Ding?

[charleyrich99]

Getting more clumsy as I age, I put a nice ding in one of my archtops. It's in the headstock near one of the tuners. It is small, but I can see a bit of bare wood.

Do I need to do something to treat this? Will the finish peel or should I leave it alone and stop looking at it?

Thanks,

Charley

[lammie200]

Need a pic for the experts to judge.

[Doctor Jeff]

Typically one can do a little stain if needed then drop fill with some nitro or poly. I think there are some Stew Mac videos with Dan Erlewine describing it in more detail.

Here for instance:

[Zigracer]

What type of finish does your guitar have?

[DawgBone]

[charleyrich99]

What type of finish does your guitar have?

Nitro.. Pics coming tomorrow when there's light...

[Boss Man Zwiebelsohn]

Sorry, could not resist posting a video of a beautiful Gibson ...

[charleyrich99]

Need a pic for the experts to judge.

Apparently, there are two dings. Here are two photos.

[icr]

If you had a little cup of tinted nitrocellulose lacquer, it would be easy.

But you probably don't have a little cup of tinted nitrocellulose lacquer. In that case I'd just take it to a competent repair person and have them do it.

[charleyrich99]

If I don't do anything, will the guitar explode into a neverending cascade of pan-tonic 12-tone rows that destroy the world or will the guitar (and the world) remain safe...or will the result be something in between???

Seriously, do I need to do anything to prevent further damage?

[ccroft]

Sorry you dinged your instrument. Most of mine have worse. Everyone's different but they don't bother me much. I have touched up a few with a lacquer touch-up pen to get rid of the glaring white wood. They're just expensive sharpies in various shades that say Mohawk on them. If you have a cabinet-shop supplier in your town you may be able to buy singles.

I think the only further damage would be from more mishandling. No harm in letting them be.

Can you post a sample of a neverending cascade of pan-tonic 12-tone rows? Sounds exciting! :-)

[jazzshrink]

...Seriously, do I need to do anything to prevent further damage?

Whatever you do, don't lend your guitar to this guy!

[wintermoon]

just leave it, character you know....

[charleyrich99]

Or this guy

By the way, that's a poly finish. What would you do to protect this guitar from damage. Asking for a friend.

Not sure what you mean. Are you saying my guitar has a poly finish? The builder says it nitro. I was hoping for some serious expert advice, but I guess I'm out of luck. I will take it in to a repair shop.

[vinnyv1k]

Mohawk offers various color touch up pro pens and nitro lacquer.
Use the color pen then do several drop fill coats with the lacquer using a small touch up brush. After several coats of the clear lacquer use some light cut compound to level it. It takes a solid 3 weeks for the lacquer to completely cure and shrink. A patent process but you can get it near perfect.
I like those single use touch up brushes from Amazon that guys use for paint chips on cars. They work fabulous.

PM me if any more details are needed. Mark Campellone gave me good advice on touch ups. LOL

[charleyrich99]

Mohawk offers various color touch up pro pens and nitro lacquer.
Use the color pen then do several drop fill coats with the lacquer using a small touch up brush. After several coats of the clear lacquer use some light cut compound to level it. It takes a solid 3 weeks for the lacquer to completely cure and shrink. A patent process but you can get it near perfect.
I like those single use touch up brushes from Amazon that guys use for paint chips on cars. They work fabulous.

PM me if any more details are needed. Mark Campellone gave me good advice on touch ups. LOL

Thank you!

[Jimmy blue note]

Not sure what you mean. Are you saying my guitar has a poly finish? The builder says it nitro. I was hoping for some serious expert advice, but I guess I'm out of luck. I will take it in to a repair shop.

No, I'm referring to that poor guy in the video.
He's going to have a bear of a time bringing that guitar back to original shape. Poly is tough to touch up.

Good luck with your guitar, it will be simple to get it so those dings are not noticeable.

[Woody Sound]

I'd like to know what kind of guitar that is, with the 6 on a side tuners.

[charleyrich99]

I'd like to know what kind of guitar that is, with the 6 on a side tuners.

It's a Tim Bram archtop. It's a wonderful guitar. I did a NGD on it a few months ago.

[Zigracer]

Sorry I took so long to get back on this thread. Besides the Mohawk touch up pens, Stew Mac also offers them in common guitar finish colors, and they also offer small amounts of stain. Provided that the ding isn't too deep, you could start with the stain or lacquer pen closest in color to your finish and then build up several coats of clear over the top. You'll have to sand carefully, going all the way up to an 8,000 or 15,000 grit micro mesh wet and then hand polish starting with a coarse polish all the way down to a swirl remover. Doesn't really take all that long, but you must be patient for good results. Best of luck!

[charleyrich99]

Sorry I took so long to get back on this thread. Besides the Mohawk touch up pens, Stew Mac also offers them in common guitar finish colors, and they also offer small amounts of stain. Provided that the ding isn't too deep, you could start with the stain or lacquer pen closest in color to your finish and then build up several coats of clear over the top. You'll have to sand carefully, going all the way up to an 8,000 or 15,000 grit micro mesh wet and then hand polish starting with a coarse polish all the way down to a swirl remover. Doesn't really take all that long, but you must be patient for good results. Best of luck!

Thank you!