Logo Stamp

[David Schwab]

The most useful thing to have on the pickup (along with your trade name) is a serial number, so you can go back to your records when a broken or to be upgraded unit comes back. Serial numbers that encode the manufacture date in some obvious manner are also helpful to people. A fine-point Pilot silver marker should work well for this.

That's what I do. I have the month and year, if it's the neck or bridge, and a serial number, and then I initial it. I put them on a paper label.

I have used the serial numbers a few times when people bought some of my pickups used, and wanted to know more about them.

[Joe Gwinn]

That's what I do. I have the month and year, if it's the neck or bridge, and a serial number, and then I initial it. I put them on a paper label.

I have used the serial numbers a few times when people bought some of my pickups used, and wanted to know more about them.

A few questions about long-term readability occur to me.

First, how long will the stickum take to fail, allowing the label to fall off and be lost. I'd be tempted to use plain paper glued to the pickup with shellac.

Second, how durable is the printing and ink? The test I use to qualify a type of pen is to write on a piece of ordinary laser printer paper, allow the ink to dry for an hour, wash the paper in hot water from the tap, allow the wet paper to dry, and leave exposed to sunlight for a few months. Annotate and date the sample page in pencil so you'll be able to track samples even if the pen lines disappear. While this test seems quite severe, about half the pen types I have tested passed the test.

Third, how well does the writing xerox? This used to be a big problem because the original copiers used blue to ultraviolet light, so most blue ballpoint pen lines were hardly seen, but is less so as copiers improved. Well, as the sensors became able to see with visible light.

Why did I go to this much trouble? So my notebooks will survive a coffee spill, and/or being left open exposed to sunlight or office fluorescent light for a long time.

Results: For ordinary writing, I use Black Pilot P-500 pens. For archival labels, I use Pigma Micron #1 Archival Ink pens, which come in a variety of colors and line widths. Black is the most durable color. My favorite pen size codes are -05 and -08. The claimed line widths, 0.45 mm and 0.50 mm, don't really capture the difference in achieved line width.

Pigma® Micron® - Sakura Of America ... Power To Express

Sakura Pigma Micron Pen - BLICK art materials

[kayakerca]

A few questions about long-term readability occur to me.

First, how long will the stickum take to fail, allowing the label to fall off and be lost. I'd be tempted to use plain paper glued to the pickup with shellac.

Second, how durable is the printing and ink? The test I use to qualify a type of pen is to write on a piece of ordinary laser printer paper, allow the ink to dry for an hour, wash the paper in hot water from the tap, allow the wet paper to dry, and leave exposed to sunlight for a few months. Annotate and date the sample page in pencil so you'll be able to track samples even if the pen lines disappear. While this test seems quite severe, about half the pen types I have tested passed the test.

Why did I go to this much trouble? So my notebooks will survive a coffee spill, and/or being left open exposed to sunlight or office fluorescent light for a long time.

Results: For ordinary writing, I use Black Pilot P-500 pens. For archival labels, I use Pigma Micron #1 Archival Ink pens, which come in a variety of colors and line widths. Black is the most durable color. My favorite pen size codes are -05 and -08. The claimed line widths, 0.45 mm and 0.50 mm, don't really capture the difference in achieved line width.

Pigma® Micron® - Sakura Of America ... Power To Express

Sakura Pigma Micron Pen - BLICK art materials

New to all this, but I use a fine tipped paint pen on the bottom flatwork of SC's after the lacquer dip but before the wax potting.

Pentouch® Metallic Ink Marker - Sakura Of America ... Power To Express

The vacuum wax potting process does nothing to the paint (other than maybe protect it). Not a pretty logo or logo on a stamp branding, but I'm just a hobbyist. I guess only time will tell how well it stands up.

[Joe Gwinn]

New to all this, but I use a fine tipped paint pen on the bottom flatwork of SC's after the lacquer dip but before the wax potting.

Pentouch® Metallic Ink Marker - Sakura Of America ... Power To Express

The vacuum wax potting process does nothing to the paint (other than maybe protect it). Not a pretty logo or logo on a stamp branding, but I'm just a hobbyist. I guess only time will tell how well it stands up.

That's a good approach as well, although many metallic paint-marker lines rub off too easily, but they're OK if not on the outside.

[big_teee]

That's a good approach as well, although many metallic paint-marker lines rub off too easily, but they're OK if not on the outside.

I use a paper label stuck on the back.
When it's gone it's gone!

[Peter Naglitsch]

+1. I use a label printer for both the back sticker and the sticker for the lid of the box I ship them in

[David Schwab]

A few questions about long-term readability occur to me.

First, how long will the stickum take to fail, allowing the label to fall off and be lost. I'd be tempted to use plain paper glued to the pickup with shellac.

They stick fairly well. I have seen some of my pickups that were bought used, and had foam stuck on them, and the labels were still there. I do press them down and rub on them. In the past I had some that didn't stick well so I glued them on. I also sometimes write on the pickups with a silver Sharpie.

I'm probably going to switch to actual printed glossy labels. But these are convenient because I can print them when I need them.

Second, how durable is the printing and ink? The test I use to qualify a type of pen is to write on a piece of ordinary laser printer paper, allow the ink to dry for an hour, wash the paper in hot water from the tap, allow the wet paper to dry, and leave exposed to sunlight for a few months. Annotate and date the sample page in pencil so you'll be able to track samples even if the pen lines disappear. While this test seems quite severe, about half the pen types I have tested passed the test.

It's inject, so it will not stand up to water. But then I don't expect the pickup to be immersed.

