Removal of fake decal on painted metallic headstock.

[DanH71]

Hi,

So wanting to remove a dodgy Fender decal of the headstock off a recent purchase and looking for he best method to do so.

Haven't got the bass yet so can't see if the decal is under a coat but interested to know if anybodies experience with trying to do so.

I could keep the Fender decal on there (believe it's the kind that comes with the American vintage 64 j-bass but leaning towards applying my own custom decal instead (I'm not proud;).

Any ideas?

Dan

[tonyquipment]

Personally I would just belt sand it off lol

Obv I would re-lacquer it and stuff.

Don't take my word for it!

[DanH71]

[quote name='tonyquipment' timestamp='1496864164' post='3314400']
Personally I would just belt sand it off lol

Obv I would re-lacquer it and stuff.

Don't take my word for it!
[/quote]

Yeh...that's a lot of work and I don't have any tools of the trade to do so.

Was hoping for a less extreme approach;)

Cheers though

[Roger2611]

If you are very patient and use very fine wet and dry paper (I use it nice and wet) gently rub through the lacquer coat (best try and do this over the whole headstock otherwise you will end up with a patch, once you get through the lacquer the decal should disappear quite quickly but be so careful as if you go through the base coat you are screwed and will need to paint the headstock again....good luck

[Grangur]

I usually do it by scraping it with a flat blade. The blade I usually use is one from a Stanley knife, removed from the holder. New sharp blades are better than an old one.

[DanH71]

Thanks to both Roger2611 and Grangur.

@Grangur so do you try to get as horizontal to the headstock and decal as possible and try to lift of the decal by getting under it?
Not sure how to scrape at it and don't want to leave it like a subject of Jack the Ripper!

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='DanH71' timestamp='1496863236' post='3314387']
Hi,

So wanting to remove a dodgy Fender decal of the headstock off a recent purchase and looking for he best method to do so.

Haven't got the bass yet so can't see if the decal is under a coat but interested to know if anybodies experience with trying to do so.

I could keep the Fender decal on there (believe it's the kind that comes with the American vintage 64 j-bass but leaning towards applying my own custom decal instead (I'm not proud;).

Any ideas?

Dan
[/quote]

You might consider putting a Coors sticker over your Bass avatar. The brewery is now American owned.

As for the Fender decal, why not leave it but overlay it with one of these;

[attachment=246890:Ban.png]

[Norris]

Don't try and get under the decal with the Stanley knife blade as it will dig in. You'll want it at about 90 degrees. Have a look on YouTube for people using cabinet scrapers - it's the same technique

[DanH71]

Thanks Norris, very helpful!

SpondonBassed, not so much..

[tonyquipment]

Only just use read this again and only realised it is painted metallic.

Ummmm tricky now. How about sticking another decal over it ? Or yeah carefully blade it off. Then relacquer it.

[Grangur]

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1496904538' post='3314543']
Don't try and get under the decal with the Stanley knife blade as it will dig in. You'll want it at about 90 degrees. Have a look on YouTube for people using cabinet scrapers - it's the same technique
[/quote]
This.
You need to hold the blade in your fingers with the long sharp edge flat to the surface and scrape towards you. Allow the blade edge to tilt back, so it will be at, something like a 45 degree angle. Use it as a scraper, but dragging, not pushing. So think of it as being like a window squeegee, not a wall-paper scraper.

This method is also good for getting a smooth surface on wood. So, as Norris says; it's used in wood furniture. Which is the industry in which I learned to do it.

[Grangur]

[quote name='tonyquipment' timestamp='1496912890' post='3314617']
Only just use read this again and only realised it is painted metallic.

Ummmm tricky now. How about sticking another decal over it ? Or yeah carefully blade it off. Then relacquer it.
[/quote]
I would still scrape it, but go gently. Then finish it after with very fine wet & dry. Then lacquer it.

[DanH71]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1496915517' post='3314637']
This.
You need to hold the blade in your fingers with the long sharp edge flat to the surface and scrape towards you. Allow the blade edge to tilt back, so it will be at, something like a 45 degree angle. Use it as a scraper, but dragging, not pushing. So think of it as being like a window squeegee, not a wall-paper scraper.

This method is also good for getting a smooth surface on wood. So, as Norris says; it's used in wood furniture. Which is the industry in which I learned to do it.
[/quote]
[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1496915715' post='3314639']
I would still scrape it, but go gently. Then finish it after with very fine wet & dry. Then lacquer it.
[/quote]

thanks Grangur! very helpful indeed.

much appreciated.

Dan

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='DanH71' timestamp='1496908850' post='3314566']
Thanks Norris, very helpful!

SpondonBassed, not so much..
[/quote]

Aw








Heeheehee. What makes the Fender decal "dodgy" then? Is the guitar a Gibson copy or summat?

Edit; I've just found this and answered my own question;
http://basschat.co.uk/topic/303932-i-dont-get-the-whole-putting-a-fender-decal-on-a-non-fender-bass-thing/page__view__findpost__p__3314264

Edited June 8, 2017 by SpondonBassed

[samhay]

A further tweak to the Stanley blade scrapper technique - which is what I would try first - is to add a bur.
See here:
http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luthier/Technique/Finish/RazorScrape/razorscrape1.html

[DanH71]

[quote name='samhay' timestamp='1496922615' post='3314700']
A further tweak to the Stanley blade scrapper technique - which is what I would try first - is to add a bur.
See here:
[url="http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luthier/Technique/Finish/RazorScrape/razorscrape1.html"]http://www.frets.com...zorscrape1.html[/url]
[/quote]

samhay, that is gold right there!

big thanks

[DanH71]

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1496920638' post='3314672']
Aw








Heeheehee. What makes the Fender decal "dodgy" then? Is the guitar a Gibson copy or summat?

Edit; I've just found this and answered my own question;
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/303932-i-dont-get-the-whole-putting-a-fender-decal-on-a-non-fender-bass-thing/page__view__findpost__p__3314264"]http://basschat.co.u...ost__p__3314264[/url]
[/quote]

neck is unknown..but for £116 i know I haven't just picked up an american vintage 64. Guy who im getting it from got it from another guy who was also upfront about its non authenticity, but thats all I know.

its my bitsa bass and Im not worried about being seen playing something other than Fender. In fact i may design and put on my own decal.

[Dad3353]

I'd leave the headstock alone, and just enjoy the bass. "What's in a name..? A rose [i]etc[/i]..."

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='DanH71' timestamp='1496924970' post='3314733']
...its my bitsa bass and Im not worried about being seen playing something other than Fender. In fact i may design and put on my own decal.
[/quote]

Good man!

[DanH71]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1496925547' post='3314740']
I'd leave the headstock alone, and just enjoy the bass. "What's in a name..? A rose [i]etc[/i]..."
[/quote]

Dad3353, I could not agree more. that's why I want it removed as Fender is only a name, which isn't descriptive of what it is [as far as I know;]