Your friend got two decals when he ordered--the real one with hand-applied silver paint, and the practice one printed on an inkjet printer. He gave you the practice decal, which is essentially see-through, probably thinking it would work. Some businesses sell inkjet-printed decals, and they just don't show up on darker headstocks. I always practice with the inkjet decal on a piece of painted scrap wood before applying the real one to my kit headstocks. Refreshes my technique and reminds me of how easy it is to screw these up.
I used to make Spaghetti decals for Strats and would silkscreen gold paint with bronze powder which was a pain in the ass. But I made the layouts in reverse so the film acts like a covering too.
Hey, mate ! A label (decal) is considered badly glued if you can see the border between the clear film and the wood. You have to sand and apply three coats of varnish, at least. And then polishing.
I just applied a decal to a headstock and the curling folded over the decal but I got it to slide back over. The decal was a Poser fauxcaster in Fender style from GFS. I put it on a reverse headstock so there was really no right way to put it. (I'd need a lefty sticker & it would be upside-down) The guitar is a Slick SL57 sunburst that now has a reverse (lefty) headstock w/ a scalloped maple fretboard/neck. My budget Zappa/Hendrix/Yngwie/Poser fauxcaster. Sic!
CBthePoet sorry about that. Here's another decal video I did, if it helps: ruclips.net/video/9yV8z6izjew/видео.html The application starts at about 2:45 in.
Thanks! It’s from a song I wrote & recorded. You can listen to the full version here, if ya want: ruclips.net/video/JQuPSwZrLH4/видео.html Love the user name, by the way. 👍🏻
Did you have any issue with the thickness of the decal from Old Fret? By that I mean, did you have to put on a ton of coats of lacquer on the headstock after applying the decal to build up to the thickness of the decal?
John Horning so with my application, I did it kind of like they did in the 50s/60s. Back then they didn't put any coats on top. However, I put a couple of light coats on to protect it, but you can still see the edges. See @6:15 in the video.
I tell you,most definitely the truth that the internet allows anyone and all to be heard.Heard and seen playing guitar!!!!!Talking,giving their life epic,endless advice on my topics.Maybe this video is helpful fasting along in it to other parts.
love the video, im actually reffering to one of ur other videos to build a telecaster. i was just wondering if u applied any sealer or used sandpaper after putting on the decal
Jordan Peterson thanks! Yes, I put a few light coats of nitro over the face of the headstock once the decal dried. I talk about it at @6:57 in the video. Always glad to help! I didn't "level" the clear-coat over the decal though, in order to keep the vintage vibe. You can still make out the edge of the decal if you look for it.
Jordan Peterson I feel like all the ones I've tried are pretty similar actually (StewMac, Minwax, & Deft). The Minwax & Deft are easier to just pickup at a Lowes or Home Depot though. I've also mixed the different brands together & they all "melt" into each other well.
I have applied my Fender Decal on my guitar, but after an half hour. It's start cracking or tearing off. Even though I have watch the tutorial how to put it step by step. Is there anyway that I can fix it? it costs me $8 for 2 piece but both failed lol. Nice video anyway thanks
Darn. Sorry that happened. I'm not sure how to fix it, other than to try to find a new one. Some decals are better quality than others. I ended up paying maybe $15 for a good one.
Nice work. Like your patience and your candor when documenting the typical errors w/ this type of tedious task. During the explanation, I was all in. Then came the horrible cry/whimper accompanying the guitar work. What the H-E - double doosh canoe was that sound emitting from the manlet there at the end bruh?
Wow, this is one of the best comments I've ever gotten 😂Although I'm not exactly sure what sound you're referring to, you have quite the way with words my friend. 😉
If I could offer my advice. (I've put probably at least a hundred decals on headstocks for custom builds) Make sure you lightly spray the decal first with nitro and let it dry before you apply it. (This helps it remain strong and not shrink or distort after you apply it.) It looks like the neck hasn't been wet sanded and buffed in your video. I'm not sure, but I thought I could see orange-peel in the reflection. Lightly wet-sand with 600, then 1500 and then use a fine buffing compound. Clean the neck with a damp cloth and let dry. THEN apply the decal and use a soft cloth or even Kleenex works to smooth out the edges of the decal when applied. Then it is preferable to let stand at least a few hours and then apply 2 light coats and then let it sit at least 12 hours. Then you can safely start putting down coats about every 8 hours until its sufficiently covered. Then let it sit a few days to cure. Then again. 600, 1500 and then buffing compound to be done.
Valentino thank you! Your experience & advice is valued. 👍🏻 You're correct: I didn't wet-sand the neck. I am such an amateur that I really screwed up on my Strat, so I was afraid to even try it on this guitar. 😬 It being a relic, I was able to get away with it though. I DID however smooth the surface of the headstock with steel wool to level it before applying the decal. I'll definitely try some of these tips next time. 😊
@@NathanSink No, no. I did all the same things when I started. That's why I spoke up. To save you trouble next time you do it. That's the beauty of learning from the mistakes of others: "You get their experiences in life without having to pay the price." It still turned out great. It is one of those things that instead of the need to do it 12 times to figure it out, you can do it twice and get the same result I do after I had to mess a dozen or so up. Keep at it. Most people would be too scared to try what you did with your replacement neck.
Are there any key differences in doing this with a quicker drying lacquer? I can finish well, but haven't succeeded at waterslide. I tried once and the 'warm water', as everyone casually says to use, instantly destroyed the decal.
It’s supposed to some how hide (maybe slightly dissolve?) the edges. I’m honestly not sure it does much. Model car builders supposedly use it for their decals.
Leatherdardo Retromovil thanks! I bought the body at stratosphereparts.com Also, here is a link to the entire playlist: ruclips.net/p/PLT0llhi52k8pp3H2q35ec51SN8f2VOgfR
To be honest I couldn’t tell a big difference. Some people swear by it. If you can pick some up cheap & easily at the grocery store, I’d say go for it. Otherwise, it’s probably not a big deal.
