Soundboard Splinters

[Jerry Ryan]

This is the condition the guitar arrived in, what is the best way to repair the splintered areas? It is a cedar top. The chips are gone, and are thin, 1/4 or less of the thickness of the top. I'm new at the game of repair, this is my 4th project guitar. I either keep them or they end up with my wife's high school music students that can't afford a decent guitar. So far I have $91 in this Seagull S6

[Bob Gaddis]

You could buy a cedar top and try to match the splinters, using superglue. But for what it is, I'd just build up the low places with superglue, sand and buff, glue the bridge back on and let it ride. You could always do an oversized pickguard to cover the damage, but why bother? It's never going to be anything but a player.

[Ron Frazier]

use a little wood putty where it shows at side the bridge then clean all the glue off or the bridge and where it will glue to the top, glue with yellow glue. put a few coats on the exposed area of supper glue.

Ron

[Jerry Ryan]

Bob,

Why superglue rather than filing with lacquer? I thought of one of those clear meltable lacquer sticks from StewMac and finishing with lacquer. But, no experience...yet. Just asking as I do not know the technique and would think superglue would be really hard to work with.

[Bob Gaddis]

I use thin superglue because it builds up quickly, dries quickly and levels out pretty well. If you use lacquer, it will take a while to dry and it's is softer than superglue. It will take more lacquer and more sanding to get it level.

[Jerry Ryan]

Thanks Bob! You & the others who gave advice on this site are really helpful.

Jerry

[Jim Bancroft]

Superglue is probably the cheapest way to fix this, but first seal the area with lacquer or shellac, then apply superglue as a fill. Superglue alone on the bare wood can darken it.
Build it up above the adjacent finish, then scrape it down flush, wet sand and buff out. If this guitar has a satin finish, after the finish is polished out, lightly buff with 0000 steel wool to dull the finish.

Jim

[Jerry Ryan]

Thanks for the input....I'll do it. Any special superglue? Slow dry gel?

Jerry

[Jim Bancroft]

You want thin superglue. Just add superglue, let it dry, and add more until it's slightly above adjacent finish.

Jim

[Jerry Ryan]

Thanks Jim!

Jerry