Today I'm tackling a common challenge for musicians: removing stickers from an instrument. My guinea pig for the day is a Peavey Milestone 2 bass, probably from the 90s. It has a polyester finish, which is sturdy but not foolproof, so I'll be testing out a few different methods to find the best solution.
⚠ Attention : If you have an instrument with a more fragile finish, such as nitrocellulose lacquer, be extremely careful and avoid harsh products.
Step 1: Preparation
Before I started, I removed the strings and armed myself with a few simple tools:
- A plastic card (library card type)
- A hair dryer
- Hot water mixed with dishwashing liquid
- Isopropyl alcohol
- A specific product for adhesives (eg Goo Gone)
My plan is to test these methods successively to evaluate their effectiveness.
Method 1: Dry remove with heat
To start, I applied a little heat with a hair dryer to soften the adhesive.
- Result : This works well on laminated stickers. The top layer peels off easily, leaving a sticky residue.
- Limit : With paper stickers, heat alone is less effective. Some of it sticks and creates a real headache.
Method 2: Hot water and dishwashing liquid
For the paper stickers, I moistened with warm soapy water.
- Result : The paper disintegrates, making removal easier.
- Limit : This does not work on laminated or waterproof stickers. Also, be careful not to get the instrument too wet to avoid damaging the wood.
Method 3: Isopropyl Alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol is known to dissolve adhesives.
- Result : This softens the residual adhesive, allowing it to be scraped off. However, it is a lengthy process and requires extended contact time.
- Advantage : Alcohol does not leave any greasy film once dried.
Method 4: Goo Gone (or similar product)
This product is designed to remove adhesives. It contains mild solvents, such as citrus extracts.
- Result : Very effective at dissolving adhesive, even laminated stickers.
- Limit : This leaves a significant oily residue, requiring a final cleaning with alcohol to obtain a clean surface.
The challenges encountered
One of the stickers, particularly old, left a significant discoloration mark on the pickguard. Unfortunately, these marks cannot be corrected by simple cleaning. The solution could be to replace the pickguard or find a method to uniform the color.
Conclusion
To remove stickers effectively:
- Start by removing the top layer with heat and a plastic card.
- Use soapy water for paper stickers.
- Apply alcohol or a specialized product to remove residue.
Each method has its strengths and weaknesses, but with a little patience you can get your instrument clean and ready to play.
🎥 Watch this adventure in video on my channel to see the steps in action!