What is the best way to get out small dents/scratches?

[LesPaulCustom]

How does one go about getting out small scratches/dents/dings out of guitars?? [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

What do you guys do?

Thanks for the responses in advance [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img]

[mm2002]

Re: What is the best way to get out small dents/scratches?

Put stickers over 'em! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[LesPaulCustom]

Re: What is the best way to get out small dents/scratches?

Mark you jackass [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

I can see the stickers now on your guitars "To all the sheep I've loved before" [img]graemlins/poke.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[yabba]

Re: What is the best way to get out small dents/scratches?

along the same lines, how about chips, where the clear coat has chipped off (like a quarter inch or 1/3 inch diamter chip) but the paint below that is fine?

[mm2002]

Re: What is the best way to get out small dents/scratches?

by Lespaulcustom: "To all the sheep I've loved before"

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hey! That could be a song.... I think I'll work on that one! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[LesPaulCustom]

Re: What is the best way to get out small dents/scratches?

Originally posted by mm2002:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">by Lespaulcustom: "To all the sheep I've loved before"

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hey! That could be a song.... I think I'll work on that one! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Would this be a song of personal preference or personal experience?? [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

Mrs LPC

[mm2002]

Re: What is the best way to get out small dents/scratches?

ummmmm.....Mrs LPC.....I'm sorry but I can't reveal that info. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: What is the best way to get out small dents/scratches?

Originally posted by jsullysix:
i don't bother with dents, unless they're in an unfinished neck. if that's the case, you can steam them out with a damp rag and a soldering iron.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Sully, care to expand on that, or point me to an appropriate thread/website that covers this repair? I've heard a little bit about this method and would love to find out more. Thank you!

[sully]

Re: What is the best way to get out small dents/scratches?

i don't bother with dents, unless they're in an unfinished neck. if that's the case, you can steam them out with a damp rag and a soldering iron.

you can get scratches out with rubbing compound and a buffer.

sully

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: What is the best way to get out small dents/scratches?

I know it doesn't help you or answer your question but I'd say leave the dents be...character marks [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] the scratches can usually be buffed out if not deep.

[sully]

Re: What is the best way to get out small dents/scratches?

Originally posted by Number Of The Priest:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by jsullysix:
i don't bother with dents, unless they're in an unfinished neck. if that's the case, you can steam them out with a damp rag and a soldering iron.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Sully, care to expand on that, or point me to an appropriate thread/website that covers this repair? I've heard a little bit about this method and would love to find out more. Thank you! </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">sure, it's pretty easy, but it can take a while to get a dent out. if the wood is sealed, it's useless to try, though. anyway, grab a soldering iron and a wet washcloth and apply the washcloth to the dent, and put the soldering iron on the washcloth. it'll create steam over that area, and that gets into the grain. it won't work on major dents, but there ya go. i beleive greg's just put a little water on a dent over a period of time, and that will help raise it back up, too.


sully

[Black Mariah]

Re: What is the best way to get out small dents/scratches?

Something that needs mention is that it also depends on the density of the wood. I had some rather severe dents (1mm or better) I was able to steam out of an ash body. Mahogany, walnut, or hard maple wouldn't do as well.

Better than using a rag is using a paper towel. Reason being that it scorches faster so you know when to rewet it. But that's just me and I could be wrong.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: What is the best way to get out small dents/scratches?

Originally posted by jsullysix:
if the wood is sealed, it's useless to try, though.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I am assuming that it must be bare wood being exposed or something. No clearcoat, no paint...

I am also assuming you can perform this repair on a neck or a body.

The reason I am being so "inquisitive" is because I'd like to give my RG560 a little cosmetic "day at the spa" before I sell her. She is LOADED with small dents and stuff... see this thread for tons of photos of all the cosmetic flaws:

http://www.jcfonline.com/ubb/noncgi/...=003234#000002

If you do have the time to see all of my photos in that thread, could you please point out which photos show the dents that could be steam-repaired? If you don't have time, no problem. Thanks!