I’m not sure where your original Fender neck came from / when, but now when you buy a standalone mexican road worn 50s tele neck, they are indeed nitro lacquered and then distressed by hand. The difference between a 7.5 or 7.25 and a modern 9.5” radius is not super dramatic imo. It’s actually more comfortable to chord on the vintage radius. And with modern frets being so tall, there is really no issues with bending. But for playability, a lot of jazzers will have their frets dressed a bit flatter from the 12th fret on. Or guys like Eric Johnson just radius all of the frets but don’t modify the vintage fretboard itself. Anyway, just throwing that out there, as the vintage radius spec is coming back into fashion with players like John Mayer using it on his PRS line. Fender’s Mexican 50s tele neck is quite nice, but not nearly as fat as their AVRI profile. It’s actually quite similar to the V profile neck they use on stuff like the Brad Paisley models (minus the slight V hump of course). Anyway, I’m rambling now! :p
Interesting stuff! It looks like Fender has either changed the the finish on the road worn necks, or updated their specs list to be correct. 🤔 Before the “Vintera” road worn versions, the specs definitely listed the bodies as finished in nitro, but the necks finished in urethane. That being said, maybe I should have just waited & saved myself a lot of work. 😂 I know that 7.25 vs 9.5 is a pretty fine line, & I probably could have lived with 7.25. I didn’t even think about radius-ing just the frets. Brillliant! (But also an extra cost). All the best. 👍🏻
This one is actually Aged Clear from StewMac. Here is a video on this neck & it shows the color difference in Vintage Amber & Aged Clear: ruclips.net/video/OUl70FuVSqM/видео.html
I used the “home-made” version of micro-sol, which is just vinegar. You can see what I did at @12:07 in the video. Not sure if it made a big difference or not, but some people swear by it. 😊
It’s in the video description. I got it from oldfret.com which unfortunately isn’t in business anymore. However, I would recommend the seller “popsdecals” on eBay.
Sorry for the dumb question but I'm not much of a painter/finisher.. When you go to seal the decal, do you spray over just the decal or the whole face of the headstock?
@Nathan Sink Thank you. I've been building my own Strat (first one) and will be needing to do this soon. I've heard you can spray around the decal until you've gotten the surrounding coat thick enough to be level with the edges, and then sand it all down flat to remove the lines that are showing...I'm not sure if I want to take that route but if I decide to, do you know the best way to avoid spraying over the decal so that the surrounding area will get thick enough to be flush with the edges of the decal? I apologize if I'm not being clear or didn't phrase the question very well.
@@procrastinator6902 I understand what you’re saying. But if you go that route you basically HAVE to spray over the decal. What happens is that a sort of “hill” of clear builds up over the decal that you then have to sand back down level with the areas surrounding it. Watch this video starting at around 8:15. He describes & shows how to do it: ruclips.net/video/PkawGOSFjWQ/видео.html
Let's do a survey real quick! How many people have used these decals to make their Stratocaster look like a fender strat and sold it to someone?? ( I dont care about you doing it, just curious) I would love to hear some stories about this, as most guitar players who know a lot about "guitars" and their respected specs would easily know this fender is fake. Sure the 50's/60's models would be harder to notice, but you could just take it apart to verify it... I'm sure a lot of people have tried this using one of those cheap necks and bodies (DIY kit) or just a strat style guitar with a strat neck. There's no telling how many fake fenders are out there right now lol, as they are the easiest guitars to fake (strat is the most common style guitar, tele is a top 5 ), if you compare that to Gibson's les pauls it's a whole nother story. As their necks are usually hard to take off/on, mahogany is quite expensive (so buying Les Paul DIY kits would most likely not use mahogany, but even if they did it would cost a lot more to buy). Another hard part to change with Gibsons LP's is the pearl inlays, the built-in logos on the headstock, and much more stuff I forgot atm.. Sure if you have a Epiphone you could fake a Gibson after learning how to make a perfect gibson headstock logo, but that would be the easiest route and its still hard.
@@mattier3030 That's the major source of fakes, how would I be oblivious to this? Like yes they can be well made but again most of them can be spotted with an educated mind. Most are sold for around $200-$350 so the quality isn't going to be hard to spot.
I use them since without a decal there it doesn't look right plus you will fielding a lot of questions as to what kind of guitar it is etc. Sometimes that gets to be a pain. If someone can build authentic "fool the experts" fake then go for it but when you are caught the money you may have made will go to an attorney or two. Building a Strat or Tele can net you better than Fender made guitars, you can even use Fender parts. Custom Shop pups are very satisfying to hear but make sure to have the best amp you find as it is half the equation and too many foot pedals look ridiculous. And what is up with all you kids buying Squires? Warped necks and cheap-ass pups do it for you? And kill the word "shredding". please.
Thanks. You can if you choose. If not, there’s a chance it will rub off eventually. There are two options: bury the decal (which takes a lot of layers & leveling) or spray a few light coats just to seal it. I chose the latter. If you go that route you’ll still be able to see the decal lines, but that is vintage accurate anyway.
Nothing like a guitar that tunes up PERFECTLY. That Tele does. A guitar that won't hold tune gets smashed against a tree. No use making someone else's life miserable by giving/selling to them. 😁
Luca Colosimo once you install it, it can be easily removed in the first few hours before it dries. However, it won't be reusable. I've never removed one that's been installed for a long time. I would imagine that if there is no clear-coat on top of it, then it could be removed fairly easily. If it is buried in clear coat, there's no choice except to sand it off.
I actually finished this neck myself, so it never had a decal: ruclips.net/video/OUl70FuVSqM/видео.html If you want to remove your decal, there’s a possibility that it’s just sitting on top of the finish. If so, you could probably remove it fairly easily with light sanding. Otherwise, you’ll have to sand off layers of the finish to get down to the decal: it might be shallow or it might be deep. 😐
@@NathanSink it’s just sitting on top of finish. I was told they’d come off easy with warm water. Was just wondering what you thought since you have experience with the decals. Thanks for the info!
