Headstock Logo

[MeTAL SOLDIER]

Super extra mega noob talking to you  :redflag:

Im planning on replacing the neck on my first guitar im going to buy a fender stratocaster replacemente neck everything its in order buy my question is how can i place a logo on the headstock in a durable way?

 

[Cagey]

First off, welcome to the board!

Second, there are a LOT of people out there supplying Fender decals. Just Google "Fender headstock decals" for about a million more.

As for "durable", the best way to do that is to bury them in the finish. You apply the decal, then shoot a few coats of clear over the headstock. Sand it back a bit, and lather/rinse/repeat until the edges of the decal are no longer visible. Buff it out, and call it a love story.

 

[MeTAL SOLDIER]

First off, welcome to the board!

Second, there are a LOT of people out there supplying Fender decals. Here's one, for example. Just Google "Fender headstock decals" for about a million more.

As for "durable", the best way to do that is to bury them in the finish. You apply the decal, then shoot a few coats of clear over the headstock. Sand it back a bit, and lather/rinse/repeat until the edges of the decal are no longer visible. Buff it out, and call it a love story.

So should i order the neck without the finishing? or can i do all that over it?

Im asking because i would be my first time doing a finish

 

[Cagey]

I hate to recommend against a Warmoth finish because they do such a fine job at a reasonable price. But, they use polyurethane, which is difficult to paint over. You need a barrier coat (usually shellac) on it, after which you can apply lacquer.

 

[MeTAL SOLDIER]

I hate to recommend against a Warmoth finish because they do such a fine job at a reasonable price. But, they use polyurethane, which is difficult to paint over. You need a barrier coat (usually shellac) on it, after which you can apply lacquer.

So:

1 Order unfinished neck
2 Apply barrier coat
3 Apply lacquer
4 Headstock logo
5 Logo lacquering

Rigth??

 

[Cagey]

If you get it unfinished, you won't need a barrier coat. There's nothing to prevent lacquer from sticking. But, it's still a good idea to put some sanding sealer on to keep the wood from sucking things up. So, it would go something like...

1. Sanding sealer
2. Sand to smooth
3. Repeat 1 & 2 a couple/few times
4. Apply decal
5. Shoot lacquer
6. Sand smooth
7. Repeat 5 & 6 several times
8. Finish sand through 2000 grit (400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000)
9. Buff out with rubbing compound
10. Swirl remover
11. Polish

You need to be careful on the headstock and around the decal. You'll want to have 3 or 4 coats on there before you start sanding, lest you sand the decal itself and ruin it. That'll force you to invent new cuss words.

The object of the exercise is to get the finish surrounding the decal to be the same level as the decal so you can't see the edges. So, coating the headstock is really sort of a separate operation from coating the neck itself. You don't need as much coating on the neck as you do the headstock. You may even want to mask off the balance of the neck at some point to keep from getting overspray on it when applying the extra coats on the headstock.

Be sure to wet sand - dry sanding will give you fits and wreck a lot of paper early, not to mention scuffing the surface with loaded paper. Put a drop or two of dishwashing soap in the water to lubricate. Also, be sure to have a hard rubber sanding block. Don't do it by hand, or you'll end up with an uneven surface.

 

[MeTAL SOLDIER]

so what do you recommend me to do? having in mind that it will be my first time

 

[Cagey]

Did you read the previous post? Perhaps you missed it. It describes a plan that should work well if you're patient.

 

[MeTAL SOLDIER]

Did you read the previous post? Perhaps you missed it. It describes a plan that should work well if you're patient.

Sorry men

it´s just that it looked like a lot of stuff to do, and thanks for the help

just one last question jeje

if i order the finished neck it would need only the barrier coat and then i could do the logo laquering thing?

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

You can do it right, or you can just do it.  Both of these are trimmed waterslide decals placed on top of Warmoth's vintage tint satin finish with no protection.  They are fine.

 

[MeTAL SOLDIER]

You can do it right, or you can just do it.  Both of these are trimmed waterslide decals placed on top of Warmoth's vintage tint satin finish with no protection.  They are fine.

Yes but the one im ordering its a gloss finish

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

The point is still the same.  It's a waterslide decal on top a finish with no protection. 

 

[Cagey]

if i order the finished neck it would need only the barrier coat and then i could do the logo laquering thing?

Yes, but it's pretty much the same process. Difference would be you'd use shellac instead of sanding sealer, and you'd certainly want to mask any parts of the neck off that you don't want to get lacquer on. Plus, since you'd be applying finish to a much smaller area, it would probably be a bit easier (a lot less sanding involved), although it'll still take as long overall.

 

[anorakDan]

If you're going to get a Warmoth neck, why bother with a Fender decal at all? There's no shame to preferring a better neck to Fender's. Unless you're thinking about something special. i.e. not just a Stratocaster decal. Sure, the body is still Fender, as presumably is the pickups, pickguard, etc. But the neck is the important part of the instrument. Everything else are just parts.

I say put a Warmoth decal on that headstock and tell everyone how much better Warmoth is to the Fender standard issue.

Just sayin'.

 

[Cagey]

That's the way I've always looked at it. Putting a Fender decal on a Warmoth neck is kinda like putting a Chevrolet decal on a Mercedes.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Here we go again.  For that analogy to be comparable, what if the Mercedes is licensed by Chevrolet, looks like a Chevrolet, and shares the Chevy model's name.  Warmoth Strat body, fine.  Fender color, fine.  Warmoth neck with Fender licensed headstock shape, fine.  Fender logo, crosses a line.

To prevent a hi jack, the OP never stated it was a Fender logo, but for visuals, I showed mine that were.

 

[MeTAL SOLDIER]

I never said anything of a Fender logo

buy yeah i will go with the finished neck and work on it

does this process work on painted necks?

 

[Cagey]

Yes. But, if you haven't done this before, I strongly recommend you find some test wood to play with. Surprises are bound to occur, and better they happen to coupons than a good neck that cost you serious money.

 

[MeTAL SOLDIER]

Thanks everybody for the advice i hop to post some pictures later and to begin more proyects like this

 

[telecutie]

No decal... Go naked!