Embarrasing screw-up

[monchavo]

Chaps,

I bought a body some time back in my favourite Candy Apple Green. I set about buying the remainder of the items. One evening, somewhat distracted and listless I thought - I'm behind schedule, let me get some simple jobs done. I drilled the straplock hole in the top horn. As soon as I pulled the drill out I knew I had made a terrible mistake - the hole is about 2-3mm off where it should be - and at the wrong angle.

I now have a few options - I could leave it as a testament to my idiocy or I could fix it. I don't want to create a tarbaby though.

Fill and redrill - sure, it's an option, but I'll be left with an ugly former hole. How to hide? Touch up? Almost impossible - Candy Apple Green is no easy feat. Large felt washer? Aha, possibly an option that won't look too shit.

Also - everyone seems to have different ideas as to what to fill the hole with. Given part of the filled hole will be redrilled when I do my new hole.... I am also a bit apprehensive about that.

Epoxy
Glued together toothpicks
An exceedingly slender dowel*
Sawdust mixed with glue
etc

Your wisdom is sought on both technique and options to disguise

thanks

monchavo

(*) Miley Cyrus?

 

[dmraco]

Dude...I would rather live with a slightly off center strap holder than an ugly hole.  You have two options.

To fix the angle, I would fill with a dowel and glue then re drill.  I have used toothpicks but a dowel will be ideal is you have access.  I usually keep a small one on hand for such issues. 

If you really want to "move" the location, filling and a nice washer under the strap holder may cover your mistake.  The trick with be bending it to the curve of your horn...which can be done.  How big the washer depends and where you want the new hole to be.  Honestly it does not look too far off from the photo you posted.

 

[mrpinter]

When I enlarged your photo I saw what look like cracks in that nice finish that must have come from drilling the strap hole. I would just use that hole to avoid the possibility of making more cracks or chips in the finish. Or if you do insist on moving the hole or filling and re-drilling it I would suggest taking it to a pro like a guitar tech to do it.

 

[dmraco]

Oh..I did not see the cracks.  Wow.  I have only seen that kind of spider cracks on nitro.  You may have bought yourself a costly repair if you want to fix the finish.  Did you torque the bit trying to fix the angle?

I have patched issue like that before with CA glue and some patience but you may need a pro.

 

[Cagey]

Looks more like a bad angle than a bad location. I'd open it up enough to glue a dowel in there, then re-drill it properly. Even if you move it a smidgen to closer to center, it shouldn't leave any evidence once covered up with a felt washer and peg.

 

[mayfly]

There is a bit of Native folklore that says that if you have a perfect object, you'll obsess about it to the point where you spend all your time worrying about it.  In essence, the object 'captures your soul'.  To avoid this, the folklore says that you need to make a tiny imperfection in the object to 'let your soul escape'.  That is, it relieves your obsession about keeping the object perfect and allows you to use and enjoy it properly without worry.

I think you've achieved this with your off-centre hole.  I'd dowel and re-drill in the same spot and not worry about the offset.

 

[fdesalvo]

Awesome post MF

 

[Nimrod]

Awesome post MF

Yep. Love it!

 

[monchavo]

I am at peace.

The hole is completely functional. It does not conform with normal strap button placement.
It is an error - if taken in context of normal hole placement.

I will leave it where it is as a reminder of my haste

I appreciate your input.

Namaste

 

[Surf n Music]

Great story Mayfly. Loved it brotha.

 

[vikingred]

There is a bit of Native folklore that says that if you have a perfect object, you'll obsess about it to the point where you spend all your time worrying about it.  In essence, the object 'captures your soul'.  To avoid this, the folklore says that you need to make a tiny imperfection in the object to 'let your soul escape'.  That is, it relieves your obsession about keeping the object perfect and allows you to use and enjoy it properly without worry.

I think you've achieved this with your off-centre hole.  I'd dowel and re-drill in the same spot and not worry about the offset.

Dude.  This is genius wisdom.  Thank you.

 

[Strat Avenger]

On my Strat build, I made one mistake. Everything else turned out perfect. I won't say what it is, but it was a bonehead screw-up and could have easily been avoided (I don't know what I was thinking). 99 out of 100 people would never notice it, but I know it's there and it bothers me if I think about it.

My Soloist build came out virtually perfect...until a friend of mine put a tiny scratch on the face of the headstock. No one would notice it but I know it's there and it bums me out.

Neither of these flaws affect tone or playability....but I know they're there.
:sad:

 

[Cederick]

That's not so bad  :icon_thumright:

This comes from somebody whose favorite main guitar (a self-finished Warmoth Soloist) looks like this after some epic soldering sessions:

(yeah, I actually used the body for clearing off lead rests on the soldering iron, because I didn't have anything else around... :toothy12: )

 

[Gemcutter]

In the world of gem cutting, there's really no such thing as perfect. The idea is to work to minimize and blend the imperfections to form an overall great-looking gem. When I was learning to work gold on the bench, the most valuable lesson was - stop. You can always pry, primp, and poke in search of perfection (that cannot and will not come), but you must, at some point, say - enough!

IMO, you are wise to decide what imperfection you're comfortable living with.

 

[Strat Avenger]

That's not so bad  :icon_thumright:

This comes from somebody whose favorite main guitar (a self-finished Warmoth Soloist) looks like this after some epic soldering sessions:

(yeah, I actually used the body for clearing off lead rests on the soldering iron, because I didn't have anything else around... :toothy12: )

Why'd you do that?  :icon_scratch:

 

[Cederick]

Cos I can  :cool01: the front doesn't look much better either.

It doesn't affect the playability anyway  :icon_thumright:

I guess I'm of the Van Halen school of guitar modding; as long as it plays great it can look as shitty as it wants. hehe!