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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | O.k., here's a question for which someone out there might have some good advice. Last evening, I learned that Glen Campbell will be giving a concert at Boettcher Concert Hall in downtwon Denver next year about this time. I perform frequently at this venue and know everybody backstage very well. I intend to attend the show and could easily get a guitar backstage for his signature. I am not a signature collector and wouldn't normally give this even a second thought. However, this guy is GC. He may not be the Ovation God Himself, but he probably would be invited to the Supper of Twelve. My question: would GC's signature enhance or depreciate the value of a good Ovation guitar? Any recommendations? |
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| I met Mr. Campbell once after a concert in Gusman Hall in Miami. He came out in the lobby and shook everyones hand and talked a little while after the show. I got his autograph in the back of a small book I had with. He signed it quite 'large' if you understand what I mean. I would have rather had him write it smaller, in a level manner across the page, but he signed it very lage and diagonally from the lower left side up to the right side. Keep this in mind, maybe it would help. Maybe he would sign the face of the headstock, instead of the lower bout like I have seen him do before. As for the value of the guitar, who knows, maybe it would increase it somewhat, especially if it is a high-end USA Ovation. |
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Location: Rocky River, Ohio | Slightly off topic but,
Adrian Legg signed the back of my blue adamas II at a small workshop / concert.
He was very cool. I actually didn't think of asking him to until I talked to him for over 15 minutes after the show. He was such a nice guy I asked him if he would do this, and I had to run a couple of doors down to the small music store where my adamas was.
He signed it with a black sharpie over the brown bowl "To Ernie, Adrian Legg"....took about half the bowl...
I actually have a pic of him signing it and a pic of me and him with me holding up the guitar. If the photo utility is up, I will try to upload them into my album.
I don't think it will raise the value though.
On the other hand, if you have a CWK II autograph in your O, then you're in business. |
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Location: SoCal | Keeping in mind that I'm a huge GC fan and am looking forward to August when a new GC/Jimmy Webb album is due out, my guess is that the signature wouldn't add that much value to the guitar.
Last year, an 05 Collectors, signed by GC, was up for auction for Charlie Kaman's charity, Fidelco. I don't think it brought in any bids. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | I don't think a signature on a guitar will enhance its value any more than would a bumper sticker on a Ferarri.
If you're a GC fan, send him your Ovation with no stings on it and ask him to reach inside and autograph the label.
Dave |
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Location: Central Florida | I'd say it depends on the individual collector / consumer as to whether a signature on a guitar is a positive or a negative. I'm not into the signed guitar thing myself.
I remember this old guy that used to show up at Beatles conventions in the 80s that had a Rickenbacker that he'd gotten all four Beatles to sign back in 1964. He also had a piece of sheet music that they'd signed at the same time. I was more impressed with the sheet music (as far as being a collectible) than the guitar. To me, it seemed like the waste of a perfectly good guitar, because he'd had the body laminated to protect the signatures, rendering it useless as a musical instrument.
As for Glen Campbell, I'm as big a fan as they come. But I can think of a multitude of other items I'd rather have his signature on than any of my guitars. I don't know that a signature would diminish a guitar's value, but unless your intention is to make a wall hanging out of it, I think signed guitars look cheesy... Just my opinion.
Dave's suggestion of having him sign the label is a good one. That's different from having someone's scribble embazoned across your guitar's top. |
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Location: Rocky River, Ohio | good point...
the one thing i like about Legg's auto is that you really need to squint to see the black sharpie on the brown bowl...even though the sig is large. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Personally, I don't like signed guitars because they always seem to be signed right in the middle of the lower bout. Too hard to play without risk of smudging the signature.
Kind of a takeoff on Dave's Ferrari comment. I have had the opportunity to have Peter Porsche sign all sorts of stuff, including my Porsche, but he has only signed one of my books and a painting of my car. I declined to have him sign the inside of my trunk because I feel sorry for these guys that get asked to sign everything. I don't know if anyone has made any more money when they sold their Porsche if it had Peter's signature on it. It wouldn't enhance the value to me. |
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| If Glen Cambell is the guy you have been aspiring to follow musically for many years and you hold him in high esteem as a musician and you plan to display the guitar for yourself to proudly display on your living room wall.... then by all means have Glen blaze his name just as big as he can get it across the top. IF not don't waste your time. Your kids may want to sell your guitar someday and will get as much or more without the name. The lable is a good idea. Might be tough for Glen to sign it in there though. I'd bet he'd take the time for you though... after all, it is an Ovation guitar....
Get yourself a photo of you and Glen holding Ovations ...now that would be a hell of a collectable for you!
Randy |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I like Randy's idea. The autographed photo appeals to me more than the autographed guitar, but the next buyer might not pay anything for the photo with you in it. I'm not much of an autograph collector.
BTW there's an Ovation book on ebay autographed by Charles Kaman II. So far no one's bid the normal selling price for an unsigned copy. |
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Location: NJ | Who's Glen Campbell?? . . . . |
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Location: closely held secret | Used to be a lineman in Wichita. Moved to Phoenix, where he got work as a rhinestone cowboy. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | His mother used to work at the factory. |
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Location: Hayes, Virginia | From my informal and unscientific survey of Ebay, it seems that signatures detract from a decent guitar’s sales price instead of adding to it.
Signature seekers in most cases don’t seem to want to pay the real value of a nice instrument. They are memorabilia collectors and all they really want is the signature which can be had cheaper on a picture. While players are usually not willing to pay top dollar an instrument that they can’t play without smearing black marker over the top.
There are of course exceptions for the really big names (Rolling Stones, ect..) who have rabid and fans who are willing to pony up thousands for signed guitars. The other exception I have seen is the case of a very cheap guitar that gets signed which increases its value. Some ebay sellers seem to specialize in taking 100 buck electrics getting them signed and selling them for ~$300.
I of course encourage the signing of guitars, since I have found some real bargains on nice instruments that “has been: or “never will be” artists have signed. |
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Location: Spain | I thought he had Classical GAS !!! |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | O.k., thanks guys. Signing the guitar is a no-no. Doubtful that he'll have a guitar with him in the backstage common area and don't want to barge into his dressing room. Maybe I'll ask him to sign one of my wife's rhinestone hats, or maybe one of my tool belts. |
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| ...just curious, is the Campbell & Webb album still in the works? I haven't heard much about it lately.. |
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Location: Central Florida | Steve,
Both Glen and JW have been talking about an album being "in the works" for about two years now, though I don't think a single track has been laid down as yet. |
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Location: Atlanta, GA. | Prof,
Just take a TRC with you & have him sign it with a white or silver Sharpie. Even a gold Sharpie if the turners are gold.
I thought I saw a pic in your album with GC signing one of your O's.
or was that just a cardboard cut-out? :rolleyes: |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Colin:
Yes, this thread is old news now. StephenT, our wives, and I all met him back stage between acts, tooks pcs, and he signed my 1866 with a permanent silver sharpie. He was very courteous and gracious. The pics are in my gallery. |
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Location: Atlanta, GA. | heh heh heh... just noticed the dates.
Shows how attentive I am! |
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| I guess I can go to the Jimmy Webb-site and ask about the album... maybe they know something.. |
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| ...the Webb-site says they are still scheduling artist for the studio, no release date, no definite news otherwise.. |
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Signature Seeker?