Applying leather 'veneer' to headstock

[Tysinger]

My wife is assembling a tele with a leather covered body. She also wants to put leather on the headstock. Any ideas on how to accomplish this? What would be a good glue?

Thanks!
Bryan

[guitarbuilder]

I've never glued leather but I'd say " real" contact cement might be a good approach. you brush some on each surface to be glued, let it dry, and then squeegee them together working from one end to another. The drawback is that you get one shot at it. Another idea is just to use a yellow glue. You have more working time and could really clamp it with a caul. I'm sure you'll hear other different ideas too from others too.

[Scatter Lee]

contact cement

[spicolli]

for the last few years i have been doing alot of leather working, and i would say contact cement also. you could also get some nice decorative brass,stainless, etc furniture nails or something similar. if you are doing the cap on the body, maybe she could also stich a cap on the whole headstock front back and sides like the body?

[shuie]

I used a two part epoxy on this one. I roughed the shape of the leather out first and used clamps and a small block of wood to fix the flat part to the peghead first. The curved area by the nut was the hardest to clamp down since this leather was pretty stiff. I wound up using a piece of a 1" dowel and a clamp there. Once everything was set, I used a razor blade to trim the leather flush with the peghead.

[Nick JD]

Originally Posted by shuie

I used a two part epoxy on this one. I roughed the shape of the leather out first and used clamps and a small block of wood to fix the flat part to the peghead first. The curved area by the nut was the hardest to clamp down since this leather was pretty stiff. I wound up using a piece of a 1" dowel and a clamp there. Once everything was set, I used a razor blade to trim the leather flush with the peghead.

I've gotta ask what the screws are in that headstock for! A crack repair?

[shuie]

The headstock was broken off along the tuner line at some point before I got it and thats how it was repaired. This guitar was far beyond abused when I bought it. The face of the headstock was completely wrecked and I figured the overlay and epoxy might help it all stay together. So far, so good. It's stable and it stays in tune.

[mwaym]

I'm doin a tele right now with ash veneer on the headstock to match the ash on the body. It's my first partscaster, and this was NOT planned, but is turning out great !!! I bought an Allparts tmnf-fat neck for my 1st partscaster... then pressed in my Kluson bushings.. but had problems. I scarred up the bushings really bad. So, I punched the bushings out after I ordered some more. BUT..... when I punched them out, they took wood off the headstock face with them !!!!!!!!!, Sooooooooo, I ordered some ash veneer and decided to make a matching headstock. This is 4 attempts on this same neck !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Leather seems WAAAAAAAAAY cool !!! Shoulda thought of that !!!!

[Tysinger]

Thanks! We appreciate the help.

[shuie]

Here's a picture of what i used. It's probably overkill, but it worked fine for me.