Best way to remove scratches on guitar?

Guitarse

Been a bit clumsy and managed to scratch the laqcuer on my Gibson Midtown. 

Any recommendations on how best to restore it? Gibson pump polish has improved them, but if there's a better way...?

Doug

If it's just a fine scratch in the laqcuer then some compound(Farecla G3) followed by  Autoglym resin polish should sort it, if it's a deep scratch then wait for a response from the paint guys @lamf68 @Billkat etc.

Corvus

As Doug says, if it's just a light flesh wound, pic would help. If it's deep & nasty options would be like drop fill with clear lacquer, or tinted lacquer, flat & polish. Sometimes heavily thinned lacquer run in a small scratch with a fine brush will melt in quite nicely. Won't be invisible without flatting out; sandpapers, blocks, compounds - time & money. It's easy to make things worse if you're not familiar with filling & flatting back & polish up.
Sometimes these things are best left. To me an honest scar is usually better than a drop-filled one, bad-sanded one etc.

BloodEagle

Sometimes these things are best lef. To me an honest scar is usually better than a drop-filled one, bad-sanded one etc.

What he said, just leave it - trying to hide things especailly on a highly polished gibson finish sometimes spirals out of control if you dont know what youre doing and before you know it youre wet sanding the entire body and wishing youd just left it. If its just some light scratches you could try with a very very gentle cutting compound, but again its easy to make things worse 

Gassage

Most luthiers are far more skilled at how to put fake scratches on than take real ones off, these days.

DefaultM

Hold the body with both hands, find where the scratch is, and then knock that part of the body on a table.
If done right you should no longer be able to see the scratch.

Guitarse

The scratches are only on the lacquer, not through to the paint. Agree with you, Gassage lol

Bridgehouse

New guitar. 

richardhomer

Put a nice 1970s Musicians Union 'Keep Music Live' sticker over it.

darthed1981

Keep being clumsy and save yourself a lot of money getting it "relic'd" later!!

EricTheWeary

Brasso.

Apparently works well at getting scratches out of plastics.

WD40 

Works at getting scratches out of laminate flooring( although you will slip on it and break your neck after).

One or the other or neither. 

Rox

I was going to say "belt-sander" or battery acid.  But I'm no expert.

richardhomer

As I've said before - used lightly, with a soft cloth - T Cut is perfectly fine....

I've used it on a vintage Gibson with no ill-effects.

guitars4you

for superficial surface grazes there are various guitar polishs to choose from but I get good results with Meguiars X20 car polish - As I said more for superficial top surface light grazes

Sassafras

Get a Telecaster.
The cack-handed clumsy oaf's guitar.

professorben

Sassafras said:

Get a Telecaster.
The cack guitar.

Ftfy

Sassafras

professorben said:

Sassafras said:

Get a Telecaster.
The cack guitar.

Ftfy

I can't help getting the impression you don't like Country & Western.

proggy

I used to use T Cut for my scuffs and scratches, these days I just leave them, they add character and value!

WezV

richardhomer said:

As I've said before - used lightly, with a soft cloth - T Cut is perfectly fine....

I've used it on a vintage Gibson with no ill-effects.

I agree.  I have used it on quite a few  Gibsons.

funniest one was a mates 90's white studio.  It got stained pink when he played a gig dressed as a lobster.  He did nothing about it for 2 years.  Normal cleaners wouldn't shift it by the time he asked if I could take a look.

you do have to do the whole thing though, even if it's only lightly

professorben

Sassafras said:

professorben said:

Sassafras said:

Get a Telecaster.
The cack guitar.

Ftfy

I can't help getting the impression you don't like Country & Western.

I like both types of music.