Preserve a signature?

[MirageBass]

So I have a pickguard for my Geddy J signed by the Barenaked Ladies and Weird Al. I played with it for a while, then noticed: One of the top signatures was starting to smudge! ARGH! I play sometimes with my thumb between the E string and the pickguard, and if it's there for a while, it begins to rub off the sharpie!

So I installed my tortoiseshell pickguard, but it's a rough fit, and I like my siggy guard more... Any idea as to how I can protect these signatures? A sealant or something?

[TheDarkReaver]

put a coat of laquer or something over it would be my guess or clear varnish or something like that.

[GeneralElectric]

You can get cans of minwax acrylic sealer for about $8.

I did that to a pickguard that had Rick Dankos and Levon Helms signature on it.

[varunkapahi]

Originally Posted by MirageBass

So I have a pickguard for my Geddy J signed by the Barenaked Ladies and Weird Al. I played with it for a while, then noticed: One of the top signatures was starting to smudge! ARGH! I play sometimes with my thumb between the E string and the pickguard, and if it's there for a while, it begins to rub off the sharpie!

So I installed my tortoiseshell pickguard, but it's a rough fit, and I like my siggy guard more... Any idea as to how I can protect these signatures? A sealant or something?

a friend of mine has john myung's signature on the body of his ibanez sixer. he proctected the signature from smudging out by putting a small transparent plastic kinda lamination over the signature. not sure what he did exactly. anyway you could do something similar

[Pilgrim]

The only potential problem with spraying over it is what happens if the spray or lacquer is a solvent for the sigs and makes them run.

I like the idea of buying clear plastic with adhesive back and putting a layer over the sigs. The clear pickguard material Stew-Mac sells would probably work nicely, and can be cut to fit.