Sealing an autograph

WMHOLP

Junior Member
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OK, so I was at a Pat Travers concert last week.  Pat signed an autograph for me on the rear control cover (black) of this Warmoth axe pictured below.  Since this pic was taken, I replaced the Warmoth logo on the headstock with a metallic chrome one, and I'm having a custom made truss rod cover made with my initials using a script font in red abalone inlay on black ebony.

My question is what would you all do to seal that autograph on the cover to prevent the ink from cracking/peeling away.  Some kind of spray finish I imagine, rather than a clear laminate.  A metallic silver Sharpie was used for the autograph.  Suggestions?

Warmoth_LP.jpg
 
If it's on the rear plastic cover in silver ink, any kind of spray finish might make it run. Think you'd be better off getting a sheet of the clear plastic laminate, putting over the cover and trimming it flush.
 
I know I would keep the cover somewhere safe, away from places of likely damage; get a new cover. Any kind of finish will eventually be circumvented, especially when it's in such a "tender" area as the back of a guitar.
 
Did you take your guitar on a date to  a Pat Travers show?  File that under you might be a Warmoth addict! :laughing11:
 
Frank Ford (or was it Dan E) has this technique on his website

First he roughed up all the area around the signature - getting close but not quite onto the signature - using some fine (400 or 600) paper
Then he "rolled" some clear shellac on the signature and onto the roughed up area - no rubbing, but "rolling" off a Q tip, very light coat
Kept doing shellac thin careful coats till he had a few coats on it
Then he went light lacquer over the whole mess, and put on a light coats
Buff out... carefully... and voila, its IN the finish now
 
Yes, it was at the Castle in Centralia.  And, no, I didn't haul the guitar up there with me...only the rear cover.  My wife also got an autographed CD and a couple lip locks from Pat.  She had fun.  The guitar is partially dis-assembled now while I'm doing some work on it.  Did some conditioning on the rosewood neck, threw on the chrome metal logo, and waiting on the new truss rod cover.  Thanks for the input on the shellac technique.  It was a fun weekend overall.  The night before, the wife and me had front row for Steve Vai at the Roseland in Portland.  Now she's all fired up about Van Halen.  Got somewhat crappy tickets for that one, but going none the less.
 
I had tickets to Travers then realized it was the same night as Vai in Seattle that I had bought a couple months before. I was bummed but had to sell them. But Vai was awesome eh? I had 3rd row seats for that. No autographs for me, but did get a pick.
 
Vai was awesone.  A buddy of mine got a pick at that one too, but he had to pay the price.  He's a bit of a drinker.  After the show was over, he spotted a pick on the floor on the other side of the front-row wall.  He proceeded to dive over the wall and land on his knee.  Security swooped in on him like flies on you know what.  At least he waited until after the show to do something idiotic.
 
I guess I should feel grateful. My knees are fine. My wife spotted it on the floor just as the house lights came on.
 
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