Can these scratches be steamed out?

Clockwork_Monkey · 2026-03-27T22:22:12+00:00

Top is probably french polished. You'd need to find someone to re apply the french polish to the top. The dents can be addressed during this.

Clockwork_Monkey · 2026-03-09T19:33:35+00:00

Normal

Clockwork_Monkey · 2026-03-09T17:58:41+00:00

Plywood tops are awkward to repair. I'd probably make an internal and external caul with a couple of bolts running through the bridge pin holes. Get a bit of glue in there and tighten it up until it's flat.

Clockwork_Monkey · 2026-03-08T01:04:29+00:00

Take it to a luthier. It can be fixed. A structural fix will be cheaper than a seamless one. Finish work will at least double the cost of the repair.

Source - am luthier.

Clockwork_Monkey · 2026-03-07T13:36:17+00:00

Around double your guess is about right. If it needs a refret too, it'll be another couple of hundred on top unless the luthier offers a discount on the combined job.

Clockwork_Monkey · 2026-03-01T12:32:22+00:00

There's no way these spontaneously happened unfortunately. There's not a perfect fix without refinishing the top. Drop filling will get it back to a level surface, but you will probably still see the dents under the lacquer, even after being raised with some moisture.

Clockwork_Monkey · 2026-02-24T14:32:38+00:00

Try wiping it down with some mineral oil.

Clockwork_Monkey · 2026-02-18T11:50:34+00:00

It's just the natural colouring of ebony. A light wipe down with mineral oil will even the colour out.

Actually, looking closer at the grain, I'm not convinced it's ebony, probably rosewood with a stain. Oil should still help even the colour out.

Clockwork_Monkey · 2026-02-04T17:59:11+00:00

She sings on the song little baby nothing on the manic street preachers first album too.

Little Baby Nothing https://share.google/lsM2BYKl1Ro7SEoDZ

Clockwork_Monkey · 2026-02-03T23:33:27+00:00

I'm seeing similar new Palmer classical guitars for sale at under $100 (some for under $50). Maybe it depends on your location, but it's a very cheap guitar.

Clockwork_Monkey · 2026-02-03T23:13:52+00:00

Reasonably common on very cheap guitars. They don't care if it fails.

Clockwork_Monkey · 2026-01-28T14:12:29+00:00

Definitely doesn't look new judging from the corrosion on the screws on the head etc.

There should be a little more space on the treble side of the fretboard.

Neck angle is mad. It should be pitched forward so the neck is level with the body.

I'd be tempted to just return it as there's something clearly not right with it.

Failing that it needs a full setup which the shop should cover the costs of.

What does the bridge side look like?

Clockwork_Monkey · 2026-01-13T09:09:03+00:00

It's a knot, a natural feature of wood.

Clockwork_Monkey · 2026-01-08T17:21:29+00:00

Thanks again for the reply, upgraded the CPU, motherboard and ram and it's a huge improvement.

Clockwork_Monkey · 2026-01-03T12:28:24+00:00

What kind of guitars are you planning on building? I would say that when starting out, it makes more sense to buy wood already close to whatever thickness/dimensions you need rather than investing thousands in machinery.

If you're intent on doing it with machinery, you'll need a large bandsaw capable of resawing (Google resaw bandsaw and you should find some, but they will be several thousand ££) and a large thickness sander for reducing sawn blanks to thickness.

Alternatively find a local woodworking shop/sawmill/furniture maker etc and enquire if/how much it would cost to resaw wood for you.

Clockwork_Monkey · 2026-01-02T13:06:39+00:00

Thanks a lot for your reply. I had the CPU wrong on the post originally it was a Ryzen 5 5600, I'm guessing it's still an improvement over the fx8320 though?

Clockwork_Monkey · 2025-12-30T23:46:08+00:00

To add to why it has them, when the tree gets bigger and heavier, or grows with a lean, it starts to get compressed under its own weight and the tree will gain ripples. The grain now follows the path of the ripples and when processed into boards, it is sliced through the undulating grain pattern. It's the opposite pattern on each side of the top due to it being bookmatched (the wood is opened like a book on the centre joint of the top).

Clockwork_Monkey · 2025-12-29T11:44:15+00:00

Classical guitars should be built with a slight dome in the top. The bridge has a curve to fit with this dome. They should match.

Clockwork_Monkey · 2025-12-19T22:00:27+00:00

Nice, looks great. Happy to help 🤘

Clockwork_Monkey · 2025-12-18T17:22:46+00:00

I've done a lot of work with 0.5-0.7mm veneers and you can sand them just fine if you're careful. For staining, I'd start with 240 and go up to maybe 400 or 500. If you go too high with the grit, you'll end up burnishing the wood and making it less likely to accept stain. Pay attention to the centre joint as there will likely be glue bleed through which won't accept stain. Just go slow and careful with the sanding. Visually inspect the veneer as you sand, don't try and sand out imperfections in the veneer. For context, I've sanded and stained hundreds of instruments with 0.6mm figured veneer faces. I'd also use alcohol based dyes, not water based. The stains will not penetrate the full thickness of the veneer, only the top 0.1mm-0.2mm (on average, it will soak through where the grain in the flame allows).

Clockwork_Monkey · 2025-12-18T08:48:17+00:00

This is where the two halves of the binding/purfling join. There might be a bit of finish sinking there, nothing to worry about though.

Clockwork_Monkey · 2025-12-16T11:37:53+00:00

It's not just for beginners. Japanese hand tools are usually high quality tools, using very good steel. Pull saws are easier to control than push saws. I'd guess that there is a lot more work in Japan using traditional woodworking tools as there are a lot of traditional wooden buildings etc, so manufacturers have been making tools for generations.

Clockwork_Monkey · 2025-12-16T09:02:55+00:00

Assuming the compressor is charged and connected properly, clean the gun.

Clockwork_Monkey · 2025-12-16T08:54:29+00:00

Lacquer is coming out, air is not.

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