How to Fix Scratch/Crack (pic)

BHulkster · #1 02-09-2009, 12:10 AM

Hey everyone,

I'm pretty new to the forum and guitar in general. Been playing for only about 3 1/2 months but I already own 2 Seagulls and a Yamaha, haha.
Unfortunately though I came across some damage on my Seagull Cedar top and I'm wondering if there's a way to repair it. I accidently scraped it against my night stand as I was setting her down before retiring for the evening. Didn't even notice it till morning. Here's are some pics:

This scrape is along the right edge of the guitar.

It's not really a crack but a pretty deep scrape. There's not a hole into the guitar itself and the sound seems to be fine, but I'm just worried it will affect it in the long run. Can the damage be worse than I think? Do you guys think I should take her into a repair shop? Any advice would help

Sincerely,

New Guitar Player

Onemanband · #2 02-09-2009, 04:06 AM

Hi, I'm no repairman, so if it is a crack I can't help. If you're unsure take it to a repairman.
My guess is though, (having once owned a Seagull), it's more likely to be a bad scratch. Cedar tops are very soft, and mark very easily. I once marked the cedar top on mine badly with just my thumb nail, and the marks on the top from flatpicking left it badly scarred too.

Guitars are made to be played, not hung up and looked at; knocks and dings are par for the course, they become part of the intruments history, so don't worry too much about the scars, that's rock n' roll

Brian.

rbbambino · #3 02-09-2009, 05:31 AM

As was already stated... soft tops mark easily and it is most likely a mark not a crack; However, it isn't very serious from a sound or structural perspective, so nothing to worry about. We all tend to make things bigger in our own minds when it comes to the instruments will love

devellis · #4 02-09-2009, 08:35 AM

If it's just a scratch, it may not be worth trying to do much about it. A home repair may actually be more noticeable than just leaving it as it is. If it's a crack, an expert should do it. They can put a couple of small cleats in to stabilize it from running further along its length. Or sometimes, if a crack is fresh and dirt hasn't accumulated, they can let some glue wick into the void to bind the edges together. But I agree that it's more likely to be a scratch. Do you recall how it happened? Scratches don't usually just happen spontaneously, but cracks can. If it just mysteriously appeared one day when there wasn't any opportunity for it to have become scratched, I'd be concerned. On the other hand, if you know that it takes a certain number of bumps and scuffs, that's probably what it is. You could press gently on one side of the mark to see if there's any movement, but that always scares me. If a crack is starting, that seems like it could easily make it worse if you pressed a bit too hard. But a bit of gentle pressure may make it clear that nothing is actually separated.

menhir · #5 02-09-2009, 08:43 AM

If it's just a scratch (that's what it looks like to me), I would let it be unless it really bothers you. You'll get more scratches over time anyway.

Better yet, make up a story to explain it. You were fending off a team on Ninjas with your guitar...yeah, it got scratched, but that was nothing compared to what happened to the Ninjas.

Just a suggestion.

coryjbarr · #6 02-09-2009, 11:59 AM

Ninjas... Now that's FUNNY!

devellis · #7 02-09-2009, 12:32 PM

Actually, taking another look at the picture, I'm not sure I'd worry about it even if it's a crack. It really has nowhere to go. It would run into the kerfed lining and stop there without doing any further damage. But again, it looks more like a scratch.

Bill Pillmore · #8 02-09-2009, 07:41 PM

Put a compact mirror and flashlight in there to make sure it's not a crack. If it is a just a scratch and the scratch is down to the bare wood, then the important thing is to get some lacquer on the bare wood before it discolors with dirt and grease. You can start the process of filling it with lacquer. Get some semi gloss lacquer in a can and spray some in the cap and lay it on with a tooth pick very carefully, it will take several applications. Build it up with several applications and let it settle for a month before any other work.
The scratch can be repaired later. Here is a place to start looking.
http://www.frets.com
Because it's a Seagull I believe they use semi gloss lacquer but check their website.

good luck.

BHulkster · #9 02-09-2009, 11:49 PM

Awesome, awesome advice guys. Thanks for the input - now I don't feel so alone! It's tough because I like my things to be flawless and it's one of my favorite guitars right now. I'm definitely going to try that semi-gloss lacquer to try and seal it. Let you guys know the outcome.

BTW I did order one of those dental/inspection mirrors with the curved neck. Can't really see under the top, but it doesn't seem to push through. Gotta wait for it in the mail. Keep you guys posted