Polishing out surface scratches

jfraze5150

Is it possible to polish out surface scratches?

Ive got a 2013 American Deluxe Ash Telecaster in white blonde. I love the finish and grain. I’ve got some surface scratches on it. Superficial and I’m pretty sure it’s just in the finish and not the paint. Is it possible to polish surface scratches out? Any recommendations?

robgilmo

Run a finger nail over them, can you feel the scratch?

jfraze5150

robgilmo said:

Run a finger nail over them, can you feel the scratch?

No. I tried taking pictures but they’re not even showing up in pictures.

robgilmo

What kind of finish is it?

Flanging_Fred

I’ve had success with G3 scratch remover (from Halfords or the like) and I’ve even done it with Brasso. HOWEVER! as pointed out above it really depends on the type of finish and how deep the scratches are.  I’m no expert in these matters so hopefully some more experienced people can chime in...

jfraze5150

Em... pretty sure it's Poly. I'm on the way back machine now trying to find out for sure.

stephen.wood125

You can polish scratches out of any finish, but as said above it's REALLY key to know what the finish is, if it's polyester or polythene you can use more or less anything but things like Meguiars scratch-x and T-cut may be too harsh for Nitrocellulose. I take it you would e hand polishing? Farecia G3 as mentioned above is good, also the G-Techniq P1 and Menzerna polishes on a micro fibre cloth work well. If it's Nitro Fender often say in the specification "Lacquer" finish it means the same. The Poly(x) based finishes are harder.

ICBM

If it's a US Standard or Deluxe series it will be polyurethane. A friend of mine had one just like that, it was really nice... he stupidly sold it. More stupidly, I didn't buy it.

T-Cut is fine - that's precisely what it's designed for.

guitars4you

I often use a Maguires car polish - Similar to T-Cut - Ideal for slight surface grazes

what ever you choose don't use a cheap duster as they can scratch and leave swirl marks - Good micro fibre cloth required

robgilmo

TCut is a restorer, not a scratch remover, it will clean up oxidised paint, scratch removal requires the surrounding area to be lowered to the base of the scratch then polished. If you cant feel it with your fingernail a cutting compound will lower the surrounding area then a polish (TCut) will work, if you can feel it you would really need a very very fine grit wet and dry (used wet) , 2000 grit would be Ok, bring the surrounding low to the base of the scratch in a small area but be exceedingly careful not to go past it or through the finish, then polish it up. You can always fill a deep scratch instead.

There are a lot of waxes out there designed to fill swirl marks (tiny scratches) but this isnt a permanent solution, If it were mine , and it was all over the guitar, Id probably strip and use wet and dry then polish, but then again, Id probably just leave it scratchy if Im honest.

jfraze5150

Cheers for all the replies. T-Cut worked a treat. It's not 100% gone but virtually invisible now. 

jfraze5150

Here’s a pic. Not that you can or can’t see the scratches. 

jfraze5150

Check out the discolouration on an 8 year old guitar. No I don’t smoke (anymore) 

Dominic

T CUT just be sure to republish afterwards with something gentle like Carnauba wax

andy1839

3M Finesse It

Used it on loads of guitars, poly and nitro. Takes away swirls and minor scratches.

TforTele

Are those sets of micro mesh pads any good for this sort of thing?  Just curious.  I read (but don’t know if it’s true) that it’s used for polishing scratches/marks out of aeroplane windows.

JamieWakeham

Can I ask the same question, but for a late '90s PRS CE in a solid colour? I can just feel the scratches with a fingernail...

jfraze5150

Am I right in saying that it’s pretty rare to get nitro finishes these days unless it’s on a vintage reissue or something similar? 

pjf

Just bear in mind that if you’re using a scratch remover that contains silicone (as many, many of them do) it could cause problems down the line if you need work doing on the finish.

duotone

jfraze5150 said:

Here’s a pic. Not that you can or can’t see the scratches. 

I thought I could see a large scratch by your tone knob...then I realised it was one of my cats hairs on the iPad screen! 

francer

Could you do a test under the pickguard first where it won’t be seen if it screws up.

I put some deep scratches in my MIJ tele and tried to polish them out, turned out the colour was sitting near the surface of the finish not under it and I took a patch out before I knew it.

I know it’s not the same guitar as yours but be careful is all.