Repair screw holes on a 1979 Silverburst

45WinMag · 10-13-2009, 01:20 PM

A previous owner installed a midi pickup between the bridge and the bridge pickup on a 1979 Silverburst Custom. It has been removed leaving two small screw-holes (smaller than pickguard screw-holes) and a small glob of glue. What's the best way to repair these holes and remove the glue (I'm afraid removing the glue may take a flake of finish with it)?

I think I have a plan, will the following work?

Step 1 - fill the screw-holes with wood filler (I use the solvent based stuff on gun-stocks, it doesn't seem to shrink like the water based stuff). Let dry for a few days.

Step 2 - find an out of sight area, like inside the pickup cavity or control cavity, where there is some paint that won't normally be visible; use a razor to remove two small flakes of paint the size of the screw holes.

Step 3 - use a little clear nail polish to "glue' the paint flakes over the holes (is there anything that could be used to "melt" the paint into place, maybe acetone?).

Step 4 - paint a thin layer of clear nail polish over the repair, let dry, buff.

I'm hoping this would allow me to avoid having to match the paint. I don't think any hobby shop carries pre-mixed 30 year old green tinted silverburst.

Will this work? Is there a better way to do this?

chromewhore2010 · 10-13-2009, 01:29 PM

Thank You 45WinMag this is a question that i need answered too

45WinMag · 10-13-2009, 02:21 PM

I'm hoping I'm going to be able to do this myself. I have fifteen days of leave coming up where I'll be home from Baghdad and I would rather spend those fifteen days playing my dream guitar than shipping it off for repair. However, experience has taught me that having it done right is better than having it done now. If I'm on the wrong track with the plan above or if I'm going to end up having to mix paint, I'd rather get a pro to do it for me.

It's kinda funny, I've taken a pair of pliers and a rotary tool to the feed ramp of a $3600 gun without even blinking but I'm terrified of messing up the paint on a guitar.

Edit: Answer in in the Ask Greg thread. Thanks Greg!

10-13-2009, 01:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
45WinMag Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 373 Thanks: 1 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Repair screw holes on a 1979 Silverburst A previous owner installed a midi pickup between the bridge and the bridge pickup on a 1979 Silverburst Custom. It has been removed leaving two small screw-holes (smaller than pickguard screw-holes) and a small glob of glue. What's the best way to repair these holes and remove the glue (I'm afraid removing the glue may take a flake of finish with it)? I think I have a plan, will the following work? Step 1 - fill the screw-holes with wood filler (I use the solvent based stuff on gun-stocks, it doesn't seem to shrink like the water based stuff). Let dry for a few days. Step 2 - find an out of sight area, like inside the pickup cavity or control cavity, where there is some paint that won't normally be visible; use a razor to remove two small flakes of paint the size of the screw holes. Step 3 - use a little clear nail polish to "glue' the paint flakes over the holes (is there anything that could be used to "melt" the paint into place, maybe acetone?). Step 4 - paint a thin layer of clear nail polish over the repair, let dry, buff. I'm hoping this would allow me to avoid having to match the paint. I don't think any hobby shop carries pre-mixed 30 year old green tinted silverburst. Will this work? Is there a better way to do this? __________________ Gibson ZW Signature Custom Bullseye LP Gibson 2008 LP Desert Burst Standard 50's neck Gibson 2009 LP Heritage Cherry Sunburst Trad Pro Gibson 1980 LP Heritage Cherry Sunburst Standard Gibson 1979 LP Silverburst Custom Gibson 1977 LP Silverburst Custom Gibson 1985 Les Paul XPL Ferrari Red Epiphone Classic Burst 7-string LP Epiphone Trans-Black 7-string LP Epiphone Marcus Henderson Apparition Kramer Focus 6000 2 Agile T7 Texans, Natural and Sunburst Agile TC-1200

10-13-2009, 01:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
chromewhore2010 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Posts: 180 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Repair screw holes on a 1979 Silverburst Thank You 45WinMag this is a question that i need answered too

10-13-2009, 02:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
45WinMag Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 373 Thanks: 1 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Repair screw holes on a 1979 Silverburst I'm hoping I'm going to be able to do this myself. I have fifteen days of leave coming up where I'll be home from Baghdad and I would rather spend those fifteen days playing my dream guitar than shipping it off for repair. However, experience has taught me that having it done right is better than having it done now. If I'm on the wrong track with the plan above or if I'm going to end up having to mix paint, I'd rather get a pro to do it for me. It's kinda funny, I've taken a pair of pliers and a rotary tool to the feed ramp of a $3600 gun without even blinking but I'm terrified of messing up the paint on a guitar. Edit: Answer in in the Ask Greg thread. Thanks Greg! __________________ Gibson ZW Signature Custom Bullseye LP Gibson 2008 LP Desert Burst Standard 50's neck Gibson 2009 LP Heritage Cherry Sunburst Trad Pro Gibson 1980 LP Heritage Cherry Sunburst Standard Gibson 1979 LP Silverburst Custom Gibson 1977 LP Silverburst Custom Gibson 1985 Les Paul XPL Ferrari Red Epiphone Classic Burst 7-string LP Epiphone Trans-Black 7-string LP Epiphone Marcus Henderson Apparition Kramer Focus 6000 2 Agile T7 Texans, Natural and Sunburst Agile TC-1200 Last edited by 45WinMag; 10-13-2009 at 11:12 PM.

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