Lacquer top repair help request.

[John Marek]

I have a 1971 Ramirez that's has a pretty battered top. It has a bit of lacquer melt near the fretboard (someone tried to remove the neck..duh. Thankfully no structural damage), the top around the strings is heavily gouged, top crack from the bridge to the heel, and the top has lost most of its shine..almost like it was intentionally dulled.
I know it's not a good idea to refinish a vintage guitar but this wear is not very natural looking. So I plan to repair the crack by cutting out a groove and adding a cedar strip, and recoating with lacquer. Not sure hot to handle the deep gouges. Layers of lacquer or just a light sand and spray over leaving the gouge in place. Any thoughts would be appreciated... ie Don't do it! Stop! remove old finish and apply french polish, etc. Thanks in advance.

[Greg Robinson]

Hi kazzelectro,
Please note that we require the use of real full names (first and last) on this forum, and do not accept aliases or "handles". Please let me or one of the other staff members know your name here or in a private message so that we can update your registration for you.

Thanks.

[JC Whitney]

Could you post photos?

[John Marek]

Resolution is very low...but here's pic

[Steve Senseney]

Could you show us the crack?

[Charlie Schultz]

And do we know if it is really lacquer or varnish or shellac?

[Barry Daniels]

A Rameriz of that vintage should be nitro lacquer. Filling the gouges with anything (lacquer, epoxy or CA) would probably make them more visible so what would be the point? The main thing would be to seal areas that have no finish in order to prevent further wear and dirt accumulation. Sealing could be accomplished with a clear lacquer or shellac. Once that is accomplished (along with your splint repair), a good buffing of the top should make it about as pretty as it will ever be.

[Greg Robinson]

Hi kazzelectro,
Please note that we require the use of real full names (first and last) on this forum, and do not accept aliases or "handles". Please let me or one of the other staff members know your name here or in a private message so that we can update your registration for you.

Thanks.

Hi kazzelectro,
I haven't heard from you regarding your name, could you please make sure to include it in your next post? This is your second reminder.
Thanks.

[John Marek]

It's definitely lacquer. I thought about using a pot fill lacquer stick but I think it will look like a blob of plastic as one of the gouges is quite deep. Does anyone know if you can layer liquid nitro to fill such a gouge.

[Michael Lewis]

First point to clarify is whether you own the instrument or are you repairing it for someone else? This might have a significant influence on replies.

First do no harm. Pics could help diagnose the situation with the crack.

The wear is from playing and is a little abusive but honest. I agree that trying to fix it will most likely make it more noticeable. Any instrument is new only one time, after that it is a used instrument and will show how it was used and cared for. It is hard to unring the bell, so to speak.

[Clay Schaeffer]

If the guitar is being played like a flamenco you might want to add a golpeador. The scratchplate might be less objectionable than the hole that will eventually develop.

[Barry Daniels]

To answer your direct question, yes you can build up lacquer to fill a depression. You need to let it cure long enough (3-4 weeks) so that it does most of its shrinkage. Then level the fill and polish it. But as I said before, this will not hide the damage but may actually accentuate it.