How to fix this big chip in my headstock...

[Pickngrin]

Awhile back, I accidentally banged the headstock against my low ceiling when lifting the guitar (a Korean Hamer SATF). What would you do with this?


http://home.comcast.net/~ebayj/P1270016.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~ebayj/P1270017.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~ebayj/P1270018.JPG

Thanks

[thearabianmage]

Fingernail polish and lacquer. I used this tactic on a friend's Gibson and he was over the moon with the result. But I wasn't aware that my flat-mate's black nail polish was £40 a bottle. . .

[Pickngrin]

Fingernail polish and lacquer. I used this tactic on a friend's Gibson and he was over the moon with the result. But I wasn't aware that my flat-mate's black nail polish was £40 a bottle. . .

Will fingernail polish be opaque, hiding the grain of the wood?

[thearabianmage]

Will fingernail polish be opaque, hiding the grain of the wood?

It can be. It depends on the particular polish you use. I also don't see why you shouldn't be able to water the polish down a bit were it more opaque than desirable. To my understanding, watering down opaque paint is usually how how transparent finishes are achieved on guitars as well, so it's sort of keeping in the same vein.

But I'm also not sure how similar fingernail polish and normal paint are in terms of their acceptance of water at a chemical level (will it work the same?) as well as at a practical level (will it be evenly transparent?).

If anything, an opaque spot is better than a flat-out chip in my opinion. If you knock it about a bit more, though, you may be able to sell it on as 'relic'd' :D

[wingsdad]

If you know what you're doing, or someone who does, these can be fixed.

A deep chip like the one at the tip of your headstock can be filled with an epoxy-bonded mix of some sort, sanded to conform to the surrounding surfaces, then finished to match with a lacquer color and then clear to finish.

My '81 STRAT took a couple of hits from stage mishaps in my Bar Wars days, soon after I got it. You can live with these, unless it's one that chips a little chunk out of the glossed maple fingergoard. I had it repaired by my guitar shop's wizard, cuz I wasn't capable of a DIY fix.

Here's that STRAT; note the chip under the 1st string between the nut & 1st fret; it was fixed as I described above. When it was first fixed, you couldn't even tell it was there. Playing it and 26 or so years of aging discolored it:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/STRAT/IMG_0309c.jpg

[Dauntless]

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Finishing_supplies/Repair_and_touchup/Lacquer_Sticks.html

[Auriemma]

Its a shame you didn't think to find the chip. A little glue would have fixed it right up.

[Pickngrin]

Its a shame you didn't think to find the chip. A little glue would have fixed it right up.

I wish that had occurred to me at the time ...d'oh!

[Bloozcat]

Once again, Dan Erlewine to the rescue...
http://www.stewmac.com/tradesecrets/ts0082_bakingsoda.hzml?jrl=315403&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ts0082&clk=19904

[Pickngrin]

Once again, Dan Erlewine to the rescue...
http://www.stewmac.com/tradesecrets/ts0082_bakingsoda.hzml?jrl=315403&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ts0082&clk=19904

Ah, that looks like a great idea. Do you think I can substitute regular water-based stain (something from HD or Lowes) for those Stewmac stains? I'd rather not spend the cash on those plus shipping for this little ding.

[Kineticartist]

excellent thread!!! another reason Id knew I found this forum for a reason
My Daughters Esp LTD. F-104 bass had a chip in the body when we first bought it from Sam Ash (they gave us a discount because of it) and My Daughters Uncle does excellent guitar paint and repair work but he has been so covered up with work he hasnt had time to come down and fix it for her so Ive been looking for an easy fix. The chip is pretty small and a bottle of black nail polish should do the trick!

Thanks for the tip!!! :dude:

[ZMAN]

You can achieve a really good result by patience. My other hobby is restoring original Muscle cars. Original paint is only original once. You can't paint them. So stone chips have to be labouriously fixed! I had the same thing happen to a Strat that I sent in for a set up. It came back with a big chip in the body. I asked the tech about it and of course he said it came that way. NOT. I was pissed at him and let him know.
I then decided to fix it myself. I matched the White Pearl Metallic with one from a local hobby shop. It was a great match and away I went.
Now the secret is PATIENCE. Take a fine brush and put ONE coat on the area. and let it dry for several hours. Then repeat. The secret is to let the paint build up in the area and DRY. Wipe off any excess that is around the chip. With about 10 or so applications you can let it dry thoroughly and polish it with some 2000 grit and wax and it will be as good as new. What has to happen is the paint has to built back up in the chipped area.
After I got it fixed they called me and told me that had a replacement for it and I took it back and traded it. The tech said he could hardly see the chip and sold it to a friend of his for 25 bucks off.
Just take your time and let it dry.