Fixing a small chip in a guitar finish

Dan Erlewine demos three of his favorite finish repair tips: super glue drop fills, Frank Ford's razor blade trick and strip-sanding with fingertip pressure.
If you have questions, please contact us through our webpage www.stewmac.com... or visit our Facebook page / stewmac

[@bierce85]

"Hey, I'll reset the neck on your guitar for free if you'll also let me professionally repair these dings on the top for free."

[@noi5emaker]

To where can I ship my guitars? I'll get the box...

[@bassfishingwiththeantichri2921]

Free doesn't include materials, finders fees, tool rental, shop space, shipping & handling, the advertising you received when I mentioned your name, plus Stew & Mac get their cut so we'll just call it an even eleven grand. But remember, you owe me one since I did it for free!

[@OldSilkRoad]

Seein’ as how yer twistin’ my arm...

[@mst646]

"It takes time. If you're too lazy to do it you won't get as good of results." -Dan Erlewine I believe these words can be applied on so many other aspects than "fixing a small chip in a guitar finish" perhaps in life!

[@Iazzaboyce]

What about 'sleeping'?

[@Shredder-KJ]

I wish the guitar tech that mest my guitar up heard this

[@bassfishingwiththeantichri2921]

I was too lazy to fix a chip on my first guitar and thirty years later it matched perfectly with the worn patina. But it did take some time.

[@perlawood8754]

That's one piece of advice worth millions on so many levels right there.

[@Ndlanding]

@@Shredder-KJ I wish you had heard it before spelling in English.

[@johnwriterpoet1783]

Dan you are so good, thank you.

[@1musicsearcher]

Great video. That's a terrific tip, curling the edge of the razor. It acts just like the iron in a plane. Thanks.

[@purplelespaul]

Pure genius. You are a magician!

[@Windowleacquer]

unbelievable. simply amazing.

[@davidbarlow431]

There's something so satisfying about watching a true craftsman at work. So many skills are being lost in today's 'bin and replace' culture.

[@MatthewsPersonal]

Awesome video!

[@Bass.Player]

Super helpful, thanks

[@StevenChisham]

That looks so much like my guitar that i just sold. Down to the cracked neck I bought it at a pawn shop.

[@Bartbrn]

Off the subject, but you're looking great -- have you lost weight, or entered a second childhood? Keep these tips coming, they're the best!

[@0713mas]

Very cool!

[@Guitar387]

I though that using fine sandpaper would ruin the finish outside the chip. But he buffed it right out.

[@jerrygirardi]

"turn that little burr"? I don't understand that part. Is that to sharpen the blade or dull it?

[@flashg5454]

Hello wonder if you can answer a questions please. I have a Nuno Wasburn with locking tremelo. Nice guitar, but keeps going out of tune. So frustrated that I locked in the tremelo with wood last week, but keeps going out of tune. I do hear a slight ping on the high E and B I believe. It has a metal nut so, not sure what to do in this situation. i.e., if a slight filing might help or sand paper. Usually, I just wing the repair, but I bet its something simple so wanted to check with expert first before messing it up, The tuners are tight so is the nut screws. bridge is pretty much locked, neck looks straight but I hear that pinging, I put some tape in the groove but ping alive and well. Any help/suggestions would be helpful. I wish it was bone I have fixed those before. Thanks Steven

[@luisvillar1313]

This trick will also work on the ding on your dining table

[@19501960]

top man

[@necrojoe]

Never mind...I heard you wrong. Thought you said 20k. :) for those curious, I found packs of pads with up to 12,000 at my local Woodcraft store.

[@Tyler-kh6gp]

Why not use wood glue?

[@legesupra4275]

why is this like a documentary?

[@basicanton]

Colortone liquid stains ok... but does someone think chinese ink would do it ? great video here... !!!

[@edgarlee2802]

You say it was years before you knew about soaking the sandpaper for twenty-four hours (3:21). You make a video less than five minutes long and now I know it as well (that and a lot more!). That's the beauty of KZbin! Thank you.

[@miaouew]

Just goes to show you the value of a master craftsman before the age of the internet. The world is so different now that anyone can instantaneously consult with the best and brightest minds in the whole world with the click of a button.