@@Strumbum01 I actually never done that exact procedure, but yeah I would start with warm water first. If that doesn’t work, mineral spirits (you can get a hardware store) does wonders to remove adhesives…& it’s safe on nitro.
Yes, definitely. You can either just let the decal sit on top of the top coat; you can add a few light coats on top; or you can bury the decal (which takes patience) & level it so that the edges don’t show.
jacob m you have a Road Worn Tele? Putting the decal on the finish won't hurt it, if you plan on leaving it on. I can't say for sure what it would to if you ever want to take it off. I THINK you could just scrape it off easily using some paint thinner & it should be ok.
@@NathanSink yea i have that same road worn tele . idk what it is about those body s with stock pickups. Its a beast. Destroys American models. Competes with custom shop sound. That's what I'm worried about is if i take it off lol.
jacob m right on. Well, it's a calculated risk, I guess. 😬 The good thing about nitro (which the road worn is coated in) is that it's very forgiving if you need to touch it up.
@@NathanSink i plan on learning how to fix things like that. Idk how to yet. Mines nitro finish is pretty unforgiving just playing it. I've owned it not even a year, and it looks like ive had it 5. I keep my guitars Wiped down, polished, and everything . i was guessing it wss just the nitro. I have a custom built 62 strat in nitro. It's a relic with a lot more checking. It doesn't wear as easy.
jacob m that's true: nitro does wear faster for sure. However, if you needed to just touch up a spot (on an un-relic guitar for example), you can do it pretty easily with nitro. Best of luck!
While i appreciate the video to help us out, the first 9:50 could have been taken out lol and you pretty much skipped the part we all needed to see! turned out well though, im going to try it out on my squier mustang build.
Juan Gonzalez unfortunately there isn't a great way that I know of. If it has been applied on top of the poly or nitro, then maybe mineral spirits or paint thinner would help loosen it up. If it is burried under the finish, then you pretty much don't have an option other than sanding or a chemical treatment that will effect the clear coat too.
Micro set and micro sol are two products that will make your decal seamless and no edges showing it's as if the decal is painted in. And the product is cheap.
A few more don'ts. Don't improperly cure and forget to sand your DIY finish or you get the ugly orange peel effect you see on this headstock. light coats, 24 hour dry air cures, light sand, repeat. Don't put your water slide decal on a fully finished guitar part, or its going to peel off and look like crap later. Put it on when you still have a few coats of lacquer left to apply. When its underneath the finish it looks like its painted on and of course it won't come off. Don't misrepresent your partscaster as a Fender. I get my decals from StringKraft and they let you do custom stuff using classic Fender and Gibson fonts
@@NathanSink no problem. You can get pretty creative with your decals from Stringkraft. Modding gets learned in layers. I’m on my 5th major build now and just ordered a few for my Fenderbird. I’m putting a Menderbird logo on it in Gibson font. Finish the back of that neck with Beechwood Casey Tru Oil and gunstock wax
Why not just use that first waterslide decal to trace and paint the logo??! That would hold up better and look more authentic (for the fender models that didn't use the waterslide decals as logos.. or not any of the 50's-60's fenders).
@@NathanSink I believe they do some sort of painting or stamping and they might just drill bit the logo then add a hard material that's colored and then use a machine that pushes the colored fender logo into the hole outline that was already installed. I can't find much about how fender makes their logos, but I have a MIM strat and the last letter started scrapping off alittle. Still can't see if its a hole underneath the logo as its still mostly intact. But the current fender logos aren't waterslide decals or any type of decal ( they already stated that, when discussing the old 50's-60's reissue strat that had waterslide decals..) If my logo ever scrapes off enough I'll update you on what's inside and I'll do some tests on it to see if its paint or something similar.
I mean if you want to apply a new decal in an Ibanez, for that you need to remove the old one. So I am asking that can we remove that old decal because there is no such video in yt showing how to remove decal in Ibanez. All the decal removal videos are of Fender guitars only
Sparsh Rocks gotcha. I'm guessing your Ibanez decal is buried under a polyurethane clear-coat. You'll have to sand the finish off of the entire top of the headstock until you get to (and remove) the decal. Then you can add your decal of choice & apply new clear-coat over the top. To get a mirror finish, you'll have to wet-sand. It's alot of work.
Nathan Sink LOL. Sorry dude. My first go at applying a waterslide didn't go well. I was already having an overall feeling of negativity when I played your video. All better now. You do have a sweet intro to your videos. 👍
Eamon Collier no worries! Hope your decal worked out in the end. Thanks for the kind words on the intro. It's actually from an original song...if you're interested: ruclips.net/video/JQuPSwZrLH4/видео.html
I agree with not getting the road worn... fender just sucks as a company these days. Even though the 90’s were ok, they Honestly haven’t done much right since Leo left.... yes Leo was all about cutting cost and corners, but only after getting approval from players and customers. Many he had on staff for no other reason
The spirit Of 76 yeah, there are alot of benefits of putting together your own guitar nowadays. (Of course it's alot easier with bolt-on neck style guitars).
Actually vinyl decals are so much better. Water slides tear real easy. You have to squeegee out the bubbles and bury the cheesy outline under the finish.
attilathehun0 agree that water slides are super fragile. However, wouldn't you still have to bury the lines of a vinyl decal too?? Also, in my case, I wanted the outline in order to have a vintage look.
@@NathanSink Nope don't bury a vinyl decal under the finish, but do 3 coats so the decal can stay on forever. There is no outline on the vinyl decals and it is so much easier to install vs a waterslide.. To get rid of the outlines on a water slide that's 5-6 coats.
Just bought a quality one from the seller “popsdecals” on eBay. I’ve (obviously) bought crappy ones myself, & even repeated the mistake…but I’ve learned you get what you pay for. I think the key with these is making sure you get some type of metallic ink. Hope it works out. 👍🏻
Cool video. Sort of lol. Why did you skip the application? Skip the guitar playing at the beginning if you’re trying to save time. The part people wanna see is the application.
