cukaracha

ok, thx guys.

ok. i resanded the body with 1500grit (i couldn't get any 2000) until i thought it was completely free of scratches. however when i polished it, i saw that the entire body was covered in very fine scratches. will these go away with more buffing or should i do something else?

yes, when its fretted on the 21st fret. sry i didn't point that out earlier..

So heres what happened. i sanded the clear up to 1500 grit (i had 4 coats of color and 6 coats of clear). by then it looked and felt perfectly smooth. however, it couldn't reflect anything at the time. when i polished it with Perma Glass Polymer Sealant, it started so shine and reflect. the thing is, now i can see a lot of scratches all over the body. and it doesn't shine like how it should. instead, its only slightly shiny.

what did i do wrong and how do i remedy this?

thanks in advanced.

actually, it isn't hitting any of the pickups. but i think the 22nd fret is a little higher than the 21st. any help?

these problems were actually already there when i bought the guitar (didn't find out until i brought it home...).

1. fret buzz on the 22nd fret (my guitar only has 22 frets), but it only affects the high e string. the others are fine

2. the strings (i use .008 gauge) constantly get caught under the fret. its as though theres a little slit just beneath the fret that allows the high e string to get caught under it.

how can i remedy this problem? thanks..

i just finished painting my guitar (4 layers of color, 6 layers of clear) and wet sanded it up to 1000. but when i did, the clear became very dull. unlike when i sanded the color coat the similar way before spraying on the clear, it didn't even shine at all. it can't reflect anything.

did i do something wrong, or this the way it is? will it be okay once i've polished it?

how about a credit card, since its made of pretty hard plastic..??

i read somewhere about using a buisness card and folding it to the corect thickness.. will that work> are there any negative effects?

i accidentaly sanded too much and now my locking nut is too low. the bottom of the grooves (where the strings are) are flush with the fretboard. my guitar has medium frets.. i understand that putting a nut shim will correct this error.. but i'd like to know how many nut shims i should put.. and considering obtaining a nut shim is very difficult for me, what 'last resorts' can i turn to?

Really need help asap.. thx in advenced..

Looks awesome, dude.. thats some talent you got there!!

1. you usually finish them seperately

2. suspend it by hanging it somewhere with a hook

Thats all i can help you with. i don't know about the temperature thing..

I'm not sure about the actual sticker question, though, I'm afraid. Is this going on a headstock that's already finished, or is it currently bare wood or an otherwise un-lacquered finish?

Its gonna be on the body and headstock that has a sanded black coat...

A N Y O N E? ? ? ? ! ! ! ! ! !

Hi. i've got a few questions about printed stickers.

1. how does waterproof color ink react with lacquer?

2. is there any way to make stickers more sticky so that they stick better and longer?

3. i read that decoupage is a good method for sealing/protecting/hiding edges of the sticker. however, i do not understand whether one should apply the sealer and then clear coat it...

Any help is appreciated. Thx..

i'm no professional, but i am currently refinishing my guitar. basicly, you've got the idea. but after you clear coat it (about 5~6 layers seem good enough..), you need to give it sufficient time to dry (similarly after the color coats).. then sand it up to 1500 and polish. you're done.

a few tips.. when sanding the clear coat, make sure you get ALL of the shiny spots or they're gonna be a problem when you polish..

since you're painting wood, i would suggest some lacquer-based aerosol paint.. that stuff dries pretty fast.. its probably a wrong thing to do, but i'm in a hurry so i spray a new layer of 2 passes every 45mins ~1hr. it isn;t giving me any trouble so far..

lastly, when the paint is drying, make sure you suspend it as whatever surface you leave it on while the paint is still soft will leave a mark..

Hope this helps and good luck, dude...

I havent done a lot with waterslides, but from what I understand, you can clear them with no problem. As far as cutting holes for pups, pots & switches, I always cut them after the decal is applied.

One good way to learn is by trial & error. Get some waterslide paper, scrap wood, and some decal material, and experiment with it. Try different ways of applying them, and different clear coats.

Gotcha! Thanks a lot man.. you've really helped..

Thx for all the replies. i really appreciate it. but i have just one more question:

should i cut out the holes for the cavities BEFORE applying the vinyl or AFTER ??

If you plan on clearing over top of the decal, I would shy away from "printed vinyl" decals. They dont wear very well, And, some clear coats can smear the ink. You may be able to get a sample piece to see how it holds up to clear coats. Hope that helps....

I don't understand.. what should i do then? and what if i'm using a water slide decal? would it be ok to clear coat it?

Knowing what type of decal is important. You need to ask the person who supplied it. If it is a water slide decal you will need to clearcoat it to make it last. water slide decal are only adhered to the surface with cornstarch and not durable without topcoating. If it is a printed vinyl decal like used on car wraps and signs it should have a clear laminate over the printed surface.

don't know if this will help, but i'm bringing my image to some shop to get it printed into a decal, so i'm guessing that its a printed vinyl decal. any tips/advice/precautions i should know about these things?

Since you asked so nice......

I would cut a paper pattern of what the decal needs to be cut like and then transfer to the decal and cut. If this is a vinyl decal I would use a small amount of soap and water to allow the decal to be positioned perfectly before squeeging it down. If you use water I would use a blow dyer to warm the decal and get it to stick well before removing the application paper from the top of the decal ( if there is any )

Thx for the reply. i really appreciate it..

i saw it but didnt reply because i have no clue off the materials you are working with - what sort of decal is it?

to be honest, i'm not sure myself.. i'm guessing its either a water slide decal or the type that people use on cars..

i realize that this question is an extremely dumb and seemingly asked by a retard for people of such superior inteligance such as yours, and so i humbly bow my knee to your evident superiority just to ask you this one question. is it so hard to take some time to answer such a simple question?

i have a few questions about the poor boys burst tutorial thats on the main site.

1. how do i spray? do i spray directly over the template or spray around it at a certain angle?

2. is it sprayed on in multiple thin coats?

Hi. are there any tips/precautions i should take when applying a full-body decal? also, what is the best way to cut the decal (it won't be the exact shape of the guitar body, so i have to trim the edges) and how should i go about applying the decal? do i start at the bottom strap pin area and slowly work my way up or what?

thx...

1. depends on whats cracked...

2. depends on what type of nut (locking or not...)

3. pliers...??

i don't want a burst finish. i want to 'preserve' the silver look. and its fine with lacquer based clear as long as its done in thin passes. but about the burst, if you were me, what would you do? what colour would be a good colour for the burst?