Should I or shouldn't I?.........

[Nev]

Need some opinions on this touchy subject.
I have a USA Jackson V Y2K model that is autographed by Dave Mustaine and it hangs on the wall mostly. I don't play it because I may smear the signature. I'd like to play it, but I keep thinking it'll be worth something one day because of the autograph and rare-ness of the guitar. It's a string through body, very nice, you don't see many of them.
I prefer guitars with trems on them. I've got guitars with and without. The Y2K does not. I have been considering taking off the autograph and having a Kahler system put on it so I could play it more. I could play it now as is but if I needed a to use a trem , I'd have to switch guitars. To me guitars should be played, they're tools used to make music. This one hangs on the wall, and I have others that I could use, but I'd like to use this one.
So, what to do?
1. Leave as is and let it hang on the wall and hope it brings in decent $ for resale when Dave drops dead?
2. Remove autograph, and play as is?
3. Remove autograph, install a Kahler? (If it's possible)
4. Get a Japanese copy with a trem already on it and play that one.
Your responses are appreciated.

[Force]

Ultimately, it's your guitar, you do what you feel you should.

I personally don't have any interest in signatures, it's just a bit of scribble. If the guitar is a real player, that's what is important & shouldn't be just hanging there to gather dust.

[pianoguyy]

I cannot see his signature ever, EVER, being worth anything significant. His signature may go up when he gets in the RNR HOF (because that will happen, lol), and then drop again. It may go up when he dies, and then drop again.
If you are concerned about his signature, have someone do a clear coat over top of it.

You spoke about the 'rareness' of the guitar. So then why are you talking about butchering it to install a Kahler.


I vote with Force. I don't care about signatures.
Personally, I never did care. But these days, they mean even less because its no longer about a chance meeting on a city street and you get a signature on whatever item you have with you (which is one of the reasons that boobs originally got signed), celebrities now hold autograph sessions and meet and greets. Give Kim Kardashian $20 and she will sign a copy of One Night in Paris. Give her $50 and she will sign it with whatever words you tell her to (I want to re-enact scene three with you again).
Along with the 1000 other signatures she did that day.

That doesn't mean that your personal memory of getting the signature isn't priceless to you. But I can't buy your experience and memories.

[MetalDaze]

The signature will never bring enough money to make up for the fact you missed out on playing it for all of those years. We all hope that our rare beauties will be worth something, but in most cases you will be lucky if it holds its original value. Most won't even do that.

If the guitar was actually played by Mustaine and you could prove it, that would be a different story.

[neilli]

Signatures do nothing for me so I'm biased there, but trying to be dispassionate, I'd be surprised if Mustaine's added anything significant to the value of that guitar. Especially as he sold of a fair few of his own personal Y2KVs so if someone really wanted that Mustaine connection, those would be more desirable.

Also, Y2KVs aren't really that rare - sure, they were only made for a couple of years, but there are rarer production Jacksons out there.

As for putting a trem on there, the Kahler would be the cheap and easy way to go as any routed edges (and paint lifting) would be covered by the bridge itself unlike with a floyd. But that supposes that you know that you like the feel of a Kahler...

[xenophobe]

I would get a cloth and some alcohol and try to wipe that sucker clean.

I hate guitars with inane scribbling on it.


Oh, I'll add... if it's one of the Mustane auction guitars with a COA and his signature, it will probably hold it's value. Stuff auctioned off for charity sometimes is worth more just because of the that history. If it's not one of his personal guitars and doesn't have a COA, even with photographic proof of him signing it, it's not really worth anything more than a normal Y2KV without his scribblings on it.

[Radiohead]

Signatures only mean something to me if I got the signature myself and could look back upon the item to remember the experience of meeting a personal hero. The thought of purchasing a previously signed article seems somewhat disingenuous to me, like having never gone to Paris but hanging up postcards of the City for display.

[Pedal Dan]

A Kahler?! Put a Floyd in it!

[lepard]

You could always put a piece of clear static-cling stuff over the signature and play the hell out of it.

Many years ago, I got a dead mint 1988 Charvel Model 5A that had been a radio station giveaway in the 80's. It had signatures from Ratt all over it. The first thing I did when I got it was wax off all the signatures. Now I kind of wonder how cool it would be to still have Robin Crosby's signature on there.... ???

[Nev]

I hear all of you loud and clear. Thank you for taking the time to voice your opinion, it's appreciated.

[CMH (OH)]

Agree with above.

If it was one of his personal guitars and he signed it, then it's a different story, but a standard Y2KV that happens to have been signed by him = either clear over the signature if you really like it on there, or just clean off the signature and play that thing.

Seems a shame to let it sit.

Cheers,
Chris

[AdRock]

Just have another coat of clear put on the top. A good friend of mine had his Snakes & Skulls signed by Lynch and then just had another good coat of clear put on and buffed out. He's played that guitar plenty since the late 90's and the autograph is just fine.

[algeriet]

Do NOT install a Kahler! Its your guitar and all but the guitar would lose its value if modified. Especially with a Kahler trem.

[Nightbat]

The Petrucci sig on my charvel lasted 3 minutes after I got it home