[@tommypetraglia4688]

@@miaouew Just goes to show wisdom comes with age but wisdom not shared is no wisdom at all and wisdom unheeded by the youth in the end is the same effect In ancient China elders wore straw hats so when the breeze blew through it spread their wisdom over the village

[@ljones2087]

a book with the same info is equally useful when transferring and applying knowledge.

[@Allie-w1l]

@@miaouew True, but you have to compare and evaluate, because there is also a lot of bad advice and misinformation online. I'm glad to have found this channel. I haven't seen anyone else mention soaking the sand-paper, even though I specifically looked for people who were wet sanding.

[@RamblinAround]

Dan is a true master craftsman.

[@jewish_misteak3880]

Thanks, the kid next door threw a lego person at my guitar.

[@TheHollowBodiesBand]

Thisstatementisfalse "a lego person" hahahhaha

[@joensab]

My kids' have Lego pieces that are 'people' types...i.e. a worker, a Dr. etc. what's the haha about?

[@grisok]

I guess it's only fair that you throw your guitar at the kid ;D

[@Targoon_Music]

+Joe Heasley it's called minifigures

[@sweetswing1]

How do you think it got the chip?

[@wyattsdad8561]

I just tried this last night and I did everything he said to do and it really works. I'm so happy with my guitar now!

[@mermaidfeetxoxo_music]

Do you have any advice or tips from your experience?

[@marioguti9887]

@@mermaidfeetxoxo_music I guess not...

[@AedanBlackheart]

​@@marioguti9887lmao

[@soupalex]

Holy carp. I'm not entirely convinced that Dan didn't actually just switch out with a brand new guitar at some point... the transformation is just amazing!

[@JJLipton]

+soupalex You can't see the dent at all when he's done! I want to try this with my guitars!

[@robertpurdy4452]

He is the best! I love learning from Dan.

[@rjlchristie]

Actually, he didn't give viewers a decent close look at the end result at all. The final result was all presented very quickly and hurried past. I found that the failure to allow closer examination distracted from the validity of the video.

[@bryanharrison3889]

I've been doing these types of repairs for about 20 years, and they pretty much dissappear, but it also depends on the finish and the wood. Also, really deep dings, the super glu shrinks down over time a little and leaves a divet. It's still better than a ding and to somebody just looking at the guitar, they never notice it, even the more obvious ones and they're invisible on stage.

[@bryanharrison3889]

The best part, is if it does shrink a little, you can simply repeat the process, and the second time around it usually doesn't shrink enough to notice.

[@MaineVid]

You're one of the coolest cats. So many guys don't share their Professional tips, but for the guy like myself, to far to be a customer, too poor to hire the work out, but willing to invest the time into the artistry, you're just invaluable. Even, beyond that you give credit and respect to the guys you've picked up tips and techniques from. In doing so, you unknowing communicate that these techniques belong to craftsman / student, but should be carried forward in a tradition. In turn, I look for every opportunity to support guys like you when I'm looking for parts and such. Thank you so much!

[@digidgetnation]

THAT WAS AWESOME, DUDE!!! I'm not easily impressed, but you blew my mind! More power to you!!!

[@MarkMaysey]

digidgetnation His process and finished results blew my mind as well.

[@digidgetnation]

Mark Maysey What a cool dude! I don't understand how he could be certain he got the right shade of color. I mean, it wasn't off even a little!

[@NoyzyBoyZ3]

digidgetnation He has the experience of a lifetime of knowledge,and I'm blown away every time I see him.

[@digidgetnation]

NoyzyBoyZ3 I wish he would teach us how to match colors as exactly as he did!

[@NoyzyBoyZ3]

You witnessed a Master in action! I don't think that is something that can be taught,just years of experience.

[@RobCabreraCh]

It's insane how that super fine sandpaper made the guitar look so shiny! I once tried to sand a little chip on my guitar to get it to smooth out, I ended up making it way bigger, and really scuffing the area around the chip. Now I know that what I need to do is keep going with higher grit sandpaper!

[@JPMonstie]

I realise it’s 11 years later, but huge thanks for these excellent, no-nonsense, straight to the point ‘How to’ videos Stew Mac!

