Preserving signatures on a guitar/bass

[ThomBassmonkey]

As per title, what's the best way to do this? Preferably something cheapish too.


Thanks

Thom

[KiOgon]

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='762708' date='Mar 3 2010, 10:49 AM']As per title, what's the best way to do this? Preferably something cheapish too.


Thanks

Thom[/quote]

Hang on - the g/f's got a book on jams & preserves - I'll have a look


Clear varnish? What 'ink' is the signature done in & where is it? Sellotape? A clear self sticky vinyl?

[Happy Jack]

Don't play it ...

[robocorpse]

Whatever method you use, remember it will be a once-only job, so do it well. If you mess it up, it will wreck the signature, or risk removing it if you have to reapply laquer/tape etc. I personally would use clear laquer, but do the first 2 coats as an EXTREMELY fine mist, just to get it started, but not enough to actually pick up the ink and run it. Practice on something else first until you are confident. That said, it might be better to just leave it and let it wear, unless its someone really uber cool who has signed the instrument.
Sticky backed plastic would be another good way to protect it, a lot easier to apply than laquer, but it will go tatty quicker.

[bassbloke]

Get it lacquered by an auto shop. Probably cost you about £50 for a couple of coats of automotive lacqeur, which will be baked hard. Very very durable.

[ThomBassmonkey]

Thanks guys. It's basically a competition idea for my band.

It might just be easier to let them wear. I'll check out the body shop idea though. Thanks guys.

[skankdelvar]

Here's something I posted a few months ago. Frankly, as long as you use the correct pen / spray combination, you should be able to DIY, partic if you mask off the body and just spray the area around the sigs:

[quote]I'd think about getting a pro refinisher ([i]not[/i] the local guitar tech) to do it - not necessarily the whole body, maybe just the area in question. Knowing what type of pen was used to sign it is fairly crucial - see here: [url="http://www.ehow.com/how_4866104_preserve-a...hed-guitar.html"]http://www.ehow.com/how_4866104_preserve-a...hed-guitar.html[/url]

Here's some stuff on DIY autograph preservation:

[url="http://www.elixirstrings.com/tipsandtricks...autographs.html"]http://www.elixirstrings.com/tipsandtricks...autographs.html[/url]

[url="http://www.vai.com/messageboard/viewtopic....f=4&t=23932"]http://www.vai.com/messageboard/viewtopic....f=4&t=23932[/url]

Clear gloss nitro is available from Manchester Guitar Tech:

[url="http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/lacquer.html"]http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/lacquer.html[/url]

Try googling variations on - guitar autograph preservation refinish spray - there's quite a lot of info out there. In the meantime, you could stick some clear contact film over the sig to keep it safe.[/quote]

If you're spraying over a poly body, I'd just use Plastikote clear spray, available from all good DIY stores (and some crap ones as well). About £5-10

Edited March 3, 2010 by skankdelvar

[Doddy]

I just put a couple of coats of clear boat varnish on the Marcus Miller signature on my
MM bass.
It's done a good job and shows no signs of wear,even after a few years.

[Mr. Foxen]

[url="http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Finish/CelebSig/celebsigsig.html"]Pro job here.[/url]

I love that website.

[Johngh]

[quote name='bassbloke' post='762897' date='Mar 3 2010, 01:14 PM']Get it lacquered by an auto shop. Probably cost you about £50 for a couple of coats of automotive lacqeur, which will be baked hard. Very very durable.[/quote]


This will depend on what type of pen was used to sign the guitar as lacquer could make the ink run.

I had a signed scratch plate laquered to protect the signature but the luthier tried the pen on the back of the plate and laqered it to make sure it didn't run.

[dumelow]

my friend won a competition a few years ago on the scuzz music channel on telly. he won a gibson sg signed by someone from evanescence, daft bastard actually wiped the signature off and kept the guitar haha

[Rich]

[quote name='dumelow' post='764214' date='Mar 4 2010, 05:42 PM']he won a gibson sg signed by someone from evanescence, daft bastard actually wiped the signature off[/quote]
Thus reducing its value by about £0.00

[charic]

Ill have to show this thread to my mate. He has a red special signed by brian may.

Gotta be worth a few pennies now..