Stick stickers on his guitar? Good or bad idea ?

We've all seen guitars covered in stickers . Although it's a phenomenon that seems to be practiced mostly by beginners and young guitarists, after all, a well-placed sticker can easily add a cool degree of customization to your guitar.

But before embarking on a discreet or extravagant decoration of your guitar, be sure to read this article carefully to find out if it's a good idea... or not!

Do stickers damage guitars?

In general, putting stickers on his guitar won't damage your guitar in any way. You can easily stick one or more stickers on it without having to worry about damage. It is still necessary that these stickers are of good quality.

This practice has existed for decades and many well-known guitarists and musicians do it themselves on their own instrument.

This is for example the case of the following artists:

• Stevie Ray Vaughan
• Rivers Cuomo
• justin bieber
• Jerry Garcia (of The Grateful Dead)
• Billie Joe Armstrong (of Green Day)
• Tom Morello (from Rage Against the Machine)

These artists are just a few examples and the list goes on and on. For them as for the others, personalizing your guitar is therefore a simple and effective way to create a unique guitar of its kind.

A bit like a signature model!

You can use guitar stickers as a representation of yourself , as a message to pass on to a crowd or audience, or just for fun and decoration !

So, before you start, you are probably asking yourself a few questions such as:

How to place stickers on your scratcher? What will be the best location? Will it change the sound?

Indeed, you certainly have a lot of questions that we will try to answer as best we can in this article !

Do the Stickers affect the sound of the guitars?

Most of the time, the impact stickers can have on a guitar's sound is so minimal that only the most trained ears can tell...and then some!

We have seen it before, even the most famous artists do it themselves. So why not you ?

It is still important to point out that the sound will be affected if you stick stickers on the vibrating parts of your guitar.

The back, sides and head of a guitar are certainly the safest areas if you want to preserve the tone of your instrument as much as possible.

If you want to do this on the soundboard of your acoustic guitar, it should be noted that it is particularly vital for projecting the sound of the guitar. We therefore recommend placing only a few stickers so as not to affect its sound too much. But again, only the most trained ears will be able to detect it.

But even then, the stickers placed on top will almost not affect the overall tone.

Finally, if we are talking about one or two stickers, you have absolutely nothing to worry about, the sound will not change.

Where can I stick guitar stickers? Examples of Guitars with stickers!

Whether it's an electric guitar, an acoustic guitar, a bass or even a guitar case, the customization possibilities are endless and depend on each individual.

Here are some photos that could help you in the style of decoration you want to bring to your guitar.

In a classic style, you will usually find the following types of stickers:

Guitar Fingerboard Stickers

Guitar Rosette Sticker

Easel Stickers

In a cooler, more current and more colorful style, opting for vinyl stickers allows you to personalize your guitar in a more extravagant way.

Here are some examples of what you can achieve with vinyl sticker packs.

Guitar Head Stickers

Stickers on soundboard

Side Stickers

Sticker on Pickguard

Stickers on the background of a guitar

guitar case stickers

Can I stick stickers on the fingerboard of my guitar?

Believe it or not, you can put stickers on your guitar fingerboard without any problem!

Many guitarists choose this option for several reasons.

One of the main reasons is to use stickers as markers. It's an economical solution when you learn and there are also many stickers specifically designed for that (as shown above).

Indeed, more visual, they allow the brain to record better. There are special stickers with the name of the notes that you can easily place on your fingerboard! Perfect for learning!

But why do that when there are already points for benchmarks?

Well know that some guitars don't actually have any inlays. So it's a cool way to add them.

Some people also prefer to customize their guitar and replace those dots with something cooler!

It's a great way to give your guitar a cool and unique look without too much effort.

Here is a very well done tutorial to learn how to stick key stickers.

Will people notice that I put stickers on the fingerboard of my guitar?

Except for the learning stickers, unless you come within a few centimeters of the guitar, it is almost impossible to know that stickers are stuck on a fingerboard, especially if you have chosen stickers that match the color of your fingerboard. your guitar.

Do guitar fingerboard stickers affect playability?

This is because stickers placed on the fingerboard of your guitar can affect playability.

This depends on several factors:

• If the sticker(s) are stuck on an acoustic or electric guitar.
• The size and quality of the stickers.

Since electric guitars play differently than acoustic guitars, you may encounter some problems with electric guitars.

Indeed, this is due to the fact that when you play the electric guitar, you are more able to slide your fingers over the strings and you may feel the stickers under your fingers, which can be disturbing.

If in addition the sticker peels off, this will certainly prevent you from playing correctly. Hence the need to use quality stickers.

On acoustic guitars, unless you're using it as an electric guitar, you shouldn't have any problems.

We therefore recommend using small stickers that will minimize these problems.

What are the steps to follow to ensure that the stickers are well stuck?

First, be sure to clean your guitar thoroughly.

This step is very important since you don't want any dust or other residue getting between your guitar and your stickers.

To do this, take a soft cloth or a microfiber cloth and clean there. If you want to decorate your guitar at the neck or headstock, remove the strings.

Once dry, you can then start applying your stickers.

What chemicals are recommended for removing stickers from my guitar?

If ever one day you want to remove the stickers from your guitar, you are certainly wondering how to remove them safely?

Don't worry, it's not rocket science. A little patience and the right tools will allow you to do this without damaging your guitar.

For this, there are different chemicals that you can use on a cloth to easily remove the stickers from your guitar.

Of course, we recommend that you do your own research to find out which chemical will be the most protective of your guitar's finish , but here is a list (not exhaustive) that we can advise you.

Naphtha

One of the chemicals most used and most recommended by guitarists to remove stickers is Naphtha. Naphtha is a transparent liquid, resulting from the distillation of petroleum. It may seem strange to use a flammable product for your guitar, but this method is actually very popular.

