Replies

1. 
   Jamie_Buxton | Feb 24, 2003 06:19am | #1

   Does he literally want to write his name --- y'know, like with a magic marker?   A slightly different approach is a decal.   He gets to design anything he likes on a computer, and make a decal out of it to transfer on to the guitar.   Model car and airplane guys use this stuff.   For example, check out http://www.supercaldecals.com/, or google with "water slide decal."

1. 
   creekwood | Feb 24, 2003 02:30pm | #3

   Thanks for the help. I'll check out the site.

2. 
   SIGNMAN | Feb 24, 2003 06:41am | #2

   Creekwood,

        As a signmaker I can tell you that there many ways to letter the guitar.  Your friend needs to decide if he wants a temporary, semi permanent or permanent marking on his quitar.  A temporary marking makes the guitar resalable.  A permanent marking means it's his forever.  A semi permanent way is to have your local fast sign company cut his name in high performance vinyl.  To mark the guitar permanently he will need to remove any wax or silicone from polishes, there are many products on the market made for this very purpose.  Next he needs to apply a stencil to his guitar, either one hand cut by him or your local fast sign company can make him one.  You are probably right that guitar has a lacquer finish on it, however, it is very possible that it has a different finish on it.  I t would be best to try to contact the maker of the guitar and find out the finish because certain finishes can lift other finishes.  If it is lacquer, then lacquer paint would stick best (acrylic lacquer is tuffer than nitrocellulose lacquer).  The lacquer has to be sprayed, it drys too fast to brush.  After the paint drys the stencil can be removed.  After the paint is cured you can sand the painted area with about 1000-1200 grit sand paper, then repolish the striped area. 

         I realize these  are very abbreviated instructions.  There is a pretty good chance that your friend could do real damage to the finish on his guitar unless he or a helper is pretty experienced in that type of process.  I would reccomend that he elicit the help of his local fast sign company.  There are many very cool vinyls that last many years and for such a small project it would be very inexpensive.

             Good luck!

                                                  Hoov 

1. 
   creekwood | Feb 24, 2003 02:32pm | #4

   Thank you. Looks like good advise. I think the semi-permanent will be the way he will go.

3. 
   Quickstep | Feb 24, 2003 06:07pm | #5

   Creekwood,

   As a guitarist, I'm curious. What kind of guitar is it? If it's a really good guitar, this could impact its value, and not in a good way. If it's for identification, I'd recommend a paper label on the inside. If it's for imbellishment, I'd think twice....

1. 
   creekwood | Feb 25, 2003 03:21am | #6

   Thanks, Chuck, it's not a real expensive one, but I don't know if there is any collector potential or not. I'll pass on this to him, though. He saw one like he wants, and it gave him the idea.

   thanks again