Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Carl Ryan on December 17, 2012 at 2:05pm

Hi Mike,

I collect alot of guitarists, and Buckethead is one of my favorites as well. In my opinion he is probably the best guitarist on the face of the earth. He plays with more emotion than anyone i have ever heard, and is so blindingly fast and technical that he puts Paul Gilbert to shame. He really is amazing. But he is also very weird.

I have never gotten him in IP, but i have heard that he is very strange when it comes to autographs. Last year for instance, i had a friend who worked at the club, the Northern Lights, in New York where Buckethead was playing. I sent him several pictures and asked him to get Buckethead to sign them backstage as he always had access to the celebrities. Its customary their for them to leave out posters and such to be signed for the club in the dressing rooms and everyone always signs for the club. Well not Buckethead, he didnt touch anything and didnt give out autographs backstage period. So that kind of turned me off from trying to get him IP in the future. I have heard from others that he is really hit or miss, as he is typically so wrapped up in his persona.

But i have collected a few of his autographs. As im sure you know, they arent that easy to find. They typically dont come up on ebay at a realistic price. I know that some time back he offered signed artwork on his site, as well as a few limited run of autographed CDs, but i missed them. And the art was just too expensive for me to think it would ever go up in value. But their hasnt been anything like that on his site in years. But i too collect his signatures when i get the chance. Here are a few from my collection of him:

Signed 11 by 14, JSA certified:

a signed limited run CD:

A signed postcard

Signed back of CD cover

Ill try and find some others i have, but these are a few right off.

Permalink Reply by Rich on December 17, 2012 at 3:08pm

Mike, I know for sure that the Rave in Milwaukee had Buckethead sign some posters and maybe even a couple canvases after his show earlier this year.  Right now, they don't have anything for sale, but here's the site.  You can always ask them if they have anything:

http://store.therave.com/c-19-autographed-posters.aspx

They also have a bigger selection on ebay.  Again, I know for sure I saw a few Buckethead signed posters for sale recently.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/autographedrockstarmerch/m.html?_nkw=&_...

Permalink Reply by Carl Ryan on December 17, 2012 at 4:12pm

Im pretty sure i saw those posters too Rich. I believe one was up on ebay for around the 80 dollar mark, but it was a huge poster, and if i didnt already have him numerous times, i would have gone for it. He really is quite a rare autograph. Their is a guy on ebay who sells these buckethead artwork photos that are really cool (and cheap). I would love to have him autograph one. They really are neat.

Permalink Reply by Rich on December 17, 2012 at 9:48pm

Doesn't Buckethead sometimes sell signed items on his website, too?

Permalink Reply by Rich on December 17, 2012 at 10:16pm

By the way, here is one of the Rave signed posters that sold recently.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Autographed-BUCKETHEAD-18x24-OVERSIZED-Conc...

Permalink Reply by Carl Ryan on December 17, 2012 at 10:30pm

Thats the same one that i saw Rich. It was a really cool poster, i just have him too many times to spend that kinda cash. And yes he does sell items on his site once in a blue moon, but its very rare. He has done it with 2 CDs to my knowledge that were limited runs. And he also sold some artwork back in 2010 i believe. But their has been nothing in the past few years.

Permalink Reply by Carl Ryan on December 17, 2012 at 11:24pm

Another thing about Buckethead, is that i have never had any luck writing to him via venue, or at his address out on CA. I know that early on back around the 2005 mark that Buckethead did sign autographs through the mail (at least a few) via the buckethead coop address. I remember seeing responses back from him then, but i have never gotten a response, and i have been sending letters to him via venue and at his home address for 2 years now. Maybe he just doesnt like me, but i havent heard of much luck with him TTM in the last few years.

Say Mike, did you ever here the Shawn Lane interview where he talks about how Buckethead came up with his nubbing technique. Its really worth a listen on youtube if you havent. And if you can impress Shawn Lane with speed and technical ability, then buddy you are doing something amazing. I remember the first time I saw Lane play, here was a chubby guy with short pudgy fingers, and you never would have imagined his ability. Because when he played he was so mind melting fast and precise that your jaw dropped. His technical ability was just absolute insanity. Their is actually a cool pic of Buckethead without his mask standing by Shawn on the net, as Bucket was a student of Shawn for a while. Coincidentally, here is a cool auto from Shawn.

Sorry to go on and on Mike, its just guitar players are my bread and butter and what i know best. Buckethead just doesnt get the credit he deserves as far as a guitarist. Everyone knows he is amazing, but i have never heard a guitarist play with more emotion. Songs like Padmasana and Soothsayer are just awesome. And being a guitar player myself, i know what kind of ability goes into his material. Songs like Big Sur Moon that is done with only down strokes is just crazy. I can play the song but i use alternate picking mostly. To down pick every note is just going very fast. But my favorite song is most definetly Nottingham Lace. That song is so dag on amazing it just boggles my mind. And even when Bucket is shredding a million miles an hour, he still has emotion their. Its not like Yngwie or Gilbert who just fly through scales. He puts emotions behind those notes even at a million miles per hour. He really is just to damn good. My only complaint is that sometimes in the middle of a great solo, he will throw nubbing sequences that detract from the composition in my mind. I just dont like to hear computer sounds in the middle of a bad a@@ solo. You know. But i just cant say enough good things about the guy.