What the sharpie left behind.....

[chrisalis]

HI folks

First time post on this forum, so I'll do my best not to offend anyone or do anything wrong, promise.

This probably sounds like a silly question - BUT ----- a little background first.

I recently acquired a secondhand Lag 4 seasons dreadnought (a spring 100D) -via ebay no less! - for my son, who loves to play bluegrass. He started about two years ago with a spring baby jumbo, which I helped him choose and which is one of the NICEST guitars I've ever played! (speaking as a Yamaha FG110 player of some 42 years) - so when he decided to get something he could put a pickup into for stage work, we looked around and spotted this guitar on Ebay - it had been "signed" by some five day wonder boy band (who I doubt could even PLAY!) in black sharpie - this was in 2006 when the guitar was new - it then went into a charity auction, and after a number of loveless ownerships, ended up with us.

The usual bone bridge and setup have got the thing, not only playable, but have turned it into a veritable BEAST! - there isnt a mark on it given its age - EXCEPT...

We did the obvious thing , and removed the children's scribble with methylated spirit; which has worked really well. The top is a beautiful spruce finish (laminate granted), but heres the thing; where the sharpie marks were has left a light patch on the underlying wood where the UV hasnt had a chance to darken it (kind of like the ghost of boybands past!). In normal daylight it looks like a herd of slugs have been driven rather erratically across the top by a TINY demented slug rancher. Its weirder in tungsten light - looks just like bear claw sitka (if bears could write).

Now I've done a little looking round the various forums, and have seen lots of advice on removing sharpie marks from instruments (some of it REALLY funny) - but no one seems to have addressed the issue of what sharpies leave behind (as it were).

I'm reasonably confident that the marks will fade over the coming couple of years as the wood darkens overall (we have NO plans to sell this baby), but I'd value opinions as to whether I could do anything to accelerate the process. Has anyone been in the same canoe before?

Writing on guitars - it should be ILLEGAL!

[Tony Burns]

Originally Posted by chrisalis

HI folks

First time post on this forum, so I'll do my best not to offend anyone or do anything wrong, promise.

This probably sounds like a silly question - BUT ----- a little background first.

I recently acquired a secondhand Lag 4 seasons dreadnought (a spring 100D) -via ebay no less! - for my son, who loves to play bluegrass. He started about two years ago with a spring baby jumbo, which I helped him choose and which is one of the NICEST guitars I've ever played! (speaking as a Yamaha FG110 player of some 42 years) - so when he decided to get something he could put a pickup into for stage work, we looked around and spotted this guitar on Ebay - it had been "signed" by some five day wonder boy band (who I doubt could even PLAY!) in black sharpie - this was in 2006 when the guitar was new - it then went into a charity auction, and after a number of loveless ownerships, ended up with us.

The usual bone bridge and setup have got the thing, not only playable, but have turned it into a veritable BEAST! - there isnt a mark on it given its age - EXCEPT...

We did the obvious thing , and removed the children's scribble with methylated spirit; which has worked really well. The top is a beautiful spruce finish (laminate granted), but heres the thing; where the sharpie marks were has left a light patch on the underlying wood where the UV hasnt had a chance to darken it (kind of like the ghost of boybands past!). In normal daylight it looks like a herd of slugs have been driven rather erratically across the top by a TINY demented slug rancher. Its weirder in tungsten light - looks just like bear claw sitka (if bears could write).

Now I've done a little looking round the various forums, and have seen lots of advice on removing sharpie marks from instruments (some of it REALLY funny) - but no one seems to have addressed the issue of what sharpies leave behind (as it were).

I'm reasonably confident that the marks will fade over the coming couple of years as the wood darkens overall (we have NO plans to sell this baby), but I'd value opinions as to whether I could do anything to accelerate the process. Has anyone been in the same canoe before?

Writing on guitars - it should be ILLEGAL!

this same thing happens when someone removes a pickguard and doesnt put the new one on exactly where the prior one was -or they dont want a pickguard on it at all .Wood gets darker with age( because of light ) as well as the finish turning a amber like color ( not all but most guitars ) the black from the sharpie did not let the wood age naturally so it left it lighter . Sometimes age will turn it the way it should be ( dont know how long that would be in your situation )- Id be careful setting it out in the sun ( bad idea)- the heat may ruin the guitar .My best suggestion is just to leave it alone and consider them birth marks. Refinishing the guitar will cost you plus it may hurt its tone.