Third, how well does the writing xerox? This used to be a big problem because the original copiers used blue to ultraviolet light, so most blue ballpoint pen lines were hardly seen, but is less so as copiers improved. Well, as the sensors became able to see with visible light.

No, that was intentional. That's known as "non repro blue". You use light blue pencils to mark up mechanicals, and it won't show up when reproduced. That's one reason why I never use blue pens.

I'm not sure why the label has to be xeroxed. I would think I don't want it to be xeroxed.

Why did I go to this much trouble? So my notebooks will survive a coffee spill, and/or being left open exposed to sunlight or office fluorescent light for a long time.

I scan my notebook pages, and they are backed up on Dropbox and several other off and on site backups. I also have an excel spreadsheet with the order info for each pickup, and that gets backed up as well.

[big_teee]

The Paper label doesn't have to last forever.
As long as my Pickup holds up and endures.
My Label only Says.
BigT Custom Pickups
Neck, Middle or Bridge!

[Joe Gwinn]

They stick fairly well. I have seen some of my pickups that were bought used, and had foam stuck on them, and the labels were still there. I do press them down and rub on them. In the past I had some that didn't stick well so I glued them on. I also sometimes write on the pickups with a silver Sharpie.

I'm probably going to switch to actual printed glossy labels. But these are convenient because I can print them when I need them.

The stickum varies a lot, and some kinds are quite good. The best I've seen is that used on book mending tape, like Scotch 845 Book Tape.

It's inkjet, so it will not stand up to water. But then I don't expect the pickup to be immersed.

But what about beer and sweat, and condensation - which is why Leon invented wax potting?

I'd bet that for pickups ion use, coffee is less of a danger than beer.

Anyway, the better inkjet inks are waterproof once allowed to dry, just like good fountain pen inks. Probably much the same chemistry.

No, that was intentional. That's known as "non repro blue". You use light blue pencils to mark up mechanicals, and it won't show up when reproduced. That's one reason why I never use blue pens.

I'm not sure why the label has to be xeroxed. I would think I don't want it to be xeroxed.

I don't know how well non repro blue still works with modern copiers. But I can think of a reason to xerox an installed label - to document what it says without possibility of transcription error. Nor does using blue stop copying - one simply takes a color photo.

I scan my notebook pages, and they are backed up on Dropbox and several other off and on site backups. I also have an excel spreadsheet with the order info for each pickup, and that gets backed up as well.

All to the good, but a waterproof paper journal is cheap and reliable, requiring only that one use a permanent pen.

[kayakerca]

I'm a beginner's beginner hobbyist. I put stuff on the bottom of the p/u that tells me what I did (and a serial number with other info recorded off the meter), not what I ended up with. I've only sold a handful and response has been very positive.

[David Schwab]

I don't know how well non repro blue still works with modern copiers. But I can think of a reason to xerox an installed label - to document what it says without possibility of transcription error. Nor does using blue stop copying - one simply takes a color photo.
...
All to the good, but a waterproof paper journal is cheap and reliable, requiring only that one use a permanent pen.

I have three notebooks, which have redundant info in them, mainly because I end up misplacing one of them every so often. So I started a second one. Then the first one started getting tattered, so I started a third one.

But I try to generate as few paper documents as I can. I just don't have any room for them. My serial numbers get entered into the Excel spreadsheet first, and then I write the labels up. The inkjet ink might run in water, but the pen I use on them is good.

[big_teee]

I have three notebooks, which have redundant info in them, mainly because I end up misplacing one of them every so often. So I started a second one. Then the first one started getting tattered, so I started a third one.

But I try to generate as few paper documents as I can. I just don't have any room for them. My serial numbers get entered into the Excel spreadsheet first, and then I write the labels up. The inkjet ink might run in water, but the pen I use on them is good.

Do you put your S/N on the label or do you write it on the Pickup itself?

[David Schwab]

Do you put your S/N on the label or do you write it on the Pickup itself?

Just on the label, but I just picked up some nice silver sharpies, so I'm going to start writing it on the pickup. I used to write on the pickup with a silver paint pen, but when it ran out I couldn't get another one that I liked. The Sharpie is better because it's more permanent. So far I don't use labels on my Fender type pickups. But that might change.

[kayakerca]

Just on the label, but I just picked up some nice silver sharpies, so I'm going to start writing it on the pickup. I used to write on the pickup with a silver paint pen, but when it ran out I couldn't get another one that I liked. The Sharpie is better because it's more permanent. So far I don't use labels on my Fender type pickups. But that might change.

I just lacquer dipped some SC bobbins this morning, 9 A2's and 9 A5's. I had written A2 or A5 on half of each with a sharpie type pen and half with a paint pen (don't know why I used the Sharpie, I just grabbed it out of the pen cup). The Sharpie pen labelling was washed off by the lacquer. This is the first and last time I will use a Sharpie pen on p/u's. Now I have to magnetize half the bobbins to find out if they are 2's or 5's.

Jim, you dumbass! ! !

[Joe Gwinn]

I just lacquer dipped some SC bobbins this morning, 9 A2's and 9 A5's. I had written A2 or A5 on half of each with a sharpie type pen and half with a paint pen (don't know why I used the Sharpie, I just grabbed it out of the pen cup). The Sharpie pen labelling was washed off by the lacquer. This is the first and last time I will use a Sharpie pen on p/u's. Now I have to magnetize half the bobbins to find out if they are 2's or 5's.

Ordinary pencil would work for this, and the lacquer would make the pencil marks permanent.