Applying Guitar Decals Properly

Guitar stickers are a popular way to express one’s personality and style. They can be used to pay tribute to one’s heroes, or to express political or social beliefs, or simply as a tongue-in-cheek way of showing off. They can also be useful as a cheat sheet, helping guitarists to learn which notes to play on their fretboard. They may be applied to the body, headstock or fretboard of a guitar, and can be made up of either traditional vinyl stickers or more professional-looking water-slide decals. They can be sealed with clear coats to protect them from sweat or other substances that could react with the adhesive, making them more long-lasting and resistant to damage.

Deciding to put guitar decals on a guitar is a personal choice, but it is important to know that it’s not without potential risks. It’s possible that a lot of stickers on a guitar could affect the sound, although this is not a common issue with newer, high-quality electric or acoustic guitars. It’s more likely to be a problem with older guitars or ones that have been custom-made, which are often finished in a lacquer finish that can be damaged by the vinyl in modern vinyl guitar decals.

To minimize these problems, it’s best to choose a good quality set of guitar decals and to apply them properly. To do this, first clean the surface of the guitar where the sticker will be placed. Then, print out a sample of the sticker on regular paper to see how it looks, and then on water-slide decal paper (a laserjet printer is recommended for a crisper image). Once the final design has been printed and cut out, apply several coats of lacquer over the decals to protect them from sweat, dust, and other contaminants that can ruin an instrument’s finish.

In addition, it’s a good idea to remove all of the strings from the guitar before applying any stickers. This will ensure that the adhesive doesn’t come into contact with any part of the string that is in contact with the fretboard or body. Finally, it’s a good idea to apply clear lacquer over the top of the stickers once they have been attached so that sweat and other substances don’t react with the glue underneath them.

Another possible problem is that a lot of stickers on an acoustic guitar might cause the body to vibrate less, which can affect the sound it produces. However, this is not a serious issue unless the guitar is completely covered with stickers, or if the sticker material itself is heavy and thick. Aside from this, putting guitar stickers on a guitar is generally considered safe and not damaging, especially if they are removed carefully. If you do decide to decorate your guitar with stickers, it’s best to use a variety of different colors and styles to create a distinctive look. And don’t forget that if you change your mind about the style of stickers you want to display on your instrument, it’s very easy to remove them.