Wrinkled Headstock Decals??

I applied my headstock waterslide decals to my headstock that had poly on it and let them dry for a few days. All looked good so I figured I would bury them in a coulpe thick coats of poly. I put a light coat first and it dried fine. As I expected I could still see the edges of the decals so I burried them in a nice thick coat. When the second coat dried the decals kind of wrinkled up a bit. Crap....

Anyone know what I did wrong?

Probably needed several mist coats to seal it before you went with the thick coat.

The thick coat is what did it! Many mist coats is the best thing for decals.

I make my own decals. After the print has dried, usually over night, I spray a couple of coats of clear on it and let it dry. Then I apply the decal and let it dry before spraying several light coats of clear on it.

Did it actually wrinkle, or did it just curl up on the edges?

The thick coat is what did it! Many mist coats is the best thing for decals.

I'd agree with that.

It seemed to have wrinkled. Ill try to get a picture up here. Also I did it ink up and not in mirror image. I bet doing it in mirror where the ink is protected is a better option too. I see thats how you do it Colt. Im gonna do it that way next time. Thanks for all the help guys!

I have applied dozens of headstock decals, and I never mist on the lacquer. I lay the neck flat out and drown that SOB. Never had one peel or wrinkle.

I also add a few drops of glue into the water, rub the decal on very well, and allow it to dry thoroughly before spraying.

10-4. Thanks Colt.

I'm with Colt on this one. I get as much on as quickly as I can. I've never seen one move around or wrinkle. Not that there isn't wisdom in starting slowly. :wink:

Some finishes have difficulty gassing off when laid on too heavily. It could be the poly had issues along these lines and just took the decal with it.

Gibson buries theirs under the lacquer. Fender does not.

Gibson buries theirs under the lacquer.


Gibson doesn't use decals, they use inlays & silk screens.


Fender does not.


I've got a few Fenders that suggest otherwise...

Here is what they did...



135194



135195

I'm with Colt on this one. I get as much on as quickly as I can. I've never seen one move around or wrinkle. Not that there isn't wisdom in starting slowly. :wink:

Some finishes have difficulty gassing off when laid on too heavily. It could be the poly had issues along these lines and just took the decal with it.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm308/coltwknight/Leon%20Grizzard/2012-04-24181029.jpg

Never sprayed a guitar with oil based polyurethane, but never had an issue with Lacquer.

Never sprayed a guitar with oil based polyurethane, but never had an issue with Lacquer.

How do you know you won't chip any of your lacquer pulling off that masking tape around the headstock? I'm worried about this step. Had a lot of lacquer chipping during things like fitting the neck or tuners that has been a pain.


Also is it cool to spray nitro over warmoth's dark gloss (I think they use polyurethane)?

edit, it looks like i cant. ****. Every day it's another problem with this project. I can't wait till it's over. How should I coat this decal now? There's no way I want to scuff sand this headstock to 300 and put nitro down, then polish that to put a decal on top, and spray nitro over that again. What about spraying poly over this warmoth poly finish to seal the decal?

I've had a decal wrinkle on me before, I just buried it in heavy coats until the wrinkles weren't visible, I used poly the whole way through.