Star Lux Studio skip what application? I showed the application of two different decals (one that didn't work out, & one that did). Also, it is a guitar we're dealing with here; what's wrong with a little playing that took all of 30 seconds?
@@NathanSink lol sorry I stopped watching around 9:47 when you skipped that application. I don't mind the guitar playing of course. I just thought you didn't show the application but now I see you did it later. Just thought you weren't gonna show it so I went on to another video.
Nathan Sink I just put decals on two different guitars. First no problem. 2nd I was holding down the logo with my fingertip while while wiping out some bubbles under neath. As I lifted my finger it lifted the logo and almost tore it. Managed to put it back down and now it looks good ☺ Dosent take much to screw it up 😣
Too much about your flipping guitar dude.. came here about decals, not about your neck preferences. Now don't get BENT... I gave you a thumbs up for effort.
Does putting a fender decal make it a real fender... Not hardly, so whats the point, seems silly. I would feel kinda ashamed for anyone to know i did that. Just get a real fender.
This was a way for me to build my own “Fender” without going to the Custom Shop & spending $3-4k. I’m not hiding anything (obviously): it’s there for the whole world to see.
Dude your audio is effed the music at the end gets supper loud and the rest of when your talking your like whispering like your trying not to wake up someone anyway.
Your friend got two decals when he ordered--the real one with hand-applied silver paint, and the practice one printed on an inkjet printer. He gave you the practice decal, which is essentially see-through, probably thinking it would work. Some businesses sell inkjet-printed decals, and they just don't show up on darker headstocks. I always practice with the inkjet decal on a piece of painted scrap wood before applying the real one to my kit headstocks. Refreshes my technique and reminds me of how easy it is to screw these up.
I had my guitar sitting on black socks and snorted when you said "Clean." God bless you bother!! Thanks for the knowledge and wisdom! 🙏
😂 Glad to help!
A lot of places you buy these give you an extra or a test piece, definitely use it! It’s tricky. The silver in some comes out clear
I used to make Spaghetti decals for Strats and would silkscreen gold paint with bronze powder which was a pain in the ass. But I made the layouts in reverse so the film acts like a covering too.
skunkproductionsMLA kudos to you. I don't know that I would have that much patience. Much respect. 👍🏻
Hey, mate ! A label (decal) is considered badly glued if you can see the border between the clear film and the wood. You have to sand and apply three coats of varnish, at least. And then polishing.
Yep, I understand that’s the modern way to do it. But a lot of the vintage guitars had the edges showing, and that’s what I was going for.
I just applied a decal to a headstock and the curling folded over the decal but I got it to slide back over.
The decal was a Poser fauxcaster in Fender style from GFS. I put it on a reverse headstock so there was really no right way to put it. (I'd need a lefty sticker & it would be upside-down)
The guitar is a Slick SL57 sunburst that now has a reverse (lefty) headstock w/ a scalloped maple fretboard/neck. My budget Zappa/Hendrix/Yngwie/Poser fauxcaster. Sic!
Bass Fishing with the Antichrist glad it worked out. Sounds like a cool guitar! 👍🏻
You skipped over literally the one part that I wanted to see.
CBthePoet sorry about that. Here's another decal video I did, if it helps: ruclips.net/video/9yV8z6izjew/видео.html The application starts at about 2:45 in.
Well maybe tell him WHAT you wanted to see, rather than bitch about it.
Thx for the tip! I am putting the Fender decal on my Gibson headstock! Rock on!
XD
pls don't xD
You better not take it out in public, somebody’s bound to get their feeling hurt over that, your ass will end up paying the price....
It was a sarcasm joke....Do you really think I put fender logo on my Gibsons?
that’s nothing compared to my gibson squier warlock 8 string tho
@@jacobmarcelino3584 Floyd rose too?
Man your song is great! Outstanding music and stellar voice! 🎸🤘🏽
Aw, thank you so much!
Looks great Nathan!
Thanks!
That intro sounds beautiful.
Thanks! It’s from a song I wrote & recorded. You can listen to the full version here, if ya want: ruclips.net/video/JQuPSwZrLH4/видео.html Love the user name, by the way. 👍🏻
@@NathanSink Thanks, I just listened to the song, it's AMAZINGGGGG!!!!!!
@@breadzeppelin2705 🤗
Did you have any issue with the thickness of the decal from Old Fret? By that I mean, did you have to put on a ton of coats of lacquer on the headstock after applying the decal to build up to the thickness of the decal?
John Horning so with my application, I did it kind of like they did in the 50s/60s. Back then they didn't put any coats on top. However, I put a couple of light coats on to protect it, but you can still see the edges. See @6:15 in the video.
Bro....that tone!! Simple and brainslayingly vibey!
Alex Makridis thanks! 😊
I tell you,most definitely the truth that the internet allows anyone and all to be heard.Heard and seen playing guitar!!!!!Talking,giving their life epic,endless advice on my topics.Maybe this video is helpful fasting along in it to other parts.
I’m not exactly sure what you mean (whether it’s a compliment or a dis 😂). But regardless, thanks for watching!
This is great. what if the neck just has oil finish? will it stick?
Thanks! I can’t say 100% for sure because I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not.
@@NathanSink I will try the test pieces first with the serial numbers and such on the back. Great video
@@russlgtr good idea! Thanks again. 😊
love the video, im actually reffering to one of ur other videos to build a telecaster. i was just wondering if u applied any sealer or used sandpaper after putting on the decal
Jordan Peterson thanks! Yes, I put a few light coats of nitro over the face of the headstock once the decal dried. I talk about it at @6:57 in the video. Always glad to help! I didn't "level" the clear-coat over the decal though, in order to keep the vintage vibe. You can still make out the edge of the decal if you look for it.
@@NathanSink is there any preferred brand of nitro that u reccomend for sealing the decal?
Jordan Peterson I feel like all the ones I've tried are pretty similar actually (StewMac, Minwax, & Deft). The Minwax & Deft are easier to just pickup at a Lowes or Home Depot though. I've also mixed the different brands together & they all "melt" into each other well.
