Need help with damaged finish

[glassvalve]

This topic is about a Charvel guitar,not a Warmoth,but I hope I'm excused for posting in this forum.Here seems to be a lot of knowledge so I thought I'd give it a chance.

I bought this guitar brand new off eBay from a dealer in the US (I'm in Sweden),but when it arrived I noticed an area behind the bridge where the finish is totally matte.It's about 2 inches in diameter and it looks like it's been done with steel wool or fine sandpaper.The damage doesn't appear to go very deep down in the finish.I've enclosed a couple of pictures taken with my digital camera so you can see for yourselves.Does anyone have a good idea how to restore the gloss in the finish?

 

[dbw]

Strange!  I'd see if the eBay seller knows anything about it, but regardless, you should be able to just buff that out.

 

[-CB-]

Define brand new, as something never owned by a consumer.. sure, it might be brand new.
Define brand new as "unblemished" and its not.

You can clearly see the ding in the middle of the area thats been sanded - probably to reduce the effect of the ding.

Just buff it out with automotive finish "white compound" on a clean soft cloth.  Go slow, dont press too hard and let the compound do the work.  You might want to go over that with some auto polish (which has very fine abrasive in it) and that should do it.

There's a slight chance that they left some deeper sanding scratches that cant be seen in the pictures.  If thats the case they wont buff out very easily.  You might choose to leave them alone, or to wet sand again with some very fine paper...1500 grit or 2000 grit.  If you do that.. let the paper soak for an hour or so in water to really soften it up, before sanding.

My guess is - you'll have 99percent of it buffed out, and a few small scratches still there, plus the remnants of that ding. 

 

[dbw]

Wow, good eye CB.  I did not spot the ding.  Was it sold "as is" or as "new"?  Did the ad mention anything?

 

[glassvalve]

dbw and =CB=,

thanks a lot for your advice!The guitar was sold as "BRAND NEW in the box!MINT condition!".I'm having an email conversation with the seller and he seems sorry about the situation.Since I live in Sweden it would be very expensive to have the guitar shipped back to the US for a repair and then back to me again,so if I can get the problem fixed locally he will compensate me for my expenses.

=CB=,can you give a little more info about the "white compound",please?Brand name,what to look for in the description on the package etc.?

 

[dbw]

Oh, great... in that case, take it to a luthier and ask them to buff out that spot, and send the seller the bill!  :guitaristgif:

 

[blue313]

Oh, great... in that case, take it to a luthier and ask them to buff out that spot, and send the seller the bill!   :guitaristgif:

Huge +1!!!  Mint condition? New In Box?  Or you can try to buff it out yourself for the experience...and then have it done professionally.

Not sure what CB uses, but I use Turtle Wax white polishing compound which should be available at any auto parts store.

 

[Mor Paul]

Didn't Tonar just recommend a polishing compound?
Was it Finesse or something? I don't remember. I'm working on some school stuff, but I may be able to check later.

Oh, and I think CB uses Turtle Wax fine polishing compound as well; he told me to use it in some finishing instructions.

 

[-CB-]

Not sure what CB uses, but I use Turtle Wax white polishing compound which should be available at any auto parts store.

I use the white Turtlewax compound that comes in the black squeeze bottle.  I've been known to use Mother's _paint_ compound (not chrome, not aluminum, etc...).  The white ones are the finest.  After that there are swirl removers and such, but good old autowax (Turtlewax !) has very fine abrasive, and a few applications there gets it as it needs to be.

 

[glassvalve]

Problem solved!Thanks a lot to everyone who helped me!

The importer of Turtle Wax products doesn't import the polishing compound in the black bottle so I had to use the one in the green can,but it did the job quite well.After the compound I used regular Turtle Wax which was recommended by my friend in the local music store.I used special polishing towels for the work,and I replaced them often.I didn't apply a lot off pressure,as recommended by =CB=.

And =CB=,your prognosis was dead on.I managed to get the shine back,only the ding and a few scratches remain.They don't bother me much though so I'm very happy with the result.

I enclose a few new pictures so you can see the difference for yourselves.Thanks,guys!!

 

[ByteFrenzy]

Anybody ever try the paste which they sell for reparing scratches in mobile phone displays? I used it on a mobile phone display once (really!) and it seemed quite abrasive but finished to a nice shiny finish. I think it would work on a paint finish but did not get round to testing it yet.

 

[-CB-]

I'd just leave the ding alone... scratches too.  Its not unsightly... and once you start playing it... and get some "mojo-marks" it'll just be another story to tell... and a good one too!