A Guitar Restoration Sticker in a Remarkable Les Paul Restoration
A guitar restoration sticker was the final small detail in one customer’s painstaking rebuild of an old Gibson Les Paul double cut. He had stripped away a brush painted white finish, created a warm amber colour and spent hours polishing the guitar. Printmonster supplied the serial number sticker he needed to complete his project.
Our part was tiny. The restoration was all his.
Finding the right guitar
Our customer had worked as a sound engineer for 36 years. His partner’s son plays guitar and had even built one, which gave him the idea of finding an older guitar they could restore.
After more than a year of looking, he found a Gibson Les Paul double cut on eBay. He described it as a limited edition guitar from 1977. Someone had brush painted it white, and it was in a sorry state, but he could see a project worth taking on.
He and his partner’s son stripped it down and sanded the wood until they had a smooth surface to work with. The photographs of the guitar at this stage show how much had to happen before they could think about the final colour.
Building the TV Yellow finish
Painting is part of our customer’s everyday work in the motor trade, so he was ready to tackle the next stage himself. He ordered a TV Yellow lacquer from a guitar supplier in Manchester, then worked on the colour to get the look he wanted.
He began with white primer, followed by the yellow lacquer. To give it the warmer, honey coloured appearance he had in mind, he added tinted amber lacquer. Then came, in his words, “loads of flatting and polishing”.
The result is a striking change from the brush painted guitar he bought. Seeing the before and after photographs together makes the care behind the restoration clear.
The small detail that brought him to us
There was one detail he still needed: the guitar’s serial number had been on a sticker, and he wanted a small sticker for the restored instrument. That request brought him to Printmonster.
We supplied the sticker. We did not strip, paint or rebuild the guitar, but we were pleased to help him finish a detail that mattered to him.
He put it neatly: “small stickers are just as important as big massive ones.”
It is easy to overlook a sticker this small when looking at the finished guitar. For the person who has spent so much time on the project, though, that detail is part of getting it right. It is one example of the unusual jobs we can discuss alongside our everyday custom sticker printing.
Guitar restoration sticker FAQ
Does Printmonster restore guitars?
No. The customer carried out this restoration. Printmonster supplied the small serial number sticker he requested.
What should I send if I need a sticker for a restoration?
A photograph of the item and any existing sticker is a useful starting point. Include the dimensions, the wording or artwork you need, where the sticker will go and how many you would like. We can then look at the request and discuss what is possible.
Can I ask about just a few small stickers?
Yes. Tell us the size, design and quantity you need. Small custom jobs vary, so we will review the details before advising on a suitable option and quotation.
Have a small detail to finish?
If your project needs a custom sticker, send us a photograph, the approximate size and a brief explanation of how it will be used. We’ll take a look and let you know how we can help.