JimRayden Posted March 18, 2005 Report Share Posted March 18, 2005 So I come home from rehearsal, I discover a rather deep nick in the finish near the bridge and the strapholder. The guitar is kind of new and really clean since I bought it. So I got really pissed and told myself I'll never let any of my bandmates tough my guitar again. That way I know for sure I'll be the one doing all the nicks and have noone to blame. So that's the story and I need advice on how to act if I got the wood showing out of that nick. It's about 7x4mm and I'm afraid the humidity could get in the wood and start corrupting the finish around it. I'm really worried of my baby since it's a beautiful piece of "the real" mahogany flat top LP with quilted maple top and cherry red finish. I was planning to mod the hell out of it over the years, keeping the body same. Would that nick harm it over decades? Regards, ---------- Jimbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted March 18, 2005 Report Share Posted March 18, 2005 Dude, you ever SEEN SRV's guitar? Ever seen Dimebox's guitar? Ever see Clapton's Casino? There are holes in them!! Does it matter? Maybe, but there is no way you gonna keep your baby pristine if you PLAY it. Hate to sound rash but it should not be standing in your way. Dents, dings, scratches, etc. are part of life and you should not "fret" about it, pun tottally intended. I used to work with a painter that shot about 400 gallons of paint a day through a HUGE airless sprayer and the first thing he would do in the morning was cover himself from head-to-toe with fresh paint. He would say, "now thats over" and paint the rest of the day not worried about getting dirty. I would love to keep my "players" in perfect shape but you can't. Yell at the roadies, don't talk to the drummer for a week but don't dwell on it. Life's too short and music is too important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted March 18, 2005 Report Share Posted March 18, 2005 Lord, I appoligize. I read my reply and that was too harsh. I hope the point was taken, regardless. I use clear nail polish to seal defects until I can affect a more permanent repair. Sounds like you have that in mind for the future, anyhow. Good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimRayden Posted March 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2005 (edited) Thanks, I needed that. Not too harsh in any way. It's just... I know it'll wear out and turn yellow and get dents on it over time. But since now, I haven't gigged with it and the whole thing is new and in perfect shape. Except for that little tiny first nick. Of course I'm worried. I want it to shine on the stage a while before I classify it as my "ugliest but favourite" guitar. And the guys you mentioned don't need shiny guitars to rock. They're vintage themselves and vintage beaten up guitars look good on them. "Yell at the roadies, don't talk to the drummer for a week but don't dwell on it. Life's too short and music is too important." VERY well put! EDIT: And I'm not going to beat up and "vintagize" my guitar like that paint guy did. It's just too early for my baby. I bet I'll LOVE the natural wear on it after a few decades though. EDIT2: What about a thick layer of red nail polish to cover it? Should fit with the colour well. ------------- Jimbo Edited March 19, 2005 by JimRayden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimRayden Posted March 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2005 "I use clear nail polish to seal defects until I can affect a more permanent repair. " What's the permanent repair for a little nick as this? I don't want to be repainting the whole area... ---------- Jimbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted March 19, 2005 Report Share Posted March 19, 2005 Oh! So it's RED! My favorite! If you can find a laquer that matches it well, you could buildup or fill this defect with a billion coats applied with a tiny camelhair brush. After about a week of curing, gently hand rub the repair to blend in with the rest. Don't try to rub out nail polish. Most modern polishes have a thoughner added for chip-resistance and it doesn't rubout too well. How about automotive touchup paint? It rubs out pretty fair in black. Try some on your nails while you are at it. Could be a fabulous new look! Nails that match your axe!!! Lord, forgive me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olddog Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 After seeing the replies about Srv's and Clapton's guitars, I'm curious about a few things. I'm sure most builders would give Clapton any ax he wanted, maybe major manufacturers too. I'm just wondering , are those crappy looking axes they play just tweaked to perfection, refretted and rewhatever every once in a while, and why wouldn't they just grab one of the million axes that are thrown at them? So I guess that bring me to my question; are those crappy looking axes the ultimate in tone and playability? