First guitar - TLA-1F

[McCreed]

I could see any of those options working for you really.
My only thought is if going with pyro design, less is more in this case. Too busy and too much detail would be, well... too much .

What did you end up using for paint with your faux binding?

[Phoenix]

I could see any of those options working for you really.
My only thought is if going with pyro design, less is more in this case. Too busy and too much detail would be, well... too much .

What did you end up using for paint with your faux binding?

I agree with you mate, I opted to go down the waterslide decal route with the name of the guitar.

For the white line I just used spray enamel and some 3M 3mm vinyl tape to get a fine line

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[Phoenix]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any experience with water slide decals and wudtone gloss? On this bit of scrap I applied 2 coats of neck finish before putting the decal down. I've since put down 2 coats of topcoat and the edges of the decal are still clearly visible. I'm hoping for a better finish than this when it comes to putting it on my deadstock. Any advice on making the deal completely clear would be greatly appreciated

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[c0ffinspire89]

I'm not sure my answer is super helpful, but I've run into the same issue. This is the third neck I've done using Wudtone, but my first experience with a waterslide decal for a logo along with the stain. Like you, I put a few base coats down, a layer of finish, the decal, then more finishing coats. I'm up to 4 coats of finish on the front of the headstock and can still see the decal paper clearly in the right light. I've been adding thin layers of finish and rubbing with 0000 steel wool before adding more as outlined in the instructions. The instructions do outline that you can touch up the finish layer with Tru-Oil, I've been toying with the idea of adding several layers of Tru-Oil on top of the remaining Wudtone finish, and then sanding back later once the oil is cured.

If there is a work-around, I'm unsure what it would be, at this point I'm trying to prep myself for the inevitability that it's just going to look that way. Hopefully someone else has a more informed idea than I do? Here are some pictures of my results so far:

[Simon Barden]

Not sure that adding anything on top now will improve things. It's all down to relative refractive indexes of teh decal sheet and the finish. Whereas nitro or TruOil seem to have a similar refractive index to most decal papers, Wudtone would seem to be different enough to show up the decal sheet at the wrong angle.

In that instance, adding something on top won't improve anything and may make matters slightly worse.

If it's that important, I'd bit the bullet, sand back the face of the headstock to bare wood, and re-do it in something like Tru-Oil, before and after the decal goes on. I'm assuming here that Tru-Oil does work well with decals if used both under and on top as I haven't seen anything on the forum to the contrary, but I can't speak from personal experience.

[JimC]

I'm assuming here that Tru-Oil does work well with decals if used both under and on top

I did the headstock of my ESB-4 with, inter alia, a decal Simon made for me. I don't recall whether the decal went straight onto bare wood or a first layer of birchwood casey sealer filler, but it had numerous layers of B/C sealer filler thereafter (levelling over inlaid veneer) and then Tru oil. I've just examined it with a magnifying glass and can't see any edges. I'd assume, I think, that I probably started with it one layer of sealer to protect the veneer from the water before adding the decal.

[Phoenix]

Hi guys, thanks for the advice. I knew this project was going too smoothly and there was bound to be a hiccup coming! Fortunately I've got some spare wood so I will experiment with a spray lacquer tomorrow to see what finish I can get with that. If not, it looks like I'll be ordering some true oil. I'll keep you posted.

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[McCreed]

I have no experience with any Wudtone products, but if what c0ffinspire89 has said:

The instructions do outline that you can touch up the finish layer with Tru-Oil...

I would suggest that using a rattle can polyurethane (eg: Cabothane) over the front of the headstock and decal would be the go.
Tru-Oil has a proportion of poly in it as well as being an oil based product so I would make the presumption of it being compatible with Wudtone.

The spray poly will have a much higher solids content than any wipe-on finish, therefore allowing a much quicker build up to bed in the decal paper.

Also, based on my assumption of compatibility, I would not use lacquer over the Wudtone as lacquer has a much stronger solvent and may likely not play well with a turps based base coat.

It should go without saying that testing on scrap like you've done is the best way to ensure what will/will not work.

[Phoenix]

I have no experience with any Wudtone products, but if what c0ffinspire89 has said:


I would suggest that using a rattle can polyurethane (eg: Cabothane) over the front of the headstock and decal would be the go.
Tru-Oil has a proportion of poly in it as well as being an oil based product so I would make the presumption of it being compatible with Wudtone.

The spray poly will have a much higher solids content than any wipe-on finish, therefore allowing a much quicker build up to bed in the decal paper.

Also, based on my assumption of compatibility, I would not use lacquer over the Wudtone as lacquer has a much stronger solvent and may likely not play well with a turps based base coat.

It should go without saying that testing on scrap like you've done is the best way to ensure what will/will not work.

You were spot on mate, the rattle can worked a treat on my scrap wood, and I'll do the headstock transfer tomorrow. One problem solved, but another one raises its head!

I insulated the neck and control cavities before realising the bridge pick-up cavity is too small for my Seymour Duncan pick up. So I'll have to expand that. Similarly, the control panel cavity is too narrow for the 250k pots.

Back to work on it this week when I get some time. In the meantime I'll get the neck sorted

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[McCreed]

Glad to hear the spray poly is working for you.

Bummer about the routing though. If I had known about your planned upgrades before doing the finish, I would mentioned that they would require a small adjustment.

Not a big deal. I just prefer to do as much drilling or routing before the finish as possible.
That said, I spent yesterday doing additional routing on my strat build that I sprayed 2 weeks ago! D'oh!!!