Where did you get your decal? I’m having trouble finding one for a 50s strat.
I got mine from OldFret.com, but unfortunately they aren't in business anymore. I would try www.croxguitars.com/decals.htm
I have applied my Fender Decal on my guitar, but after an half hour. It's start cracking or tearing off. Even though I have watch the tutorial how to put it step by step. Is there anyway that I can fix it? it costs me $8 for 2 piece but both failed lol. Nice video anyway thanks
Darn. Sorry that happened. I'm not sure how to fix it, other than to try to find a new one. Some decals are better quality than others. I ended up paying maybe $15 for a good one.
Nice work. Like your patience and your candor when documenting the typical errors w/ this type of tedious task.
During the explanation, I was all in.
Then came the horrible cry/whimper accompanying the guitar work.
What the H-E - double doosh canoe was that sound emitting from the manlet there at the end bruh?
Wow, this is one of the best comments I've ever gotten 😂Although I'm not exactly sure what sound you're referring to, you have quite the way with words my friend. 😉
If I could offer my advice. (I've put probably at least a hundred decals on headstocks for custom builds) Make sure you lightly spray the decal first with nitro and let it dry before you apply it. (This helps it remain strong and not shrink or distort after you apply it.) It looks like the neck hasn't been wet sanded and buffed in your video. I'm not sure, but I thought I could see orange-peel in the reflection.
Lightly wet-sand with 600, then 1500 and then use a fine buffing compound. Clean the neck with a damp cloth and let dry. THEN apply the decal and use a soft cloth or even Kleenex works to smooth out the edges of the decal when applied. Then it is preferable to let stand at least a few hours and then apply 2 light coats and then let it sit at least 12 hours. Then you can safely start putting down coats about every 8 hours until its sufficiently covered. Then let it sit a few days to cure. Then again. 600, 1500 and then buffing compound to be done.
Valentino thank you! Your experience & advice is valued. 👍🏻 You're correct: I didn't wet-sand the neck. I am such an amateur that I really screwed up on my Strat, so I was afraid to even try it on this guitar. 😬 It being a relic, I was able to get away with it though. I DID however smooth the surface of the headstock with steel wool to level it before applying the decal. I'll definitely try some of these tips next time. 😊
@@NathanSink No, no. I did all the same things when I started. That's why I spoke up. To save you trouble next time you do it. That's the beauty of learning from the mistakes of others: "You get their experiences in life without having to pay the price." It still turned out great. It is one of those things that instead of the need to do it 12 times to figure it out, you can do it twice and get the same result I do after I had to mess a dozen or so up. Keep at it. Most people would be too scared to try what you did with your replacement neck.
I made a similar comment. I put my decals on after a couple coats of clear and follow up with the remaining coats.
Are there any key differences in doing this with a quicker drying lacquer? I can finish well, but haven't succeeded at waterslide. I tried once and the 'warm water', as everyone casually says to use, instantly destroyed the decal.
I’m doing a reissue so I won’t lose sleep when the edges of my decal show, but why the vinegar? What was that for?
Cheers
It’s supposed to some how hide (maybe slightly dissolve?) the edges. I’m honestly not sure it does much. Model car builders supposedly use it for their decals.
Hi ,nice video and Chanel! We’re did you bought the body? Couldn’t understand, thank you and keep going!
Leatherdardo Retromovil thanks! I bought the body at stratosphereparts.com Also, here is a link to the entire playlist: ruclips.net/p/PLT0llhi52k8pp3H2q35ec51SN8f2VOgfR
Thanks for the video, good tips. Did you notice the vinegar do what it was supposed to, was it worth it?
To be honest I couldn’t tell a big difference. Some people swear by it. If you can pick some up cheap & easily at the grocery store, I’d say go for it. Otherwise, it’s probably not a big deal.
I’m not sure where your original Fender neck came from / when, but now when you buy a standalone mexican road worn 50s tele neck, they are indeed nitro lacquered and then distressed by hand. The difference between a 7.5 or 7.25 and a modern 9.5” radius is not super dramatic imo. It’s actually more comfortable to chord on the vintage radius. And with modern frets being so tall, there is really no issues with bending. But for playability, a lot of jazzers will have their frets dressed a bit flatter from the 12th fret on. Or guys like Eric Johnson just radius all of the frets but don’t modify the vintage fretboard itself. Anyway, just throwing that out there, as the vintage radius spec is coming back into fashion with players like John Mayer using it on his PRS line. Fender’s Mexican 50s tele neck is quite nice, but not nearly as fat as their AVRI profile. It’s actually quite similar to the V profile neck they use on stuff like the Brad Paisley models (minus the slight V hump of course). Anyway, I’m rambling now! :p
Interesting stuff! It looks like Fender has either changed the the finish on the road worn necks, or updated their specs list to be correct. 🤔 Before the “Vintera” road worn versions, the specs definitely listed the bodies as finished in nitro, but the necks finished in urethane. That being said, maybe I should have just waited & saved myself a lot of work. 😂 I know that 7.25 vs 9.5 is a pretty fine line, & I probably could have lived with 7.25.
I didn’t even think about radius-ing just the frets. Brillliant! (But also an extra cost).
All the best. 👍🏻
Where did you get the fender telecaster sticker?
I got it at Oldfret.com. Unfortunately they aren’t in business anymore. I would try croxguitars.com or maybe Etsy.
So far I’m 0 for 3. You have me beat ! Nice job
It can definitely be frustrating. Stick with it. Good luck!
Did you use vintage amber to get that color on the neck? I’m about to finish a neck myself and that’s the exact color I’m going for.
This one is actually Aged Clear from StewMac. Here is a video on this neck & it shows the color difference in Vintage Amber & Aged Clear: ruclips.net/video/OUl70FuVSqM/видео.html
Hey, did you use the micro-sol in the end? Would love to know how that turned out!
