Covering scratches/dents on a plain mahogany finish

[hamfist]

Just got a lovely old Gordon Smith GS1.5. It's about 10 years old, and plays like a dream but it's obviously been well used, and has quite a few scratches and small bumps/dents.
  It's the plain mahogany finish. What would be the easiest/cheapest way of covering up these imperfections ?

[Twinfan]

I'd leave them.  They're called 'character'  ;)

The thin matt finish will be tough to touch up I think.

[gwEm]

that gordon smith finish (if it is the same on my V) looks awful when it dents... it sort of shatters into white. not like characterful dents on a gibson finish, or even a poly one.

would love to know an answer too. perhaps a nitro solvent, thinly applied, might melt the finish for a moment, causing the shattering to disappear.

[Ratrod]

Dents and dings can be steamed out with wet paper towels and a soldering iron.

See this link: http://frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Finish/SteamOut/steamout1.html

Not sure if it will work on a poly finish.

[hamfist]

I'd leave them.  They're called 'character'  ;)

I'm think I'm veering more towards that option Dave.

It's a real workhorse guitar, I think it definately has "character". I don't want to lose that really.

[sgmypod]

Is the GS 1.5 mahogany..didn't know that

[hamfist]

Is the GS 1.5 mahogany..didn't know that

Having another look at the GS site, it seems that I was probably wrong about it being mahogany. The necks are definately mahogany, but they are quite vague about what their bodies are made from.

Quote "Body wood can typically be Brazilian cedar, spruce or poplar, dependant mainly on the finish colour of the guitar."

S'funny, this is my 3rd GS , and I'd always assumed that they had mahodany bodies. That'll teach me to read the small print.

To be honest, the woods are pretty irrelevant to me. All I know is that a guitar either sounds good or not !  This one's a good'n.

[sgmypod]

yeah they are nice guitars

[Philly Q]

On the body wood question, it depends how old it is - I have an older (mid/late '80s, I think) GS1 which is definitely mahogany.

I think the switch to cedar, spruce, obeche etc is relatively recent, but maybe more than 10 years ago.

[Dmoney]

my gs is a late 70's early 80's doulde cur graduate. its a beast. i think that is mahogony.

I just ordered some bits to rewire our other guitarist GS solid body gypsy. action was TERRIBLE and the wiring looks like a spider has woven a steel web all over the control cavity. also mini pots and little DPDT switches. my older GS has a nice big control cavity and its very very very neat and has larger CTS style pots. i think im going to sell mine.

[Philly Q]

Going back to the original question, I used some stuff called "Ronseal All In One Wood Finish" on my GS1.  I'm not sure if they make it any more, but it came in various colours to match different woods and you rubbed it on with a cloth.  It didn't really "repair" the finish as such, but it was enough to seal/disguise the dents and scratches which had gone down to the wood.

There was a feature in Guitarist once where Robbie Gladwell built himself a doubleneck for a C0ckney Rebel tour and, because he was in a hurry, he used this Ronseal stuff to finish it.  :)

[hamfist]

On the body wood question, it depends how old it is - I have an older (mid/late '80s, I think) GS1 which is definitely mahogany.

I think the switch to cedar, spruce, obeche etc is relatively recent, but maybe more than 10 years ago.

Mine's from about 2001 +/- a year.