Should I be worried about this? - Page 3

nikpearson · #31 10-17-2018, 06:28 PM

...are spot on.

I’ve removed some very significant dents using a wet rag / paper towel and heat source. For dents on soundboards I’ve even used my clothes iron with great results. If you touch the hot metal to the wet cloth until a decent amount of steam is produced - maybe 5-10 seconds - then check for progress and if necessary repeat. Providing the wood fibres haven’t been cut, only compressed, they will return to their original state. There is little to no risk involved in this process so,long as you only heat the fingerboard. If you’re left with any minor discolouration or water marks, just clean with 0000 wire wool and suitable oil.

silverspear · #32 10-18-2018, 03:56 AM

just a quick curious question.. when this is done on the soundboard or back, will the heating haze the the wood finish in any way?

JackB1 · #33 10-18-2018, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikpearson

...are spot on.

I’ve removed some very significant dents using a wet rag / paper towel and heat source. For dents on soundboards I’ve even used my clothes iron with great results. If you touch the hot metal to the wet cloth until a decent amount of steam is produced - maybe 5-10 seconds - then check for progress and if necessary repeat. Providing the wood fibres haven’t been cut, only compressed, they will return to their original state. There is little to no risk involved in this process so,long as you only heat the fingerboard. If you’re left with any minor discolouration or water marks, just clean with 0000 wire wool and suitable oil.

My biggest concern with this method, is that the "dents" are very thin, so how to I apply steam/heat to only those areas? I am worried that the dents AND the surrounding wood will all raise up together and that would be bad.

JackB1 · #34 10-18-2018, 08:21 AM

So I brought this guitar into the shop yesterday and the tech told me you can remove those marks simply by scraping with a single edge razor blade. Is he correct and should I try that before the heat/steam method?

JonWint · #35 10-18-2018, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackB1

I am worried that the dents AND the surrounding wood will all raise up together and that would be bad.

I answered this in post #24.

Besides, "too much" wood is not a problem. The problem is "too little" wood.

JonWint · #36 10-18-2018, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackB1

So I brought this guitar into the shop yesterday and the tech told me you can remove those marks simply by scraping with a single edge razor blade. Is he correct and should I try that before the heat/steam method?

Think about this.

A depression being removed by scraping? You would have to lower the surrounding wood equal to the depth of the depression. Don't allow this tech to work on any of your guitars.

JackB1 · #37 10-18-2018, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonWint

I answered this in post #24.

OK. So only the indented part of the wood will change. OK I'll give it a shot.
I don't have a soldering iron so I will use the tip of a clothes iron or heat up the tip of a metal screwdriver over a flame.

JackB1 · #38 10-18-2018, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonWint

Think about this.

A depression being removed by scraping? You would have to lower the surrounding wood equal to the depth of the depression. Don't allow this tech to work on any of your guitars.

Yes I was kind of confused too, but he's a very respected luthier and he seems to know what he's talking about. Maybe he was thinking it was something on top of the fretboard that could be scraped off? He just looked at it quickly and then told me to use a razor blade.

JackB1 · #39 10-18-2018, 08:40 AM

If you look at the picture of the marks in the 1st post, is it possible these were just inherent in the wood from the start? The marks seem so random and go in all crazy directions, it's hard to believe they were made by people playing the guitar while it hung up in the shop prior to me buying it.

John Arnold · #40 10-18-2018, 10:22 AM

Quote:

when this is done on the soundboard or back, will the heating haze the wood finish in any way?

I don't do this on finished wood. Heat and steam will damage the finish, plus the finish prevents the water from being absorbed into the wood.

If these are indentations and not wear, steaming should work. I also use a wet folded paper towel and a small soldering iron.
If the dents are shallow, scraping or sanding are viable options.

JackB1 · #41 10-18-2018, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Arnold

If the dents are shallow, scraping or sanding are viable options.

^^^^^

can you explain further how you would scrape or sand out shallow indentations?

DesertTwang · #42 10-21-2018, 05:54 PM

It appears to me that an Epiphone DR500MCE is a guitar that is by no means rare or difficult to come by. And a guitar that can be found all over the internet retail landscape and advertised as "new" needs to actually be new, or else I'd look elsewhere.

If it was me, I'd return it and buy one without these issues. I wouldn't even think about fixing these indentations because I venture to guess that the cost of repair (either actual or in terms of time and effort spent) would vastly outweigh a reasonable relation to the value of the guitar.

Return it, buy one that doesn't have issues that will continue to bug you forever, be happy.

DesertTwang · #43 10-21-2018, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackB1

So I brought this guitar into the shop yesterday and the tech told me you can remove those marks simply by scraping with a single edge razor blade. Is he correct and should I try that before the heat/steam method?

This reminds me of the rockabilly bass player who had an upright bass to sell that I was interested in. It was a beautiful and great-sounding bass. And just as I was about to pull the trigger, I discovered a deep notch in the fingerboard. Asked what that was about, the guy responded: "oh, I was playing a gig one time and the low E string kept buzzing, so I took my pocket knife and whittled a little. The buzzing stopped, and it sounds great now."

The guy was serious. It broke my heart -- a gorgeous instrument, ruined by one completely asinine and avoidable decision.

John Arnold · #44 10-21-2018, 07:01 PM

Quote:

can you explain further how you would scrape or sand out shallow indentations?

I thought it was self explanatory.

You remove a small amount of the fingerboard surface, leveling it.

JackB1 · #45 10-22-2018, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DesertTwang

It appears to me that an Epiphone DR500MCE is a guitar that is by no means rare or difficult to come by. And a guitar that can be found all over the internet retail landscape and advertised as "new" needs to actually be new, or else I'd look elsewhere.

If it was me, I'd return it and buy one without these issues. I wouldn't even think about fixing these indentations because I venture to guess that the cost of repair (either actual or in terms of time and effort spent) would vastly outweigh a reasonable relation to the value of the guitar.

Return it, buy one that doesn't have issues that will continue to bug you forever, be happy.

I decided to keep the guitar because I like the way it plays and feels. The marks are more cosmetic issues and don't really affect playability at all. However, I would like to get them to the point where you don't feel them at all. I haven't tried the heat/steam method yet. I am hoping that does the trick.