NZGuitars.com

Hey guys,

I asked in another thread about decals - which was good, but I had another question.

I'm building a project guitar, which I've already got a good body and some parts for. I don't have a neck yet, so I'm thinking of eventually getting one of the Allparts ones. The thing is, I'd like to get my decal put on it but I've never gone that far before and don't know exactly how it works.

I'm assuming part one is to buy a neck. But do I need an unfinished neck to add a decal? I'd like one of the finished ones, but if that means I have to sand the lacquer off to get my decal on then I don't think the end result will look good. Also, the unfinished ones have frets already on them, will that muck up the lacquer process if I decided to go that way? (even though I don't know anything about lacquer).

After that, I'm assuming that I'll make the decal by printing my awesome image onto decal paper.

And then I get some sort of mix of warm water/pva and stick it on? Haha, I think I really need some more detail on the this part.

If anyone knows more, let me know.

Cheers.

Rocklanders your man for decals
they should stick to the lacquer

The decal sticks to lacquer better than to raw wood. Then it needs more lacquer over the top. Only the headstock face needs to be re-sprayed.

for experience in decal application just buy a model airplane of car kitset.. they have decals in them.. the process is exactly the same except that I add (as you've said) a drop of PVA and mix it into the water (hot/warm mixes the pva in nicely).. seriously the same after that as the kitset models.

http://www.acornmodels.co.nz/product.php?prod=37290

then follow our resident expert ash's instructions...

ash wrote:The decal sticks to lacquer better than to raw wood. Then it needs more lacquer over the top. Only the headstock face needs to be re-sprayed.

Mmm and just make sure you don't get any greasy fingers on it before you spray it, use a wax and grease remover before you put the sticker on and then use gloves

ash wrote:The decal sticks to lacquer better than to raw wood. Then it needs more lacquer over the top. Only the headstock face needs to be re-sprayed.

will he need to worry about lacquer compatibility ??

willow13 wrote:

ash wrote:The decal sticks to lacquer better than to raw wood. Then it needs more lacquer over the top. Only the headstock face needs to be re-sprayed.

will he need to worry about lacquer compatibility ??

Yes. Be prepared to cock it up ten times to get it right once.

Worse case scenario you sand it back and start again

jeremyb wrote:Worse case scenario you sand it back and start again

its not sad mate, because we all love sanding right

willow13 wrote:because we all love sanding right

about as much as a samick ovation

willow13 wrote:

jeremyb wrote:Worse case scenario you sand it back and start again

its not sad mate, because we all love sanding right

It kinda pays to be a masochist when it comes to working with wood

jeremyb wrote:

willow13 wrote:

jeremyb wrote:Worse case scenario you sand it back and start again

its not sad mate, because we all love sanding right

It kinda pays to be a masochist when it comes to working with wood

agree, with my current builds I am up to the lacquering stage and I'm working on the principal of wet sanding it until I think its done and then I am doing another half that amount of sanding again and I'm glad to say the results are very pleasing so far