Can french polished top be repaired?
 

Picked up my guitar tonight to find two deep scratches on the top. Frustrating because I have no idea how they got there. Always careful with it. Can these kind of scratches be repaired since it's a french polish top? Do they have to do the whole top or can it be spot fixed to at least make it less noticeable?

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The finish is easily repairable, as FP is rather like nitrocellulose. However, those scratches look deep and into the wood itself. That's a different issue.

I agree with both parts of this answer.

Is it true you can sometimes steam out scratches that are into the wood?

Those scratches may be impossible to steam out. Dents can be steamed out because no wood is missing but scratches are different. But it can be lightly sanded and repaired. It depends if you are willing to learn how to do it or willing to pay someone to do it for you.

Danger..... Will Robinson. Danger. Yes, perhaps on an old table but not wise on a guitar top. Heat and water/steam, no. Likely cause damage to finish and possibly guitar top. Agree with sdelsolray, it can be repaired/improved. Probably without the entire top redone. If I wanted it repaired, I would send it back to the maker that applied the original finish. I might contact them and ask what I could do myself to improve it. Or perhaps, I might just go, "oh well" and leave it. Good luck no matter what you decide.

Crazy question: Can they remove the french polish and put a more durable one on? When I go this I did not realize how fragile FP was.

Those look like gauges more than pick scratches. I bet those would look similar even if the guitar had been finished in nitro or poly.

What I can't figure out is how they go there. The guitar had been handled with care when I used it yesterday. Picked it up today and there they were. I don't use a pick with that guitar.

You could remove it yourself wiping with meths which is the solvent used to dissolve the shellac... not that I would advise you do it yourself. I don't think it's as big a preparation job as removing lacquer. Quite possibly, it might not sound as lively with a lacquer finish because it's thicker. I would see if you can find someone to drop-fill it or live with it.

Are you using a hard case with clasps? They look like what I've done with case clasps. Beer and guitar sometimes = oops.

I don't put any of my guitars in cases unless they are getting shipped.

This is the one guitar I own that I can't live with the scratches or dings that noticeable. Will try to find someone locally but may have to ship it to a bigger city.

Is it possible someone else done messed with your guitar? Otherwise, maybe aliens or ghosts. But on a serious note, it means a lot to you and I would consult the maker and get it back as close to new as possible. It will probably cost but this is important to you. The other option would be looking for a french polish expert local to you. Might not be that easy to find but I would google.

Paul, do you know Randy Wood? He might could help you.

The builder is in canada so it's not cost effective to ship it back. But i will begin the search for someone in the South East. Any suggestions would be welcome.