Question about removing dents/dings

[SweetPete]

Guys,

Well, it finally happened to me - one of my guitars got knocked over by my child. Entirely my fault - I shouldn't have left it leaning against the amp.

Anyway...

The guitar is a Fender American Deluxe Strat with a maple/satin neck. The side of the neck now has 2 small dents/dings. I've heard of a technique to "lift" the dents my applying a wet rag to the area, and then pressing a hot soldering iron against the rag above the dent, thus using heat and moisture to expand the wood. Has anyone tried this? Does it work?

[secks]

i have tried it to remove a ding on a rosewood fretboard and it works. i have also tried leaving a drop of distilled water overnight on a similar ding on an ebony fretboard and it worked too.

you will have to remove the finish in the area to do that. is it really worth it?

[SweetPete]

>> you will have to remove the finish in the area to do that. is it really worth it?

In that case, no. Thanks for responding!

[secks]

you're welcome.

lighten up! at least you can show the dings to your child when he/she grows up to remind what a patient and understanding person you've been towards him/her when needed

[SweetPete]

I'm just a stickler about the backs of guitar necks - I don't like any damage. Dings/scratches anywhere else don't bother me.

[toejam]

You shouldn't have to remove any finish on the neck to do it. Just put the slightly damp rag on, hit it quick with a regular iron or soldering iron.

[secks]

toejam, how will the vapour reach and penetrate the wood fibers through the finish?

[emperor_black]

dont fenders have unfinished necks? By unfinished, I mean unpainted.

[vwall]

Pete, if this all doent work out for you, and I sympathize because thats my peeve too, having nicks in my neck.
Messes up my comfort, then a real easy fix is to sand smooth the back of the neck, sweell out the dinks, then take gunstock oil and apply.
This will harden up like satin and feel the same.
Its the same thing Jackson uses on their oilded necks, DK1's etc.
It works great and you can blend the color depending on how much oil you apply.

Hopeit helps.

[secks]

if it's just for practical purposes (i.e not cosmethic), drop filling then level sanding would be another option.

[slash]

dont fenders have unfinished necks? By unfinished, I mean unpainted.

They have a thick coat of clear so it's sealed the same as paint and feels like paint too.

[toejam]

Both of my Fenders (USA and Mexico) seem to have a thin matte satin finish.

[Nazgul]

This will harden up like satin and feel the same.

So the gunstock oil finished necks (like on Jackson CS) feel the same as satin finished necks (like on MIJ Jacksons)?

[kelly user]

Both of my Fenders (USA and Mexico) seem to have a thin matte satin finish.

speaking of which, you never gave a review on the deluxe.

[dg]

So the gunstock oil finished necks (like on Jackson CS) feel the same as satin finished necks (like on MIJ Jacksons)?

Not to me, but you can get a pretty thick finish depending on how many coats you put on and how you buff it out.

If it was me, I'd probably do what Scott recommends because I love an oil finish. If you just want it to be smooth and want to be less aggressive (and if resale value is a concern), the drop fill method secks suggested sounds like the way to go.