How to remove sharpie marks from nitro finish?

[mouse116]

Hi guys, I just stepped into the tele world with a Trimmed&Burnin' tele. Love the guitar, but it was signed by a young band before it was raffled, and I'd like to see the wood, not a bunch of names I don't know. It's nitro finish and Shannon suggested rubbing compound. Do you guys have any preferences? Shannon signed it too and I'm keepin' his name on there. This is a great website and I'm already learning a lot. Thanks. mouse

[Hackguitarist]

Goo away or just bath room variety alcohol might get it with out eating lacquer...


Some clear coat cleaning compound is really fine, that should take it off and polish the top at the same time.

[dlabstudio]

mr.clean magic eraser and a bit of rubbing. my daughter sharpied my hardwood floors and the eraser did the trick.

[otaypanky]

I have a Gibson LP that Les autographed on the back. I tried to remove it. and soon after it was on there, not years later. Uh-uh, not going anywhere ~
That marker had penetrated deep into the finish. Light polishing compounds, etc., had no effect other than to lighten and make the autograph looked aged.
I hope you have better luck than I did

[mouse116]

Well guys, no luck so far. Goo gone at least faded it and crest did nothing except make the denatured alcohol mark disappear, which is a good thing. I may work the goo gone a little more or try some actual compound. The marks have been there for a month, so they may have leeched in. The battle goes on! Be Blessed. mouse

[Al Watsky]

I have had to "remove" signatures on many guitars.
Lots of "G" brand and Fenders.
If compound won't get it ,you can try wet sanding. Starting high grit. Say 800 , do a small spot. You can get lucky and get most all of it off sometimes. If it seems to lay on the surface you might even start with 600 grit.
Once you fade it as much as possible you just buff it back up to 2000 and then a glazing compound.
On Poly it just comes off. No problem. Acetone removes sharpie from Poly finishes easily. to test the finish use a q tip on a hidden area say in the cut away area to see if the finish reacts to the acetone. You can also use Naptha and alcohol . with varying degrees of success '

[tacodog]

That magic eraser thing is a really fine grit sandpaper. Be prepared to use some rubbing or polishing compound after you're done, if you go this route.

[boris bubbanov]

Some of these markers use an acetone, m e k or xylene agent (that's what you smell when you pull off the cap) and that stuff can be real aggressive about weeping down into the finish.

I've seen some AV57s and 62s with deep through stains down (and up) into the lacquer. You'll be removing a lot of finish and yet little may change, appearance wise.

You didn't say if the finish was clear, toned, or bursted. The only thing that always works is removing all the lacquer, or relacquering the guitar in the color of the sharpie, or a darker color.

I used to use a dark marker to place screw holes, strap button holes on lacquer bodies but I stopped doing that - a stray mark is too easy to create.

[guitarzan13]

Just wondering..... who signed it??

[eric_o]

Originally Posted by otaypanky

I have a Gibson LP that Les autographed on the back. I tried to remove it. and soon after it was on there, not years later. Uh-uh, not going anywhere ~
That marker had penetrated deep into the finish. Light polishing compounds, etc., had no effect other than to lighten and make the autograph looked aged.
I hope you have better luck than I did

The real question here is why were you trying to remove a Les Paul signature? That seems like a pretty big deal.

[Thundersleet]

Originally Posted by eric_o

The real question here is why were you trying to remove a Les Paul signature? That seems like a pretty big deal.

I was wondering about that too. Please tell us why?

[JasonRobert]

Originally Posted by otaypanky

I have a Gibson LP that Les autographed on the back. I tried to remove it. and soon after it was on there, not years later. Uh-uh, not going anywhere ~
That marker had penetrated deep into the finish. Light polishing compounds, etc., had no effect other than to lighten and make the autograph looked aged.
I hope you have better luck than I did

why on earth were you trying to remove his signature????

[mouse116]

Thanks guys. This tele is light pine with clear nitro finish,so the names may just stay there. I can't see taking her out of service long enough to refinish. The band was a young country band called Tumbledown that played in an all day benefit concert. They're pretty good, just not who I'd choose to be on my tele. I'll post if I can figure anything out. Be blessed. Wish I had a Les or Leo signature!