Help with a Martin touchup Repair

[Jeff Perkins]

Here's what I've got in the pics below. Would someone please walk me through, step by step, the correct process for repairing it. I know a hundred different ways I may do it, but I want to know the RIGHT way. What you see is bare wood, and we want to make it as invisible as possible. I know this is a branch off of the "Martin Stain Recipe" post, but I need fresh eyes on this one. Please Help!!

[Richard Bales]

What is not clear from the photos is whether the damage is just in the finish or if it's a dent in the wood.  If the latter, I would steam out the dent (ask how if you don't know) then stain and drop fill.  Lacquer would be the most authentic drop fill, but you could use CA without a noticeable difference, and it would certainly be a lot speedier.

[Jeff Perkins]

It's not a dent, it's bare wood where the finish has been removed. The question is, do i cover the wood with lacquer first, then stain the top of that with stain or with tinted lacquer before doing clear coats?

[Richard Bales]

Avery astute question.  I might seal the wood first, assuming that it's bare wood now.  Even if it isn't down to bare wood, a bit of sealer won't hurt and may be really helpful.  Then tint up some lacquer and test a bit. Leave the colour a bit on the light side, certainly not darker and apply that by drop-fill.  Perhaps a bit more tint in the next coat if needed .  Continue until the colour is a decent match and continue the drop fill with clear until proud of the surface.  Then it's a job of levelling blending and polishing as usual.  Well, that's the best way at least.

The pragmatic way is simpler, and I would say more honest.  The damage is there, it's part of the instrument history.  I would not make the repair invisible, hiding the history.  Instead I would make it a bit less obtrusive.  So I would colour as reasonable closely as I could in one go, then drop fill with either lacquer or CA.  Then the usual.  The idea here is not to do an invisible repair, but do one that looks "decent" and doesn't bother the player with a nasty feel on the back of the neck.

[Jeff Perkins]

Thank you. That's exactly what I was looking to hear.

[Kerry Krishna]

Jeff this looks exactly like the capo damage that was caused by those horrid 'imitation capos' of the early 20s/30s. Some of them were just a spring bent around the back of the neck with no protection whatsoever! 

  Is that what the story is here? And what kind of Martin and year?

[Tim Mace]

now show us the rest of the geetar

[Jeff Perkins]

it's only a 2000 HD-28

[Jeff Perkins]

i'm not sure how it happened.

[Joshua Levin-Epstein]

You may wish to contact Martin to determine the exact finish (if they can tell you). This may help blending etc

 

Joshua