Official Luthiers Forum!

I see those Martin waterslide headstock decals on ebay $15 bucks are they any good or is it bad form to use a counterfeit product like this I'm just curious.. thanks.

Is a very good question.

Is also one of me pet gripes.

See we were spawned, raised and lives in a world of fantasy and illusion...
So many wanna bees buy a pile of wood called a kit from Martin or some other supplier,
whap it together, stick on a counterfeit decal and go on living the "I've got a Martin guitar fantasy B.S."
Then there are loofers offering "copies of Chris's ancestors efforts" to feed that illusion.
Gee for that matter $199. on ebay will get you just about any model you want ...with case and free delivery too!

It is sad that so many of us buy into that knock off deluded illusion. Is one of the reasons our economy isn't any more.

Oh well


Here in endith an~udder one of me rants.

blessing
?adma

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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thats really interesting but does anyone have experience with the waterslide decals..

Ah me see, you wish a direct answer...ok

Ya, me has used water slide decals since me was a kid.

Weather they are good or bad is a subjective judgment.

Now obviously me is not a criminal, and to the best of my
knowledge nor are any of the members of dis here forum
criminals. Nor would me encourage you to
go and be breaking the law and become one.

So why would you even consider a counterfeit item?

Many of us on this site are honest, hardworking dedicated loofers
and as such me for one personally resents your questioning us about
even thinking of using counterfeit products.


Hmmm?

Any other questions about decals my friend?


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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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why do you talk like a hostile baby? creepy creepy...yikes!!

Just a friendly little bit of advise for you, my friend.

Your first question on this forum had legal implications bordering on entrapment.

How and why my avatar chooses to talk is non of your business.

Who the hell are you to label and judge me or any other members of this forum?
Just cuz me no talks likes you?

The OLF is a real nice and friendly forum.
As such me most humbly suggest you change your attitude.


blessings
?adma

_________________
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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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The only use a reputable repairperson would have for such a decal would be as a replacement on an authentic Martin that had been refinished or repaired. Any other use is against the law.

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

Thanks Rodger,

me knew there had to be an honest reason for them to exist.

_________________
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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Martin's original decals were built upside down on the paper, so in application they were pressed into a sticky just-sprayed lacquer surface. Later, after the lacquer dried, the paper was soaked off the surface with water, leaving the logo face up, imbedded in the lacquer. Then a bit of cleanup and final finish coats served to seal the decal nicely. Using those decals takes practice, because if the lacquer is too dry, they don't stick well; if it's too wet, the colors run. Application of those things is not what I'd call fun.

Conventional waterslide decals are much easier to use, and can be over-coated with new lacquer, too. Some decals just want to wrinkle or curl up if you shoot lacquer over them, partly because they don't really stick all that well in the first place. If you want to avoid that particular bit of misery, here's a little trick:

Don't soak the decal in just any old water. Use a dilute solution of hide glue, say 5:1 or 10:1 dilution with warm water. Then when you apply the decal, you'll have a bonus amount of glue underneath to keep the little bugger stuck down. Don't forget to give it plenty of time to dry before lacquering. Decals are made on that gummed paper, which, of course, is typically coated with hide glue, and that stuff acts as the adhesive under water decals. Problem is that it's mostly diluted away by the time the decal makes it to the surface where it's supposed to stick.

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Frank Ford

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