[@tylermitchell2799]

When he started I totally thought he messed that guitar up; four minutes later I was proved wrong. Great work!

[@blingrunawey4117]

Yeah, same here.

[@blingrunawey4117]

Yeah, same here.

[@RickGuitarist94]

Not gonna lie I about starting biting my thumb nail when I saw the initial sanding after the glue. lol

[@Elimnio]

I saw a lot of his videos, so I initially knew that it would be really good in the end, althought it really didn't look like it

[@Allie-w1l]

Me too. I had no faith and the more he sanded or scraped, the more I cringed. Then it turned out beautiful.

[@PunkPino]

will this work on a guitar with a nitrocellulose lacquer finish?

[@MrTambourineMan93]

It's like having a grandpa that doesn't molest you and actually teaches you things.

[@qqkk5581]

When wet sanding finishes that are not water friendly (lacquer, shellac or water base finishes) don't use water. Use turpentine, mineral spirits, kerosene or in some cases you can use paraffin oil or baby oil. It will sand without any corning or clogging - it's much safer on the finish. Also make sure you read the back of the paper and understand the difference between "P" grade (metric) or standard (CAMI). P1500 grit (metric) is equivalent to 800 grit standard (US CAMI), so don't mix your papers otherwise you could be sanding from fine to coarse.

[@gjw45]

qq kk Thank you for that tip, I never knew that. I thought something was different when watching American vids. Honestly, that's probably the best tip I've learnt from youtube.

[@OverlandOne]

Well, kerosene is EXACTLY the same thing as paraffin oil and it is not refined very well and it is very gritty with impurities and will destroy your guitar's finish. Baby oil is no good either because it is just mineral oil with some scent chemicals added. (No telling what those will do to the finish) Water is inert and will not damage the finish as long as you do not leave it sitting on there for weeks at a time. IF you are really all that concerned, use distilled water which will have no minerals in it at all but, since you are using these other damaging chemicals already, I don't think you will care. I hope no one here follows your "advice" to use damaging solvents on their nice guitar's finish.

[@OverlandOne]

@@gjw45 It was terrible advice. Do NOT do it.

[@gjw45]

@@OverlandOne Thanks buddy

[@danallured5806]

If you use turps or spirits on lacquer it will soften the lacquer and rip it, the only thing to use IS water with perhaps a little dish soap for lubrication, you should never put any sort of solvents onto a paint finish of any sort..

[@spanky10940]

this guy is great! I ordered his book "how to make your electric guitar play great!" and it was personally signed by Dan. Awesome info and saved me a LOT of money learning how to do my own setups and repairs correctly. thanks Dan. I'll be a customer for life.

[@MickLBrad]

Excellent! This 70 year old dog just learned a new trick! Thanks for sharing your video.

[@silencionomus]

Very few videos on youtube leave me with a warm and fuzzy feeling. This was very enjoyable to watch.

[@stewmac]

Thank you!

[@XimenaZhaoArchive]

He's so adorable. I want to watch all of his videos and learn good techniques.

[@SD-yb5fx]

Why not make sure that you are truly saved by Jesus Christ and practice this way. Remorsefully confess with your heart your sins to Jesus Christ who is God and tell Him that you right now are repenting of your sins and you want to be born again of the Spirit from above. Tell Jesus that you are remorsefully sorry for breaking His commandments and that you are begging for forgiveness from Him. Allow His blood from the cross to wash away your sins. After this is done with your heart successfully the Holy Spirit will come to live within you and He will rebuild you from the inside out. Look for signs that you are saved. Things like spreading the good news from Jesus, getting other people saved, a craving for the word of God, reading the Bible, etc… These things are known as a calling and fruit bearing. If you're not bearing fruit then keep doing it. Sometimes it takes time to get saved. Read Matthew chapter 13 from the King James Bible. God bless!!

[@philipbeasley72]

And if you dont have 5000 grit and 8000 grit sandpaper you can use up to 1200 or 1800 grit or 2000 then use some (car compounds) like to a 4,3,2,1,and then a wax.

[@grossi6330]

They don't make them like Dan anymore. Awesome stuff. I could watch him work all day.

