Fixing a chip in the finish of a guitar

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sarge117

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I found a good price on a nice Paul Reed Smith.

Problem is it's got a chip in the finish I'd say about 1/4 the size of a dime. Goes all the way down to the Maple.

It does have some other more natural wear, but it still looks good with the exception of the chip.

Now, I don't expect that it could be repaired to look as good as new, but atleast to look nice.

Has anyone had something like this done by a Luthier?

If so, was it expensive?

I really want this guitar, but I would rather save up for one without any damage even if it were a lower end model then being stuck with one with a chip like that I could never get fixed.

Thanks
 
My recollection is that PRS uses a catalyzed finish. This makes it impossible to get a seamless finish touch-up.

The bigger problem, however, is if the color is damaged. Quite simply, there is no way to touch up the color so it will look right. As the finish ages, the color of the wood yellows to the point that within a few months that you can never get the color to match quite right.

As to your other question, yes, it will be expensive. Finish work is very time consuming, and very expensive for the results you get. Without seeing it in person I can't give you any good idea of what it would cost, but I can tell you that my advise would almost certainly be to leave it be, or at most seal the wood from the elements.

Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Light said:
As to your other question, yes, it will be expensive. Finish work is very time consuming, and very expensive for the results you get. Without seeing it in person I can't give you any good idea of what it would cost, but I can tell you that my advise would almost certainly be to leave it be, or at most seal the wood from the elements.

Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
Click to expand...

Thanks,

After dwelling on it a bit more last night I was leaning towards leaving it be. And now I think that is just what I will do.

It's a good deal, but it's still a PRS so it isn't cheap. And I know that chip is going to bug the crap out of me considering the amount of money I would have to put down.
 
i'm proud of the chips in my guitar but then i put them there.i bought it from a schoolmate in july of 87' when it only had a small scratch on the back. it was barely noticeable but it's gotten played alot,been through a lot a gigs,accidently knocked over by my bass player...still my fav.i wouldn't give up on the prs if you really like how it plays and sounds.
 
i don't know if this will be useful, but i bought a b-stock hollowbody guitar - the reason for its "b-stock" status was a visible chip on the top, worse yet, the chip (or discoloration) is underneath the laquer finish (either it was refinished without re-coloring or it was chipped before finishing).

the price was great and i wanted this particular guitar. I haven't gotten around to it yet, but my plan is to either cover it with a sticker/decal or possibly spray-paint a design through a stencil. Something like a cat's paw or a flame.

i understand that not everybody likes stickers (i actually don't, but it would look good on this guitar) - a small tasteful design might actually enhance the guitar without being too "un-classy".

there's a seller on eBay with glueless decals of various designs that are thin and 100% removable and look like abalone/pearloid inlays. the seller is:

jockomo81

I ordered several but only tried 2 so far - a flame on a headstock and a little feather on the top of my acoustic - they're pretty nice.
 
If the PRS is sweet but for that chip, I wouldn't even think twice.

One thing to do is to hit it with super glue and let it dry. That will seal it and probably protect it from further degradation, like dirt and sweat and so forth. At that point you can make up a story about the three nude waitresses, the hot tub and the jealous bouncer to explain the chip. You'd be all set in my book.
 
mcmetal said:
i'm proud of the chips in my guitar but then i put them there....
Click to expand...

Exactly!

My number one guitar has a couple chips as well. But I know how they got there. I put them them there.

I don't know though. you guys got me thiking again with the decal thing.

There may be something I could do about it. Not a sticker but possibly something else.

Here is the listing, tell me what you guys think.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/msg/1013991116.html
 
Light said:
My recollection is that PRS uses a catalyzed finish. This makes it impossible to get a seamless finish touch-up.

The bigger problem, however, is if the color is damaged. Quite simply, there is no way to touch up the color so it will look right. As the finish ages, the color of the wood yellows to the point that within a few months that you can never get the color to match quite right.

As to your other question, yes, it will be expensive. Finish work is very time consuming, and very expensive for the results you get. Without seeing it in person I can't give you any good idea of what it would cost, but I can tell you that my advise would almost certainly be to leave it be, or at most seal the wood from the elements.

Light
Click to expand...

Can't he just fill up the chip with epoxy? <ducks> ;^)
 
Treeline said:
If the PRS is sweet but for that chip, I wouldn't even think twice.
Click to expand...

Definitely. If you like how it sounds, like how it feels, and like how it plays, screw the chip. You could get a "new" PRS that would look flawless, but if (as you said) the alternative is a cheaper PRS that isn't as well built or doesn't play as well, then you'd be wasting your money.

My main player is an Ibanez Universe UV7PWH. It came to me absolutely beat to hell from a prior owner, which is why I got it at such a good price. It's also one of the best sounding, best playing 7's I've ever played. I've owned "rarer" or "mint-er" or "nicer" sevens since, but I've sold them all in favor of this one simply because you can't put a price tag on feel.
 
Somewhat off to the side of the topic...

I've got a Desert Gold Bongo bass, and right after I bought it (new), I turned quickly while I was wearing it, and I knocked a couple of small chips off the headstock on a cymbal stand. They are very small dings, but the wood under the paint is very white, so they stood out. As it so happens, an orange Sharpie is exactly the right color, so the dings are still there but they are virtually invisible. Whatever works... ;^)
 
I've got an old black Cort 335 clone - it's beat to pieces but is really a hell of a good guitar. And the volume knob goes to 11. :D

(Seriously - it does!)
 
ggunn said:
Somewhat off to the side of the topic...

I've got a Desert Gold Bongo bass, and right after I bought it (new), I turned quickly while I was wearing it, and I knocked a couple of small chips off the headstock on a cymbal stand. They are very small dings, but the wood under the paint is very white, so they stood out. As it so happens, an orange Sharpie is exactly the right color, so the dings are still there but they are virtually invisible. Whatever works... ;^)
Click to expand...



We have a large box full of brown markers of various colors which we use for a lot of tiny chip touch-up like this. It isn't exactly perfect, but sometimes it is good enough.



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
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