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GreenCustom24 · Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 8:36 pm Post subject: Removing Sharpie from a pickguard

Hey guys. I just got a used Ibanez Black Eagle. The guy I got it from decided the pickguard looked too "pimp" and colored all the inlays and the clear back part with a freaking black Sharpie... I looked up ways to remove it and it seems easy but I don't know if any of the methods will screw up the guard.

Anyone got any suggestions?

I also need to get a new sheet of pearl cuz he tossed it...

George · . Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 20945 Location: UK

White spirit/acetone, and if that doesn't work maybe a very fine wire wool like 0000 possibly?

Fran · Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 8:51 pm Post subject:

I've used upvc solvent cleaner in the past. It's the stuff we use when fitting double glazed windows, it removes glue, marker pen and dried expanding foam.
Not sure if you have something similar in the US.

GreenCustom24 · Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 8:53 pm Post subject:

I was gonna try the acetone do that works. I just wasn't sure if anything would ruin it. I'll take the chance on it.

benecol · Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 10:33 pm Post subject:

When IDIOTS write on our whiteboards at work with permanent pens (cleu: this happens all the time), we write over it with drywipe pen, then rub it out. I don't know why it works, but it works.

Bacchus · Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 10:50 pm Post subject:

Nick · Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2017 1:40 am Post subject:

Acetone can damage plastics. I usually use isopropyl alcohol to take sharpie off plastics. It might not get it all off but it usually gets most of it off and doesn't hurt anything.

In other words pour beer on it

GreenCustom24 · Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2017 2:48 am Post subject:

I'll try the alcohol then. Definitely don't wanna damage the pickguard...

Ankhanu · . Joined: 10 Nov 2009 Posts: 2966 Location: Nova Scotia

Yeah, I clean Sharpie off plastic all the time with ethanol; isopropyl works just as well.
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Nick · Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2017 3:59 am Post subject:

Glad this got to you in time then, I can't imagine it's easy to buy a replacement for those basses, even a reissue. In my experience even a slight too-long exposure to acetone can mess up the sheen or surface of the plastic.

Thinking about what I said about alcohol getting MOST of the sharpie off, I'm usually using the alcohol to clean old video game cartridges, which are textured. A smooth pickguard should have all its surface area exposed and clean easily with alcohol. Let us know how it works out.

Concretebadger · Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2017 5:28 pm Post subject:

GreenCustom24 · Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2017 8:03 pm Post subject:

Well... Looks like I'm just gonna have to live with the colored in scroll work on the face of the pickguard. I started using cotton balls damp with alcohol and the black top layer of the pickguard started to melt... Not sure what the hell it's made of but it's not regular pickguard material.

Luckily the eagle itself was just covered up with black duct tape on the back so I fixed that no problem. I dunno if I'll spring for some pearloid or just use some white paper. Whatevs. Ha

paul_ · . Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 9787

Acetone and even strong isopropyl alcohol can damage many plastics and finishes (though pickguards aren't typically made from stuff that will easily melt nowadays and modern poly finishes rarely have a problem with either), and even if you got the Sharpie off the surface of the white bits without damaging the black there would probably be visible staining afterward due to the plastic absorbing the ink. I've removed Sharpie from light-coloured pickguards before no problem, but they usually never look brand new again, especially if there was any wear to them before they got drawn on.
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markleton · . Joined: 01 Sep 2008 Posts: 315 Location: Ipswich, UK

Nail polish remover usually does the trick- Anything non-polar (not water basically) should get rid of it.

The whiteboard marker trick works because of the solvent in the markers dissolves the ink so you can wipe it up.

plopswagon · Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2017 3:56 pm Post subject:

what's that black shit around the pickups?
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GreenCustom24 · Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 12:05 am Post subject:

Fixed it! Sort of. Ha

https://www.flickr.com/gp/159855034@N04/44C4f5

I got a fine tipped white out pen and injected it into the inlays on the pickguard. Up close it's rough, but whatever.

Can't get the damn picture to post...

NickS · Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 10:26 pm Post subject:

Looks pretty good.

theshadowofseattle · Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 11:42 pm Post subject:

Noirie. · YOUTH Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 5224

Whats it's like compared to a Jazz Bass?
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GreenCustom24 · Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 1:49 am Post subject:

Sounds just like a Jazz Bass. No real difference there. The vintage ones sounded different. Beefier and more aggressive. Listen to Bleach. Krist used one on that record. Kinda wish Ibanez had remade the pickups too.

The neck is between a Jazz and P Bass. The vintage one I had was a baseball bat so I'm glad the reissue was changed.

Other than that it's just the fancy pickguard, the curved fangs and the F hole in the headstock.