Refinishing Headstock With Inlay

[Noodler]

Need some help... how do I go about refinishing a headstock that has an inlaid logo? Someone already got their hands on it and seems to have tinted the clear coat a shade of blood red. Hopefully I can remove the clear / clean up / re-clear but if I have to refinish how do I get the inlay to show as original? Do I need to mask (perfectly) or do I somehow remove the paint from the logo after spraying? Any insight would be appreciated.

[demonx]

Without seeing it I can't answer. Some logos are decals, some are painted on and some are inlayed. So without knowing what you have it's not a question to easily answer.

Basically though, if you're painting then all methods will require masking at some point

[Prostheta]

If you know of any companies with access to a vinyl plotter, it may be possible to get them to cut a mask as long as you avoid anything that will react with the vinyl (likely with solvents). Using the same material as auto pinstriping tape is probably your best bet. DemonX - isn't this your kind of field?

[Noodler]

Thanks for the info... I'll be receiving the guitar today and will be able to post some pics.

[Noodler]

Just came in... how do I post pics?

[ScottR]

Just came in... how do I post pics?

You need to upload them to a host like Photobucket. Them copy the image code and paste it into your post.

SR

[Noodler]

Thanks... any thoughts on how to bring this back to original would be appreciated (it's supposed to have a flame maple top). What's the best way to determine the type of clearcoat that was applied? The pic below is what it's supposed to look like.

http://s698.photobucket.com/albums/vv346/fs63/Hamer/

[Prostheta]

If that hadn't been done so sloppily over the binding and the body were consistent with the headstock it would be an awesome finish. Is it definitely an inlay or is it a decal....? If it is just a decal, then your life would be a lot easier in that you could do a complete strip to wood before finishing top to bottom and re-applying a decal under the clears. In fact, it might be worth your while considering this anyway unless the inlay is especially nice and worth saving. I think the rest of the instrument would be the priority. That's a really nice looking red on the back of your original photo there....

[Noodler]

It's definately inlay... I called Hamer to verify what they used on this model. I'm nowhere near talented enough to make a new one... thus the question on how to refinish the headstock. I've never done any kind of masking / scraping before.

[demonx]

If it definitely an inlay, then sand it, make sure not to sand through the inlay, then mask it off when you paint unmasking it for the clear coats.

You can mask it with any painters tape and a razor blade. Put the tape on, smooth it out with a credit card or something similar and then use an exact knife or razor blade to cut away the logo. I've been favoring green tape over blue tape these days but they'll all work.

If you screw it up, then have a look on the bestdecals website, they'll be able to make you another hamer logo including the USA lettering, then apply that before the last clear coats