guitar headstock waterslide decal

Spray very light dust coats over the decal. Dont separate them yet, though. You found me for a reason. Next day, you can hit it with normal wet coats to build up enough lacquer for sanding and buffing. If you are installing two decals on the same instrument, use a ruler to make sure they are positioned symmetrically. Ta-da! Nice. Thatll sort itself out as the later coats go on. Dust coats dry on contact and will not eat into the decal. Your digging led you this far, but let me prove my worth and ask for references! The sandpaper will smoothly remove all traces of the old decal. Cut the decal roughly 3mm (1/8) around the edge of the image, the edge will be transparent once you slide it off the backing paper, 3. Dont be tempted to try get it out straight away. Brandon Talbot | Sales Representative for Cityscape Real Estate Brokerage, Brandon Talbot | Over 15 Years In Real Estate. The manufacturer's name on the headstock of many guitars is applied with a waterslide decal. This takes a little time. How to Replace Binding on a Gibson Guitar, How to Professionally Paint Electric Guitars, Copyright 2022 Leaf Group Ltd. All Rights Reserved. If you were/are a big old nerd, like me, you might know about waterslide decals from your time spent glueing model airplanes together. Like this? Check out these other great articles, repair, guitar, bass, jazzmaster, strat, les paul, archtop, neck, bridge, shim, screw removal, repair, guitar, bass, drill, plug, worn. If it doesnt move easily, a drop or two of water on/around the decal will float it and allow you to slide it about. Now, prep your headstock. Please accept to continue or block all non-essential cookies. Once the decal is cut out, plan your placement of it on the, 5. Sorry about that. // Leaf Group Lifestyle, The Gear Page: How To Remove a Brand Decal From a Headstock, TDPRI: Preferred Method To Remove Waterslide Headstock Decals. Use some kitchen towel to wick up most of the water. How many depends on a lot of factors but youll probably want half a dozen or maybe more. This is to bond the print into the decal and strengthen it to prevent the decal getting damaged during fitment. Spray a few coats, wait a couple of days and sand it flat so there are no dips or shiny spots where your decal will go. But, you dont have to do this stuff for a living to do it. Im assuming youre starting with a bare headstock as if youve fitted or made a new neck. A little lemon juice can help. Personally, Id advise you put the insecurity aside and learn to be ok rocking a Squier (screw the snobs those guys suck) but go ahead if you really want. I should say a final word about the elephant in the room: fakes. Water-slide decals are great for guitar logos. These decals are printed on a super thin film (for want of a better word). You want to just mist the lacquer on. Any clear coat whether nitro cellulose or acrylic will melt the dextrose. If you think you might want to change the decorationsometime in the future, then you can leave it un-sealed.It can be peeled off by lifting one edge with a razor bladeand pulling the dry film up and off. But, of course, you can think of other uses for these. Check your inbox for an email for meyou'll need to confirm your subscription there. Thats not cool. Then I forgot. The decal should now lie on the headstock face. Use your powers for good. Sand the entire face of the headstock with dampened sandpaper until you get down to the layer with the decal. Because the film is so thin, its possible to apply clear lacquer over it without any noticeable bumps or raised sections at its edges. Use a paper towel to gently dab off the excess moisture and work. Heres my two cents on this topic: If you feel you need to stick a Fender logo on your Squier, I guess you can go ahead and do it. Maybe youve made a parts-caster or a kit. . Let the lacquer cure off as per its instructions and then wet-sand and buff. The GTA market is VERY demanding and one mistake can lose that perfect pad. , This article written by Gerry Hayes and first published at hazeguitars.com, Solving Intonation Problems (Free Download). Click to play our newest game, solitaire! Pop it in the water. Id hate to think anyone was trying to con someone by faking a headstock decal. It might take a few minutes to come through so, don't worry if it's not there immediately. They very thin and fragile. Remove the decal from the backing and place it carefully onto the, 6. 7. Gather these materials before you start: Scissors Paper Towels Bowl of warm water 2. WARNING:Water slidedecals aremade from dextrose. When you are ready to apply the decal, plunge it into the warm water and hold it under the surface for 30-60 seconds, until you can begin to slide the thin film off the backing paper, 5. Ages ago, someone emailed to ask how they should go about applying a decal to a headstock. I don't do spam and you can unsubscribe at any time. Use a tweezers to lift both from the water and place it on the headstock near where you want it. The first coats over the logo should be misted on to avoid shocking the decal. Its relatively straightforward to make your own mark on your guitar. It still feels great to put my logo on the headstock of a guitar Ive made. Are you sure youre using the best strategy to net more and decrease stress? If the decal is on the surface of the headstock without any coating, soak a cloth in hot water with a little vinegar, then lay it over the decal and leave it for an hour. I promised Id write something about it. The film is fixed to a heavier paper backing. Its not cool to go beyond that, though. Its possible to buy decals for just about any famous guitar brand you might want. Spray the decal with several dust coats before applying. This goes for all water slide decals made by anyone. Finish sanding to ensure a smooth surface on which you can apply a new finish and decal if desired. Gently press the decal film while you use the tweezers to slide the backing paper out. You may also apply the decals to a fully finished instrument (no need for sanding if the surface is clean and smooth) 1. Its easy to accidentally nudge the decal out of position and its really easy to tear the decal film. Smacking on heavy coats straight away can damage and