Help removing Lanikai headstock "sticker"

strumsilly

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I bought this off ebay, got a really good deal on this solid mahog tenor, but I hate the headstock sticker. the Chinese Lanikais have a nice gold script, this was made in INdonesia, and it has this blue and white sticker. I don't like it . it looks cheap, and the est of the uke looks awesome. nice wood grain and maple rosette and binding, front and back. tried gently going from the back with an exacto knife, but couldn't get behind it. I know I should leave it alone, but it bugs me, and I was thinking ogf getting one of those cool stickers of a turtle or gecko to replace it. ideas? heat?lanikai.jpg
 
I would start with water to see if it is a water soluable glue. If that doesn't work move up to a citirus based solvant like Googone. The next step would be Goof-off but I would first do a test case on the back of the headstock to see if it effects the wood fininsh.
 
Goo Gone might be even better to start with than water, I think. It's made with orange oil, practically like a polish. It removes gooey junk without marking most woods.
070048016509lg.jpg

And smells nice, too!
 
Goo Gone might be even better to start with than water, I think. It's made with orange oil, practically like a polish. It removes gooey junk without marking most woods.
070048016509lg.jpg

And smells nice, too!
I've used this to take off the stickey stuff left by a stick on pickups and the tape to hold the cable. I've used it on gloss, mat, and true oil and never had a problem other that if I got it on aqulia strings it made them squeek until it wore off.
 
You may need to work the GooGone lightly with a bit of fine steel wool.
So, has Lanikai moved production to Indonesia? I actually kind-of like the new decal; looks vintage.
 
You may need to work the GooGone lightly with a bit of fine steel wool.
So, has Lanikai moved production to Indonesia? I actually kind-of like the new decal; looks vintage.

I just enlarged your pic and it looks like just a shiny sticker. GooGone alone should do the trick.
...and yea, it is ugly.
 
Heat gun? That'll remove the sticker at least. The goo underneath of course would be the biggest deal.
 
If the decal is under the finish, none of those products will get it off. The only way to get it off in that case is to remove the finish and, in the process, remove the sticker. I did this on my KPK. I hated the way that sticker looked. I sanded the sticker off with 600 grit sandpaper. I removed the tuners first and lightly sanded the entire headstock. That's as far as I've gotten so far, but my next step is to rub in several coats of Tru-oil and ending with a coat of lemon oil. According to their website, that's the finish that Mya Moe's uses on their ukes. If it's good enough for them, it ought to be good enough for my cheap ukulele. As a matter of fact, I'm considering doing this to the entire instrument.
 
You should go to inlaystickers.com when you get it off. They have some really cool stickers for ukes.
 
Next week when I am at Lanikais booth I am going to ask why they did that. It is so ugly!
Also thanks for the link share :)

Goodluck with that. I've thought about an Oscar Schmidt OU2 to have a toss in the backseat concert but am put off by the 'Aloha' on the headstock. Different strokes.

I've been eyeing those inlay stickers too, frets alot. Ukeeku did a review of them recently here:

http://ukeeku.com/2013/01/16/inlay-stickers-full-review/

They look pretty cool.
 
It's nice that Lanikai made it so easy to remove. I think thats a plus . I've had some inlay stickers on my uke for years and they are still in nice shape.
 
I need to do this to my Islander, the head stickers are just awful, poorly sized and ugly. Blech.

IMG_0977.jpg


I feel like if I wait for a warm day I could pick them right off.
 
I used to use these halogen table lamps to remove the Microsoft "destructible" license stickers for PC's that were going for disposal. Turn the lamp on and leave it a short distance above the sticker until it's soft. They peel off easily.

Halogen-Desk-Lamp-SX208-.jpg

I accept no responsibility for house fires or scorched Ukuleles.
 
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