Official Luthiers Forum!

In the same spirit as the current label thread, I'm curious if folks here sign the underside of their guitar tops? I'll wager that most of us do.

If so, what do you typically record, other than your signature?

I'll go first:

(signed) Michael McBroom
date
serial number
sometimes the build number (different from the s/n)
sometimes a dedication to the client
and my "sig": "Live to Play, Play to Live"

Best,

Michael

_________________
Live to Play, Play to Live

I'd rather remain unknown

I sign,
Date
model
any profound words to the owner

_________________
My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

I just sign it.

I once recognized who I'd made the guitar for along with my signature, and the person later sold it. Whoops. It was the first one I made this person and he sold it to pay for a third, so no love lost!

_________________
Instagram: @jfrenchluthier
Web: https://www.jfrenchguitars.com/

I typically sign it

Handcrafted for (their name)
by Andy Zimmerman
Month, year

_________________
Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

Similar to Hesh:



This one says in Gaelic "Bealtine fires - feed the music and feed the soul". I sign it with my Gaelic name (Daithi de Faoite means David White) and date it.

_________________
Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

yes

I sign and date mine, plus a serial number. Put an inscription in #2, because it's for my son and his family, but otherwise not. I'm still working on a label...

_________________
Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

As some of you are aware, I name all of my guitars and that name is prominently displayed on the inside label. Each guitar that I have made was dedicated to either a family member or, more recently, an important person in my life who has had a special role in my learning experience as a guitar maker. On the inside of the top, I write a dedication about the person and the importance and influence he has had. I photograph this and share the dedication with that person alone as my personal thanks for his generousity and help.

I know this may seem sappy and sentimental but it actually serves as an added incentive to do my very best in honor of that person. It works for me.

_________________
JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Keep in mind I have built only to keep or as gifts of either labor or materials and labor. Consequently all recipients have been folks I know well.

I always sign, date, serialize, and inscibe my tops. My thought process is that while personalizing the guitar for the new owner I also could be increasing the value many many years down the road.

It seems when I watch "The Antiques Road Show" the value of an item is always increased when it is accompanied by a history. So even if I never come to prominence as a builder... pehaps a great great grandchild can recover the cost of materials.

David, I really like your inscription. My Gaelic is about as strong as my French. Thank you for translating it.

_________________
Aoibeann

I sign my name, the date, and the location built (that's two countries, three places so far if we include my electrics), but no serial numbers as of yet. Haven't quite figured out what I want to do with those yet.

_________________
I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

One small drop of blood next to the scroll.

Yes I know it is weird.

_________________
"It's a Tone Faerie thing"
"Da goal is to sharpen ur wit as well as ye Sgian Dubh"
"Sippin Loch Dhu @Black lake" ,Kirby O...

Hesh I think for me it is more the symbolism of putting a little bit of myself into my dulcimers rather than for ID purposes. You would have to dis assemble them to get to it.

_________________
"It's a Tone Faerie thing"
"Da goal is to sharpen ur wit as well as ye Sgian Dubh"
"Sippin Loch Dhu @Black lake" ,Kirby O...

I usually write a little prayer inside, for the new owner to be of each guitar that i have and will build

I sign and date and leave a little Latin laborare est orare

I sign and date the back plate of my archtops. Then I get my daughters to sign their names before they shellac the inside.

Some day someone will crack one of mine open and wonder who is Erin and Keira.

[QUOTE=Serge Poirier] I usually write a little prayer inside, for the new owner to be of each guitar that i have and will build

[/QUOTE]


I need to add a prayer that the guitar never flies apart.

I just signed and dated my first, but I did write a special message inside my son's guitars.

Ron

_________________
OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

I print my name and date (yyyy-mm-dd) backwards and sign it forwards.

I always mean to write something meaningful in ther and sign and date it. However my CRS disease usually kicks in and it doesn't get done usually. Starting a new one next week, maybe I'll remember this time.

_________________
Dave Rector
Rector Guitars