Gouge repair question
 

Okay, so here's me celebrating the fact that my guitar is cheap, after my 3 year old dropped an ice skate on the top...gouging out some cedar. The hole doesn't go through but it's ugly and I'm afraid if I don't glue or fill it in, it will get worse.

Anyone have tips: it's a gouge, the chipped material is still attached, as a scab so to speak. The guitar has a solid cedar top, with satin finish. Any tips are welcome. Except that I'm not ready to cover the thing in stickers haha

Try and paint a thin layer of PVA wood glue into the gouge then pop the 'scab' back in. When it's dried rub a little beeswax over the area to fill any gaps.

Unless you get a professional fix it's always going to show but hey, every ding tells a story.

Even if you do get a professional to fix it, it's still going to show, unless you have them paint the top an opaque color and cover it up entirely. But it's a mark of character, and something you can use in future years to hound and persecute your adorable li'l tyke!

I'm sure when that child hits age fifteen they'll be delighted to have you point out that scar in the top to everyone who sets foot in your house. "Thanks for telling that story AGAIN, Dad! I know it means that you love me all the more!!!"

Well, hey, maybe it'll become a treasured family story.....

Seriously, you might want to show the guitar to a pro just to get it appraised and maybe get a quote on the work needed. Chances are that a pro will have exactly the right glue to use and do the neatest job possible.

Just a thought.


Wade Hampton Miller

Thanks guys. I agree it will make a great story. luckily this didn't happen to the precious Yairi I had previously.

I will give the glue option a go. I was also thinking about having a guitar expert refinish my guitar with a sunburst, perhaps this is the moment..

Have you ever gotten a price quote from any repair techs experienced in doing that sort of finish work? If you haven’t, be prepared to be completely stunned by how much it will cost. It’s almost never cost-effective to refinish a guitar for cosmetic reasons alone, not if you get someone who knows what he’s doing to do the work.

It’s fairly astounding how expensive it is to get that work done, so be aware of that going in. Forewarned is forearmed.


whm

It is expensive to get refinishing work done.

If you've ever done it, you'll know why it cost so much.

I do NOT offer refinishing work because of how little financial return there is for me versus the time and equipment required to do it. To offer a full range of refinishing and finish repair work requires an extensive setup and considerable knowledge of various finishes.

As you point out, spending $500+ to have an inexpensive guitar refinished isn't usually cost effective.

Dings don’t hurt tone anyway. I just don’t understand how some just don’t live with them. I have a musician friend that buys only high end gits with flaws. Repaired top cracks, dings, pings, scratches, worn finish. Gets great deals on them and couldn’t care less about looks. Loves their tone.

A thought
 

If any of us knows someone who doesn't put his guitar in its case when it's not being played, perhaps it would be a good time to offer up a reminder to that effect...

Well, something similar did happen to somebody with a precious Oxnard-built Guild F512 - put an ugly gouge in the top near the edge. This, however, was fortunate for me, since I picked up this beauty that's $4,000 new for peanuts. I took it down to my local Guild authorized repair shop for a "makeover"....

http://user.xmission.com/~dcc/f512-1.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~dcc/fff493.jpg

an ice skate.. eeeegads, I think I've heard it all now!!
Ouch!