[@billymac72]

What is the "polyester" he's talking about? He starts with the acetone & stain and says it "ran into the surrounding polyester." Is he filling the chip with polyester first? If so, what is this fill called? Very confused by this and want to do this right.

[@scuffed2597]

Dropped my leatherman off my desk and it hit the neck of my acoustic.. will attempt to fix once I acquire the tools this coming week!

[@jameslouder]

Fifty years a woodworker, forty-five an instrument maker and there's always something new to learn. I could have gone to my grave without knowing this business of soaking your wet-and-dry paper--yet if I had all the money back I spent on that stuff over the years, I'd be a lot more comfortable when and if I ever retire!

[@kskid99]

We need more ads on youtube like this

[@faronfonze9316]

That's a good ad Haha this video is what I've been looking for 👌

[@Voxboy876]

I used to buy the video tapes way back when. This guy is legend.

[@RealChrisLangan]

That method looks promising for flat surfaces, but I don't see how it could work on the curved back of a guitar neck, which is where a ding affects the playability of the guitar. The razor blade and block-sanding steps are completely out of the question.

[@stewmac]

It works! All these techniques take time and practice to master for all situations. Thanks for you comment!

[@bobfoglesong3079]

Fantastic tutorial. I just took a nice dent out of a bear up Epi G400 I picked up for cheap. Remarkably good result on my first attempt.

[@stewmac]

So glad to hear it!

[@TheFloridaPappy]

I wish you would have shown a good final up close shot of the repair.

[@necrojoe]

Great video. I'm just waiting for the super glue to dry. :) QUESTION: where did you get 20,000 micro mesh? I can only find up to 12,000.

[@Gern5838]

Does anyone know why he uses acetone instead of just applying touch-up paint and Superglue? Thanks in advance.

[@EliBleu]

thins out the paint just enough to get a more fluid coverage .. it runs better into the crevices

[@Rectitude4U]

Can't tell you how much I appreciate your videos. Thank you!!!

[@cheyne15]

Thanks so much for sharing this, wish I'd known these tricks back in my guitar-teching days :-( And who the hell are the 6 people who down voted? Are you nuts? Oh yeah, and I used to buy all my stuff from Stewart Macdonald too...

[@LooseSnake348]

I've been watching these videos for days now, not even needing repairs, but I am amazed how skilled Dan is.

[@MrRoach-yo3mz]

this razor blade trick has been around since Henry Ford's days in the body and paint dept....again, a place where car and guitar tools mesh.

[@robashley7721]

Mr. Roach another really cool trick is fresh cut glass 👍🏼

[@OverlandOne]

How about bullet holes? Can they be fixed easily as well?

[@GrimYak]

This is the same as doing it in a car. Been using this to get rid of car paint chips.

[@SpedSpedding]

People who take that much pride in their work. 🖤👌🏻

[@okflyer777]

Nice job and very good tips. One thing I've learned doing resto work on antique pinball machines: try wet sanding using naptha instead of water. The naptha works VERY nicely with the wet-sanding paper. Zero clogs, no problems & with swelling interaction with wood at all. Thanks - I'm subscribed now!

[@NavidAhsan203]

What kind of super glue should I use?

[@stevespokaneguitar35]

Thanks Dan! Excellent, descriptive video. I was wondering how to fix a chip in the finish.

[@stevespokaneguitar35]

And I might add it took just 2 days and the chip (which was about 3/4 of a dime in diameter has now disappeared entirely. Buffed it down with your fine polish and then some scratch remover. The shine matches the rest of my Taylor 510. I only wish I took the time for a before and after photo. The results are impressive!

[@stewmac]

So glad to hear it!

[@baumansound]

I just dinged a guitar of mine, and I have none of the tools from this video (nor the space or the craftmanship), but it gave me hope that it can be fixed! hahahaha You can't even tell there was a ding on that guitar! Pretty amazing work!

[@SpaceFox93]

I had no idea cosmetic wear on polyurethane could be repaired. If only I could send in my guitar for you to fix.

[@timothyoo7]

I dont do much work on guitars but I love your videos because you have lots of cool tricks that can be applied to all kinds of woodworking and or repairs.

