Removing Scratches

[ehamady6]

I have a black LP Custom and, as we all know, black shows even the smallest scratches. I have alot of very shallow scratches and swirls which I thought would be easy to remove. I've scoured the forums and tried ScratchX, Gibson Polish, and Virtuoso Cleaner & Polish (all applied with diaper cloths) but they don't do anything to the scratches at all. And there's no way I'm going to buff with a drill attachment. I'm at a loss for what to try next. Should I be using more or less pressure when rubbing, more coats of cleaner and polish, etc.?

I play pretty hard and scratches are inevitable. Even though there's no way to stop them from happening, my LP Custom is still my baby, my investment, my #1 axe. If my house were on fire I would run thru the flames to rescue my cat and my Les Paul. A major part of my enjoyment in owning such a great instrument lies in its upkeep. Just like car enthusiasts enjoy cleaning, waxing and keeping their cars running at peak performance, I like to do all I can to keep my guitar playing, sounding and looking its best. Owning and playing a Les Paul is a privilege I take alot of pride in.

[Dino]

I have a StewMac buffing arbor and use Menzerna compounds.
It would make your guitar look like glass BUT ...

It's very hard to keep a black finish looking "new" unless you put it in it's case and never play it.

I'd just play it and enjoy it.

[ehamady6]

Dino,
You nailed it saying it's very hard to keep a black finish looking "new", but I'm going to try my damnedest. I know over time that the more scratches it gets the less I'll care and the more character the guitar will have. My LPC is definitely a player. I always felt my autographed Zakk Wylde LP should be kept under glass which bugged me to no end, so I traded it straight up for my black beauty and I'm having a wonderful time customizing it and shredding on it. It weighs less and the neck plays "faster". Best decision I ever made.

If there was only a pro luthier close by and with an arbor, I would take it in for a buff. I'm on a grail quest to research and ask questions to figure out how remove the scratches myself though.

[Dino]

If the ScratchX doesn't work, try using a mild rubbing compound and then follow it up with the ScratchX.

IMO, it's best to go with a mild compound first.
You can always try something a little more abrasive if that doesn't work.

[ehamady6]

Dino,
Is the ScratchX supposed to fill or level the scratches and is it to be followed with Virtuoso Polish to restore luster? I'm a newbie with ScratchX and thought it was the mildest rubbing compound. My confusion on what these products actually do and the order in which they are to be used is probably preventing me from successfully removing the scratches. I wish I had a beat up guitar or that the back of my guitar had scratches so I could experiment rather than experimenting on the front of my #1 guitar!

[krokodyl]

Originally Posted by ehamady6

I wish I had a beat up guitar or that the back of my guitar had scratches so I could experiment rather than experimenting on the front of my #1 guitar!

So what's the problem? DO THE SCRATCH! Seriously, a slight scratch made with a pick on the back of your guitar could help you a lot.

[ehamady6]

Originally Posted by krokodyl

So what's the problem? DO THE SCRATCH! Seriously, a slight scratch made with a pick on the back of your guitar could help you a lot.

Although that is very logical, I'd have a tough time scratching my #1 on purpose even on the back. Maybe I'll go to garage sales and find a beater to practice filling scratches on or wait for a scratch on the back.

[Dino]

I wasn't suggesting you "fill" the scratches ...
Then again, I don't know how deep they are.
Got pics?

I was suggesting using a rubbing compound to buff them out.
But if they're too bad, the guitar may require a total refin.
Hard to say without pics.

btw, I don't suggest intentionally scratching a guitar.
Either it works on your guitar or it doesn't.

[ehamady6]

Dino,
The scratches are very very fine. The guitar is black so when light hits it the scratches really show. They should be easy to buff out but I tried ScratchX and Virtuoso Cleaner & Polish and they didn't do anything. I thought that ScratchX was a form of fine rubbing compound that would level the scratches and following up with the Virtuoso products would restore luster. I must be wrong.

People tell me to just live with the scratches, but I'm not going to.

[Twentythirdeye]

I know how you feel man! when i got my custom plus, i was paranoid about the scratches! i'm not as bad about it now, but it still annoys me. the simple fact is that even if you removed every single sratch completley. as soon as you breath near the damn thing. it's going to get those scratches.

i doubt you would conisder this option, but i am. dull down the polly to a satin finish. and if you get any kind of scratch on it, you rub it down with a kitchen scrubby.

just my 2 cents.

