How can I remove headstock decal?

Doug · Post by **Doug** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 9:51 pm

I have a new Duo-Sonic. I'd like to replace the Squire decal with a replica of the original Fender decal.

How can I remove the decal without having to refinish the headstock?

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 10:19 pm

nice, then it will play and sound just like a fender!

light grit sandpaper, and water.

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 10:22 pm

don't be that guy...

wwrrss · Post by **wwrrss** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 10:30 pm

why bother?

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 10:37 pm

I think that without refinishing the headstock, it's going to look an awful lot like you got a Squier and put a Fender decal on it, which would be a terrible, terrible thing.

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 12:10 am

The factory clear coats over the decal, so you will definitely have to sand the whole top of the headstock, apply the decal and spray clearcoat again. Unless you are planning to refinish the entire neck in a darker stain, don't bother.

Rock your Squier Classic Vibe Duo Sonic with pride! I know I do. Classic Vibe Squiers are da bomb!

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 1:22 am

endsjustifymeans wrote:don't be that guy...

serfx · Post by **serfx** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 1:41 am

for a minute i thought that this was DOOG's thread, and i was all "WTF? DUDE? WHAT?"
and then i saw that its some new guy, named Doug..
and i'm all..
"WTF? DUDE? WHAT?"

mind you i'll be refinishing one myself.. but its no longer on the squier duo, and won't be getting a fender decal.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 2:05 am

the squier decal we ripped off Doogs squier telecaster now says FENDER DOOGCASTER

so doog kinda does have one. but it was a gift of love. not hate

TexasSwede · Post by **TexasSwede** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 2:37 am

taylornutt wrote:Rock your Squier Classic Vibe Duo Sonic with pride! I know I do. Classic Vibe Squiers are da bomb!

Couldn't have said it better myself! Put your time and energy into a different pickguard or pickup upgrade.

Don't get hung up on the name, Squiers aren't always shit. Some of the Japanese and Korean Squiers were considered on par in quality with what was coming out of the parent company at the time. I happen to like post-2004 Squier Standards and tend to be impressed with the quality of the Indonesian ones over the Chinese. I'll admit, I like the CV series, however.

My advice is to play every used Standard you can find, and buy one you love. Then laugh when the the guy holdng a MIM gives you shit about the Squire on your headstock - because even after tweaking, you probably spent half of what he did!

Doug · Post by **Doug** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 4:07 am

Thanks for the suggestions, guys.

Since I'm a relative newcomer here, guess I can take this opportunity to explain where I'm coming from.

I'm a lover of vintage, have several great old guitars...one is a pre-CBS Mustang...and bought this CV Duo-Sonic on a whim. Saw it in the used section of a little shop, it played great and was in immaculate shape. So I took it home and ordered a vintage-style strap, one of those thin ones from the 1950s? Just to have fun with the vintage image.

Then I wondered if I could replace the decal with a replica of the original 1959 decal. Not to misrepresent this obviously new guitar, but just to capture more of the retro image.

Sounds like I'd really need to refinish the headstock to accomplish what I'm envisioning...which is not worth the effort. But no problem. Because this CV Duo-Sonic's a good example of why lots of Squire guitars (and other makes, like Samick) deserve more respect. This is one of those "sleeper" guitars that happen to play & sound as good as many of the guitars that have cachet.

I'm a newcomer to electric guitars but I'm get'in fairly good at discriminating cachet from substance.

Haze · Post by **Haze** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 6:17 am

look at the thickness of the clear coat on the cv guitars, you see that? you ain't getting through that shit with a fucking blow torch, thats a fact. Leave it be. You'll have to sand through the entire face of the headstock and then try and spray an even clear coat back on, fucking pointless.

jcyphe · Post by **jcyphe** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 7:36 am

Somebody on here who I think mostly posts on Offsetguitars did this exact same project.

http://www.shortscale.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16803

Post by **Doog** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 9:04 am

serfx wrote:for a minute i thought that this was DOOG's thread, and i was all "WTF? DUDE? WHAT?"
and then i saw that its some new guy, named Doug..
and i'm all..
"WTF? DUDE? WHAT?"

Hahhaa, I actually thought the exact same thing when I saw the thread, then realised that I hadn't done such a thing.

robroe wrote:the squier decal we ripped off Doogs squier telecaster now says FENDER DOOGCASTER

so doog kinda does have one. but it was a gift of love. not hate

And it looks fucking AMAZING <3

I don't think many people will be like "Oh man, I see you plumped for the Fender Doogmaster rather than the Squier one"

DICHOTOMY · Post by **DICHOTOMY** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 3:47 pm

robroe wrote:the squier decal we ripped off Doogs squier telecaster now says FENDER DOOGCASTER

so doog kinda does have one. but it was a gift of love. not hate

haha thats awesome

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 4:11 pm

Doug wrote:Just to have fun with the vintage image.

Ok, well I don't want to take the stick out on you here but what you meant by that is so you can look at yourself slinging your guitar up close in a mirror and go "Gee-whiz, this vintageness sure is fun", right? Cause otherwise, the only people who are going to bother paying attention to the decal on your headstock are people that'll actually WANT TO KNOW whether it's vintage or not.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 4:17 pm

how many more years is it until squier is vintage?

they came out in 84' so like 2014 ?

Haze · Post by **Haze** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 5:08 pm

rob, everyone knows that anything in the 80s can't be "vintage"

broncobuster80 · Post by **broncobuster80** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 5:20 pm

unless someone is doing a "doogcaster" or a "teleshiter" for a decal I dont think they should change the headstock. For real man, its not cool to take a squier guitar and add "fender" to it. If you wanted "VINTAGE" then you should have bought a "VINTAGE" guitar.

moore65 · Post by **moore65** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 6:26 pm

If I were you I'd get the Fender decal before sanding off the original cause they aren't easy to come by. And after you sand off the decal, you'll probably have to sand the rest of the headstock to get a matching tone, otherwise repaint/re-stain it.