Polyester finish

[Jerry Ryan]

I have a guitar that I am repairing the peghead. It has a polyester finish (Guild GAD50). What can I use to refinish/topcoat the peghead? I used super glue to fill the damaged areas and scraped to level. I think a new topcoat sanded level a couple of times should achieve that original crystal clear finish. I have a Menards nearby that seems to have several acrylic finish options.

[Jerry Ryan]

I am considering Minwax Polycrylic to re-finish the peghead, looks to be a candidate for the clear finish I want and hopefully it will adhere to the polyester finish.

[Stuart Horsman]

Dear Jerry,
I often wonder what we did to guitar manufacturers that they hate to let us touch up finishes! We have a shelf of various sprays, and cans, each of which has worked as a touch-up on a polyester finish. We usually try one, and then another, until we find the one the works.... Not much luck with Polycrylic, for some reason-it tends to bubble. Stuart

[Mike Fleck]

I have had good luck with shellac via french polish on some polys.

[Jerry Ryan]

Thanks Mike, I'll give that a try. I'm a rookie, but surprised I don't see touch up tips for polyester finishes here or other sites.

Jerry

[Todd Mylet]

If you're just touching up the front of the peghead, most good clear finishes should be workable. The main issue is getting the new finish to adhere to the existing finish. Before I had the ability to shoot polyester, I would approach a guitar like this by scuff sanding the peghead to 220 grit, followed by two coats of vinyl sealer and then top coats of nitro lacquer. If it's just the front of the headstock, the blend lines can be easily hidden at the edges of the headstock. If you're touching up the back and/or sides, this technique will leave you with a visible "ghost" line at the transition between the old and new finish. Still, it looks pretty decent.

[Jerry Ryan]

Thanks for the tip! I considered nitro, but also read where the two finished may seperate after some time. I've seen that. However, the vinyl sealer is a new twist and must be the trick. Will try that. I am only doing the face side. This GAD50e is a salvage guitar I boought cheap to restore and gain experience. For some reason they ground off 75% of the GUILD logo, did a rough job with a grinder. I can't seem to find a MOP replacement, so I cleaned it up and fillled it with CA. I had considered using schellac as a bonding agent for the nitro lacquer, but wasn't sure. Was just about ready to try the French Polish before today.

Jerry Ryan
Harvard NE

[Chris Sisson]

I did a repair on my car and had some clear Urethane left which worked pretty well for touch up on a larger area poly touch up.  The hardener will degrade after opening but keeping it in a freezer will prolong the life.  It cleans up and thins with lacquer thinner and will mix with aniline dyes with some success.  I also created a very passable imitation of a vintage j-45 pickguard by coating a standard plastic tortis  sheet with it.  It nicely thickened it with rounded edges and ended up with a nice organic look.

[FRANK]

there is a spray can of Bull Dog clear coat 1 full coat and you can adherer Nitro or anything for that matter ?good luck !

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

I would sand to 180 grit dead flat, then a wipe of shellac, then clear nitro. PU and PE finishes can't be "repaired", you can only patch the holes and cracks and clearcoat over it. For that purpose, nitro works well if the surface is sanded, washed and top with a bit of shellac : it does not leave obvious witness lines. It will separate from the PE if you don't sand rough enough.