Ding/Dent in binding advice

[JakeStone]

Hey all -
I am considering purchasing a guitar with a ding/dent in binding.
Is this a big deal to fix.. How much would it cost to repair?
Possible to do myself?
Thanks !

[phavriluk]

Eh? That's what binding is for. Is this a used instrument? I think there's no 'fixing' of that divot that wouldn't look worse than the dent.

[JakeStone]

Guess I could file down the rough parts?

[GCWaters]

Originally Posted by JakeStone

Guess I could file down the rough parts?

That’s what I’d do—maybe some light sandpaper wrapped around a very thin dowel as a sanding stick?

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by JakeStone

Guess I could file down the rough parts?

Get a good discount. Light sanding of the rough part. Forget it ever existed. :-)

[JonWint]

Smooth the gouge with a file. Don't disturb the black line purfling (if possible).

You can fill the gouge with matching binding partially dissolved/softened in acetone and smooth (scrape, sand, polish) it to restore shape. A perfect color match might be difficult.

Restoring the shape will restore the reflection and it will be less noticeable.

[YamahaGuy]

I just bought my first black guitar and the (white) binding on the back has a large ding in it -- so large that the ding actually displaced some of the wood on the guitar's back. It bothers me, but I fear trying to fix it will make things worse. I chalk it up to "adding a little character" and now I won't feel bad when I bang it up a little more on accident.

[JakeStone]

Ya.. I can live with with the blemish if it's simply smoothed out.

Thanks for the tips!