How do I apply a decal?

 

Since I created this guide some 7 years ago, much has changed in the guitar world. No longer do we have to worry about buying old or poorly made waterslides that fall apart. Now people make these decals on their home computer printers. These decals are 9 times out of 10 a nightmare that I highly discourage anyone from using. These printer made logos often 'wash away' after softened in the water, even when a clear coat is applied. If you have a legit guitar, just save the headache and get a real one through a warranty service center. If you are trying to logo a homegrown guitar to look like something it isn't, my suggestion is since your item is not official anyway, buy a nice high quality pure vinyl version. It will look good at a distance, but wont be authentic upon close inspection, which a counterfeit shouldn't do anyway. 

 

How do I apply a decal? Since most of us that are here are restoring old, stripped guitars, most of us here will end up
having to apply a decal to our project. There isn't a huge supply of correct labels out there, and
when we are paying as much as $50 or more for a decal, we have no room for error.

The materials you will need are:
Decal
Bowl of warm water
Small, hobby paintbrush
lint free cloth
Elmers white glue

Begin application by cleaning the face of the headstock with a wax free polish, or just a damp cloth. Allow surface to dry. Fill a small-medium sized bowl with warm water and add in a small amount of white glue, and mix the glue into the water until the water is foggy. Using the hobby brush, apply some of the solution onto the headstock in the area where the decal will reside. Submerge the decal into the bowl of water/white glue for 15 seconds, then remove. Lightly slide the decal off the paper onto the headstock. Using the lint free cloth, gently, and lightly wipe the excess solution off holding one finger on one end, rubbing the cloth across to the opposite side. Do not try to remove all of the solution, just try and make the decal flat and void of air bubbles. Allow the decal to dry for a minimum of 24 hours, then clean residue off headstock face with your favorite polish.

Here are some tips:
Use a decal setting agent (a drop of white glue in the solvent isn't a bad idea either). This
product is made for improving the results of decal application, so the few dollars a bottle costs
is a worthy investment. If you happen to have a NOS real Fender Meyercord Type "C" transfer (it will say this on the back of the decal paper), I would suggest having someone who knows how to handle these to apply it. These require a special solvent (butyl cellosolve and water mix) to be placed correctly before finished over.
Apply the decal AFTER you are done assembling all the parts to the neck. A slip of the
screwdriver off of the string tree, or slip of the clamp or hammer when installing the tuner
bushings can "relic" your decal. I would not heating the decal up. I strongly suggest getting some decal set. It is available
from hobby shops that supply model builders. This solvent helps soften the backing and
prevents cracking. It also improves adhesion. A good brand is "Micro scale" brand "Micro Set".
DO NOT get the "Micro Sol", that stuff melts the decal over irregular surfaces. You can get
there stuff from a number of places online. .