I used the “home-made” version of micro-sol, which is just vinegar. You can see what I did at @12:07 in the video. Not sure if it made a big difference or not, but some people swear by it. 😊
Where’d you get the silver one?
It’s in the video description. I got it from oldfret.com which unfortunately isn’t in business anymore. However, I would recommend the seller “popsdecals” on eBay.
Sorry for the dumb question but I'm not much of a painter/finisher.. When you go to seal the decal, do you spray over just the decal or the whole face of the headstock?
Not a dumb question. 😊 The whole headstock. 👍🏻
@Nathan Sink Thank you. I've been building my own Strat (first one) and will be needing to do this soon. I've heard you can spray around the decal until you've gotten the surrounding coat thick enough to be level with the edges, and then sand it all down flat to remove the lines that are showing...I'm not sure if I want to take that route but if I decide to, do you know the best way to avoid spraying over the decal so that the surrounding area will get thick enough to be flush with the edges of the decal?
I apologize if I'm not being clear or didn't phrase the question very well.
@@procrastinator6902 I understand what you’re saying. But if you go that route you basically HAVE to spray over the decal. What happens is that a sort of “hill” of clear builds up over the decal that you then have to sand back down level with the areas surrounding it. Watch this video starting at around 8:15. He describes & shows how to do it:
ruclips.net/video/PkawGOSFjWQ/видео.html
Let's do a survey real quick! How many people have used these decals to make their Stratocaster look like a fender strat and sold it to someone?? ( I dont care about you doing it, just curious) I would love to hear some stories about this, as most guitar players who know a lot about "guitars" and their respected specs would easily know this fender is fake. Sure the 50's/60's models would be harder to notice, but you could just take it apart to verify it... I'm sure a lot of people have tried this using one of those cheap necks and bodies (DIY kit) or just a strat style guitar with a strat neck. There's no telling how many fake fenders are out there right now lol, as they are the easiest guitars to fake (strat is the most common style guitar, tele is a top 5 ), if you compare that to Gibson's les pauls it's a whole nother story.
As their necks are usually hard to take off/on, mahogany is quite expensive (so buying Les Paul DIY kits would most likely not use mahogany, but even if they did it would cost a lot more to buy). Another hard part to change with Gibsons LP's is the pearl inlays, the built-in logos on the headstock, and much more stuff I forgot atm..
Sure if you have a Epiphone you could fake a Gibson after learning how to make a perfect gibson headstock logo, but that would be the easiest route and its still hard.
5th Floor wouldn't you know it, I'm the guy who converted his Epiphone headstock: ruclips.net/video/kskUKqPWWus/видео.html 😉
You obviously haven’t looked at the Chinese guitar market, it’s a Chibson fest.
Also I’d rather have a well built custom partscaster, with nitro, better radius neck, better neck shape, than a poly boat.
@@mattier3030 That's the major source of fakes, how would I be oblivious to this? Like yes they can be well made but again most of them can be spotted with an educated mind. Most are sold for around $200-$350 so the quality isn't going to be hard to spot.
I use them since without a decal there it doesn't look right plus you will fielding a lot of questions as to what kind of guitar it is etc. Sometimes that gets to be a pain. If someone can build authentic "fool the experts" fake then go for it but when you are caught the money you may have made will go to an attorney or two.
Building a Strat or Tele can net you better than Fender made guitars, you can even use Fender parts. Custom Shop pups are very satisfying to hear but make sure to have the best amp you find as it is half the equation and too many foot pedals look ridiculous.
And what is up with all you kids buying Squires? Warped necks and cheap-ass pups do it for you? And kill the word "shredding". please.
Nice. You dont need to laquer over that?
Thanks. You can if you choose. If not, there’s a chance it will rub off eventually. There are two options: bury the decal (which takes a lot of layers & leveling) or spray a few light coats just to seal it. I chose the latter. If you go that route you’ll still be able to see the decal lines, but that is vintage accurate anyway.
Do you know if it’s possible to print a decal in metallic gold or silver and where to purchase the sheets?
I believe it is...but I’ve never done it myself. 😐Hope you find what you need! Sorry I couldn’t help.
Nothing like a guitar that tunes up PERFECTLY. That Tele does. A guitar that won't hold tune gets smashed against a tree. No use making someone else's life miserable by giving/selling to them. 😁
You can feather the edges of the decal with acetone if you're careful
Grunions interesting! However, acetone eats away nitro, which is what's on this guitar.
@@NathanSink Ah shame
Hi, just one question, if you want to remove it, is it easy to do? Can you do it with your fingers? Is it a reversible operation?
Luca Colosimo once you install it, it can be easily removed in the first few hours before it dries. However, it won't be reusable. I've never removed one that's been installed for a long time. I would imagine that if there is no clear-coat on top of it, then it could be removed fairly easily. If it is buried in clear coat, there's no choice except to sand it off.
@@NathanSink yes, of course I mean without clear coat..i think (hope)the decal glue is not so aggressive..
Thanks for reply!
Luca Colosimo no problem. Glad to help.
Thank you
Glad to help!
I do spray a tiny bit of laquer over the dry decal , makes it stronger and feels better.
NOWILDWOLF me too! 😊
@@NathanSink Seems to me the most important move to do with this vulnerable sticker system.
I got a nitro body that someone put water slide decals on. How did you remove without damaging finish? Thanks in advance!
I actually finished this neck myself, so it never had a decal: ruclips.net/video/OUl70FuVSqM/видео.html
If you want to remove your decal, there’s a possibility that it’s just sitting on top of the finish. If so, you could probably remove it fairly easily with light sanding. Otherwise, you’ll have to sand off layers of the finish to get down to the decal: it might be shallow or it might be deep. 😐
@@NathanSink it’s just sitting on top of finish. I was told they’d come off easy with warm water. Was just wondering what you thought since you have experience with the decals. Thanks for the info!
@@Strumbum01 I actually never done that exact procedure, but yeah I would start with warm water first. If that doesn’t work, mineral spirits (you can get a hardware store) does wonders to remove adhesives…& it’s safe on nitro.