[@homemovies751]

I have a '69 Gibson ES335 that I bought 50 years ago with multiple belt buckle scratches on the back. These are linear scratches of 3-4mm and it appears like accordion-like folding of just the finish perpendicular to the scratch and they are all are raised to the touch. Will a lacquer retarder work to "melt" the finish accordion back down to the wood (which does not appear damaged at all) and then I can sand and buff to the finish as you demonstrate?

[@RangerSteeve]

Great video. I used 3M wet/dry 800, 1000, 2000 and 3000 grit then polished out with Maguire's rubbing compound and got outstanding results. I'd advise to use a low raking light to help you see when you've completely flattened out the lump of CA glue. It made my heart sink every time I saw the ding on my Steve Patience fatboy, now I am happy again!

[@autocrow]

Sweet! You can't even see it. I just put a tiny amount of paint on it, just where it's bare, or dab it with a sharpie (on black) so it doesn't catch your eye. Might be tough with a color besides black, but I suspect you could fix that too. I'd love to see how you would match the color of something like vintage blond or a sunburst! I think I'd make it worse if I tried your method. That looks really hard and would require experience and all of those items (which I do not have on hand) and tons of patience!

[@Xminor79]

Great tips. I just wish it worked that well with a clear gloss finish on a spruce top!

[@ianperge7331]

A Moment with The Master! I put a ding in the Poly of a PRS SE Singlecut not *30 minutes* after it arrived at my door (f*cking cats tangling up my feet and sent it into the corner of our glass coffee table... :-/ ) and while it will likely still be visible after the repair, it won't be the blemish on the face that it currently is now. I also have a Mike Lull Bass that has one down to the wood that was there when I purchased it used. Because there are other issues the Bass needs fixed to be 100%, I won't even attempt to try it myself: it's getting mailed "home"' to the Pacific Northwest... Absolute Master Craftspeople like Dan Erlewine are Mike Lull are Modern American Treasures👍

[@luciocrispino4034]

Wow! Very impressive, Dan. Thanks for the lesson, too. :-)

[@chrischaf]

What is the black (foam) sanding block? It looks so perfect for the job, but since I don't know what it's called, I can't search for it :\ I've watched this video SOOoooo many times, trying to work up the guts to actually work on a guitar body I bought a year or so ago, and I finally started working on it, but really want to find something like one of those blocks to finish it with. (actually kind of messed up one time already, and had to build back up to try again)

[@maxmeier2575]

He sounds like the white Morgan Freeman. Thanks Dan for sharing your wisdom.

[@BrianFedirko]

I've tried about 20 different razor blade manufacture... and by far the best/sharpest is the STANLEY. If you only buy a couple, they're extremely expensive, but if you look on Amazon for 100 count packages, you'll find them around $10. I highly recommend them. when we cut audio tape in the studio, we use a new blade for every cut... and these are by far the sharpest.. (and if you use them after that, they last about the longest before they become waste)

[@newportmike8519]

Hmm, crazy glue, razor blades and sand paper to my $6000 custom Suhr.Definitely NOT for me. I'm sure he is capable but even watching him on my guitar would make me nervous.

[@michael_caz_nyc]

Mr. Dan is a True Master. I Love learning from him. Bought 2 of his Guitar Repair & Maintenance books. Highly recommend.

[@hiccoughs849]

Help! A few years ago my mum and dad (I’m 12) bought me a squire jazzmaster and I don’t know why but a few days ago I decided to be like thurston Moore and drum on the guitar to get feedback. Now I have loads of cracks in the finish. I don’t mind about it but if my parents find out they will go ballistic. What should I do that is simple, quick and easy?

[@145inA]

I did this on a gnarly ukulele chip today and had amazing results! It’s like nothing was ever there! Thanks, Dan.

[@jamiewilson6900]

Stupid question but when he switched to block sanding,is it spreading the correct colour from sanding a bit over the affected area? It looked quite a way off before but when he switches to that I can't think of anything but the dust/sanding particles of the unaffected areas blending in 😅

[@WilliamFargason]

Followed these steps using Stew Mac super glue and that glue ended up cracking the wood on my fretboard in three places and the glue on the neck didn't sand out completely. I'd say proceed with caution.

