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  #1  
Old 04-21-2022, 05:53 PM
papi papi is offline
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Default I feel sick 😑

I won’t bother asking if someone else has done something as dumb as what I did to my new sunburst Martin D28. I’m just hoping there’s a something that can be done to remedy my blunder.

I used a pre-wet lens cloth to clean the top (most likely a nitro finish), thinking it’d cut through the grime safely since it’s safe for lenses. I now have mad surface scratches and cloudy hazing, and fear I’ve permanently damaged the finish.
Perhaps the alcohol in the wipe along with the towel material?

I ordered Virtuoso cleaner and polish and it’s on the way, but I suspect it will need some kind of scratch remover and buffing.

Still, any recommendations on products and process would be greatly appreciated. I guess I’m hoping the consensus is that all isn’t loss.

Thank you all in advance.

Last edited by srick; 04-21-2022 at 07:04 PM. Reason: implied profanity removed
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  #2  
Old 04-21-2022, 06:04 PM
EZYPIKINS EZYPIKINS is offline
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IMO

Stop now and take it to someone who knows lacquer.
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Old 04-21-2022, 06:44 PM
sinistral sinistral is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EZYPIKINS View Post
IMO

Stop now and take it to someone who knows lacquer.
This would be my suggestion, too. Whatever you did can almost certainly be fixed, but I would want someone who is familiar with the guitar’s finish to determine what needs to be done.
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Old 04-21-2022, 07:01 PM
papi papi is offline
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Thank you all so much for your thoughts!
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Old 04-21-2022, 07:07 PM
davenumber2 davenumber2 is offline
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Got any pictures?
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  #6  
Old 04-21-2022, 07:31 PM
papi papi is offline
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Old 04-21-2022, 07:49 PM
papi papi is offline
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Old 04-21-2022, 07:50 PM
papi papi is offline
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https://photos.app.goo.gl/ruUQKrMmGGpT62Vp9
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  #9  
Old 04-21-2022, 07:52 PM
papi papi is offline
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Took a bit to get photo upload figured out. Sorry, gents.
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  #10  
Old 04-21-2022, 07:56 PM
RichardN RichardN is offline
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Anything that's made out of wood can be refinished / restored. So don't fret too much.
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  #11  
Old 04-21-2022, 07:58 PM
papi papi is offline
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I reached out to a local luthier and, while he can’t take on new jobs, he said that a fine polishing compound would do the trick.
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  #12  
Old 04-21-2022, 07:59 PM
Inyo Inyo is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by davenumber2 View Post
Got any pictures?
Quote:
Originally Posted by papi View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by papi View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by papi View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by papi View Post
Took a bit to get photo upload figured out. Sorry, gents.
The images, embedded:





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  #13  
Old 04-21-2022, 08:24 PM
Crosswind Crosswind is offline
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I would let it air dry for a few days, then use silicone-free compound followed by a silicone-free polish. But, watch a lot of "how to" videos first before attempting if you have never done it before, or better still, wait for an opening with that luthier! In all likelihood, it's going to be just fine, and you did not ruin anything that can't be fixed.
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  #14  
Old 04-21-2022, 09:12 PM
sinistral sinistral is offline
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The thing about lacquer finishes is that guitar manufacturers go to great lengths to apply as thin a finish as is reasonably possible in order to protect the guitar but also to allow the wood to resonate. As a general rule, the nicer the guitar, the thinner the finish. Whatever you use, you should apply it sparingly.

Pretty guitar!
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  #15  
Old 04-21-2022, 09:23 PM
ewalling ewalling is offline
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One thing I've never understood on this forum is the impulse to keep cleaning and polishing guitars.
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