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Private member DiscussionFinish Repair

Paint chip repair, advice for drop-fill in sunburst

I'd like to add some cherry nitro to this spot but how do I avoid the dark line around the perimeter that typically forms from adding a touch-up? I.e., what is the best strategy for blending what i'm adding to what is there?

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Ian Davlin
Difficulty in making repair look better than the damage 8/10. What is your plan for application? Airbrush or paint brush?

GlueBoost vs Nitro drop fill

*Photo added* Ding repair on spruce top, 2015 Collings 0002HE #23701. What are y’all reaching for when repairing dents in nitro? GlueBoost fill & finish or drop filling with nitrocellulose? This is a well-used guitar; not pristine and the owner has reasonable expectations that the repair will not be “like it never happened” Bonus question: If there is bare wood, should I seal it with shellac to preserve the color before proceeding to fil…

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The coating on that 000 is a mixture of a UV poly base and nitro top coats. It seems that many of the deeper spots could benefit from steam applications. I use a paper towel, folded into four layers a…
Private member DiscussionFinish New Builds

Tiny Bubbles

Here You'll seehere pin tip sized bubbles. Nitro finish. It got hot in a case. They'll need a light amagolmater mixture applied to melt'm back into the surface. Im looking for advice on the recipe for said amagolmater....Straight retarder? Im not sure if Id need lacquer in the mix that I apply....Thank you! Colin O'Brien LittleCreek Instrument Repair, Nashville. Images

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Private member
are those blisters from the heat? Have any of them popped?
Private member DiscussionFinish Repair

Gretsch Binding Finish Inquiry...

Someone recently contacted me about a Gretsch in need of some finish repairs on the binding. This looks to be nitro that has chipped/flaked off over the years and possibly yellowed by nicotine. I'm curious if any of you have experience with this type of repair and what the best way would be to go about it. I'm not anticipating taking this on but I would be interested in knowing the procedure. Thanks! Images

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Private member
I believe it's just the binding, although I haven't seen it in person. It wouldn't surprise me if it's both.
Private member DiscussionFinish Repair

Nitro safe bench mat/sanding mat recommendations.

Hi, Any recommendations for scratch safe and nitro safe bench coverings? Also the porous sanding mats compatible with vacuum tables with same nitro safe properties? My material science education is low in regards to stuff that will and won't react to nitro. Thank you.

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I know Doug Proper has been using these or something very similar with success. You can find different sizes if you hunt around: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP5L4FJM?ref=fed_asin_title&th=1 I personally…
Private member DiscussionFinish New Builds

Aging Toner on a Sitka Spruce Top

I'm fast approaching the finish coating of 2 acousitcs. The sitka spruce tops are really bright. I'd like to tone them down a little and have been scouring the web for methods. Seems like adding amber toner in either the sand sealer or more likely the first set of nitro lacquer coats might be the the ticket. I see Stewmac has a Colortone stain called "Vintage Amber" that can be mixed into the nitro. Anybody have expirience with this pro…

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Hi Gerry, I recommend spraying a sealer chow it a light scuff and then one more sealer coat. If you are using lacquer, thin some 50% by volume and add TransTint or Colortone. Same dye and some of the…
Private member DiscussionFinish Repair

Taylor 310 Top Crack, Finish Delaminating

So this 310 came into the shop and had a pretty gnarly crack that splinters some toward the lower left bout. Going to do a crack repair with the TJ Thompson crack corrector and some hide glue. The issue I'm inquiring about is the finish is delaminating around the area. I'm curious as to what type of finish it is. Seems a bit flexible and spongy to be a nitro alone. There's shards of finish missing, and dirt has found its way underneath…

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Ian Davlin
0:09:55 Q2. Taylor 310 top crack, finish delaminating @member here is the video
Private member DiscussionFinish Repair

Fender Tele Deeper Black Colour?

Hey all! Anyone know what lacquer pigment might better match the deep black colour of this tele body? It’s an American tele deluxe with a nitro finish. Photos show: Finish damage was the size of a quarter. I’ve filled and levelled the area and sprayed on coat of Oxford black nitro. I poured a puddle of naphtha on to check the match and unfortunately no dice. I’ve used Oxford black many times for overspray during repairs and have always fo…

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Black colour tone was absolutely the one that matched. Applied it with an airbrush and then did my clear with cans. Thanks again Ian.
Private member DiscussionGeneral

Strange Fender neck with some problems.

Hello fellow looths! I recently had a customer come in with a '71 Fender neck that is a fusion of the 60s and 70s style. It has a veneer fretboard, no skunkstripe, 4 screwholes, 70s style tuners, 70s headstock logo, and it seems like it has a poly finish on the back of the neck, and nitro (with cracking) on the front of the headstock. Can anyone tell me if this combination is possible or could it be fake? Another thing is, even without th…

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Hey Tony, thank you for your info, and sorry for the late reply. I don't spend much time in the loothgroup.. You have an amazing setup! The sheetmetal underneath is genius! I have to build something li…
Private member DiscussionFinish Repair

Epiphone LP Limited Edition severe fall damage

Okay gang I have a doozy of a crack repair. Young guy brought in a Epiphone LP Limited Ed. He had picked up the case while it was unlatched at the guitar took a nasty tumble. Severe finish damage, and the wood has a shear split in it as well. The undercoat is thick with a thin layer of nitro color on top. Spoke with a sweetwater rep and they said that the finish was nitro. Here's the guitar specs via Zsounds: Epiphone Inspired by Gibson…

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Did you reach a solution yet KT? I have a similar issue with the same guitar, although my damage is midway down the neck. I may start experimenting with ideas this weekend in my attempt to avoid refini…
Private member DiscussionAcoustic Repair

Eirw finish streaks under nitro

23 yo acoustic in for touch ups. EIRW, nitro. Has a couple of spots on the sides that look like this. In good general shape. What’s going on here? No texture, its under the finish.

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kinda looks like compound in the grain from buffing, then relized the grain wasent sealed well & cleared some more over it...
Private member DiscussionFinish Repair

A rant on touch-up pens.....

This is just a rant against the Stew-mac touchup pens. Ive just never had them functionally work, without creating more of an issue than there was in the first place. Through an "act of god" I chipped a small bit of freshly buffed and polished laquer off the headstock of a Taylor that I refinished. The guitar had that nasty bubbling around the tuners and CA glue didn't fix the issue, so I stripped the front of the headstock and airbrush…

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Ian Davlin
I have used the micron pens to pretty good effect here and there, but those shellac pens I could never get to work.