Anyone have a drum (or other instrument) signed by anyone famous?

PorkPieGuy

Platinum Member
I thought it would be interesting to see if anyone has bothered to have a famous person sign one of your drums. We can open it up to other instruments too of y'all would like.

OR

Have you seen any interesting signatures on or in drums?
 
I have a promo card signed by Johnny Rabb.

My brother's friend is the guitar tech for Bush and Alice in Chains and he made my nephew a frankenguitar from parts used by Gavin and Jerry.


When Ellis Drums was around the owner would get "big name" drummers to sign heads and he hung them behind the counter.
 
I have an acoustic guitar, a 1985 Yamaha FG335II, not a really nice one or anything. I bought it new for $100.00. Looking back, it's a good price for a bound guitar.

It sports the signatures of:

Robert Cray, the first signature I got in 1987. (And his bass player at the time, Richard Cousins) I was and still am a Robert Cray fanboi.

Danny Gatton, 1993. Far and away my favorite guitarist, a little over a year before he died, acquired at the Chestnut Caberet in Phila. summer, 1993. I asked him to scratch it in the wood with a ball point pen like all the other signatures were, but he wouldn't. He used a Sharpie and it's now no longer visible, sad, sad face. It was my most cherished signature.
I didn't know Danny's influences at the time, it was pre-internet for me, so I asked him who HE liked to listen to. His answer:
"Rush Limbaugh, right wing conservative on (some AM radio station)"
Always unexpected.

Rory Block, 1996. I was and still am a Rory Block fanboi as well. I named my son after her. (Rory, not Block) I heard she was seeing Robert Plant recently.

Taj Mahal 1993
Katie Webster 1993
Sonny Rhods 1993 (that's how he spelled it) Rhodes is the proper spelling lol

The above 3 were all from one show I saw at Penns Landing in Philadelphia, called RiverBlues, as it was set with the Delaware River as the background.
Rivers offer good acoustics lol.

I also have 2 local guys signatures on there, Tommy Conwell, who made a small splash for a bit, and a guy called Bluesman Willie, who hogged the most wood on the guitar, out of all the signatures.

That guitar survived a house fire in 1998 and everyone who plays it loves it. The fire pitted the hardware from the acrid smoke, but the wood is just fine. I like to think it may have even added to it's resonance.

A lot of greatness has touched that guitar.
 
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Not counting heads...etc I have a drum clock signed by Nick Mason from Pink Floyd.

Met him at a drum show a few years ago and he kindly singed the item.

It's half a drum shell so I'm counting it as a drum!
 
I have an 18" Ambassador that came with my vintage Pearl kit that has a nice personal message on it. It is signed "Frankie of The Scintas". I found out that The Scintas are a musical act started in 1971 and toured Playboy Clubs. They did a stint for a while at the Playboy Club in Atlantic City, and now perform in Vegas. While I really doubt it, my kit might be the one that was used in their early years. I have no way of knowing. The gear was top notch for its day.

I also had Marty Friedman's sig on a hat. It was from the Countdown to Extinction tour. The sig faded and the hat is long gone.
 
No drums signed, but I do have a Kenny Aronoff autograph that goes back to the month after the L.A. riots in '92. He was in a Tracks music store in Bloomington, IN on a Saturday night. My best bud from high school took lessons off of him in the 70s and we actually met the year prior in a bar, he remembered me. We talked for an hour about how he couldn't even return Elton John's phone calls about a tour, etc. It was really amazing to hear of the success he was coming into. And rightly deserved. He is a hard working guy.
 
One cymbal signed by Steve Ferrone, one signed by Greg Bissonette, and a drum head signed by about 15 different drummers that I built a frame for. Also 2 drum heads signed by "Spanky" McGurdy
 
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I once contacted a drum dealer that was recommended through an antiques dealer. He said he would send me a pair of drumsticks that were owned by Ringo Starr, but it came without a certificate - for £500. The dealer was recommended and had a good reputation apparently. I didn't get the sticks because they had no certificate to go with them.

Later, I got a phone call from someone that had Keith Moon's bass batter skin with one of their concert's set-lists that was written in Keith's handwriting. It also came with a certificate. I said I was interested until he said he wanted 250,000 dollars for it. I noticed a dealer that had one of Keith Moon's snares and claiming to have Keith Moon's stick marks in it along with a certificate was for sale for £20, 000. I don't have money for such things, but I wish I did so I look at that stuff online from time to time.
 
Some heads signed by Simon Philips, Thomas Lang, Virgil Donati, Lars Ulrich, Dennis Chambers, Aaron Spears and a few more.
Also pictures taken with them and I have one snare drum signed by the metal band called Nevermore.
 
Aside from CDs, records and postcards (some of which came presigned, others which were kindly and unexpectedly signed and dedicated before being posted to me) and the obligatory Remo Autograph Head that hangs on my wall, my most unusual item must be a gold spray painted hard hat/construction helmet which I got Gavin Harrison to sign.
 
My next-door neighbor Keith is the founding member of Empire! Empire! I suppose I could have him autograph my chest or back someplace, but it would probably make him sick to scribble on an old man. Plus I doubt anybody would want to see my carcass. I'll just continue to sneak treats to his dog, Oliver, when we're both outside!
 
Todd Sucherman signed my Pearl Reference gong drum! He came to 2112 for a clinic last year, and I stepped in and told the owners of the shop that I’d buy a gong drum for him to use at the clinic. It was originally supposed to be a Decade Maple, but evidently another Pearl endorser sent the Reference back and I snagged it for just a few bucks more. It’s an incredible drum.
 
Super jealous. I have a thing for BC Rich guitars. What model is it?

I really like BC Rich guitars too. Had a Gunslinger years ago, but sold it to the guitar player in the band i was in back then.
The guitar signed by Andy is an ST-III (I believe that's what they're called...or ST-3 as you'll see them also listed) Bought it at a pawn shop years ago. It's kind of a pink-ish color, lol. It was also signed by Glen Drover, but Glen's signature wore off because he signed it where i asked him not to, and it wore off as I still play the guitar.
 
I really like BC Rich guitars too. Had a Gunslinger years ago, but sold it to the guitar player in the band i was in back then.
The guitar signed by Andy is an ST-III (I believe that's what they're called...or ST-3 as you'll see them also listed) Bought it at a pawn shop years ago. It's kind of a pink-ish color, lol. It was also signed by Glen Drover, but Glen's signature wore off because he signed it where i asked him not to, and it wore off as I still play the guitar.

That's so cool. I just looked and the pink is obnoxious. I love it! There is just something about BC Rich. Their guitars have that it factor. My wife likes them too. She said I can buy any or all of their guitars to hang on the wall as she thinks they are pretty. And we don't even play guitar!
 
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