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May 2002
Posts: 1445
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | While at rehearsal for a Christmas Concert I was involved in, one of my stage mates tripped over my guitar cord pulling my Bluebird six-string electric off of the stand and onto the floor resulting in a 1.5" chunk of finish shattering out of the upper back edge of the body.
I was able to find most of the pieces and am able to jigsaw puzzle the majority of them back into where they came out of. What I am wondering is what kind of glue should I use to hold them in there? What can I use to fill in the remaining spots? Should I abandon this idea and try to have the damaged spot refinished? Trying to replicate this finish on one spot will be a bitch but I am open to suggestions.
I'll only have one shot at doing this so I need to do it as correctly as possible. I know that either way it'll never be perfect but will hopefully be less obvious. Thankfully, it is on the back of the guitar.
I know I can fit the pieces in better that I show in the pic but that was just to see what I had. There are a few smaller chunks that I may be able to fit in as well. As you can see, this is a very thick poly finish and is over "urelite” which is a high-density polyurethane.
Wayne
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | ...ouch... |
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February 2005
Posts: 253
Location: New Orleans | insurance? |
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May 2002
Posts: 1445
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | No insurance. The guy responsible felt terrible (so did I) and offered pay to have it fixed but he is just a young guy with a young family and doesn't have a lot of money to spare. The organization I was playing for would also pay but that would take from the donation to the very worthwhile charity they are sponsoring so I'm not interested in going that route.
I'm just looking for repair alternatives at this time.
Wayne |
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March 2005
Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | Know any good body shops? Not the Chevy and Ford kind, but the car restoration kind? Those are the best painters I know and the good ones know how to blend anything. |
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February 2003
Posts: 2177
Location: the BIG Metropolis of TR | Wayne, Sorry to hear about your mishap. Have you ever tried (hot) Hide glue? I'm not an expert on glues and others may have good/better suggestions but I've been using hot hide glue on my mando build (rim & neck haves so far) and hide glue is some pretty amazing stuff!
Hide glue won't creep (move) like other glues (white,yellow,some epoxies) It's easily reversible,has high tack ability,won't harm your finish......
Hide glue is water based and once the water has evaporated the bond is super strong but can be reversed with heat and/or warm/hot water. It has been used in instrument and furniture making for decades but it requires alittle work (just can't squeeze it from a bottle!)
Here are a few articles from FRETS.com....
http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/TipsTricks/KitchenGlue/kitc...
http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Glue/UseHideGlue/...
Whatever glue you use you can probably use this to finish out and blend the pieces..
Keep us posted on the repair and GOOD LUCK! |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | super glue and a felt tip the right color. |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | This will tell you how to fix it.
The nail polish method is your best route. Anything else will need a trip back to the factory. I say, use this fix up, and treat the witness line as character, not an injury, like a scar on your leg after a motorcycle accident. Things happen bro', let it go. |
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August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | First suggestion is to check with Kim.
If you do it yourself:
As to glue...CYA or water soluble. Just difference in set time.
As to blending crack lines or even filling...acrylic paint (water soluble) could be mixed actually on the top until you had a perfect match (excess wipes right off). The paint can be mixed in with the glue. I have done this with O's.
Looking at the finish, if you have a small area and can't find the piece that was broken, check out the metallic nail polish? May just need a small drop.
There is also matte (no shine) clear nail polish that I have used to seal minor damage on the O's. |
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Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | combining a couple of the posts, to include the article...the StewMac pads are great (2000-12,000). Higher number = finer grit As to the Ovation, StewMac says you can use 2,000 on the O's catalyzed polyester - I use higher to start with (2,500-3,400). And, remember that the newer O's have a thinner finish. My minor repair successes are with the pre-1986 models. |
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February 2003
Posts: 2177
Location: the BIG Metropolis of TR | I like the nail polish suggestions! Once the pieces are glued on maybe a mixture of nail polish (close color match) and glue could be used to fill in the cracks.....might even sprinkle on alittle gold and blue glitter while the mixture is still tacky..... |
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Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 1498
Location: San Bernardino, California | WARNING:
Urelite reacts to some types of glue. Before doing any major gluing test a small area and let it dry for a couple of days.
That type of accident is one of the reasons I use wireless. |
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May 2002
Posts: 1445
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Lots of great advice so far. Thanks guys.
Brudev, have you had any experience with urelite and superglue type products? That's kind of the direction I'm leaning in.
Also, the wireless sounds like a good idea. I had one many years ago and it wasn't that hot and went through batteries like crazy. I suspect things have improved much since that time. What do you recommend for a wireless system?
Wayne |
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June 2002
Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | Wayne,
That hurts, buddy. I feel your pain. :( |
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December 2003
Posts: 13983
Location: Upper Left USA | It was a manly moment near tears for sure!
I would check with an Auto Paint detail artist! Not a lot of materials but high on craft.
I would be tempted to use the epoxy kit for filling bumper material and following with a nail polish lacquer dabbled with to match exactly. Use lots of practice pieces first. |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I'm with Woody. Nice two part epoxy. They make color additives for the two part epoxy, you could match the color with a base coat... |
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October 2005
Posts: 803
Location: Avondale, AZ | God bless you Wayne. You're a descent man. Let me know which repair method you choose and how it works out. You damage is worse than mine, but I think my guitar was better anyway.
I have always feared wireless on stage. |
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Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 1498
Location: San Bernardino, California | I've had superglue get bubbles in it when applied to urelite, also have had it out-gas enough to damage the finish.
If you use exopy scuff the back of the 'chips' in order to get a good bond. Epoxy doesn't stick to poly finishes real well. But I'd still test it first; not all epoxies are created equal.
As for the wireless:
I'm currently using two of these:
http://www.carvin.com/products/single.php?ItemNumber=UX16-BP&CID=WI...
I've had really bad luck with this crap:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/navigation?N=100001+20... |
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December 2001
Posts: 10581
Location: NJ | ouch!!!!!!!!!
I felt a sharp pain run up my spine when I saw those pics |
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Bluebird Oopsie...Luthier Advise Required!
