xfilekr

Random Question, I am going to a small venue concert to see an artist I really like, and had previously seen people get a guitar autographed. I think it's a great idea.
Any suggestions? Do you buy a decent ro cheap guitar knowing it will just be on your wall as a display piece instead of played? Recommended marker for no smudging, etc?
Thanks!

zombiezilla

I recommend Sharpie markers, but ....DO NOT WAX THE GUITAR OR USE ANY KIND OF CLEANER ON IT AFTER GETTING THE SIGNATURE!!! Regardless of what kind of marker you use, it will come off if you use any chemicals on it! ONLY use a clean/soft cloth (an old t-shirt does nicely) to dust it off, and to GENTLY rub off fingerprints.

But Sharpie is the best for this type of thing; take it from me, I've been collecting signed stuff since the 70's.

[email protected]

And this might be obvious, but make sure you get a picture of the artist signing the guitar or handing it to you afterwards! It's always fun to put that picture up next to the guitar itself on the wall....

Mordred

If you play a strat-style guitar with an easily removable pickguard, having the artist sign that instead of having to cart the actual guitar around might be the better option.

I had Yngwie Malmsteen sign my American Standard strat's pickguard because I was too afraid to keep a $1k guitar in the parking lot of a show in the seedy end of town.

DVD Josh

Get a lacquer pen. It will become part of the finish.

dvduser6

Ditto. I've met Steve Vai at an aftershow event and just took the rear trem cover from one of my guitars and a couple of sharpies.

Giantrobo

Hopefully the artist won't pull a "Gene". Didn't Gene Simmons stop signing guitars years ago because he didn't want them to end up on EBAY or something like that?

zombiezilla

I'm not sure about that, but I've met Gene several times since the early 80's and I have this to say: his signature no longer looks anything like it used to. It progressed (regressed?) from the cool-looking sig seen in the liner notes of KISS ALIVE! to a horrible mashed together collection of squiggly unreadable lines. He signs quickly (part of the problem), and writes no messages.

Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick still signs his cool/wild "caricature" signature, but always asks the recipient, "Now, I won't see this on eBay, will I?"....

cdollaz

Yeah, I ran into Rick Nielsen years ago in a hotel bar, and he drew a little pic of himself for me.

covenant

Considering the pickups, switches and knobs are attached to the pickguard I wouldn't consider a strat pickguard easily removable!

Flashback

Me too

Wallet Boy

I was on a line to get Megadeth's autographs and Mustaine said he wouldn't sign any guitars. I think he said it was due to a deal he had with a certain company, which I don't doubt, but I think that reason is probably b.s.