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Author Topic: touch up paint/ lacquer  (Read 6192 times)

CJ

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touch up paint/ lacquer
« on: November 25, 2007, 06:42:58 PM »
hey, i was just wondering about touch up paint and lacquer. the only real thing wrong with my xr-1 is a couple spots where the lacquer has chipped off, and a few places where even the paint has chipped off. i found that gibson made some touch up paint pens, and clear lacquer pens, but it appears they are discontinued- at least in all the places i've found that had them. First of all, will this work? i'm assuming so... and is there anything else i can use instead if i can't find these pens? i've seen that nail polish would work, but that doesn't solve my clear coat chipping.

Roobubba

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touch up paint/ lacquer
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2007, 11:01:52 PM »
I've used nail polish on my blueish ibanez, having received it second hand (and very cheap) with a broken strap button. You should be able to get clear nail polish, no? Not that I'm an expert, you understand, but something about French Manicure springs to mind...

:oops:

CJ

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touch up paint/ lacquer
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2007, 11:07:25 PM »
yeah, i suppose i could. what would be the procedure for doing that? should i sand down the edges of the cracked area to get it to blend better? and would i have to sand afterward?

Roobubba

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touch up paint/ lacquer
« Reply #3 on: November 26, 2007, 08:59:39 AM »
I'm sorry, I don't know how best to do that. I'm sure one of the luthiers will pop in here soon enough :)

Roo

Kesus T

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touch up paint/ lacquer
« Reply #4 on: November 26, 2007, 03:13:18 PM »
To solve the clear coat problem, just drop fill with either nitro (stuff in the can is fine, but let it cure for an hour or so till it gets real gloopy! before you apply) or poly, depending on what your guitar is finished with.. Leave it proud and leave it for up to a month to fully cure before carefully sanding flat and buffing. Poly does not need that long - just finger nail test it before sanding. Colour matching without the original colour will always be dodgy, but may look better than wood colour showing through if it is a close match. Then just drop fill as before.
At the end of the day, a few dings just add character to your git, and will save on headaches!

Will

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touch up paint/ lacquer
« Reply #5 on: November 26, 2007, 04:51:09 PM »
Just remember about the aged part of the colouring to the guitar.

Mine has had some lemon head put it on the wrong type of hanger, and it has burnt through the nitro to the wood.

guitar tech advised against any refinish. all down to personal opinion though I guess. but I shall trust his judgement personally

WezV

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touch up paint/ lacquer
« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2007, 05:00:51 PM »
lots of ways to approach the problem but if you have no experience dealing with finish repairs its best to leave it be or get a pro to do it.. Not often you here me saying that is it.

hunter

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touch up paint/ lacquer
« Reply #7 on: November 26, 2007, 06:50:40 PM »
I just paid extra to get a guitar with spots of missing paint, it's called custom relic'ed   :roll:
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WezV

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touch up paint/ lacquer
« Reply #8 on: November 26, 2007, 06:54:24 PM »
thats the point isnt it, natural wear (or even faked natural wear) will always look better than a badly done finish repair

CJ

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touch up paint/ lacquer
« Reply #9 on: November 26, 2007, 11:26:13 PM »
Quote from: WezV
thats the point isnt it, natural wear (or even faked natural wear) will always look better than a badly done finish repair


i suppose. but its only one spot that you can see, otherwise its perfect. so it doesn't really look beaten up or anything, just looks like the clearcoat is coming off.

and wez, its it easy enough to do if i'm just doing the clear? the paint chips are hardly noticeable, i just figured if i was at it, i might as well fix that too. its black, so i don't think i could go too far wrong with that.

takes a month for nitro? how about poly? and its a gibson les paul (xr-1). don't know the differences with finish, so if that helps...

Henk

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touch up paint/ lacquer
« Reply #10 on: November 27, 2007, 09:35:16 AM »
You can only repair a nitro finish with nitro, you need to polish it afterwards and for this you need special equipment and a load of know how. Your XR-1 is from the early 80's, it does not have high collector value and players will only respect it for having a few chips because that means the guitar has been used.

I have 'sealed' a rather nasty bucklewear patch on one of my guitars once with nitro, just to prevent it from drying out and cracking, this was a large patch though, small ones wont affect the wood mostly.

If you are really determined to try and really mess this guitar up, because trust me, it will look worse if you start messing with it, do so with a bit of nitro and a VERY small brush and try to layer the nitro very carefully and giving it plenty time to dry. DONT sand it or anything, youll mess the surrounding finish up, nitro is very soft.

The stories on the web of people reparing chips with nail polish or even superglue are from idiots, dont believe them, putting agressive solvents on a nitro finish, or even worst, dissolving agents like thinner or nailpolish remover will make you insanely mad of yourself because it will completely destoy the nitro. Those are the same people who spraycan attack old fenders, they dont understand anything about a guitar.

The only option i can think of is asking a luthier to repair it, like you said its just a few spots and i dont think it wouldnt cost that much.
Mules in '76 Gibson custom with maple neck.

FELINEGUITARS

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touch up paint/ lacquer
« Reply #11 on: November 27, 2007, 09:52:26 AM »
Here is a guide on small repairs

http://www.stewmac.com/tradesecrets/ts0040_lacquerfill.hzml?jrl=124&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ts0040&clk=141631

But if you think that you might be clumsy - leave it to a pro  (or live with the chip)
www.felineguitars.com - repairs & custom built
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Henk

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touch up paint/ lacquer
« Reply #12 on: November 27, 2007, 10:13:50 AM »
Thats a helpfull guide, wouldnt dare doing that to one of my guitars though.... I DONT HAVE THOSE PROTECTIVE GOGGLES!!!! 8)

I would definately get really frustrated after 5 minutes or so and make a huge mess of it.  :cry:
Mules in '76 Gibson custom with maple neck.

CJ

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touch up paint/ lacquer
« Reply #13 on: November 27, 2007, 08:26:27 PM »
yeah i guess i'll leave it alone. anything i could or should do to stop the big spot from peeling off more?