If I were to acquire such an item, I think I’d take damn good care not to risk losing or ruining the autograph. I’d try to keep it in as good a condition as I could, not only for my future enjoyment, but given the historical context of the guitar (quite possibly among the last things Harrison ever signed), there might be a healthy secondary market in the years to come.
Would you continue to play an instrument autographed by someone famous? Or, for that matter, wear a jersey autographed by your favorite athlete?
We’ll save opinions of the doctor for a potential pit thread…
I’d sell it. I don’t get too sentimental about things that don’t involve my family. (and since I would want to get as much money as possible out of it. No, I would not play it.)
I’d play it. My present guitar is worth ~5,000 (1960 Les Paul Gold Top that was hand built in the Gibson custom shop). I’d just be really careful with it.
The guitar is worth far more than $10,000 - the doctor’s attorney was trying to downplay its value to be dismissive. Given how much Beatle collectibles go for at auction, it could sell for over $100,000 easily as the last guitar he signed.
Would I play it - hell no. Usually, guitars that get signed aren’t really “players” anyway. My company just had Eric Clapton sign a Strat (we donated to his charity in response) and if we hadn’t sprung for an EC Signature edition Strat, they would’ve supplied a $100 bottom of the line guitar. It’s a bit of a racket.
Sleestak - which is it - a true 1960 (which I thought were LP Standards in sunburst) or a 1960 LP Custom Shop Reissue? A true 1960 is worth a lot more than $5k, so I assuming the latter…
Oh, and if the lawsuit is only 50% right, the doctor is a complete schmuck and should turn over the guitar. I just don’t understand why: a) someone didn’t intervene to stop him at the time (to describe what happened in that much detail, there must’ve been witnesses); and b) it took so long for the lawsuit to be filed…
I have a Billy Duffy (The Cult) autographed guitar that to me, is incredibly valuable. I haven’t played it since I got it signed. I had him sign it at the bottom, away from the strings in case I ever want to play it, but haven’t brough myself to be able to play it anymore. Of course, it’s not a great guitar to begin with (it’s a knockoff). It’s the autograph that makes it great for me.
As for jerseys, once they are autographed, they are ‘retired’ in my collection. Strict rule! I wore an autographed hat once as a kid and it rained. Autograph gone.
Depends. I almost bought a cherry flame Les Paul signed by Tool, and I was going to use lighter fluid to remove the sigs.
George Harrrison’s signature? I’d apply for an FFL so I could guard it with an M-16 at all times.
It depends on how famous and how much I liked them. For example, if it was signed by Jimmy Page it would go on in a case and be displayed.
But, this Chirstams a local radio station auctioned a guitar signed by the guitarist of minor 80’s metal band. I think they had 2 hits and were never very popular. It was a nice guitar and it went pretty cheap. Something like that I would play.
Well, I don’t go for celebrity worship anyway, I’d probably flog it. Given the treatment meeted out to some of my guitars playing it would be foolish.
How does this look from the famous person’s angle?
They actually sell autographed guitars (and pictures shirts etc) in a shop in The Centre* here. The guitars are cheap copies. If I was Mr Famous Guitarist I would a)Not want my sig on a cheap piece of crap b)Not want to prematurely retire someone’s guitar by efficively making it untouchable - especially if it was a decent axe.
Maybe one of Pete Townshends ex-axes? That would be OK. Potentially lots of pieces to auction off too.
depends… I used to work in radio, and you would be se surprised who they get to sign the darn things sometimes… also it is standard practice to get the cheapest piece of junk you can to have signed… in that case I would either hang it or sell it… If it was one of my guitars that I had signed I would seal the sig real good and be careful with it. If it was signed by Brian May I would only play it down at the crossroads under a full moon hoping for some cosmic divergence of the majesty that isBrian May… but that’s just me…
If I could play guitar, I wouldn’t want to play that particular guitar because I would have to pull it out of that doctor’s ass after I had just rammed it up there body first and twisted it a few times.
But, that’s just me.