My headstock has already top coat is it ok if i put decals?is it possible?
Yes, definitely. You can either just let the decal sit on top of the top coat; you can add a few light coats on top; or you can bury the decal (which takes patience) & level it so that the edges don’t show.
I have the same guitar. Ive been debating on putting a waterslide decal i have on the body. Would that hurt the finish in any way?
jacob m you have a Road Worn Tele? Putting the decal on the finish won't hurt it, if you plan on leaving it on. I can't say for sure what it would to if you ever want to take it off. I THINK you could just scrape it off easily using some paint thinner & it should be ok.
@@NathanSink yea i have that same road worn tele . idk what it is about those body s with stock pickups. Its a beast. Destroys American models. Competes with custom shop sound. That's what I'm worried about is if i take it off lol.
jacob m right on. Well, it's a calculated risk, I guess. 😬 The good thing about nitro (which the road worn is coated in) is that it's very forgiving if you need to touch it up.
@@NathanSink i plan on learning how to fix things like that. Idk how to yet. Mines nitro finish is pretty unforgiving just playing it. I've owned it not even a year, and it looks like ive had it 5. I keep my guitars Wiped down, polished, and everything . i was guessing it wss just the nitro. I have a custom built 62 strat in nitro. It's a relic with a lot more checking. It doesn't wear as easy.
jacob m that's true: nitro does wear faster for sure. However, if you needed to just touch up a spot (on an un-relic guitar for example), you can do it pretty easily with nitro. Best of luck!
While i appreciate the video to help us out, the first 9:50 could have been taken out lol and you pretty much skipped the part we all needed to see! turned out well though, im going to try it out on my squier mustang build.
Thanks for watching.
Your channel fucking rocks! Thanks
This video is a how to....apply the decals. Do you know how one might be removed without sanding it off?
Juan Gonzalez unfortunately there isn't a great way that I know of. If it has been applied on top of the poly or nitro, then maybe mineral spirits or paint thinner would help loosen it up. If it is burried under the finish, then you pretty much don't have an option other than sanding or a chemical treatment that will effect the clear coat too.
@@NathanSink thank you for responding..I'll have to experiment and try different chemicals thinners and such
..
Juan Gonzalez let us know if you find something that works. 👍🏻
Micro set and micro sol are two products that will make your decal seamless and no edges showing it's as if the decal is painted in. And the product is cheap.
Peter Germain thanks for the info. 👍🏻
What is it?
Have you ever sold any fake fenders as real fenders?
did u have it too wet the 1st time?
No, it would have been fine (if the decal would have been what I wanted). You can easily soak up any excess water with a paper towel (like @12:03).
A few more don'ts.
Don't improperly cure and forget to sand your DIY finish or you get the ugly orange peel effect you see on this headstock. light coats, 24 hour dry air cures, light sand, repeat.
Don't put your water slide decal on a fully finished guitar part, or its going to peel off and look like crap later. Put it on when you still have a few coats of lacquer left to apply. When its underneath the finish it looks like its painted on and of course it won't come off.
Don't misrepresent your partscaster as a Fender.
I get my decals from StringKraft and they let you do custom stuff using classic Fender and Gibson fonts
Thanks for the StringKraft information. Also, I purposely chose not to bury the decal, because I was going for a vintage look.
@@NathanSink no problem. You can get pretty creative with your decals from Stringkraft. Modding gets learned in layers. I’m on my 5th major build now and just ordered a few for my Fenderbird. I’m putting a Menderbird logo on it in Gibson font.
Finish the back of that neck with Beechwood Casey Tru Oil and gunstock wax
Are you in Los Angeles?
No, I'm in the pacific NW.
Why not just use that first waterslide decal to trace and paint the logo??! That would hold up better and look more authentic (for the fender models that didn't use the waterslide decals as logos.. or not any of the 50's-60's fenders).
5th Floor did Fender ever paint their logos on? I thought they always used decals of some kind.
@@NathanSink I believe they do some sort of painting or stamping and they might just drill bit the logo then add a hard material that's colored and then use a machine that pushes the colored fender logo into the hole outline that was already installed. I can't find much about how fender makes their logos, but I have a MIM strat and the last letter started scrapping off alittle. Still can't see if its a hole underneath the logo as its still mostly intact. But the current fender logos aren't waterslide decals or any type of decal ( they already stated that, when discussing the old 50's-60's reissue strat that had waterslide decals..) If my logo ever scrapes off enough I'll update you on what's inside and I'll do some tests on it to see if its paint or something similar.
5th Floor sounds good. Thanks for the feedback. 👍🏻
Nice!
Can we remove Ibanez decal?
Sparsh Rocks not sure what you mean.
I mean if you want to apply a new decal in an Ibanez, for that you need to remove the old one. So I am asking that can we remove that old decal because there is no such video in yt showing how to remove decal in Ibanez. All the decal removal videos are of Fender guitars only
Sparsh Rocks gotcha. I'm guessing your Ibanez decal is buried under a polyurethane clear-coat. You'll have to sand the finish off of the entire top of the headstock until you get to (and remove) the decal. Then you can add your decal of choice & apply new clear-coat over the top. To get a mirror finish, you'll have to wet-sand. It's alot of work.
Thanks
Nathan Sink thanks but actually I just want to change the Ibanez logo of my guitar from black to violet. So what would you suggest me?
Hi bro. What is the song’s name in 11:20?
danielnovich it's one of my original songs called "With You By My Side": ruclips.net/video/-ukObFWjdug/видео.html 😊
I think a Qtip to wipe out the water on the water slide will help more
A Qtip would be great for detail work, if you're trying to be careful. A paper towel will just soak up the water more quickly. 😊
Cheese n rice. Six minutes into the video and I still hadn't heard any information about applying a waterslide decal. 🤦♂️
Eamon Collier I'm sorry you'll never get those six minutes of your life back. I'm kind of craving some cheese and rice now though.