It is also very likely that a professional will use this product to clean your guitar. It is a liquid that allows in particular to remove rust from metal products and it is very effective and inexpensive!

You can find a tutorial here, where the person removing the stickers from his guitar uses Naphtha

Naphtha evaporates very quickly, so you have to be quick when applying it to a cloth to rub the stickers placed on your guitar. Remember that it is flammable so do it in a well ventilated room and away from flames.

The WD-40

Believe it or not, WD-40 is great for removing stickers from a guitar.

This very common product and normally used as a lubricant. Very present in the automotive industry, it has a whole host of cleaning properties and it is very effective in removing stickers placed on your guitar, while respecting the wood, plastic and/or finish of this guitar. last.

Naphtha is generally more efficient and faster than WD-40, but WD-40 is very easily found in DIY stores or on the internet.

Here is a link to their website for you: https://wd40.fr/

Acetone

Commonly used to remove nail polish, acetone is an option you can consider for removing glue-based products.

Like Naphtha, this product is flammable and evaporates quickly, so be sure to take care when using it.

If you want to apply it to your guitar, do it quickly, and above all, don't drown your guitar in excessive amounts of acetone. This could damage the finish of your guitar. We therefore advise you to do your research in advance.

Guitar Varnish

People who have used guitar polish to remove their stickers have had mixed results when using guitar polish.

On the other hand, it is a very important product for the maintenance of your scratcher.

We also strongly recommend having some on hand for the final step, once the stickers are removed, it will allow you to take care of it.

How do I remove the stickers from my guitar?

Once the chemical agent has been chosen, equip yourself with a cloth.
We advise you to use a microfiber cloth so as not to scratch your guitar.

If the sticker(s) are paper (classic)

Pour some product on your cloth and place your cloth over your stickers for about 30 seconds.

This will allow the sticker to soak up the liquid and soften the glue.

You can then peel off the sticker(s).

If they ever resist, repeat the step and tap. You can also use a plastic card or a pick to scrape the edges of the stickers. They will peel off more easily.

If the sticker(s) are vinyl

The process is more or less the same with one exception. Indeed, the product will not penetrate in the same way as on paper stickers.

Instead of penetrating the sticker, the edges of the stickers will peel off. All you have to do is remove them by gently pulling on them. We insist on taking your time, because if you're too fast, you might rip the sticker and removing the whole thing will take forever.

Once all your stickers are off, we advise you to lovingly rub your guitar with a cloth soaked in the chosen chemical, in order to remove the glue residue.

Then to finish, once the guitar is dry, apply guitar varnish.

How do I remove sticker residue from my guitar?

If you've ever been too quick and end up with a guitar full of torn stickers, or too much excess glue, don't worry!

Simply repeat the steps previously explained and be patient.

You can also allow yourself to rub gently, in a circular way, in order to remove the surpluses.

Don't forget to apply varnish when finished.

Will I damage my guitar by removing the stickers?

Applying stickers to your guitar will not damage it.

On the other hand, it is possible that by wishing to remove them you find yourself faced with a loss of dye.

This will depend on several factors such as:

• The duration that the sticker(s) were stuck on your guitar
• The sun exposure of your guitar

What is likely to happen is that you end up with a slightly different shade. For example, on a white guitar, the area where the sticker was applied may be lighter than the rest of your guitar.

The reason is due to the solar exposure of the latter. Indeed, the sticker protects the area on which you are going to stick it.

Finally, if you are too quick to remove the stickers from your guitar, you may be removing the varnish at the same time. If you take your time, you won't have any problems. Patience is therefore essential!

How do I remove stickers from my guitar fingerboard?

The process is more or less similar, but the stickers come off much easier.

First of all, you will need to remove the strings in order to have access to the stickers.

Once the key is bare, you can then tap with your cloth soaked in the chemical product of your choice.

Gently peel off the edges of the stickers. They should come off much easier than other parts of your guitar.

Once detached, don't forget to clean your sleeve. If you have a lacquered maple fingerboard, we advise you to use a suitable guitar varnish.

For rosewood, ebony or unlacquered guitars, you will need a fingerboard conditioner. Apply it to the fingerboard as you naturally would with other products.

This will allow you to remove excess oil and grime, while restoring your fingerboard to its original condition.

When should I go to a professional to remove stickers from my guitar?

There are different situations in which we advise you to go to a professional to remove the stickers from your guitar.

It is of course always better to go see a pro. You can find them in specialty music stores or by doing a quick search on the Internet.

If you are unsure or unsure about doing the work yourself: go to a professional. You'll avoid putting unnecessary stress on yourself, and you'll be sure the job will get done.

If you have an old instrument, or a vintage instrument, take it to a luthier or a professional. Same if you have a guitar that cost you money, at least you will be sure of a guaranteed result and it won't damage the value of your guitar in any way.

So sticking stickers on your guitar, is it a good idea?

All in all, sticking stickers on his guitar is a good idea!

Stickers can be a great and inexpensive way to personalize your scratcher, while giving it the style it deserves.

A guitar is the very definition of self-expression, so it's natural to want to give it a different and unique style, and stickers allow you to do that.

Sticking stickers on your guitar is not dangerous in itself, and the sound will be almost unaffected, especially if you put your stickers on non-vibration areas.

When it comes to removing them, the methods we have laid out in this article are quite simple and effective. There is therefore no particular problem in decorating your guitar , as long as you are in tune with what you want to do.

If you are ever looking for original stickers to personalize your guitar , we invite you to take a look at our selection of Guitar Stickers .

We'll also end this article with a full Electric Guitar Sticker Bomb tutorial, if you ever want to get in on the action.

And of course, feel free to comment on this article if you wish!

Peace, Love and long live the Stickers for Guitars!