# I Dinged My Guitar



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

*EDIT - I'm looking for suggestions on how to repair this damage, not whether or not to keep it. If it's not repair advice, please don't post. Thanks.*

Sigh... after all these years, I've finally run outta luck and dinged a guitar.

Annoyingly, I was measuring the nuts on 4 guitars to replace, few were old cheap guitars with plastic nuts, dented and dinged and scratched up... but of course, my LP copy goes onto my bench, still has the protective plastic film on the pickups and pickguard, and the desk lamp clamp popped apart and the light landed on the guitar.

Debating how to fix the minor ding. The Agile AL-2000 has a poly finish. If I try to steam the dent partially out, would that damage/discolour the poly? Given how it looks, do I even bother? Maybe I should put a drop of superglue into the dent every few hours until it builds up and sand it down? Stewmac has a decent chip repair video about that.

Here's a pic... what would you guys do? Luckily not big and chip is in there, no 'shatter' or 'spiderweb' effect in the finish just a solid intact piece.


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## Silvertone (Oct 13, 2018)

Drop fill with CA glue. It should be an invisible fix.

Cheers Peter.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

been there, terrible feeling. vibes and good mojo sent. stay strong


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Leave it.


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## SaucyJack (Mar 8, 2017)

Needs more dings.


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## Guest (Dec 28, 2018)

every guitar has it's war wounds.
mojo, don'cha know?


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

Maybe this will ease your mind.


























And that's not even half of them.


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## Delores Streisand (Nov 4, 2018)

Assuming the OP is a work of parody, I applaud you. Well done, sir!


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

Pete Tounsend from The Who would be proud.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Seriously though, leave it.


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Oh, no... I can't leave it. My OCD won't let me. 

Seriously, if I buy something in mint condition, it stays in mint condition. That's why I like buying stuff that's pre-damaged... then I can relax a little. 

Luckily, I don't own anything very expensive (I guess lucky is the word) else I'd really be annoyed. Though, every year at this time, I take some of my freelance money and unused vacay pay and buy myself something. This year a 55" LED TV... decided next year, USA Strat... that thing will be played often and pampered like a baby. On a side note, was looking at the reissues and with skunk-stripes, they seem to be all maple fretboards not rosewood... what's up with that?

I'll give the superglue a shot and see how it goes.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

I once read you could try just a drop of water to try to make the wood inflate.

But, you see I "collected" a few dings over the years on my beloved Taylor 510 I had bought brand new. Like a first scratch on a brand new car, I felt terribly ashamed when I lightly knocked the guitar on the stand so causing the very first ding. I also knew she then lost some hundred dollars in value... But, I stopped thinking about it since this first quality guitar of mine, a dream that had become reality, was not deemed to be sold anyway. And I read so many comments about how these dings appearing every once and then testify how much you used to play that guitar. And then I began to buy used "player" quality guitars and even came to work and fine tune them by myself, sometimes incidentally adding dings...

So, I do agree with most others here : keep it as is !
"Oh ! She's so cute !" ;-)


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## Guest (Dec 28, 2018)

THRobinson said:


> Maybe I should put a drop of superglue into the dent every few hours until it builds up and sand it down?


Once you sand, it'll be tough to match the shine or dullness of the surrounding area.
Then you may have to do the whole top to be consistent.
A lot of work for a small dent.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

In my best Australian accent: "That's not a bump. That's a beauty maaak."

Leave it, like a wrinkle it's a sign of experience and maturity.


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

mawmow said:


> So, I do agree with most others here : keep it as is !
> "Oh ! She's so cute !" ;-)


Nope... she's ugly and being put up for adoption. 

When the new TusqXL nut comes I'll do the whole guitar. Replacing the nut, as well as the stock Agile pickups with a P90 neck and Dimarzio Super-Distortion bridge pickup, and Bourns pots. Figure I'll start the glue now, and when the nut comes, and I have it apart I can attack the sand and polish.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

If it bugs you that much, sell it for an identical one that is in showroom condition.

