Don't Lend Your Guitar

[MusicStudent1]

I’ve been super careful with my guitars over the decades and they look pretty good. However, I’m working on losing that attitude because I think it affects my playing and has turned me a bit OCD!

I always untuck my shirt so those rivets on my jean pockets, buttons, belt buckles, etc. don’t scratch the back. I’m careful with my picking, and my fingernails to make sure I don’t scratch the top, I always wash my hands before playing, and oh...deodorant from arm - gotta keep that off the finish!

Guitars are tools to make music with, not museum pieces. I’d like to adopt Eddie Van Halen and Billy Sheehan’s attitude - they just got out a chisel, a dremel tool, or whatever it took to make their instruments work, wrecking a bunch of stuff in the process, but they ended up with sweet playing instruments!

The kit I built a year ago had finish issues. It wasn’t perfect, but finally, I put it together and started playing. As long as the wood is protected and it looks ok from 10 feet away, it doesn’t really matter.

Play the things! Forget about the dents and scratches!

[Rabbitz]

Chalk it up to battle scars.

From the photos it looks like tru-oil over a natural finish so rub the tru-oil back, steam out the dings, sand it and recoat the areas with tru-oil.

(It's what tru-oil was designed for. Rifle stocks take a beating and that's what it actually is; a rifle stock finish).

[GregLane]

I thought this topic was dead but as it is still of interest here is the result.

The scratches were sanded back with all the mahogany and recoated with TruOil. Yes the TruOil finish is as easy to patch as expected.



I can now sleep soundly as my apparent anal complex has been eased

I also took the opportunity to re-finish the cap as it was my first build and I was not that experience with TruOil.



The guitar now plays beautifully just like when your car runs better with a wash and polish. Hihi

It may also have something to do with me installing a bone nut. The correct nut height sure makes a difference.

Great to hear all the differing views on this subject. My take on it is that if I scratch it or it is an accident then too bad. Fix it or leave it. But if an experienced and competent guitarist borrows the guitar and takes no care - "just another guitar" - then I am not happy.

[Rabbitz]

Nice repair job.

[Bakersdozen]

Nice work there mate.

[blinddrew]

Yep, that's looking very fine.