[stinger]

Originally Posted by ehamady6

Dino,
The scratches are very very fine. The guitar is black so when light hits it the scratches really show. They should be easy to buff out but I tried ScratchX and Virtuoso Cleaner & Polish and they didn't do anything. I thought that ScratchX was a form of fine rubbing compound that would level the scratches and following up with the Virtuoso products would restore luster. I must be wrong.

People tell me to just live with the scratches, but I'm not going to.

Those are swirls. Have them buffed out and the first time you polish, wham! right back where you started from. That is the curse of Black!!

I made a guitar once and painted it black. Never ever figured out how to buff those swirls away. Tried it all, but couldn't get rid of them.

[j.six]

i use meguiar's swirl remover along with a foam polishing pad attached to a cordless drill. takes care of those kind of issues. that said, i wouldn't recommend testing it out on a nitro finish, as you can burn through the clear pretty easily. grab the black soloist in the background of that pic (i can't tell if it's a bolt on, so soloist it is!) and try buffing out the back of it with swirl remover and a foam pad. since it's poly, it'll be a bit more durable to try. do a little at a time, don't lay into it, and go slow.

...or accept it. some of the coolest guitars (les pauls included) have dents, dings, etc. it's rock and roll!

my disclaimer is that what i've mentioned above is something that should be practiced on, and you may learn the hard way (by burning through some clear) before you get the feel for machine related buffing. it's real easy to burn through clear; and i'd guess nitro is even easier since it's so thin. if you decide to try this, my other piece of advice is to stay away from the edges! they'll go fast.

one thing that i've found helpful with thin finished guitars is to use flannel cloths instead of microfiber or diapers.

all of that said, i think that the best thing is to play yer guitar and enjoy it.

sully

[ehamady6]

Sully,
That black Jackson Soloist is a neckthru. I've been playing that thing hard for years and there isn't a single scratch or swirl mark on it. It is absolutely a brilliant playing guitar and is one of those axes that rose out of a perfect storm -- the perfect amount of paint, the perfect amount of clear, the perfect piece of wood, the perfect Floyd Rose trem, the perfect luthier, etc. My new LP Custom is now my #1 and that Jackson is my #1A.

I have a purple metal-flake Jackson DK2 Dinky (my very first guitar) and I'll experiment on the back of that. I'm sure there are swirls on the back. The metal flakes make scratches very difficult to see even with a flashlight and magnifying glass.

I'm thinking about getting the handheld power buffer from https://www.fixitscratch.com/index.asp

[stinger]

Originally Posted by j.six

one thing that i've found helpful with thin finished guitars is to use flannel cloths instead of microfiber or diapers.


sully

I thought microfibre was good for polishing.

[j.six]

they're okay, but those fibers can leave scratches behind as well.

sully

[3Steps]

I have had great luck polising by hand with NOVUS II. Polish and buff. Repeat until happy...or tired.

They make three products: NOVUS I is a cleaner. NOVUS II a light scratch polish and NOVUS III is used for heavy scratching. I have never had to use the NOVUS III. I picked mine up at the hardware store.

[Deftone]

Originally Posted by ehamady6

Sully,
That black Jackson Soloist is a neckthru. I've been playing that thing hard for years and there isn't a single scratch or swirl mark on it. It is absolutely a brilliant playing guitar and is one of those axes that rose out of a perfect storm -- the perfect amount of paint, the perfect amount of clear, the perfect piece of wood, the perfect Floyd Rose trem, the perfect luthier, etc. My new LP Custom is now my #1 and that Jackson is my #1A.

I have a purple metal-flake Jackson DK2 Dinky (my very first guitar)

I can relate. I 've always loved Jacksons. I think my next guitar might be a USA Jackson....and I'd really like a USA B.C. Rich Bich, too.

[ehamady6]

Originally Posted by 3Steps

I have had great luck polising by hand with NOVUS II. Polish and buff. Repeat until happy...or tired.

They make three products: NOVUS I is a cleaner. NOVUS II a light scratch polish and NOVUS III is used for heavy scratching. I have never had to use the NOVUS III. I picked mine up at the hardware store.

3Steps,
Thanks for the NOVUS suggestion. If the silicone-free GuitarScratchRemover polish (Guitar Scratch Remover Home) I ordered doesn't work then I'll try the NOVUS II. Here is a YouTube demo of the GuitarScratchRemover polish: YouTube - Guitar Deep Scratch Removal Demo-full length