That would make more sense than trying to fix that.


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Budda said:


> If it bugs you that much, sell it for an identical one that is in showroom condition.
> 
> That would make more sense than trying to fix that.


So, sell it at a loss and buy another for more money, makes more sense than a few drops of superglue and 20min of spot sanding?


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

try the glue method, I’d like to know how it turns out


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

THRobinson said:


> So, sell it at a loss and buy another for more money, makes more sense than a few drops of superglue and 20min of spot sanding?


The superglue and spot sanding doesnt make sense either. Its barely noticeable. Im sure theres others used in the condition you desire for what yours is worth. Or perhaps there is another finish option you also considered, and now you can test that out.

Im not saying dont be annoyed by the ding. Im saying dont spend more time dwelling on it. That could be 20m of practice or writing.


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## Delores Streisand (Nov 4, 2018)

THRobinson said:


> Seriously, if I buy something in mint condition, it stays in mint condition.


I suggest giving up guitar altogether and start collecting Faberge eggs instead.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Delores Streisand said:


> I suggest giving up guitar altogether and start collecting Faberge eggs instead.


If you’re handy enough, superglue could fix those as well


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Just don't practice or perform as much as Rory Gallagher did. He was dreadfully hard on his instruments ---- and all he got out of it was being one of the best guitar players ever. Hardly worth it, considering all that wear and tear on his poor Strat.










Yea, maybe it was just his sweat. 50,000 hours of it!


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Delores Streisand said:


> I suggest giving up guitar altogether and start collecting Faberge eggs instead.


Some people like to keep things in nice condition... besides, a dinged up beat guitar doesn't mean you play more, or any good at playing, it simply means you're not as careful with it.

That said, the OP was looking for advice regarding repairs, not a debate to keep a ding or not. I was trying to see if this were a case where I'd need to steam it a bit first to remove some of the dent... it's deep but small and not sharp. Also if superglue were the way to go, or perhaps since it's a poly finish, to use poly instead.

The superglue may not be 100% perfect, but should be less noticeable than a dent and I have the very watery thin stuff so should get in there pretty good. I'll post a before after when I'm done.


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## Delores Streisand (Nov 4, 2018)

THRobinson said:


> So, sell it at a loss and buy another for more money, makes more sense than a few drops of superglue and 20min of spot sanding?


But you’ll always know the blemish is there. And that will gnaw at you. Torture you. Cripple your mind with anguish and fear. Sure, it’s a microscopic blemish on a $250 guitar, but still... your mental health isn’t worth taking the risk.

Besides, you could sell it as having been “relic’ed” and maybe even make money off it.

Sorry for poking fun, but yours is not a mindset I can in any way get my head around. I couldn’t tell you how many blemishes are or aren’t on any of my guitars anymore than I could tell you how many blemishes are on the screwdrivers in the toolbox in my garage. I just use them as guitars/screwdrivers. If it was some kind of super-rare museum piece, I could understand it. But an Agile?


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Or... I fix the blemish so well, that I'll always be proud at the job that I did repairing it every time I play it.

Such a glass is half empty crowd... 

Also, for a repair/mod section in a forum... there's a lot of anti-repair posts.


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## JonnyD (Sep 20, 2016)

The super glue trick works well but after about 3 months that nice clear super glue turns cloudy. Even after wet sanding, the glue will always turn cloudy.


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

So... should I maybe use poly instead? very thinly and many layers?


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## Chitmo (Sep 2, 2013)

THRobinson said:


> Oh, no... I can't leave it. My OCD won't let me.
> 
> Seriously, if I buy something in mint condition, it stays in mint condition. That's why I like buying stuff that's pre-damaged... then I can relax a little.
> 
> ...


