Rhonda Vincent and the Rage signed my mandolin at the NC State Bluegrass festival last year. This is my only mandolin so I am still learning to play on it. Any suggestions on how to protect the signatures? I’ve considered a thin clear coat.
Protecting autographs
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I’d test whatever you plan to use on a different piece to make sure it works as desired. I am think the solvent in something like nitro laquer would NOT be ink friendly.
@Mike_R Makes a valid point, chemical reaction within the dissimilar chemicals could destroy what your trying to preserve. Seek expert advice.
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If its a flat area, a luthier could potentially put clear pickguard vinyl over it. I have a carbon fiber guitar with a bunch of signatures that have a clear guard to protect them. The vinyls were cut to shape.
Overspaying with a liquid finish can cause the signature ink to run, definitely have to do some testing to be sure your mandolin finish and the signature will hold up. It also can leave the finish looking uneven. For me, after much consideration, overspraying was too risky.
It definitely requires a fair amount of research.
I have decals on Molly and Billy and Sihasin’s sigs on my travel guitar. There’s one more sig on there now that was done with a “permanent” ink craft Sharpie and it didn’t need a decal. Tommy Emmanuel was on there but I didn’t get it protected soon enough and it rubbed off. 
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Great thought Michelle. The clear protectors they use for flaminco guitar could be cut to size.
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I had a luthier put them on, vinyl stickers can get air bubbles and be messy. 
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