Removing washer indentations on Martin Headstock

[Jim Bancroft]

Any tips/ ideas to eliminate these when converting to bushings without the washers.
The guitar is a 1978 D-28 with the heavy Grover Rotomatics, and I'm installing open gear tuners.
I wood is actually darker under the washers, and also some slight finish damage around the edge of the washers.
I don't think there is a solution other than refinishing the peghead, which I won't do.
Any ideas appreciated.

Jim

[Donald A. Fortune]

Hi jim -- in my years of working with all kinds of wood it has been my experiance that if you wet wood it will swell--- now dont go and dunk the head stock of that D-28 in a bucket of water-- just take a cotton cloth or maby a paper towel and put a small amount of water on the hole where the tuning key was(careful not to get any in the hole or it will swell and make the hole smaller)....... be careful and dont be in any kind of hurry..
see ghow it works and keep me posted ok???
Donald

[danove]

Frank has a 'steaming out' method at http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Finish/SteamOut/s...
that might be a helpful addition to Donalds post.

btw - why not use a nice washer to cover it all?

[Jim Bancroft]

Thanks for the ideas. I have steamed dents before but didn't think about it in this situation. Anyway I did slightly steam it with minimal effect, maybe a little better though.
I could drill out the original washers and reinstall them, but I'd rather not. I did this on a customers guitar awhile back and it looked fine and he was happy. I'm looking for a more vintage look.

I'm thinking I will just leave it as is, as it doesn't look that bad. I think the only way I could eliminate the washer indentations is overspray or apply lacquer with a brush around the indentations, get a buildup then wet sand and buff it out, but I'd rather not. Also I noticed the wood is darker where the washer were, probably because of not being exposed to light, and that cannot be removed no matter what I do.

Jim

[Ron Frazier]

keep it stock!!!!! Leave it alone.

Ron

[FRANK]

yea that's Martins signature leave it if not people will say it may not be a Martin? Plus if you get water under your Lacquer you may have other problems not only that but the swelling process of the wood is not a thing you can really control in hard wood soft wood different story

[Jim Bancroft]

Thanks Paul and Ron, but I took care of this months ago.
No, I didn't destroy anything, and it still a Martin.

Jim

[Bob Gaddis]

so, what did you do?

[Jim Bancroft]

Pretty much left it like it was.

I figured the answer out myself, which is overspray the peghead face, buildup some finish and buff it out, but I wasn't willing to do all that. Just wasn't worth the effort.

Jim