HELP! How to protect signatures on a bass

[sowder]

So I got one of my dreams fulfilled recently. All 3 members of Rush signed my Jazz. Problem is...I don't want to just show it off, I want to play it! I know there has to be somebody out there...a luthier or refinisher who has experience with this. They signed it using one of those silver felt tip signature pens right on the body. And yes the body was already fully finished and lacquered. My thought was either a clear protective hobbyist decal sealed over the sigs, or possibly a light spray on clearcoat that wouldn't run the sigs and be invisible to the finished body. Any suggestions?

Thanks folks!

 

[BioDriver]

Why would you still want to play it?!??!?!?!?! Frame and mount it and buy another bass.

 

[Pilgrim]

Stew-Mac sells clear adhesive pickguard material in sheets. I would buy a sheet, cut out a piece to cover the signatures and put it over them.

Lacquer or other sprays have solvents in them - the sigs may run. I'd cover them with an impermeable layer - the clear pickguard material.

 

[SAP]

I used a clear piece of packaging tape. Probably not the best solution but I didn't care.

 

[RickenBoogie]

+1 on the frame and hang it plan, but I can see wanting to play it, too. A clear acrylic spray might work, but I'd be afraid to do anything, myself. Tricky.

 

[bassmonkeee]

Hey, why don't you start some more ******* threads about it, too?

 

[sowder]

Hey, why don't you start some more ******* threads about it, too?

LOL...so what part was ******** in your mind? The part where you proactively contacted me to sell something? Or the part where you changed your mind after all those PM's?

 

[cnltb]

clear laquer over the signatures perhaps?

 

[El-Bob]

like another poster said, i would be worried about the laquer making the sigs run. i would go with the pickguard material idea.

 

[Vincent P]

You may also want to hunt down a sports or collectibles place, they seem to be good at protecting autographs.

 

[Thangfish]

You CAN spray lacquer over lacquer soluble ink... but if you aren't experienced in the technique, get someone else to do it for you.
I would be more concerned about the lacquer adhering to the poly finished bass. Poly is tough and it would probably need to be scuff sanded to get good adhesion.

Sounds like you are talking about a silver Sharpie? Buy one and do some testing on another surface.

Alternatively, I bought an LCD screen protector from this company
http://www.zagg.com/ and stuck it over the sig, but it was just one on a pickguard. They don't sell it in big sheets that would probably cover all 3. I just used it because I was already familiar with how tough (and clear and easy to remove) the stuff really is. No problems so far, anyway.

Don't jump the gun and play it before you find a solution. Skin oil WILL smear silver Sharpie! Take my word.

 

[EclecticElectrk]

my advice is that you apply coats of laqcuer over the signed area. that should protect it well.
if you use paint on laqcuer, you shouldnt have to worry about the sigs running.

 

[permagrin]

Perhaps a clear static sticker (no adhesive)? I think I saw a bass for sale here recently that had one, about the size of a piece of paper, on the back of the bass to protect it from belt buckle rash. Someone must sell blank ones....

 

[Oren Hudson]

Use the clear covering. I bought some at Office Depot to cover The Ventures autographs on my '66 Mosrite Ventures bass. It works real good.