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PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 3:51 pm 
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Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Thu Oct 01, 2020 10:41 am
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I picked up a 90's Spector bass with a nasty crack running from the headstock half way down the neck, which I'm in the process of repairing. This is an all maple through-neck in "transparent red" color that covers the body and the neck. As I understand it, the factory achieves this finish by layering tinted polyurethane lacquer on bare wood. My questions about how to repair the finish:

- In places where the finish has chipped to the bare wood, I am thinking I could mix some super glue with alcohol-based red dye, and use it to spot-fill the area. Then I would sand with a foam block and increasing grits and polish/buff.

- There are some significant pick scratches near the pickups. If this were a clear coat over paint, I could have easily just fill/sand/polish, but because this is a dyed lacquer, wouldn't sanding lighten the entire area? How do I correct this?

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PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 6:19 pm 
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Contributing Member
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Joined: Fri May 18, 2012 8:35 pm
Posts: 2658
Location: Austin, Texas
First name: Dan
Last Name: Smith
City: Round Rock
State: TX
Zip/Postal Code: 78681
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Standard Super glue will not mix with dye.
Epoxy can be dyed. I’d try an epoxy that dries hard like zpoxy finishing resin.
Best of luck!

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PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 6:36 pm 
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Contributing Member
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Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:36 am
Posts: 7241
Location: Southeast US
City: Lenoir City
State: TN
Zip/Postal Code: 37772
Country: US
Focus: Repair
Check out Glue Boost products. They have CA and tint. I've used their products since they came out and they work very good.

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PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 8:56 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 1:46 pm
Posts: 2124
First name: Freeman
Last Name: Keller
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Since I had never heard of "polyurethane lacquer" I had to do a search, still don't know what it is. My experience with solvent lacquers is that I can more or less fix them and I have shot a couple of guitars with a transparent red finish. My experience with all the various polys is that I usually can't. GlueBoost is about as good as you can get (check out their videos).

I've reached the point where I turn down repairs with poly-whatever or tell people that I won't be able to hide the damage.


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 9:13 pm 
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Koa
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Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 3:14 am
Posts: 982
Location: Shefford, Québec
First name: Tim
Last Name: Mullin
City: Shefford
State: QC
Zip/Postal Code: J2M 1R5
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
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+2 for Gluboost fill n finish and their tints. I do rather a lot of these. Tape both sides, fill the crack in stages. Use a small hard block to level, switching to transparent tape to protect surrounding paint, then remove all tape and final levelling with P400 and fingers. Wet sand and buff. Maximum one hour labour start to finish. I always warn clients that repair will not likely be invisible, especially with transparent colours, but should be smooth to the touch. With that in their mind, they are invariably very pleased with the result.


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 02, 2020 9:59 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2005 4:02 am
Posts: 3227
Location: The Woodlands, Texas
First name: Barry
Last Name: Daniels
Gluboost even has a red tint about that color. Play with the mix ratios until you get the right amount of transparency. Razor blades with a turned edge work well during leveling of the glue.

That is a pretty nasty crack in the neck. Get that well repaired before you start touchup.


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