Their a story on the forum from a few years ago where someone loaned a vintage guitar ( think it was a very old Gibson ) to a rock group to use while making a music video -this band though they were doing the owner of the guitar a big favor ( basically they were arrogant a--holes ) and they all wrote their names on the front of the guitar with permanent markers -the owner got some of it off but not all of it - what do you say to someone who does that .?

[Opa John]

First of all, welcome to the forum.

As for the problem with your son's guitar, they say time heals all wounds, and I can't think of anything except time that's gonna heal this one.

You DID say, however, that the top is laminated so taking any great precautions with humidity control wouldn't be a big issue. I'd guess that the whole guitar is laminated, in which case leaving the guitar out of its case and letting it get as much light as possible could speed up the process. Other than that, I got nothin'!

One word of caution....(like Tony ^^^ said)...I wouldn't put it out in broad daylight......that wouldn't be a good idea either.

[TimberlineGuy]

i recently have heard of people putting maple electric guitar necks in tanning beds (yes, tanning beds) to be exposed to high levels of UV rays but no added heat. I have not tried this, but if you google how to tan a guitar, you could probably come up with something.

[Glennwillow]

Hi Chris,

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like you and your son have had some interesting adventures with guitars.

Regarding the tan lines from the sharpie marks of the past, I heard of someone who made a mask to expose the lighter colored top wood to UV rays by leaving the guitar out on a stand. He basically covered up everything on the guitar except the area he wanted to get darker, and he said he was making progress at removing the contrasts in color.

I don't know how good you might be at cutting out slug trails for this guitar, but if it were me, I'd try this approach and see if it helps after a few weeks.

Regards, Glenn

[chrisalis]

Well folks - I know I SHOULDNT be impressed at the speed of the replies-but I am -so there!

All the suggestions are highly valid - so nice not to get TOO many jokey replies, and are more or less confirming the conclusion I'd come to myself; namely that it's time and time alone that will heal this issue. Add to this the fact that we got a really nice guitar quite cheaply, and I suppose I should be counting my blessings

Glenwillow - thanks! I may just prep a rough "overcoat" for the top out of brown paper, leaving the worst affected areas exposed ( a couple of the band apparently couldn't DO joined-up writing...), and hope that such sun as we see this summer will do the job -it can live on a stand in the conservatory for the spring, there's not much chance of it getting too hot in our climate: not yet anyway! Or I may get the old tanning lamp out - nice one timberlineguy!

As far as leaving it out in the sun - this is Liverpool, England guys! Did you EVER see the Beatles with a tan? And it's out of the case anyway, John, until I can get a case for it <g>

Tony - I know what I'd have said to their insurance company...not to mention their next of kin.

Chris

[blackie51]

.......they all wrote their names on the front of the guitar with permanent markers -the owner got some of it off but not all of it - what do you say to someone who does that .?

How 'bout "see you in court".

Tom

[Fliss]

Welcome to the forum, Chris!

Sorry I don't have any solutions for your problem with the guitar, but just wanted to say welcome! By coincidence I work in Liverpool

[chrisalis]

Originally Posted by Fliss

Welcome to the forum, Chris!

Sorry I don't have any solutions for your problem with the guitar, but just wanted to say welcome! By coincidence I work in Liverpool

Hey Fliss - thanks for the welcome.

Thats a fine wee hogtop(?) you're playing on the profile photie. It obviously has a history.

Chris

[Fliss]

Originally Posted by chrisalis

Hey Fliss - thanks for the welcome.

Thats a fine wee hogtop(?) you're playing on the profile photie. It obviously has a history.

Chris

Thanks Chris. It's actually a redwood top parlour, custom made for me by local luthier Matthew Bascetta. That photo was taken on the day I picked it up from him - but the shape is based on older guitars, and the redwood has a lovely character even brand new

Fliss