Removing A Dent...

[sexybeast]

I just got a pretty decent Washburn MG44 in a trade, but there is this one small dent in the neck that's driving me crazy. It's not even that bid, but it feels like a piece of dirt under my thumb when I play. There are also some dents on the body, but no gouges.

Is there a good way of raising the wood again to allow me to sand it smooth? I heard that applying a moist rag to the spot and applying heat, say, from a soldering iron, works, but I want to do it right and not ruin it, since it's my only guitar.

Thanks guys.

[Jon]

I just got a pretty decent Washburn MG44 in a trade, but there is this one small dent in the neck that's driving me crazy. It's not even that bid, but it feels like a piece of dirt under my thumb when I play. There are also some dents on the body, but no gouges.

Is there a good way of raising the wood again to allow me to sand it smooth? I heard that applying a moist rag to the spot and applying heat, say, from a soldering iron, works, but I want to do it right and not ruin it, since it's my only guitar.

Thanks guys.

That's correct. A friend of mine who has been working on guitars for 30+ years applies a damp paper towel over the dent and uses a soldering iron with some kind of special attachment to raise the dent. I have yet to test this method, but I'd take his word for it.

[j. pierce]

That method has worked well for me in the past, (damp cloth and soldering iron) but I'd be reluctant to use it on an already-finished instrument.