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 Obviously the guitars are tweaked by techs. I've personally never played a Clapton signature, but they look like a nice guitar to me. Doesn't look "crappy" at all. Clapton's fingers are the ultimate in tone and playability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimRayden Posted March 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 (edited) We weren't talking about signature models that are manufactured all over the places, I think he ment those original things. Well, I think there are lots of factors that make them still play them. Firstly, yes, the guitars have been tweaked to suit their needs. Secondly, I think you just can't scrap a guitar that made you a guitar legend, and then run to the first shiny Gibson you can buy. You've become one with your friend and it feels sooooo comfortable and afterall, you've played this exact instrument for 3-4 decades, so it's as comfortable to YOU as it gets. Let's face it - they love their little friends. Calling your beaten up guitar "Lucille" is nothing wierd. EDIT: Doc, what do you mean by rubbing out? ----------- Jimbo Edited March 20, 2005 by JimRayden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 I just picked up a lovely old MIJ Strat...it's my first strat, hate the shape but love this guitar. What's really nice is that the previous owner SPRAY PAINTED the guitar...just the front of it, but he did a really bad job. I'm taking some sandpaper to it today, just some 1000/2000 to take down some of the orange peel. Then I'll buff it again. And then...I'm just going to leave it like that. Because I'll never have to worry about nicking, scratching whatever to this guitar....the uglifying process was already started for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzocchi705 Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 My Epi LP studio has a huge dent on the side of it where i triped up running up some stairs holding my guitar by the neck, it also has a dent on the back from where i threw it into its stand. I love this guitar better than any guitar ive ever played, you can keep all your gibsons, fenders and ESP's, this is MY guitar and MY sound. Plus a guitar thats beat up is far more 'rock and roll' init? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 I rub out with 3M SuperDuty automotive rubbing compound on a soft cloth. You lightly rub the rough area until the repair edges blend with the original. Careful. Not much pressure a nd stay on the repair as much as possible. You can also flatten the repair, after it is well cured, with some 1000 wet/dry but again. Careful. Don't let the paper cross any edges or such that would cause it to cut through the finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimRayden Posted March 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 True, Marzocchi, true. But I bet you've owned that guitar for a while too. And I don't think that when you recieve a new guitar, you start running up and down the stairs, trying to "rock n' roll'ify" it. As I mentioned before, wear through age is cool, wear through misuse isn't. Some dents and nicks that have "mysteriously" appeared on your guitar over ages, are cool. Being violent to your guitar on purpose, isn't. idch, is the paint sprayed on top of the original finish? If it's a thin layer, don't use sandpaper. I think you can peel it off with a semi-sharp thing, without harming the original paint. --------- Jimbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimRayden Posted March 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 "Don't let the paper cross any edges or such that would cause it to cut through the finish. " You mean guitar edges? Umm, the problem is, the nick is exactly on the edge near the strapholder. -------------- Jimbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzocchi705 Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 No. i would never intentionly damage a guitar just cause it looks cool. My guitar is about 2 years old, ive played a hell of alot of other guitars in that time, including the nicest squier ever made IMO. What i was trying to get at is that it aint a big deal non stuctual damage, i was so gutted when i put the first dent in mine but i love it now. Its also a good reminder to not fall on thoes flaming stairs again!! My next guitar is my custom thing nearing compleation, it will be loved in the exact same way as my LP and will no doubt get dings along the way. There just like people, we all take a little damage along the way, more so than others, but were better because of it. Hmm, i have to say i lust over a beat up old strat my mate has, its beutiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maher Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 After seeing the replies about Srv's and Clapton's guitars, I'm curious about a few things. I'm sure most builders would give Clapton any ax he wanted, maybe major manufacturers too. I'm just wondering , are those crappy looking axes they play just tweaked to perfection, refretted and rewhatever every once in a while, and why wouldn't they just grab one of the million axes that are thrown at them? So I guess that bring me to my question; are those crappy looking axes the ultimate in tone and playability? ← what crappy looking axes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimRayden Posted March 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 http://images.amazon.com/images/P/157330087X.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg These crappy looking axes. Wow... I'm amazed myself... this one has hardly any paint on it... Cool! ----------- Jimbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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