Put a few more dings in it, you'll get over it. Guitars are tools, they get damaged over time as they get used. As Mr. @Budda says, leave it! Seriously! Or option B, in the future perhaps by pre-dinged guitars to avoid the anxiety. or option 3, smoke a joint and forget about it. It's a thing now if you havent heard


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Well... already mentioned I have the pre-dinged ones for that reason. 

Also... joints have no affect on me. Seriously. Soon as it was legal I figured hey, why not give it a try. Smoked 3 big ones and absolutely nothing. Not even dizzy. Lungs hurt because I'm not used to the smoke (I smoke a pipe but you don't smoke those the same as a cigarette). Very disappointing. Still have some left over at home, probably just gonna toss it out.


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## JonnyD (Sep 20, 2016)

Not sure what to use for a glue type filler. From my model car days I know that glue dries cloudy, so does super glue, not sure about a poly glue. Even if the glue says “dries clear” it doesn’t. Yeah initially but when it actually dries it’s cloudy.


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## RBlakeney (Mar 12, 2017)

THRobinson said:


> Well... already mentioned I have the pre-dinged ones for that reason.
> 
> Also... joints have no affect on me. Seriously. Soon as it was legal I figured hey, why not give it a try. Smoked 3 big ones and absolutely nothing. Not even dizzy. Lungs hurt because I'm not used to the smoke (I smoke a pipe but you don't smoke those the same as a cigarette). Very disappointing. Still have some left over at home, probably just gonna toss it out.


I think you bought the wrong kind.


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

No idea... was from the gov't site... still, after the 3rd, something shoulda happened I'd have thought... apart from lungs feeling bad. 

Superglue wise... if goes cloudy I'll avoid that. Poly though, not poly-glue, not sure if that's a thing or not, but rather polyurethane in a can, the water based non-yellowing type. I have some but satin finish for necks. I have some oil based glossy because I needed the yellow tint for a project. So, I'd have to go get the water based glossy poly... but since the guitar is finished in poly, maybe that's the best option?


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## RBlakeney (Mar 12, 2017)

THRobinson said:


> No idea... was from the gov't site... still, after the 3rd, something shoulda happened I'd have thought... apart from lungs feeling bad.
> 
> Superglue wise... if goes cloudy I'll avoid that. Poly though, not poly-glue, not sure if that's a thing or not, but rather polyurethane in a can, the water based non-yellowing type. I have some but satin finish for necks. I have some oil based glossy because I needed the yellow tint for a project. So, I'd have to go get the water based glossy poly... but since the guitar is finished in poly, maybe that's the best option?


Seems like maybe you got the stuff with very little thc. 
Fill er with clear epoxy and be done with it. 

If that doesn't work burn your house down.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)




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## Guest (Dec 28, 2018)

You could also try nail polish?
Late Night DIY: Repairing Minor Dents In Your Guitar


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## JonnyD (Sep 20, 2016)

Yes, nail polish dries clear and stays clear.


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## Ayr Guitars (Oct 24, 2016)

Just going to chime in here..... so, as you drop fill the ding, and you accidentally sand through the colour, what are you going to do then? 

I’d leave it alone. You are bound to do more harm than good.


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Watch the video I posted... sanding through the colour would be a hard thing to do if doing it the way shown in the video.


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

Dave at Dave's World of Fun Stuff (YouTube) uses something called Gluboost for these kinds of things. But it might be a totally different situation. Might be something to check out though.... I have no experience with the product or in which situations it's called for.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Ayr Guitars said:


> I’d leave it alone. You are bound to do more harm than good.


This would get my vote. I have been tempted to write the same comment since the beginning of the thread and I was hoping someone like @Ayr Guitars, with recent knowledge and experience, would do it for me.

I ruined the top of a dining room table trying to repair a scratch.


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## Guest (Dec 28, 2018)

greco said:


> I ruined the top of a dining room table trying to repair a scratch.


Imagine if you were making a guitar?


