Body (Bare Wood): Use Filler for Gouges/Cracks?

[selowitch]

I recently removed the finish from a shell pink Fender Mark Hoppus bass. Not wanting to use caustic chemical strippers, I instead used a putty chisel, and while this was successful with quite a lot of elbow grease, it left a great deal of marks, gouges, and cracks (see picture below):


So what's my next step prior to refinishing? Could I could use some ordinary wood putty or wood filler, like this?

I assume that since this is marked for "alder" (the graphic says "ash," but I'd be buying the one marked "alder") it would do the job and it's solvent-based. So I would just wipe this on and scrape off the excess with a credit card or hobby knife, then move on to the sanding and sealing step.

Do I have this right?

[iamlowsound]

Should have used the chemical stripper, quite easy and not dangerous if you follow the instructions. You can use the filler, but it wont match the grain.

lowsound

[selowitch]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

Should have used the chemical stripper, quite easy and not dangerous if you follow the instructions. You can use the filler, but it wont match the grain.

lowsound

Makes sense. But since I'm refinishing it solid over primer, the grain matching should not matter, am I right?

[eleonn]

Yep.

[selowitch]

Originally Posted by eleonn

Yep.

So am I better off using the Famowood filler, or should I go with an oil-based grain filler like that offered by Reranch?

[Scott in Dallas]

I'm curious: If you are going to finish it a solid color, why take it all the way back to bare wood, rather than just scuffing up the existing finish?

Also, I might sand some of the smaller stuff out of the body and just use the filler for the deep stuff.

[selowitch]

Originally Posted by Scott in Dallas

I'm curious: If you are going to finish it a solid color, why take it all the way back to bare wood, rather than just scuffing up the existing finish?

Scuffing and painting over would indeed be easier, but I was curious and wanted to try doing it from bare wood on up. That and I'm a newbie and was in a daring/experimental mood. Anyway, too late now....