Exposed Wood..Do I Need To Protect?

[Central Florida Folkie]

Friends:

There are two areas on the soundboard where scratches have gone through the finish and exposed the wood. Should I protect it (and if so, with what) or leave it alone and not worry about it?

Your collective wisdom is much appreciated

 

[jedzep]

That’s tricky. You can drop in a touch of clear shellac to keep moisture out, but coloring it is another matter. If you choose to add color, a thinned mahogany stain will reduce the visibility, but you’ll want to test the color on a raw sanded pine scrap to make sure it doesn’t stain darker than the top. Yours has a deep tone, so I wouldn’t worry too much. It will probably look better and not catch your eye so much. It’s only a tiny drop after all.

 

[Christopher Cozad]

Depending on what environment you might be subjecting your guitar to...

If I was not looking to refinish the top, but rather to simply protect it from damage, I would use a CA glue, such as GluBoost (their Fill n Finish products). It is a bit tedious to apply, scrape (or sand), and buff, but its protection will outlast any of us.

If you went this route, I would select the more viscous, non-wicking products (not the Ultra-Thin). Very thin, wicking CA glue will want to soak into the Spruce of the soundboard beneath the lacquer. While not a problem, per se, it can produce undesirable visual results.

I routinely use these products for crack repair, drop-filling dents and dings, pore filling, and even complete finishing. They are quite remarkable.

 

[davenumber2]

I’d leave it alone. Keep in mind the entire inside of the guitar is unfinished. It’ll be fine.

 

[Uke]

What would Willie do?

 

[Central Florida Folkie]

What would Willie do?

True, that!

 

[Central Florida Folkie]

Depending on what environment you might be subjecting your guitar to...

If I was not looking to refinish the top, but rather to simply protect it from damage, I would use a CA glue, such as GluBoost (their Fill n Finish products). It is a bit tedious to apply, scrape (or sand), and buff, but its protection will outlast any of us.

If you went this route, I would select the more viscous, non-wicking products (not the Ultra-Thin). Very thin, wicking CA glue will want to soak into the Spruce of the soundboard beneath the lacquer. While not a problem, per se, it can produce undesirable visual results.

I routinely use these products for crack repair, drop-filling dents and dings, pore filling, and even complete finishing. They are quite remarkable.

Hey, Christopher! Thanks for this and for your comments on my post from earlier today. I remember sharing some conversation with you a number of years ago here about putting mics on guitars and you were incredibly generous with your time and very helpful to me. It’s great to back on the forum, and to see you are still here!

 

[Rocky]

I’d leave it alone. Keep in mind the entire inside of the guitar is unfinished. It’ll be fine.

It would be a different story if it was an open pore wood, like mahogany, and somthing exposed to a lot of sweat/oil , like a neck. Apparently Clapton's 'fool' SG had the paint removed from the neck, and it deteriorated substantially.

I wouldn't be worried about the top at all.

 

[Christopher Cozad]

Hey, Christopher! Thanks for this and for your comments on my post from earlier today. I remember sharing some conversation with you a number of years ago here about putting mics on guitars and you were incredibly generous with your time and very helpful to me. It’s great to back on the forum, and to see you are still here!

Fond memories, indeed! It is nice to be here, and even nicer to find you here again, Shawn.

 

[Neal]

Every single time I have attempted to “improve” a ding or scratch, I have ended up wishing I had left well enough alone.

 

[Central Florida Folkie]

Well, friends, given that I didn’t’ want to change anything about the top anyway but just was concerned if exposed wood needed some sort of protection (but not improvement, by any means), given your comments I’m just gonna leave it just like it is and enjoy the mojo!

Thanks for taking the time to respond - always appreciated!

 

[jedzep]

The dark lacquer over spruce isn't easy to restore satisfactorily, but the times I've scratched my old M20s, I found I couldn't ignore over time, as the scratches jump out at you. It was easy to minimize them by lightly coloring. Just another remedied annoyance. No big deal.

 

[Br1ck]

Go to the most uncleaned corner of your house, get a pinch or two of the fine dust. Add some drops of olive oil to make some mud. Work it into the bare wood. Makes the scratch marks and gouges look older and more blended into the patina. Looks better as the years go by.

If you want to get a colored wood stain pencil and stain it first, go ahead, but don't expect them to go away, just blend better. Trying to make them go away will likely make the finish worse.

 

[kostask]

Different perspective from me. I am going to assume this is the D25Min your signature that has the scratches,

I would suggest that you do protect the wood, just to make sure that it stays clean should you choose to have it refinished at some point in the future. In my opinion, I would suggest to just put a thin layer of just plain Nitro lacquer, no matter what colour lacquer it is. It will prevent the wood from becoming discoloured until you can fully decide if you want it refinished or not. If you don't get it refinished then it stays clean, if you should sell it at some point in the future the new buyer will have a good chance of a good refinish. If you do eventually decide to get it looked after at some point, the lacquer will not prevent an invisible refinish job being done, as any lacquer used will just blend with what is already in the finish crack. No negative issues in either case. Using the CA glue, if you decide to refinish (or a buyer does) at some time in the future (no matter how far into the future that may be), to get an invisible refinish will involve getting any CA glue that is in there out first. That may or may not be easily accomplished. Any lacquer used to refinish will NOT stick to CA glue.

 

[davismanLV]

Okay wait..... I swore I responded to this but now I can't find my post!! WTF?? Oh.... got it. You have TWO posts going asking about the same thing. So here's my response from the OTHER post..... still the same advice!!

Haven't read all the responses.... if you're looking for protection.... just a tad of amber shellac should do it. It's lacquer friendly. And will minimize the rawness. Also, know that shellac and lacquer are good. If you put some amber shellac on that, then it will seal the wood and also minimize the blatant light color of the wood. And then, if later you decide to refin? or fix... or whatever..... it's fine for that. That's what I'd do..... drop fill amber shellac. Minimize. Then if you want more.... cool.

 

[Cougar]

I got my F512 for a stupendously good price because it had a couple of small gouges through the finish on the edges of the lower bout. I had a luthier seal and buff them to near invisibility. Getting the color to match is the challenge. It's essentially good as new now....

 

[millrat]

I had a bad experience trying to have a similar scratch on the lower bout of my D25m repaired. Whatever they used reacted with the finish and caused an even bigger issue. They ended up sending it out to another shop and finally stabilized it. they were great about it, didn't charge me, but it was traumatizing on both sides! I'd leave it alone if I had to do it again.

 

[adorshki]

What would Willie do?

Tell Keith Richards he can blow it out his fundament, he ain't gettin' Trigger.

 

[Christopher Cozad]

This makes me think of that old LTG maxim (that I don't believe anyone has ever actually said, but they should have), "One man's ding (nick, scratch, dent, gaping hole, crushed guitar) is another man's mojo."

{"Squirrel!"} How about starting a thread titled something like, "LTG-isms" to consolidate some of those really great lines we have read on this forum.

 

[Uke]

"One man's ding (nick, scratch, dent, gaping hole, crushed guitar) is another man's mojo."