Signature on Private Stock: covered or not?

[Jasmine10]

I recently watched the video documentary on PRS Private Stock guitars and (at minute 07:53) I saw that Paul himself signs the necks with a marker before those are assembled on the instrument.

I was wondering if those writings ("Private Stock #XXXX - 02.02.2022 - Paul Reed Smith) are then covered with a thin layer of lacquer or not.
In short, can those writings be erased with time and sweat?

 

[László]

I've got a few dating back to 2013. They're my main guitars, and I play them often. My 2013 is now 9 years old, and there's no wear to the signature at all. Same with the ones that came after, in 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Most PS guitars are set-neck instruments; the necks are glued in along with the fretboards before they're stained.

If memory serves, the guitar receives its stains, the neck gets signed, and then the clear coat is applied. However, unfinished necks like the rosewood necks aren't stained or clear-coated, and they're simply signed with the gold paint pen. I've never heard of the signature wearing off anyone's guitar regardless.

The signatures aren't where you'd put your hand while playing, they're above the level of the nut, and mostly between the tuning machines. Honestly, I don't see how anyone could wear them off in normal use, unless they had a very strange playing style. If you're concerned about your PS, or about ordering one, you might want to double check with your dealer.

 

[PRSWILL]

Mine's a 2011- no wear.

 

[László]

I checked the headstocks on mine, and it looks like the clear coat is applied over the signatures on all of them.

However, I tend to be philosophical about this kind of thing; the signatures aren't functional. They have nothing to do with what I value in the guitars, so if they rubbed off for some reason I wouldn't be upset. I feel the same way about certificates, hang tags, and other stuff that's functionally superfluous.

Nothing against anyone who feels otherwise, and hey, it's your guitar, and your life. Each of us has the privilege of deciding what's important for ourselves.

 

[JMintzer]

They are clear coated, but they CAN fade over time.

On my PS (from 2020), the Serial # and Signatures have faded a bit. Still visible, but it's not as bright as it once was...

 

[Collywobbles]

They CAN fade over time

'88 Sig - Paul's signature has faded a bit (the serial and Sig number on the back of the headstock have faded less). However, given this is 34 years old (and has had a hard life) and you can still read Paul's signature, I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[ElrytNamrogo]

However, I tend to be philosophical about this kind of thing; the signatures aren't functional. They have nothing to do with what I value in the guitars, so if they rubbed off for some reason I wouldn't be upset.

Actually, I've heard Paul specifically chose a paint pen for the natural tonal qualities and character of the paint formulated to that pen. Supposedly he ran out of those pens once, but still had to sign the headstocks. Some folks can actually hear the difference between guitars signed with different paint pens.

 

[László]

Entropy. It’s the very nature of the universe!

As I begin to age out of my mortal existence (hello, we're all so engaged), what happens to my stuff as it ages becomes increasingly less significanct.

The jury’s still out on whether this is a good or bad thing.

 

[Daryl Jones]

Actually, I've heard Paul specifically chose a paint pen for the natural tonal qualities and character of the paint formulated to that pen. Supposedly he ran out of those pens once, but still had to sign the headstocks. Some folks can actually hear the difference between guitars signed with different paint pens.

I believe that. I know before I had my sponsor stickers and Nicky Hayden's number on my race bike it was a good 100th of a second per lap slower with plain #R258 Honda red...

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Actually, I've heard Paul specifically chose a paint pen for the natural tonal qualities and character of the paint formulated to that pen. Supposedly he ran out of those pens once, but still had to sign the headstocks. Some folks can actually hear the difference between guitars signed with different paint pens.

Hence the “sweeping mids” on that L in Paul.

 

[archtop]

Actually, I've heard Paul specifically chose a paint pen for the natural tonal qualities and character of the paint formulated to that pen. Supposedly he ran out of those pens once, but still had to sign the headstocks. Some folks can actually hear the difference between guitars signed with different paint pens.

For that brief period Paul was using a paint pen with paint that didn't let the wood under his signature 'breathe' and that's why some can hear the difference.