Polishing problem with my Fender.

evilmaddox · #1 02-23-2011, 03:36 PM

I use a '84 Fender Jazz Special, and it has some pick scratches and a few very little dents on her. I really don't like to see her in that condition, and did some researching on the net about polishing that scratches off, but every source I looked says something different, so I decided to ask the most reliable source I got: you guys.

Is car polish (thats what all the people in forums suggest, though I am not convinced) enough, is there a specific brand I gotta use, or do I need to use something just for guitars/basses?

I am really confused about this thing, and would really appreciate if you guys could help me.

Chrisk-K · #2 02-23-2011, 08:50 PM

Fill the dents with CA. Sand with 600 grit followed by 0000 steel wool. Then, polish with "Meguiar M-0716 Mirror Glaze Car Glaze". The bass will look like a mirror. I even polished my P bass pickguard with M-0716. The black plastic pickguard looked like a black mirror.

walterw · #3 02-23-2011, 09:33 PM

it's a losing battle, and besides, an '84 should be a little dinged-up (it's 25 years old for chrissake).

making a big project of filling and buffing dents and scratches (especially on poly finish stuff) can leave it looking worse, as in "still worn, but obviously messed-with, too".

gjbassist · #4 02-23-2011, 10:05 PM

Don't worry about the little dings. The scratches can be reduced with something like Meguiar's Medium-Cut or Fine-Cut Cleaner. They are available at many auto parts stores.

http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/produc...?T1=MEG+CUT+16

evilmaddox · #5 02-23-2011, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

it's a losing battle, and besides, an '84 should be a little dinged-up (it's 25 years old for chrissake).

making a big project of filling and buffing dents and scratches (especially on poly finish stuff) can leave it looking worse, as in "still worn, but obviously messed-with, too".

Yeah, I know she actually should be a wee dinged-up, since she is older than me.

But she has this pink-ish sparkly colour that I like so much, that dings and scratches kinda gives me goosebumps, like, you know, scarring her beauty? (ok, maybe I am a bit too much obsessed with her?)

And I think none of those dings&scratches are affecting its paint, just the coating over it, thats why I am asking for advice.

Thanks for your advice, by the way. I'll keep that in mind for sure.

p.s. Would you mind if I ask for a wee more explanation about about the finishes and polishing (you know, what is wrong about polishing a poly finished guitar, what could happen etc.) , by PM if you don't want to write it here? I am a bit uneducated about that stuff and I wanna know if I'm about to make a mistake or not.

walterw · #6 02-23-2011, 10:39 PM

if by "polishing" you just mean cleaning and buffing, go for it.

it's when you get into abrasives that remove material that you need to back off.

evilmaddox · #7 02-24-2011, 03:20 AM

Yeah, actually my intention is just to apply wax polish (is that right?) to get a more shinier and newer look and get rid of the scratches(if possible). I am not gonna refinish or do something like that for sure.

Fender4Me · #8 02-24-2011, 07:26 AM

I use Mequiars scratch remover followed by a thier Gold Class carnuba wax. The scratch remover will remove most of the tiny, shallow scracthes without too much work.

testing1two · #9 02-25-2011, 02:30 AM

There is no easy way to do this and achieve the results you're hoping for. It literally requires sanding out the scratches and then bringing everything back to a gloss.

To do any less then this will yield the kind of results Walter was talking about which compare to a rockstar after plastic surgery: "still worn, but obviously messed with, too."

Polishing compounds like ScratchX, SwirlX, and FinesseIt might get you 75% of the way there but they really need to be machine applied with a polishing wheel to be effective. That means disassembling your bass and removing the electronics & hardware from the body.

Moral of the story: embrace the age of your instrument. Those scratches were earned through 27+ years of making music. Be proud of them. Don't buff away the legacy.

DrZ · #10 02-25-2011, 12:49 PM

I've had the best results with Collinite "Insulator Wax #845"
It's carnuba based and will "fill" those tiny swirl marks - of course not permanantly but you'll be amazed just how good your basses will look - you can find it on E-BAY, one bottle will last a long time.
In a previous life I was a professional auto restorer and have pretty much tried them all - this stuff is that good! Enjoy