[@soupbonep]

This guy gives so much great information. I love the extra tips like soaking the sandpaper overnight and the double sided tape to attatch the sandpaper to the block! Thanks Dan! And the finished chip looks amazing too...

[@AV-cx7ob]

Dan is the man. Awesome.

[@robphillips8351]

1,000 thank you's for your knowledge and ability to put confidence in chicken's like me.. used to be afraid to do fretwork but not anymore thanks to you guys and Philip McKnight

[@markjackson3746]

What an amazing video, I appreciate each and every one of them. Very concise and perfectly done, I agree take the time to build the tools of the trade. Enjoyed the strip sanding, the filling acetone liquid color stain, and of course the superglue.

[@123spleege]

Great vid.....you know it is time to commit to boycotting ANY product advertised proceeding or during videos on KZbin. You might be looking at something that is sensitive or means something and be blasted with some haphazardly placed pathetic crap product typically making consumers look like complete morons. Don’t buy or subscribe to these bullshit products.

[@truthray2885]

Do you have a video about eliminating haze from a guitar finish at typical contact points with the body? Neck block area, upper side of the guitar (in playing position), back? Seems like these com from moisture from handling.

[@AlexCBrandon]

Why would you strike a razor blade along a piece of cast iron? Wouldn’t the razor blade already be good to add tape to and use for scraping? I realize burs happen when you sharpen a blade and they need knocking off but why create a new one?

[@albertshilton5336]

Great video. I need to fix a cigar humidor. Does anyone sell a set sandpaper of progressive grits. Say from 320 to 8000? Also where do get the foam block material?

[@jcwdesigns82]

This is really helpful. Is there a size limit for fixing chips this way? I dropped my Schecter Hellraiser a few years ago and have two or three 2 inch chips out of the edges on the back. Would this work with it?

[@jerryjin3427]

A special case here. My guitar has a dent at the edge of the soundhole which I believe came from the factory before they applied the finish. Logically, if I drop fill it with superglue, the fixed part will be transparent which I can see through. Having a small transparent thing at the edge of the soundhole would be weird, right? So, are there any alternative plans that you would recommend? Because right now I am not sure how the method of “homemade” putty of mixing wood dust and glue would last on the poly factory coat?

[@radmin2]

What would a repair like that cost to have done? After buying acetone, dye, glue, blades, tape, 400 to 8000 paper and rubbing compound I would think it's got to be close. Thanks for making this btw.

[@Randy-ul5hy]

Does anyone know if you mix the dye/coloring into the superglue at the same time...or wait until the dye/coloring is dry on the repair and then apply the clear glue over that? Thanks!

[@MindFullCheeseburger]

THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!!! damn i think i really like guitar luthier stuff

[@jaythehorsehunter]

Will this work on a gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish? I got a chip in the neck of my 2021 SG standard that I just bought and I am a little annoyed at myself for allowing it to happen.

[@LPCustom3]

What do you use for Nitro-lacquer? Every time I tried Super glue with nitro it doesn’t work right... it seems as though the lacquer burns some...

[@sunilcunningham3080]

Fabulous techniques, you don't get that from faffing around. Makes other Guitar channels look brutal in comparison.

[@AedanBlackheart]

Don't have acitone and didn't use a stain. Fill it with super glue, dry. Do the razor blade. Spray paint in a cup and dab it on with a roller. Sand with 1000 grit plus and surrounding area smooth to blend then clear coat to protect.

[@brunolamarche100]

Mr Erlewine: once super glue has been scraped with razor blade, BEFORE i start sanding: how about I put paint tape around the chip? just to make sure I do not sandpaper a larger portion than necessary?

[@yorstkiddeen9365]

The physical techniques are worth watching for, but black is pretty easy. What about a natural top? Dings like that turn white. How do you match that color? Thanks.

[@cantonlittle1609]

Great video, but I have a question. After you apply the accetone and dye how long do you wait to apply the super glue. Do you wait for the accetone to evaporate. Or do you put the super glue over the wet accetone dye mixture?

[@edh1293]

Nice vid instruction for fixing chips in a solid colored guitar. However how well would this work on a sunburst colored guitar? Especially when the chip is on the border of the graduation of light to dark. I would like to see a vid fixing a chip on a burst colored guitar.