Nathan Sink LOL. Sorry dude. My first go at applying a waterslide didn't go well. I was already having an overall feeling of negativity when I played your video. All better now. You do have a sweet intro to your videos. 👍
Eamon Collier no worries! Hope your decal worked out in the end. Thanks for the kind words on the intro. It's actually from an original song...if you're interested: ruclips.net/video/JQuPSwZrLH4/видео.html
@@NathanSink I just saw this reply. I am interested in anyone doing originals.
Ahaha is taht mean gsus christahahah
I agree with not getting the road worn... fender just sucks as a company these days. Even though the 90’s were ok, they Honestly haven’t done much right since Leo left....
yes Leo was all about cutting cost and corners, but only after getting approval from players and customers. Many he had on staff for no other reason
The spirit Of 76 yeah, there are alot of benefits of putting together your own guitar nowadays. (Of course it's alot easier with bolt-on neck style guitars).
Did you let the nitro cure then sand and polish the finish before applying the decal?
Nick Hutchinson yes 👍🏻
Oh nice songs Men
Thanks!
What road worn necks aren’t nitro?!? Wow that’s total BS.
Your reasons for building your own are exactly why I’m here.
This waterslide are a nightmare to me 😡
Great. Can it be printed on an inkjet printer? Is that clear or white?Thanks
Greyam I don't have any experience with printing them, but I've seen a few RUclipsrs that have. Hope it works out for you.
@@NathanSink Thanks man
injet ink is water soluble and the second it gets wet will run 😅. / the decals are under $10 on ebay
Actually vinyl decals are so much better. Water slides tear real easy. You have to squeegee out the bubbles and bury the cheesy outline under the finish.
attilathehun0 agree that water slides are super fragile. However, wouldn't you still have to bury the lines of a vinyl decal too?? Also, in my case, I wanted the outline in order to have a vintage look.
@@NathanSink Nope don't bury a vinyl decal under the finish, but do 3 coats so the decal can stay on forever. There is no outline on the vinyl decals and it is so much easier to install vs a waterslide.. To get rid of the outlines on a water slide that's 5-6 coats.
attilathehun0 gotcha. 👍🏻 Thanks for info!
@@NathanSink Your Welcome! Rock On!
Que papel de usa?
I didn’t make the decals. They came from old fret.com, which unfortunately is no longer in business. All the best.
Could you please tell me where to get these? I have bought several and they are all shit.
Just bought a quality one from the seller “popsdecals” on eBay. I’ve (obviously) bought crappy ones myself, & even repeated the mistake…but I’ve learned you get what you pay for. I think the key with these is making sure you get some type of metallic ink.
Hope it works out. 👍🏻
@@NathanSink thanks I’ll check them out!
The only thing I wanted to see in this video was how to get the decal off of the paper. 10 minutes in and it's cut from the footage
Sorry. I do it at the 3:22 mark in this video: ruclips.net/video/9yV8z6izjew/видео.html
You’ll spare me the footage. Great! Wish you would’ve spared the other footage and got to the decal right away. But hey, nooo problem.
Anytime. 🤔
Cool video. Sort of lol. Why did you skip the application? Skip the guitar playing at the beginning if you’re trying to save time. The part people wanna see is the application.
Star Lux Studio skip what application? I showed the application of two different decals (one that didn't work out, & one that did). Also, it is a guitar we're dealing with here; what's wrong with a little playing that took all of 30 seconds?
@@NathanSink lol sorry I stopped watching around 9:47 when you skipped that application. I don't mind the guitar playing of course. I just thought you didn't show the application but now I see you did it later. Just thought you weren't gonna show it so I went on to another video.
Star Lux Studio no worries. 🙂
Nathan Sink nice playing btw ✌️
Also don't leave your finger in one place for too long on the decal as it'll stick to your finger 😣
Malcolm Hardwick good tip! Sounds like you might have learned the hard way? 😬
Nathan Sink I just put decals on two different guitars. First no problem. 2nd I was holding down the logo with my fingertip while while wiping out some bubbles under neath. As I lifted my finger it lifted the logo and almost tore it. Managed to put it back down and now it looks good ☺ Dosent take much to screw it up 😣
Malcolm Hardwick yeah, they’re super fragile. Glad it worked out for you!
4:20
I can’t tell if this is a weed reference or just a coincidence. 😂
Why does every guitar related video have to start with 30 seconds of showing off?
One of life’s great mysteries.
Too much about your flipping guitar dude.. came here about decals, not about your neck preferences. Now don't get BENT... I gave you a thumbs up for effort.
Thanks. 😂
Does putting a fender decal make it a real fender... Not hardly, so whats the point, seems silly. I would feel kinda ashamed for anyone to know i did that. Just get a real fender.
This was a way for me to build my own “Fender” without going to the Custom Shop & spending $3-4k. I’m not hiding anything (obviously): it’s there for the whole world to see.
This video could've been 2 min.
It could have been, but then what would I have done with all of those hours I spent putting it together? 🤔
Who are you trying to fool?
Guitarists don't have clean socks
😂
Dude your audio is effed the music at the end gets supper loud and the rest of when your talking your like whispering like your trying not to wake up someone anyway.
Thanks. I'll look into it.
don't apply the decals just use permanent marker. samething
😱 ?
The wear on the neck would not ever wear like that ,too much to heavy ,looks so fake ,nice guitar though
Thanks…I guess. 🤔😂
9 mins of not how to apply a decal and then skips the most important part
Which part? I think if you watch til the end, you’ll find what you’re looking for.
bla bla bla....wasting time. Just do it dude
I did it.
Your tone at the beginning sucks.
Always trying to improve.
@@NathanSink improve your video by taking that whole section out, it shouldn't take that long to get to the advertised subject of decals. Best wishes.
@@悪臭-p9p nah, your just an ass. Tone is subjective, and I think it sound good.
Bro, you over explain SO MUCH. You don’t have to vocalize every single thought in your head. 😅
Thanks for the feedback. Folks have short attention spans these days.