Buffing out a couple runs in Warmoth finish

[jay4321]

It's this LP flat top I bought a couple months back. There are two fine lines in the finish - perfectly straight, thin runs on the front, running exactly vertically. Hard to detect unless looking at it on a certain angle. It didn't bother me much initially but I do constantly see them, and then the Mrs noticed it right away as did a friend of mine when we were looking at it this weekend.

So I'd like to take care of it. It's not worth shipping back or anything like that. Is there a way to maybe fine-grit sandpaper the spots in question, then buff them out, without a lot of trouble?

It's not out of the question to sell it and get something else to replace it, or put it aside for a beater guitar, if the fix is too involved

 

[rockskate4x]

I say bolt it together and  arty07: arty07: arty07: but that's just me. Warmoth probably put enough coats of clear over the top to make it not worth your while to fix those blemishes. It's a bummer not to get what you paid for though. Maybe you should return it.

 

[-CB-]

When you say... runs....  I'd like to see a picture.

Its not unusual for grain to reappear in the very thin Warmoth finish.

Its also been my experience to see deep grain, smooth grain, body seams, binding seams... all shrink in a bit, almost like lacquer does.  This is very evident on every Warmoth finished body I've got, except for the all-maple "MapleCaster" which was all "Eastern Maple", body and all... and didn't show any shrink in whatsoever.

Pictures will help this situation.

Remember, runs are outies, and shrinkage are innies.  Outies can be fixed pretty easily, but innies... take a lot more effort, and have a greater chance of screw up when trying to hide 'em.

 

[The Dealer]

For the kind of money you pay for the Warmoth name you shouldn't be thinking you got a beater guitar. I'd have to do something. Call them and explain what you've got I'd be surprized if they didn't help you. :-\

 

[mullyman]

For the kind of money you pay for the Warmoth name you shouldn't be thinking you got a beater guitar. I'd have to do something. Call them and explain what you've got I'd be surprized if they didn't help you. :-\

Agreed. I can't even imagine having a Warmoth that is a beater. Let alone an LP beater. Those things are expensive. When I think beater I imagine something like a cheap Squire or something.
MULLY

 

[jay4321]

I tried to snap some photos, but I just don't have a camera or the skills that can capture it.

Problem is I ordered it on 12/2, so eh. Think I might have been too slow, I was waiting on a custom build neck and I didn't really notice it right away.

 

[willievega]

I've always had good luck with Warmoth, but I never ordered a body with a finish. I have recently read a few things by people who are unhappy with their necks. I'm thinking it's just newbies that don't know much about new necks and how they are not 'plug and play'. Any of you guys been dissatisfied by a Warmoth neck in the last several years? I have bought several necks (about 6) and never had a problem. The last one was about a year and a half ago (it was fine) and now I have one comming in a couple of days (GA/GA), I'm hopeful that the tradition of great necks will continue with Warmoth. It would be a sad day if I ever bought something bunk from them, after all where else would someone find all these options?
Let me know if anyone is bummed over a bunk Warmoth product. Thanks

 

[ByteFrenzy]

Also six necks without any issues. They're all bass necks which are probably slightly less critical than guitar necks, but on the other hand I've got a thing for adjusting my action very low and I still did not run into any neck geometry or fret related issues.

As for what CB describes with the finish shrinking, I agree, I have that too on a spot of my first body, the figured walnut over walnut one.

There's a spot where the figure is so dense that it's almost a knot. Right there you can see some unevenness in the finish if the light reflects just right. I'm almost certain it wasn't there from the start but appeared later.

 

[-CB-]

Thats what yer seein!  All my Warmoth finished bodies got that after... oh.. I guess maybe 2 years or so.

 

[jay4321]

I've ordered 5 total W necks, and I think 4 bodies. Only this body and a LP baritone did I buy finished from them, and the neck looks great. The only problems otherwise was a poor nut install that was returned and made right, and a very very slightly uneven nut channel in another (not enough to care).

This body here, it's just a perfectly straight line and not the end of the world or anything. We're talking about an 8 or 9 out of 10, if it were a MIM strat I'd consider it standard. I sent them an email, maybe they'll exchange and I'll snap up a black carved top instead. Or I'll pitch it on ebay.

Failing that, are there no good DIY options to fix this easily?

 

[jay4321]

And I'm not talking about a little bit of waveyness in the finish, it's thinner than a dime and ruler-straight. I wonder if it's where two pieces of wood meet or something.

 

[-CB-]

That sounds like... the finish is showing some expansion, contraction in the wood.  If its ruler straight... does it look like its along the seam of the wood?  Goes along the grain of the wood? 

 

[jay4321]

That sounds like... the finish is showing some expansion, contraction in the wood.  If its ruler straight... does it look like its along the seam of the wood?  Goes along the grain of the wood? 

Can't tell, it's a solid color finish.

 

[tubby.twins]

Problem is I ordered it on 12/2, so eh. Think I might have been too slow, I was waiting on a custom build neck and I didn't really notice it right away.

I haven't had any problems getting Warmoth to repair issues with bodies that I bought a few months prior to discover the issue.  In my case it was because the neck had not arrived yet, so I didn't know something was amiss with the neck pocket until I tried to install the neck.

You've got a 2-year warranty on the finished body, right?  Definitely e-mail or call.  They're responsive and helpful.

 

[ByteFrenzy]

That sounds like... the finish is showing some expansion, contraction in the wood.  If its ruler straight... does it look like its along the seam of the wood?  Goes along the grain of the wood? 

Can't tell, it's a solid color finish.

Parallel to the strings?

 

[jay4321]

Yep.

Which brings me to the next question, is there a way to avoid this in the finishing process (apart from buying a 1-piece)? Is it something that can happen when shipping in cold months? This isn't something I've seen before, much less on something new. I wish you guys could see this in person to tell me whether I'm making too much of it or not.

 

[-CB-]

Get over it, its the nature of the beast - unless you put a THICK as hell finish on the wood.

 

[ByteFrenzy]

Or refinish it...

By the way, I remember an older post from somebody who suddenly had a major ridge show up in an unfinished body. It suddenly appeared and was gone again the next day. He was somewhat worried the multi-part body could have been falling apart, but I didn't hear anything about it later. It just stabilized itself I guess. If that had been a finished body it would have been similar to what you have here, perhaps even more.

 

[Mor Paul]

Or refinish it...

By the way, I remember an older post from somebody who suddenly had a major ridge show up in an unfinished body. It suddenly appeared and was gone again the next day. He was somewhat worried the multi-part body could have been falling apart, but I didn't hear anything about it later. It just stabilized itself I guess. If that had been a finished body it would have been similar to what you have here, perhaps even more.

That would be Jack. Maybe he'll finish up the goldtop tele and the blue jazz bass this year.

 

[LightMeDark]

I have a somewhat related question: I just purchased a finished bass body from Warmoth.  It could be odd reflections, but most of the finished items I've seen in the showcase look like they aren't perfectly smooth (almost orange peelish in a way).  Is there something compatible with Warmoth's finishes that I can topcoat with and buff out, like spraymax 2k?  Obviously I can't tell if I'll need to do so until I receive it, but I'm curious.