How to make waterslide decals

[Dreadman]

Good info DVM. I forgot that water caused some bleeding too.

Ya know what's funny? I've been wondering how you labeled the pedals. They looked too good to be waterslide and I figured you were into silk screning. LOL

[duhvoodooman***]

Ya know what's funny? I've been wondering how you labeled the pedals. They looked too good to be waterslide and I figured you were into silk screning. LOL

Well, mediocre photography can hide a multitude of sins!

[houseoo]

I just found this site, www.decalfish.com Is this website has right decal papers? I need to restore 72 hendrix strat and need decal for her.

[kerc]

Make sure your graphics have at least a 300dpi resolution...

[robert_the_rocker]

So whaddo I do when there's actually some font that I wanna put my decal over? I have an epi LP, and It says it right there on the Headstock. I wanna cancel out Les Paul's Signature and make something cool. I know. Kind of a plan, huh?

[warren0728]

I wanna cancel out Les Paul's Signature and make something cool.

les paul is the man....thanks to him you have solid body electric guitars...multitrack recording, etc. that's pretty cool!

ww

[robert_the_rocker]

Well yeah, I know, but, I don't really like how he writes his name on his guitar. I really do wanna make something cool there. I know he's amazing, but...It's like the Zakk Wylde FX pedal. he's cool and all, but, I don't want his signature on it...

[Andy]

So whaddo I do when there's actually some font that I wanna put my decal over? I have an epi LP, and It says it right there on the Headstock. I wanna cancel out Les Paul's Signature and make something cool. I know. Kind of a plan, huh?

The signature is under a clearcoat ,It would be hard to cover over without ..looking cheap like a sticker.
to do it right you would have to sand the headstock, repaint it, apply decal(s) ,than clearcoat. thats alot of effort.
But,If you decide to go thru with it I'll make you a decal

[Andy]

I finaly ran a low quality test print today, is this something that would fit the bill? I can also change any of the colors ect..( Like purple Fender..hehe) or ofcourse gold to silver.
I intentionaly missplaced the "F" for the test print.
I won't do exact copys of the real thing, for example I can make the "F" correct and change "stratocaster" to "stratoblaster" or something along those lines.

also if anyone is needing a different decal/logo/effects box decals...let me know.I also do vinyl and custom vinyl masking for those guitar painting projects.

[ShortBuSX]

Man Andy, those look great :
But I'll no longer need your services...Id planned on buying an Allparts neck for my partscaster, but instead I scored a Jimmy Vaughan neck at a great price...so I wont be needing the graffic wed spoke about previously, sorry.

[robert_the_rocker]

: :

[Andy]

The supreme printer is (I forget the name) the very expensive type that can use metallic ink cartridges. These run in the $500-$2000 price range and are the only way to get real silvers and golds (like many guitar manufacturers use). You can kind of fake it with an inkjet though.

I have 2 of these printers (Alps) and have been in the decal business for about 5 years so if anyone needs decals with any color including white ,silver,gold let me know.
also if you need a decal for a dark background ,I can underlay the image with white first so the decal is opaque. I work with illustrator files but almost any file will do. I can also work from ideas and create the design/font if needed.

I don't have enough time right now to "open shop" fulltime but have no problem creating decals for the members here, as a way of saying thanks for the great company.

thanks ,Andy

[bigoldron]

I have 2 of these printers (Alps) and have been in the decal business for about 5 years so if anyone needs decals with any color including white ,silver,gold let me know.
also if you need a decal for a dark background ,I can underlay the image with white first so the decal is opaque. I work with illustrator files but almost any file will do. I can also work from ideas and create the design/font if needed.

I don't have enough time right now to "open shop" fulltime but have no problem creating decals for the members here, as a way of saying thanks for the great company.

thanks ,Andy

Andy, I've got a Squier Strat that one of the previous owners removed the headstock decals on. Could you possibly make me a decal for the headstock? I was thinking something along the lines of "Fender Strat-O-Blaster" or something similar. It may have started as a Squier, but it's going to be a lot better by the time I'm through with it.

If you can do it, what would you charge? I'd be glad to pay you for your time. Have a Happy Thanksgiving. :

[Andy]

No problem,I have to reload some software from a bug I picked lately than I'll just offer a whole sheet of the "Fender style" logos, (because there are so many possible variations).ofcourse I can create whatever wording someone may like.

With all the strat builds people are doing ,I've already had a few requests.
I'll post some examples when it's ready. I figure $10-$15 range for a set

[Kineticartist]

I have 2 of these printers (Alps) and have been in the decal business for about 5 years so if anyone needs decals with any color including white ,silver,gold let me know.
also if you need a decal for a dark background ,I can underlay the image with white first so the decal is opaque. I work with illustrator files but almost any file will do. I can also work from ideas and create the design/font if needed.

I don't have enough time right now to "open shop" fulltime but have no problem creating decals for the members here, as a way of saying thanks for the great company.

thanks ,Andy

Hey Andy!
Ok My first post here I found this excellent forum by googlilng for ALPs printing of decals and found this post. Im a Graphic Designer/Drummer and I have a client who has commisioned me to create some graphics for her Bass and I had planned on creating waterslide decals of the art which I have done in the past but as we all know without a white underlay the decal art wont "POP" if the body color is too dark. Her paint color isnt all that dark but the graphic is prety light and Im looking for someone who can print the art out on decal paper with a white underlay using an ALPS printer

Im interested to know if you still do this and how much would you charge? The art is 300DPI and 10.313" x 10.113"

See the attached photo:

[BrettS]

I will do this someday! Thanks so much, you guys, for the thread w/great instructions!
(p.s. I jes' do not like bare headstocks, there's always room for a tongue-in-cheek, DIY logo)!

[Bobbo]

What about PAF decals ?

[rumblejet]

Great post Dreadman, Love your logo's! I spent years building scale models so i got good at working with decals.

An Xacto-knife works well in small areas that scissors can't get, also I'm not sure but hobby stores might have the kind of paper you used.

[yuominae]

Wow, couldn't believe it when I saw this thread. I'd been wondering about just that lately. Thanks for all the info!