Best Way to Repair a Scratch?

[Tolerate]

Hi

Just changing my strings just now and brought my wire cutters down a little too early and caught the edgeof my 20th making a scratch about 0.25 cm long. Is there any way that i can repair this or is it a case of just either buffing it with loads of polish or leaving it and crying?

I am having such a bad week

 

[beej]

Bummer, but it happens

See if you can buff it out a bit, but I'd leave it at that. Messing with it may make it worse and it's important to wear the scar as a badge of honour. (Your guitar is a playing machine not a work of art!).

If you're seriously jonesing you can try some finish repair (see the Dan Erlewine books/videos) but I'd say just live with it otherwise. It's the first scratch but it ain't gonna be the last ...

 

[Tolerate]

i guess. i suppose its cos its the first. I beat myself up when i got my first ding on my LP as well

 

[tommyindelaware]

ScratchX® G10307 Product Information

read up on this . this stuff is about as aggressive as you would wanna get safely.

 

[Pktaske]

THREE DAYS after I got my first Axis, I came back from a gig and, as always, brought my guitars into the house and left them by the front door. A couple days later when I unzipped it I saw where my 2 year old had taken a microphone and beat on it. Four or five indentations with one having slightly cracked the finish. Probably the best thing that ever happened as now the guitar is with me and being played/left in every room of the house.

 

[Pktaske]

I just measured .25 cm. I don't know if I'd goof around with any kind of polish or fix. If it means that much, take it to a shop. Cost you about $50 if its not thru the finish.

 

[Astrofreq]

I always use a black Sharpie. It works like a charm.

 

[robelinda2]

always a terrible thing getting a scratch or a dent, but hey it happens, you'll live. ive got a big one on my Silo Special, doesnt annoy me much anymore, but it did for a little while.

 

[Lefty_SS]

dude i have the same one of my headstock. it reminds me not to drink and repair.

 

[TonyEVH5150]

The only way to keep a guitar pristine and scratch-free is to keep it in the case and never play it. What's the point it that?

Scratches and dents are going to happen. That's why so many guitars get pick scratches, buckle rash, and random dents from running into mic stands or whatever.

If it bothers you, you can try buffing it out with some scratch remover. Meguiar's makes a really good scratch remover (Scratch-X as mentioned above).

 

[Tolerate]

Nah, I'll be leaving it. Guess I was just annoyed that i did it, with it being the first one and all. But thanks anyway guys.

 

[Astrofreq]

I always find that the 1st scratch is the worst. After it's no longer pristeen, then you can just throw the guitar around with no worries.

 

[silverburst]

Back from my old violin days, I used to use a piece of walnut meat on scratches that were through the finish to darken them up some and get the finish to match a little better.

Might work.

Oh, and I'm not a sissy, just because I used to play violin...

 

[lenny]

who would have thought to rub walnut meat on their Balls! hahahahaha

 

[silverburst]

The walnut meat is nice and oily. Just make sure you're not allergic.

 

[candid_x]

Was in the furniture repair business for a few years, traveled with an extensive repair kit. There’s ways to fix it, to make it look unnoticeable, but as with cosmetic surgery, you can also make it worse. “Burning it in”, for example - a filler applied with hot knives - can melt the finish if the one doing the repair isn’t skilful or is careless. Softer fills don’t last.

If it’s really important to you, you can try lightly buffing it out with a product like Flitz or Meguiar's (as Tommy and Tony suggested), but be gentle!

I’d look at it as a love scar, and play on.