Decorating guitars with uv transfer process

A method comprising:

• providing at least a portion of a guitar having a contoured surface;
• and
• applying a design that comprises a multi-colored representation of a digital image to a transfer surface of a transfer material with a printing apparatus by spraying a radiation sensitive ink on the transfer surface of the transfer material with one or more ink-jet printheads of the printing apparatus;
• and
• exposing the radiation sensitive ink to radiation after the radiation sensitive ink has been sprayed on the transfer surface of the transfer material.

A printing apparatus for application of a design to a contoured surface of a guitar, comprising:

• a transfer material having a surface, wherein the printing apparatus prints a design to the surface of the transfer material using a UV radiation sensitive ink;
• and
• a UV radiation source used to expose the UV radiation sensitive ink to UV light after the UV radiation sensitive ink has been applied to the surface of the transfer material to partially cure the UV radiation sensitive ink;
• wherein the surface of the transfer material is disposed in facing relation to the contoured surface to dispose the design between the surface and the contoured surface and the design is transferred to the contoured surface.

A guitar having a contoured portion with a design applied thereto, the guitar being produced by:

• providing a transfer material having a surface;
• and
• applying a design to a surface of a transfer material with a printing apparatus using a UV radiation sensitive ink;
• exposing the UV radiation sensitive ink to UV light after the UV radiation sensitive ink has been applied to the surface of the transfer material to partially cure the UV radiation sensitive ink;
• disposing the surface of the transfer material in facing relation to the contoured surface to dispose the design between the surface and the contoured surface;
• and
• transferring the design to the contoured surface.