 for it. Bill put up a pretty big stink about what this goof wanted,and still the guy would not listen... There are lots of idiots in the world...Kerry

[TommyK]

I had an older freind a bunch of years back, had a 'A4' from the 50s. He went to some fest down in the states and came back all excited. "Look at this!" he said and pulled his A4 out. Bill Monroe had taken a pen knife and carved his name into it.The guy was standing there with this HUGE idiot grin on his face...Anyway the mando was worth a bit before that, but afterwords, I would'nt have given him $200 for it. #Bill #put up #a pretty big stink about what this goof wanted, and #still the guy would not listen... There are lots of idiots in the world...Kerry
Yeah, but Bill is an experienced mando carver! #Just look at what he did to 'the Gibson' on his mando. #Wonder if he used the same Barlow he carved his own with? #Now do you think it's worth $1,000.00?
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[jcs271]

I have a little Weber Sweet Pea travel mando that I take with me to concerts. It has been signed by Thile, Skaggs, McCoury and Grisman. Plus took pics of each as they signed it. Probably not worth much more than the $179 that I paid for it new, but it's fun to collect the sigs and someday after we are all dead it will be worth at least........

[Ken Sager]

$179.50?

[Wova4]

I've actually considered getting one of those $100 blonde Infinities off of eBay just to collect signatures. I figure there's not much loss of value to worry about in that case and I'd have a neat momento.

I can't imagine using something more valuable though.

[Mike Bullard]

I have a Mandolin signed and dated by Bill Monroe back in 1991. He played this Mando quite a bit in jam sessions when I was in town. I always asked him to leave some of his hot licks in it. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif I don't think it is worth more to anyone else but me. I still play this Mando and leave it tuned in open "D" for Get Up John of which Bill showed me how to play. So even though it is a cheap mandolin and will always be, it is full of memories that I will always cherish. Is that not the point to having one signed anyway?

Not to sell but to remember the artist who signed and or played it.

[luckylarue]

My first mandolin - a Washburn A is covered w/ autographs of my favorite players - famous and not-so-famous. I did it for personal inspiration, not for "re-sale value". Since it was a "beater" I didn't care how it looked. It motivated me when I looked down and saw the faded "Dawg" inscription - purposefully placed below the E strings where the signature would be erased by furthur practice. "Dawg" is no longer visible to the common eye - but I know it's still there.

[Links]

Now if you could just convert one of those "signed" mandolins into a lamp, you would really have something!

[mandocrucian]

In retropsect, it's too bad I didn't have something like a blond basic Weber as an autograph instrument. All the players I've interviewed, picked with etc. it would be quite a conversation piece:

<span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>Thompson, Moloney, Carthy, Doucet, Comeaux, Ian Anderson, D Pegg, Irvine, Arto Jarvela, P Hakala, Heikki Lahti, Peter Eri, Renbourn, Chris Leslie, Skaggs, Gaudreau, Lawson, L Rice, O'Brien, Howard Levy, Ostroushko, Stecher, R White, Wakefield, Rector, Rowan, etc. etc. etc.</span>

My brother had an autograph fiddle: Venuti signed it.

While I don't think I would use a vintage instrument for this purpose, a new instrument of decent quality seems reasonable to use in this context. (It would be somewhat of an insult to be asked to sign a barely playable POS). There's something to be said about owning the instrument rather than being owned by it.

Niles H.

[levin4now]

All a signature (of the autograph, not builder, sort) means is that you (or a previous owner) MET the person whose signature graces the instrument. I don't see how it affects the value of the instrument. The same goes for sports memorabilia in my book. it might be fun to get something signed for yourself, I don't see how the value passes to the next owner (other than if you find a Babe Ruth signed ball, and can sell it for enought to buy a really nice mandolin!).

[elenbrandt]

Ooooo, A Joe Venuti fiddle -- that would be rockin'!

[Links]

My cousin had a cute little Hohner accordian autographed by the Schmenge brothers!

[Keith Miller]

Some autographs are worth a LOT of money but they must have provenance with this it does not matter what they are written on, mandolin or toilet paper,
Keith.

[Klaus Wutscher]

Actually, I know of a Gilchrist mandolin signed by Big Mon... with a knife. Great mandolin. Monroe signed the upper rim so you can always see the signature.
While I am not into autographs at all I must admit it looks cool in a way. I do not see this mandolin to be sold anytime soon so resale value never was an issue.

[jimbob]

My banjo is signed by Jerry Jeff Walker and Gary P. Nunn. I am sure it brings the value up to at least $.50 !!
It's a conversation item for me, but I'm sure these signatures add no real value. Anyhow, my old RB-250 aint for sale....