Members Vatican Posted February 28, 2006 Members Posted February 28, 2006 The finish has been damaged on a Martin guitar. I'm guessing I'd need to completely sand down and refinish the area, and I'm scared at what that might cost.
Members Freeman Keller Posted February 28, 2006 Members Posted February 28, 2006 Lacquer finishes can be repaired by someone who knows what she is doing. I would think that a French polish could also be repaired. Some of the new catalyzed or UV cured finishes I don't know about. Is it by any chance a Martin? There were some QC issues with the finish on some of their recent guitars and they will be fixed under warranty. I would contact the factory first or a factory certified repair person. I had a significant ding in the top of an old Martin that was filled and blended by Bryan Kimsey - you can hardly tell it was done. Please do not consider "sanding it down and refinishing it" - that almost automatically lowers the value of a fine guitar.
Members bjorn-fjord Posted February 28, 2006 Members Posted February 28, 2006 Small dings can very easily be fixed with cyanoacrylate glue. That bubble concerns me though...
Members babablowfish Posted March 1, 2006 Members Posted March 1, 2006 Small dings can very easily be fixed with cyanoacrylate glue. That bubble concerns me though... Can you flesh that out a little bit? How exactly would you do this kin of repair and what are the things to watch out for, etc.?
Members bjorn-fjord Posted March 1, 2006 Members Posted March 1, 2006 Originally posted by babablowfish Can you flesh that out a little bit? How exactly would you do this kin of repair and what are the things to watch out for, etc.? Sure, yeah. If you have a small ding in the lacquer that does not seem to have damaged the wood you can repair it using cyanoacrylate glue. Better hobby shops and specialty hardware stores usually sell it. It is usually sold in two or three varieties. Super thin, and...um...thicker. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Glues,_adhesives/Stewart-MacDonald_Super_Glues/1/Stewart-MacDonald_Super_Glues.html Go with the medium stuff. Clean the damaged area as best you can, naptha works great. Now simply fill the ding with glue. For better control try applying the glue using a toothpick. Dip the toothpick in a small puddle of glue and then apply the glue to the ding. It flows fairly well and doesn't dry as quick as you might think. You have at least 15-30 seconds of working time if you've got the right glue. Fill the ding completely. The thickness of the glue will allow you to slightly overfill the ding. Do it. The glue will dry fairly quickly but put the guitar aside for a whole day or more because even after the glue dries it will continue to shrink for a short time. After the glue has "cured", lightly sand the glue and the immediate area around the repair (you don't want to create and depression) with a small hard sanding block and 600 grit wet/dry paper (the dark gray stuff). Use lots of water, it won't hurt anthing as long as you dry it off frequently during the sanding process. Tilt the guitar in the light and observe your progress. The glued area should appear as a small lump with a small halo of gloss around it. Keep sanding and check your progress frequently until the repair and the area around the repair take on an even dullness. Don't sand more than you need to. When you can no longer see the repair, stop sanding. Now progress to finer sandpaper (1200 or better would be good). Finish off by hand rubbing the lacquer back to its original sheen using a polishing compound and a soft, moist cloth. Automotive polishes work well. Don't use scratch remover. Swirl remover is a better bet. Turtle Wax in the white tub for polishing clear coats is a good product. If the ding has dented the wood you may be able to raise the dented fibers using an iron and a wet cloth. This can be dangerous. If you think the wood is dented and you want to try to repair it let me know and I'll try to walk you through it. Good luck.
Members Freeman Keller Posted March 1, 2006 Members Posted March 1, 2006 Originally posted by Cldplytkmn get some punk rock stickers Or look at Willie's guitar and don't complain
Members learn'r Posted March 2, 2006 Members Posted March 2, 2006 just a ditto on babablowfish's thanks. good info~!
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