Epi LP Jr. - how to preserve signatures?

Hi all, I have what is probably a unique question. I am getting married this May and my fiancee and I (ok, mostly my fiancee) came up with a cool idea. Instead of having our wedding guests sign a book, we are going to have them all autograph a guitar, which I will hang on the wall with the rest in my office.

I just bought a new white Epi Les Paul Junior from Sweetwater. I am sure this is going to have a very thick poly finish on it. First, we are going to stencil our initials somewhere on the guitar (on top of the poly finish, probably near the neck pickup) and paint it, and then we were planning on using paint pens for our guests' signatures. What is the best method or the best products to use to ensure that everything shows up clearly? Also, we are planning on spraying a clear coat over the guitar afterwards to protect everything... any tips on this process?

Thanks.

Not sure if I can help with your problem, but that is a very cool idea. I would think just clear coat would help protect the signatures pretty well. We had guitar picks made as party favors for my wedding. This is a real cool idea. Best of wishes to you.

Just have them use a fine tip permanent marker. Then go over it with clear.

I'd buy some poly in a can, paint a piece of wood, write on it with a sharpie, then try to clear over it with something in a spray can.
Don't risk doing it to your keepsake first and risk having to watch the signatures drip off onto the floor.

I'd buy some poly in a can, paint a piece of wood, write on it with a sharpie, then try to clear over it with something in a spray can.
Don't risk doing it to your keepsake first and risk having to watch the signatures drip off onto the floor.

No offense, but I've done it. It works. Just my experience.

No offense taken...but clear WHAT?
Enamel? Lacquer? Urethane?
Spray?
Brush?
What kind of marker?
There are a lot of variables.
I've seen someone spray clear over several motorcycle tanks and fenders and in the morning all the paint jobs were on the floor.
Better safe than sorry.

I was given the task of clear coating a framed Team Lotus F1 steering wheel signed by all the current drivers at the time (1994).The signatures were on the wooden frame.I used Tamiya clear coat from their little spray cans as its high quality and doesnt yellow.I must admit I took a sharp intake of breath as I gingerly sprayed it on ,lightly at first .Dont flood any kind of paint on as a sharpie can run .Incidentally sharpie ink will still fade under the clear coat unless UV resistant.Sounds like a great idea .I preferred my guests signing checks:lol:
The steering wheel was given by Team Lotus for a Charity auction.

No offense taken...but clear WHAT?
Enamel? Lacquer? Urethane?
Spray?
Brush?
What kind of marker?
There are a lot of variables.
I've seen someone spray clear over several motorcycle tanks and fenders and in the morning all the paint jobs were on the floor.
Better safe than sorry.


Nitro and urethane both...good results.

Permanent markers are pretty much all the same. I like sharpies...pretty much the staple around here.

Thanks for the advice, all. I figured that sharpies could run if I didn't use the proper clearcoat, so that's why I was leaning towards a paint pen. Then, the signatures could match our wedding colors, and the paint would (hopefully) hold up better with a clear coat. Between the original guitar finish, the ink/pen for the signatures, and my clear coat, there are a lot of chances for some bad reaction to ruin it.

I like the concept...great idea. I would go for a sharpie over a paint pen. The paint does not dry immediately as a sharpie does and therefore can smear or smudge. I'd really be concerned about painting any clear over top of the signatures. If you don't know what you're doing, you can make a real mess and lose everything, guitar and signatures. If you are hanging it in your office just keep it out of the sunlight to prevent uv rays from fading the ink. My $0.02