Official Luthiers Forum!

Just wondering if any of you could give me some info on the labels used inside the sound box, like what type of paper is it? and where can you buy it?
Thanks
and just an update, I'm making some progress on my first build, not much to say other than plates being glued, fixtures being made, fretboards being cut, neck being carved, ...
Amazing learning curve, I love it! and thanks for all of your help.
Regards,
Paul

There has been several discussions on labels over the past year or so, and I dont think there is one certain paper or printing process that everyone does the same way. Personally, I use regular old printer paper with a label printed on my inkjet printer. It is glued in place with fish glue and coated with shellac after drying. Some use rice paper, some use other kinds of paper.

Welcome to the forum!

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Reguards,

Ken H

If you want your lable to last as long as the guitar use an acid free paper.

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How long is that in luthyears?

I think that most or all inkjet ink is water soluble. Color laser printers are not. Color Xerox is not. You can inkjet a page of lables and then copy it on a color Xerox at Kinkos for less than $0.50. For paper, if you get 20% bond at the stationary store yu will go a long way to wards permanent, but as others mentioned, acid free paper is better. If the stationary store does not have that, an artist supply shop should.

I have one of the newer type of HP Inkjets, that uses the Vivera inks. They do not seem to be water soluble. I printed my label, and coated it front and back with hide glue, and got no smearing at all. I used a fine permanent marker(Sharpie) for the signature.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I have an HP printer that uses Vivera inks, and they are quite water soluble. Before coating my labels with shellac and then polyurethane, I can't touch them without risking smudging them. I use a high quality acid-free archival paper that's made to look like parchment. I can't recall the brand right now. I got it at staples. It's nice paper. A coat of shellac brings out the color, texture, and depth of the paper nicely, then the polyurethane waterproofs it. For now, I'm happy with this method. I expect these labels to last a long, long time.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

I use a high linen content paper available from any of the office supply chains and an Epson ink jet printer loaded with preservation photo ink (100 year life) and get good results.

Recently Mark Blanchard indicated that he lightly sprays his labels with nitro and I tried this on some samples about a month ago. It worked great and the ink did not run from the solvent based nitro. So this is how I will be making my labels in the future and thanks to Mark for this idea.

I attach my labels with 3M stray adhesive and cover the label with a cut up Baggie taped in place with low tack tape until the guitar is finished.