Name onto Guitar Fretboard

Rudeboy

Hey guys?

I bought a second hand Yamaha F310 for my girlfriend to learn on, but I want to get her nickname engraved onto the fretboard (in the last fret). I phoned two engraving companies, and they say that the guitar won't fit in their machine. Do you guys have any other ideas of how I can do it? Should I rather just try a sticker idea? Or what do you guys rate? Really wish I could get it engraved, it would look so rad?

Isis

You should be careful with engravings on the frets themselves. If the engravings are too deep, because it was done by a hack, it might cause some fretting issues I'd imagine.

Isis

I don't know if she's going to do a lot of soloing high up on the neck; probably not. Have you tried contacting a music store? Maybe they can point you in the right direction.

A great alternative is carving her name into your arm? Chicks dig that ?

AlanRatcliffe

You aren't looking for an engraver - you need a luthier or woodworker who can do inlay or marquetry. Usually a couple of frets will have to come out and be replaced after the inlay work is done. Not cheap...

Rudeboy

Thanks for the help guys? One of the companies got back to me now and suggested that I engrave her name onto a thin piece of plastic and then super glue that onto the fretboard. That sound like quite a good idea, don't you rate? Engraving onto the actual fretboard is sounding like it's either going to mess up the guitar or cost an arm (which means no tattoo Isis ?)

Also, do you guys have any ideas on repairing chips? Their are quite a few chips around the edges of the guitar, just wondering if I could somehow repair them?

AlanRatcliffe

Rudeboy wrote: One of the companies got back to me now and suggested that I engrave her name onto a thin piece of plastic and then super glue that onto the fretboard.

Rather have it made on a thicker piece and inlay it yourself. Put it on the fingerboard, score around it with a blade and then carefully chisel or carve out the wood and superglue it in to the cavity.

Also, do you guys have any ideas on repairing chips? Their are quite a few chips around the edges of the guitar, just wondering if I could somehow repair them?

Not perfectly (there'll always be a visible place where it was), but it can be made better by filling with a few drops of quality superglue. Takes a bit of work and you only get good at filling with quite a bit of practice. To do it you clean the chips out, drop fill the superglue into the chips, allow it to set and then sand it flat with 400 grit waterpaper and then smooth with 600, 800, 1000 and 1200 grit waterpaper then buff up to a gloss with polishing compounds.

DonRoos

Permanently marking the guitar is going to kill the re-sale value. Who wants a guitar that says "SALLY" if your name is RAMBO? I would only consider permanent changes for things that will enhance re-sale value. A guitar is an investmemnt. I paid some R320 for my Ibanez Artist 12-string and it is now worth considerably more. Why not remove either the tensioner cover (above the nut) or the scratch plate carefully, store this till you want to sell the guitar and replace with a custome engraved replacement. An engraver can quickly engrave onto mult-layered perspex and then you can cut and apply this with screws or glue.

Ray

Why dont you get it printed nicely on a piece of paper and stick it somewhere on the inside?

StephenG

i'd look for a new girfriend with the name of "Yamaha" - that way you can give her a customised guitar, and not ruin any resale value by putting another name on it??

alternative, any print shop can make you a sticker using the same font as that used for the yamaha logo on the headstock, then just stick it over the Yamaha logo... if u ever want to get rid of the guitar, just remove the sticker.

singemonkey

Get a quote from a skilled luthier before going any further. There are lists on this forum, and it may prove to be affordable for you - and then you guarantee a good result.

Rudeboy

Classic answers and advice, thanks guys? I was thinking of just taking it to a Luthier, but I figured if I repair and customize it myself, it will be quite a bit more of a personal gift. The scratch plate idea is quite a good one, I'm really considering that. Also liked the paper inside idea. Getting the name engraved onto a piece of material then carving it into theretboard myself is also a really neat idea, I'm just wondering if I would be able to do that though :-\ But flip, after giving i some thought, it's looking rather appealing indeed! I rate I'm either going to go for that carving idea or the scratch plate idea. or both...jokes, that would probably be overkill. Or maybe I could do the inlay with her name, and then do some kind of pattern on the pick guard, that would be quite rad ? I just wonder where on earth I'd find a nice pattern to engrave onto it ??? When I've finished this guit, I'll definitely post pics on here of it so you guys can check it out? Compliments to your awesome advice ?

Rudeboy

Ps, I'm going to try that super glue idea to fix the chips out this week ? And that finding a girl with the name Yamaha was flippin funny ha ha ?

Malkav

Rudeboy wrote: And that finding a girl with the name Yamaha...

Don't worry, there are plenty in the sea...too soon? never 8)

AlanRatcliffe

Chad Adam Browne wrote: Don't worry, there are plenty in the sea...too soon? never 8)

As a regular visitor to sickipedia (warning - not for the easily offended), I can tell you it's never too soon. Stuff starts popping up there within minutes... ? In fact there have been some truly excellent ones on that very topic...

Jack-Flash-Jr

StephenG wrote: i'd look for a new girfriend with the name of "Yamaha" - that way you can give her a customised guitar, and not ruin any resale value by putting another name on it??

alternative, any print shop can make you a sticker using the same font as that used for the yamaha logo on the headstock, then just stick it over the Yamaha logo... if u ever want to get rid of the guitar, just remove the sticker.

Solution approved!