chipped my guitar

[tinter]

I have a black epiphone sg. I accidently hit it against something hard and it got chipped big time. The paint flaked off and I see the wood underneath. Do you guys know what kind of paint I should use to paint it so the wood is sealed?

[Mariano]

I dont recomend you to paint it yourselft cuz guitar got a plastificated paint, special one... you shoul take it to a luthier... wich will surelly repair it... belive me the do it yourselft, doesnt work at least for me, and luthier some luthiers do really nice repairing works...

[bobthecow]

Don't repair it, leave it the way it is. It adds character. It also will give your guitar a more distinct tone.

Look at most professional guitarists. If you look at their guitars up close, you can see the giant scratches, gouges, and chips taken out of them. And if you really want to seal the wood, just get some polyuerathane and brush it in there.

[tinter]

I'm more worried that the wood is exposed. Would that be a problem for the long term? If not I'll just leave it then.

[bobthecow]

The guitar will rot if you leave it bare. You have to get some wood sealer. Alot of big name guitarists such as dave navarro, john frusciante, and eddie van halen do that. If they chip their guitar badly, they just use wood sealer to keep the moisture out of it, so that the guitar doesn't rot. See if you can find a very small can of either thompsons or behr wood sealer at your local home depot. Then use a very fine brush and paint into the chip.

But dont paint over it with a color, keep the character.

This is a picture of John's guitar, notice the HUGE chips on the lefthand side of the pickgaurd.
http://user.uni-frankfurt.de/~schuler/gear/62Strat.jpg

[tinter]

great, thanks for the advice. I'll just seal the wood then.

[Harley]

Do you guys know what kind of paint I should use to paint it so the wood is sealed?
I'm more worried that the wood is exposed. Would that be a problem for the long term? If not I'll just leave it then.
That SG Mahogany body took a coat of grain-sealer/filler before it was painted. Ash, Mahogany, and Alders pretty much require it. It's absorbed into the wood and dries hard, like a glue. There's no way moisture's getting through it.

[Ring0]

(Regarding John's guitar, I just love the chipping. I would marry that guitar if it was morally correct :p)

I recommend you take it to a shop and have it repainted, it's not a very complex job. I had one of mine get chipped when a kid ran into it one time when I was playing at a church (He got tortured with bamboo sticks as appropiate) and it was quite a quick thing. Bring the paint bits that fell off if possible as mine were glued back on just like that.

Or follow Bob's advice, I personally like my guitars to show wear and make them more personal like that.

[Whiskey]

I love the look of a worn guitar . Check out John Mayers axe. http://gallery.phillyburbs.com/photos/304/3.aspx

[bobthecow]

Yeah, he buys all of his stuff vintage... I think he has one newer strat, a red one. He was playing it at the RHCP concert in st.louis, which I went to see, and he was in the middle of a solo and his strap broke. The guitar slammed on the ground and he just picked it up and got right back to playing it. Then I went to see them in nashville, you could tell that he sealed it, but thats it. he left the giant chip in it.

My guitar(3 weeks old) already has a small chip near the bridge from when i hit it a drill bit while mounting some surround sound stuff. i just sealed it up and left it.

[bobthecow]

I love the look of a worn guitar . Check out John Mayers axe. http://gallery.phillyburbs.com/photos/304/3.aspx

yeah, but john mayer's is like that on purpose. he doesnt accidently drop his or scratch it up.

[Whiskey]

I didn't say it wasn't deliberate... I really don't care how the wear gets there ... I said "I like the look of a worn guitar."

[chad]

yeah, but john mayer's is like that on purpose. he doesnt accidently drop his or scratch it up.

i watched this one video on youtube where they show you around the fender factory and there was this one guy who was like beating up on a guitar (because that how people like to buy it) so the tour guide was over there and he gave it a try but then he did it too hard and broke it :( and it was 6000 dollars(here's the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL9fUomMA8Y , its pretty cool)

The guitar will rot if you leave it bare. You have to get some wood sealer. Alot of big name guitarists such as dave navarro, john frusciante, and eddie van halen do that. If they chip their guitar badly, they just use wood sealer to keep the moisture out of it, so that the guitar doesn't rot. See if you can find a very small can of either thompsons or behr wood sealer at your local home depot. Then use a very fine brush and paint into the chip.

But dont paint over it with a color, keep the character.

This is a picture of John's guitar, notice the HUGE chips on the lefthand side of the pickgaurd.
http://user.uni-frankfurt.de/~schuler/gear/62Strat.jpg

i think i was watching their snow hey oh video and i saw the huge chips

[NickR]

Wow, what an awesome job! Sweet old lady builds the pickups :D

[4urluv]

srv's guitar looked worn, used and traveled as well!
how about country Willie Nelsons guitar the top is about gone!
everytime my guitar gets bumped.....i feel the pain

[Harley]

so the tour guide was over there and he gave it a try but then he did it too hard and broke it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL9fUomMA8Y , its pretty cool)

That was a great video!

Relic'ed by Cliff Claven

All it needs is to have Norm(!) spill beer on the electronics.:)

John Ratzenberger(tour guide)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8e/Cheers_cliff.jpg/200px-Cheers_cliff.jpg

[crocket]

That wood is mahogany and it will rot - about 200 years after you're dead that is. Believe me - I used to work for a timber merchant so I have some knowledge about wood and mahogany is real stable stuff and as long as you don't store it in a moist place (and why would you?) it'll be fine.
I still think I'd go along with the sealing it with polyuretherwhatsit though as the existing paint may get moisture underneath it and then the chip will become bigger.
Sealing it should keep it "as is."

By the way, I've just purchased an Epiphone SG too! And an old, Sessionette 75 amp and they sound great. http://trooperownersgroup.freephpbbforum.co.uk/images/smiles/headbang.gif

[ES335]

my son has this old fender lead II guitar that he has had for a few years. it was finished in natural wood when he got it. after he did some research he found out that wasnt correct, that all of them were either black or one other color, maybe red? dont recall. anyhow he took off the pick guard and saw evidence that his had been black originally so he decided to redo it in original color. we painted it with several coats of black lacquer (actually it would probably have been poly from the factory but lacquer is much better to work with). anyhow, in the wet sanding process he broke thru the black in a couple of places but it looked SO cool that way, and it actually matched up with the neck that had some wear, much better like that. so he did a little more distressing by sanding in just a couple of typical wear spots. it looks incredible that way. talk about character, that one has it for sure. so the moral of the story is...leave it alone. p.s. talking about celebrities with beater guitars...did you ever see bonnie raits strat? that thing has been "rode hard and put away wet" as they say in Texas! (of course you could say the same thing about.....no i wont go there)

[gtrplr]

fingernail polish works if it's not to big of a chip.:)

[bcrich]

I would simply just leave it as one said it adds character! WHich it does. I have had my BC Rich since 1985 and it is well worn lol it has chips out of it all over the place and scratches on the back from the days I wore a skull belt buckle. It is fine it has road scars and all of the chips have storeis behind them.