Printing on a headstock

darius · September 2023

The time has come to get my custom logo / writing on my crimson self build strat headstock.

Can’t decide what method to use.

- template and body stain
- router/dremel tiny mm depth
- custom stickers ordered from somewhere

what do you use?

Jez6345789 · September 2023

I think it depends on the logo

waterslide transfer is good simple and a few companies offer it

template and body stain not sure how that works some sort of homemade screen and template would work better think Gibson gold.

sticker look naff

inlay with Dremel can be fine but practice on scrap first.

make logo different material and inlay.

Roland · September 2023

If you’ve got an ink jet printer you can buy waterslide paper, make your own transfers.

axisus · September 2023

I make my own waterslide ones. You can buy a pack of 10 sheets of the stuff, either for laserprinter or inkjet. I need to get some more actually, as I have inkjet now instead of laser.

darius · September 2023

Thanks
not heard of diy waterslides. I assume these are like old skool airfix transfers? Wet them and slide them on then they stick. Do they stay stuck?
any links to good ones?

SteveF · September 2023

I just did mine with a waterslide transfer provided by Rothko & Frost (via eBay). I am not sure if they print to your own completely custom design or if you have to choose one of their fonts - @SimonRF will be able to advise.

Image: https://tfb-user-images.eu-central-1.linodeobjects.com/9d2a2d4d12d5d251399dd459f4a29aba86eda2bee106efa795

This is before clear coat over the top. Very easy to apply and seemed fairly robust - I was able to reposition a couple of times easily without damaging it.

SteveF · September 2023

From what I understand if you do your own with an inkjet printer, you just need to mist with clear coat before you wet them to seal the ink to the transfer - I haven't used them myself yet though.

WezV · September 2023

I have done inkjet waterslides. They are okay, but not like the quality you will get from someone like rothko and frost

Obviously you are limited on colour too. No metallic and the ink is not fully opaque so only looks good on lighter surfaces.

You can print them reversed and use a metallic pen for fender style logos, but it's not going to look as good as a properly printed one.

Roland · September 2023

This is a homemade waterslide. It was sprayed with varnish because inkjet ink cam be water soluble. I think this one was polyurethane. The gold circle was hand painted on the ukulele, and the transfer applied over the top. When properly dry it was over sprayed with the same varnish.

darius · September 2023

I’m going for four big numbers, rather than a logo or Pretend-o-caster text.

I’m guessing someone does some standard Letters/Numbers decals maybe? Or templates?

SteveRobinson · September 2023

Model makers waterslides might do the job? You'll be restricted to military fonts though

Corvus · September 2023

R&F will print anything, if you can make the source image - maybe they can make something for you as well, don't know . I've had some from guitardecals.co.uk as well, same sort of thing; print whatever you supply - again don't know if they would make up an image for you.

I've stopped getting metallic colours done, everyone seems to use a ribbon printer which leaves lines. Sometimes they can disappear, sometimes not and I've had whole sheets that I wouldn't want to use.

Inkjet decals can work well, laser printed ones are a bit better - seem a bit more crisp and better colour, more opaque - there's a type of decal paper for each printer type. But you are limited to colours of course, with either one.

SteveF · September 2023

Yeah you do get the lines in the metallics. You can see in the pic of mine above - although now that I have clear coated it, the lines have disappeared as @Corvus mentioned. Guess I was lucky.

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