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## DeeTee (Apr 16, 2018)

laristotle said:


> Imagine if you were making a guitar?
> 
> View attachment 236518


Something about this photo makes my teeth itch.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Leave it like Budda suggested. I almost died when I threw my laptop on my bed and it hit my Parker. I gathered up the paint chips and got my crazy glue out. It works but it’s just a fact of life. My husband wanted to pay to get it fixed but I stood my ground and said NO! My SG has some buckle rash on the backside but it’s a flaw that I can live with. 

Just play and enjoy.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

THRobinson said:


> Some people like to keep things in nice condition... besides, *a dinged up beat guitar doesn't mean you play more, *or any good at playing, it simply means you're not as careful with it.


That has NOT been my experience, at all.

If you play out, around other people, in busy environments (gigs, jams, studio, etc), it's gonna happen. You will not be able to avoid it. Things get busy, drums and amps have sharp projections, stuff gets moved around you, people are excited, impaired, whatever. It's nearly impossible to always be on guard at a jam or gig or other active situation. If you stress over a knock here or there, it will make playing out a lot less enjoyable.

Fretboards and especially frets also wear as you play. This is a natural occurrence. Pickguards (scratchplates) and tops without pickguards get marked through normal playing.

I worry a lot more about putting time into the instrument than keep them in nice condition. YMMV. But good luck to you in restoring the ding, if it's important to you.


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

My one nephew 21yrs old) has an acoustic, very beat up, dinged and now a cracked neck because someone stepped on it. He literally knows only 3 chords. 

Again, if you guys are fine with dings, great... Skip this thread. It's not for you. 

My obsessive need to fix the ding seems to be the same as people's obsessive need to post telling me to leave it. LOL.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

Body shop.


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Harry, the guy with a snake on his face... just looking for a self repair option.

Decided that since it's a glossy poly finish now, I'll see if I can find a small tin of Minwax water based glossy poly and drop fill it daily until a bit higher than the surface, let it set/cure for a few weeks (not in a rush) then spot sand it like in that StewMac video.

Was going to superglue it, thne say a few posts about how it eventually goes cloudy so, makes sense to fix poly with poly.


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## Guest (Jan 1, 2019)

THRobinson said:


> Harry, the guy with a snake on his face... just looking for a self repair option.
> 
> Decided that since it's a glossy poly finish now, I'll see if I can find a small tin of Minwax water based glossy poly and drop fill it daily until a bit higher than the surface, let it set/cure for a few weeks (not in a rush) then spot sand it like in that StewMac video.
> 
> Was going to superglue it, thne say a few posts about how it eventually goes cloudy so, makes sense to fix poly with poly.


Bodyshops use 2 part clears with isocyanate hardeners. They most likely won't charge you.


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Just a side note... some may notice I have a new thread looking to build an SRV replica... THAT one I'll be ok to ding. 

https://guitarscanada.com/index.php?threads/lefty-trem-on-a-righty-strat.231050/


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## Jimmy Fingers (Aug 17, 2017)

THRobinson said:


> Harry, the guy with a snake on his face... just looking for a self repair option.
> 
> Decided that since it's a glossy poly finish now, I'll see if I can find a small tin of Minwax water based glossy poly and drop fill it daily until a bit higher than the surface, let it set/cure for a few weeks (not in a rush) then spot sand it like in that StewMac video.
> 
> Was going to superglue it, thne say a few posts about how it eventually goes cloudy so, makes sense to fix poly with poly.


And? How did you make out?

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk


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## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Got pushed back a bit... had a few other guitars that were in pieces that I decided needed done first. I didn't want to tackle the ding until they were done because I plan to to do a pickup/pot swap at the same time as repairing the ding.

I also took that lvl1 guitar repair course at Conestoga College and had a couple guitars set aside for that class that I worked on. 

Soon though I hope. 

Past two weekends I got a LOT done on a couple of guitars that have sat about stripped of paint since the Fall. Just started re-assembly last night.


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