wrinkle the decal. Maybe youre customising or modifying your own guitar. Remove the decal from the backing and place it carefully onto the instrument. But when do you know when youve found everything you NEED? You should be able to slide it a little to centre it properly, 6. Use a paper towel to gently dab off the excess moisture and work any wrinkles and bubbles out of the decal. Very, very important is that the first couple of coats should be incredibly light. Many sales people will tell you what you want to hear and hope that you arent going to ask them to prove it. Once its dry and flat, with no wrinkles, leave it aside until tomorrow to make sure any small amounts of residual water have evaporated. Time for clear coats of lacquer to cover the decal. Guitar Decals uses cookies. Be sure of your position before leasing your property. Dont worry if it looks pebbly. My clients come from a diverse background, some are new to the process and others are well seasoned. Just enough build to be able to sand back flat. I dont know why but tiny flies seem to love wet lacquer. How to put your logo on a guitar headstock. When the decal is dry, you can apply a top coat of clear varnish to seal it permanently. Put a little warm water in a bowl and cut your decal close to its final size and shape. Any residual fragments of the decal can usually be removed by rubbing with a warm, damp cloth. Water slidedecals aremade from dextrose. Be really careful here. Tenant rights in Ontario can limit and leave you liable if you misstep. This can be really useful there are legitimate uses for these in instrument repair. Use masking tape to mark the positions so you can easily place the wet decal(s) properly without guessing. Once the decal is cut out, plan your placement of it on the instrument. If this isnt the case, youll have to sand back your current finish and logo until its gone. Enter your e-mail address to receive our newsletter, Please note to what decal you have (water slide, not self adhesive)*Decals are uncoated and must have at least 10-20 dust coats of lacquer appliedprior to fitting(failing to apply this amount of dust coats will result in the decal disolving and breaking apart which we will not be held responsible for), WATER SLIDE APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONSPrepare your wood surface by applying at least one coat of hard finish, such as varnish or lacquer, and sanding it smooth (600 grit) after it dries. After applying 15-20 coats, the decal will be sufficiently coated and covered to protect the wet coats from eating into the decal and melting it.. With great decal application knowledge, comes great responsibility. Wait for the lacquer to cure off a little and sand it back to get the fly out and apply more lacquer to get rid of the fly-crater. Then, mask off the sides and back of the neck and headstock. To prep headstock for logo application, lay down a couple of coats and flatten. I dont like to apply the decal to bare wood so a few coats of lacquer are needed. To comply with privacy regulations, I need you to allow me to store and process the information you've entered. Professional guitar and bass repair. Apply one coat, wait a half hour and then mist on another. The best way to get the ball rolling is with a no obligation, completely free consultation without a harassing bunch of follow up calls, emails and stalking. Hand-built instruments. Make sure there are no bubbles or wrinkles when applying decal to headstock. Look at the reflection of light on the decal to help you spot the bubbles. Dry off any excess moisture, then remove the decal with painters tape. If you do a bit of googling for something along the lines of custom waterslide decals, you should find heaps of places that will print your design for you. We recommend applying at least 15to 20 dust coats. When the decal is smooth, set it aside to dry thoroughly, for at least an hour or more 8. Better late than never? 7. Maybe youve hammered hunks of lumber into a guitar shape and want to make it yours. OK. Youve got your decal. Waterslide decals are a quick and easy way of branding instruments, but over time they can become chipped and worn. When the decal is smooth, set it aside to dry thoroughly, first and let them dry otherwise you are at risk. Future plans, financial benefits and timing can be huge factors in approach. No matter their experience level they agree GTAHomeGuy is THE only choice. Hold the neck away from your spray can or gun for a really thin, misted coat. Thanks a lot. If you are working on a guitar restoration project, you may have to remove the old decal to replace it with a new one. Now your custom axe has a custom logo. 4. Because youll have a little water around and under the decal, you can (carefully) reposition it until its in the correct place. Let me show you why my clients always refer me to their loved ones. Soak the whole thing in warm water for a minute and the film separates from the backing and the image can be placed on the wing of your 1:32 scale Spitfire Mk IX model. You must apply several"dust coats"first and let them dry otherwise you are at risk of the decal melting.This is optional, but if youwant the decal to be permanent, youll need to put sealerover it. For more detailed information about these cookies please see our privacy policy. After thirty seconds to a minute, the film should have loosened on the backing paper. Take off your guitar's strings, machine heads and ferrules if you are removing decals from under a protective finish of some kind, such as nitro lacquer. Please note to what decal you have (water slide, not self adhesive), *Decals are uncoated and must have at least 10-20 dust coats of lacquer appliedprior to fitting, (failing to apply this amount of dust coats will result in the decal disolving and breaking apart which we will not be held responsible for), Prepare your wood surface by applying at least one coat of, 3. Sure, these days you can find anything you want online with just the click of a button. Then, gently dab the decal with a fresh piece of towel to press out and absorb the remainder of the water. They very thin and fragile. Dust coats dry on contact and will not eat into the decal.

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