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  #1  
Old 04-25-2017, 11:36 PM
ronadair ronadair is offline
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Default Undetectable Ding Repair

Is it possible?

I recently returned a used guitar with a disclosed repaired ding in the spruce top. CA drop filled. The seller indicated it was virtually undetectable. To my eye, it was very detectable.

It raised the question: Is it better to leave small dings alone? Does the repair make them just as visible, only in a different way? Kinda' like a different type of flaw?
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  #2  
Old 04-26-2017, 02:18 AM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
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Yes - accept the ding, unless, or course, it is structural.

More dings will follow.
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  #3  
Old 04-26-2017, 02:44 AM
mirwa mirwa is online now
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It is very possible to make a repair invisible, however it takes skill, I'm not referring to the, I can do a setup skill, or I can cut a bone nut skill, but back to woodworking and more importantly finishing skills.

We achieve these skills from stuffing up and learning how to repair our mistakes.

Most repairs done for others are done on a budget, so drip filling a hole with ca is very common.

Steve
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Old 04-26-2017, 10:01 AM
John Arnold John Arnold is offline
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Thin CA will penetrate deeply into the spruce, which often darkens it. It also can turn yellow due to chemical reaction. For those reasons, it is usually better to drop fill lighter colored woods with lacquer. But lacquer shrinks much more than CA, and will require a lot more time to achieve a flush fill.
If the wood itself is dented, even an 'invisible' lacquer repair will show a 'birdseye' effect, unless the dent is steamed out before the finish is applied.
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  #5  
Old 04-26-2017, 12:08 PM
Howard Klepper Howard Klepper is offline
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There are dings, and there are dings. There are repairs, and there are repairs.

It all depends on whether you have the former or the latter.
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  #6  
Old 04-26-2017, 04:46 PM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
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I had a top ding repaired on a 26 year old Martin while it was in for a neck reset. The luthier (he builds his own guitars so he is far more than a tech) drop-filled with lacquer and the ding became virtually invisible. I'm pretty sure he steamed it out first, then filled and buffed. CA is less likely to be invisible, per my limited knowledge. I can work wood pretty well, but tend to leave finishing to those that are far more competent at it. It's a whole different skill.......
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Old 04-27-2017, 09:07 AM
Hot Vibrato Hot Vibrato is offline
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It's best to leave them alone unless you are confident that you can make it look better. I've had some success making dings and chips disappear, so it can be worth the effort if you've got the skills to pull it off.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of repairmen who don't do good work. It all comes down to the skills of the craftsman.
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Old 04-27-2017, 11:38 AM
runamuck runamuck is offline
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I like what Howard said.

To add to that, if wood fibers are broken across the grain, not matter what's used to fill it, the ding will darken and no repair technique will "invisibilize" it.

Jim
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  #9  
Old 04-27-2017, 11:54 AM
Frank Ford Frank Ford is offline
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"Undetectable" = impossible

"Unnoticeable" = difficult but sometimes possible

"Unobjectionable" = reasonable request, but often difficult

Make it look "well-attended-to" = what we can actually offer

All the definitions in quotes depend on the observer, of course
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Old 04-27-2017, 12:05 PM
redir redir is offline
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I'm glad to hear someone like Frank say it, because I've never been able to do 'undetectable.' Some are better then others. For me Lacquer is the best and easiest of all to repair. It's a great finish. I've touched up guitars that are 50 years old and the new lacquer melts right into the old.
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Old 04-27-2017, 12:11 PM
Looburst Looburst is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Ford View Post
"Undetectable" = impossible

"Unnoticeable" = difficult but sometimes possible

"Unobjectionable" = reasonable request, but often difficult

Make it look "well-attended-to" = what we can actually offer

All the definitions in quotes depend on the observer, of course
Exactly right!
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  #12  
Old 04-27-2017, 06:38 PM
mirwa mirwa is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Ford View Post
"Undetectable" = impossible

"Unnoticeable" = difficult but sometimes possible

"Unobjectionable" = reasonable request, but often difficult

Make it look "well-attended-to" = what we can actually offer

All the definitions in quotes depend on the observer, of course
I dis-agree with the section that I have bolded, a very competent person can make a dent or even a hole completely undetectable, it is a skill which takes time to develop. That does not mean everyone can do it, most with plenty of practice can.

Steve
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  #13  
Old 04-27-2017, 08:25 PM
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Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
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Depends on the detective.
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  #14  
Old 04-27-2017, 08:29 PM
mirwa mirwa is online now
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Detective away, did this one for a customer about 2 months ago, where is the hole.

Remember this is also you being informed there was a physical hole there to start with.



Steve
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  #15  
Old 04-28-2017, 07:33 AM
ronadair ronadair is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer View Post
Depends on the detective.
Ha! Nice play.
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