How much is a signature on a guitar actually worth?

Wolfetone

I am looking for a cheap Strat for my youngster and came across this;

White electric guitar with signatures



For the £1800 being asked, I thought that the guitar may be a higher end instrument but was shocked when I saw that it was a cheap Chord guitar. That makes those signatures very expensive and, to what end? I'm also a bit suspicious that all the signatures seem to have been done with the same pen (!).

How do you value a signature on a guitar? What's the significance?

Normally, when a signature is put on a guitar, it's rarely the property of the artist and has merely come to be in the presence of greatness for as long as it took to be scribbled.

I don't get it.

Any ideas?

robgilmo

How much is a bottle of lighter fluid? If it was Hendrix, Banksy or the pope it might be worth something.

guitars4you

To me nothing extra, but to some it can be worth more - depends who it is as well

Like the Michael Jackson glove or Madonna Bra or Kylie Pants valuations

Personally it does not interest me and I would put no value on it - But I'm not the buyer or indeed seller

robgilmo

Circumstances would come into play, for instance, John Lennons Epiphone signed by John Lennon and presented to blah blah...

skunkwerx

For me personally its worth nothing much. 
It would hold more sentimental value if it was my guitar I guess.  

Then again I'm always suspicious.. unless there is proof, anyone could have written them. 

carlos

All signatures need to be validated or they're worth zero. Even validated they could be worth zero if the people who signed are not that famous. That's what I learned from watching pawn shop TV programmes.

Funkfingers

The white Chord is a typical charity fundraising auction object. Somebody with deep pockets writes a cheque and gets photographed for a local newspaper story. Best places for it are a spray paint workshop for a sealing clear coat followed by a display cabinet.

As a working instrument, the Chord is of little value - even after any work is invested into it. 

IMO, your money would be better invested into a Squier Affinity or an unloved Cort G series. I dare say that the denizens of tFB will have other, equally valid, suggestions.

Misty

I wouldn't want anyone else's name on my guitar, regardless of whose it is. I definitely wouldn't buy a decent guitar signed by anyone, and IMO it arguably devalues the instrument. If it's just a cheap guitar the signatures might make it more appealing to someone, but not me.

skunkwerx

Misty said:

I wouldn't want anyone else's name on my guitar, regardless of whose it is. I definitely wouldn't buy a decent guitar signed by anyone, and IMO it arguably devalues the instrument. If it's just a cheap guitar the signatures might make it more appealing to someone, but not me.

Does that rule out Les Pauls, Fenders and Prs's? ;p 

Hehehe couldnt resist. 

57Deluxe

this stuff is only of interest to 'Rock' Diners and Burger joints...

Snags

Years ago someone I know won a signed  "Strat" (it's not, it's a cheap copy) in a raffle.  It's been signed by Muse, and she's a huge Muse fan, so she was well made up, and still has it.  She can't play a note (or couldn't last time I saw her, and had no intention of learning).

For her the value of owning it was the connection, however, tenuous, to the band. Kind of like a slightly impractical autograph book for just one purpose.

I should imagine that any value in the instrument now will similarly be to fans of Muse, rather than to musicians in general. And I doubt it would go for £1,800

WezV

I think maybe there would be more value in it if the guitar and signatures represented some kind of event, or they were focused n one band like the example above.

There is no real story to this one

Schnozz

I have 2 guitars signed by Chris Hope of WASP and I haven't added anything to the for sale price, as it was done for me.

Chris Squire of YES signed his album for me and Jack Bruce signed a painting of himself for me and I believe them to be worth something extra...Not more than £100 though.

It's just logic I guess.

Funkfingers

WezV said:
I think maybe there would be more value in it if the guitar and signatures represented some kind of event

The signatures appear to be mostly veteran Soul and Pop acts. It is conceivable that some permutations of them might have toured together as a package. One evening of four or five acts is commercially viable whereas touring individually is not. Some of the acts may have been label mates.

57Deluxe said:

this stuff is only of interest to 'Rock' Diners and Burger joints...

Harsh but fair. 

Add to that list any UK entertainment venue with ambitions to portray itself as Britain's Home Of Soul Music. Glass cabinet in the lobby. Photographs of the signatories all lined up and grinning inanely. Schmaltzy but potentially lucrative.

steer

I met someone once who had a lovely Gretsch, with the pick-guard missing. I was chatting all things Gretsch, and he told me that he had the pickguard signed by Paul McCartney, and it was stored away safely. He also had a picture of Paul McCartney and himself on stage playing the guitar in question. I think the idea being that the guitar, photo and pickguard will be reunited after a certain funeral at some point in the (hopefully distant) future. I think that the guitar is worth probably around £2k, but in this instance, with the signature and photo it will be worth a great deal more. 

DrJazzTap

I have an SG signed by Allan Holdsworth and guthrie govan. Outside of guitar circles nobody has a chuff as to who they are. I can't imagine the squiggles are worth anything extra, I got the guitar signed because I'm a huge Holdsworth fan and it seemed rude to not take the opportunity to get a signature from guthrie.

fastonebaz

Worth nothing to me.  Hate to see a good finish ruined by some scribbling. 

fields5069

If t was Tommy Tynan or John Aldridge, on a nice orange guitar, I'd pay at least £50.

p90fool

£1800?!
It would be cheaper to go to the next Butlin's Soul weekend and get those sigs yourself. 

grappagreen

Actually a negative value for me.. turned down a decent guitar at a decent price not so long ago as it had been autographed.. ruined it in my eyes..

Babones

My first thought when I see a signature on a guitar is, does it come off easily? Any sig on the front of the headstock is a no-no. I don't care who it is.