Hi, I've got a 2011 American Stratocaster in 3 Color Sunburst that I love alot. I've recently discovered a paint chip on the lower bout on the edge of the guitar in the 'black paint' section. Honestly, I don't know how it happened. I do not recall any 'bumps' or such to cause it and I don't know if it was just a 'bad spot' on the paint and finish, but it's flaked off down to the raw wood in just this one spot.

My question has to do with a inexpensive cosmetic fix. What would you recommend by way of fixing this one spot that won't require alot of money but would be good enough to keep a very picky owner happy? I thought about going to my local hobby store and getting one of those black paint pens and just filling in the small area with model paint. Is that a good or bad idea? Any others?

Any "cheap fix" isn't going to be a perfect match but it's not in an obvious place. What I would suggest is buy a spray can of gloss black (auto shop?) and a fine modellers paint brush. Spray some paint into a small container and brush it into the chip, allow it to dry then repeat as necessary building up the layers.

A cheap fix will look cheap and as you said you are picky, not likely to satisfy you long.

I say leave it, people spend tons of $$$ for Custom Shop guitars with worn looks. The chip ads character.

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CREDO ELVEM IPSUM ETAIM VIVERE

Since it's in an area of the guitar this is not obvious and since it's on a part of the guitar that is mostly black, I would touch it up. You can go as cheaply as using a black felt-tip or carefully brushing on paint as steve-strat mentioned. I don't think a cheap fix is going to look cheap, you aren't going to see it unless you are looking for it and no matter what you do, it isn't going to be glaring at you like it is now.

I would touch it up. It's your guitar, do what you want!

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Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963

I would sulk for weeks if that happened to me, condolences.

I thought about going to my local hobby store and getting one of those black paint pens and just filling in the small area with model paint. Is that a good or bad idea? Any others?

That would work fine. I did something similar with the Testor paint they sell in the tiny jars. The thing is that if you want to just cover the chip with something black so the bare wood doesn't scream at you for being clumsy every time you look down there, a black Sharpey pen would work just fine.

If you want to repair the chip than you have to be incredibly patient and add one layer of paint at a time, letting it dry thoroughly until you've overfilled the chip. That will take many weeks and you'll be tempted to rush it. Don't add a layer until the existing layer is hard enough not to dent when you press your thumbnail in it. If you rush this part you won't be able to sand it down later without it clumping and leaving a lumpy finish.

Once you have it overfilled, you have to find some "micromesh" sandpaper that you stick to a wood tongue depressor shaped stick of wood and carefully file it level, Polish with even finer sandpaper and then use auto paint polishes to get a shiny finish. No matter how well you do it, you'll still be able to see the chip because of the curved contour and nothing short of a professional buffer will get it as shinny as the rest of the guitar.

Or you could take it to a luthier and let him fix it. . .

Good luck!

Hi StratLover61': I understand your pain on that. You won't get an absolutely invisible mend but it can be quite good for not much money if you wish.

To add to what jpmist said: personally I'd go for a tiny touch of black applied with a brush carefully onto the bottom of the chip, covering the wood but not the sides. Then I'd use a small tin of polyurethane lacquer/varnish bought from a hardware store, sold for carpentry use. Your American Strat has a polyurethane finish: it isn't quite the same formula and process as the hardware stuff but close enough.

As jpmist said, you need to apply it in many careful, patient layers. Follow the instructions on the can, but in essence I think you need to paint on about three or four thin layers a day over several days till the crack is completely filled and a tiny touch more. Leave it to harden for many days and then knock back smooth with successive sandings of P1000, P1500 and P2000 wet-and-dry paper. Finally, buff to a mirror shine with household metal polish or automotive swirl remover.

Total cost of repair: a few dollars.

Good luck - C

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I've got an AVRI '57 Strat from last year that has done the same thing as your guitar. Except mine has about 9 or 10 chips in the paint. I posted about it on here months ago. At the time, it only had 5 or 6 spots where it had chipped, but like you, I could not recall any bumps or bangs that would have caused it. I did store it for a time on a rack, but didn't feel that was the reason for the chips because the chips didn't coincide with the areas where the guitar touched the rack. Further more, I started storing the guitar in it's case after I noticed the first few chips, and I've since seen at least 3 new chips in the past 3-4 months since I began storing it exclusively in the case. I decided just to keep the guitar. I like the way it feels and the chips don't bother me. If giant patches of paint start to come off, I'll probably feel differently about it.

Point is that yours looks exactly like mine. I've noticed more threads on here lately about problems with guitar finishes. I'm wondering if there's some problem with the paint Fender is using now.

Hi Midniterambler: I remember your thread well.

Far as the paint is concerned, there was a widely circulated internet rumour that Fender were having problems with their supplier a year or two back and had had to switch, which in turn was being blamed for hold-ups in fulfilling deliveries. However, as far as I ever heard we never got a convincing first-hand account of whether any of that was true, or just Infallible Web Dogma.

One thing we can be certain about, though. Your AVRI is finished in nitrocellulose and StratLover61's Am Std is polyurethane. So even if there are chemical issues going on here, it's not the same issue on your two guitars.

Cheers - C

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Yeah I'm aware of the different finishes (nitro vs. poly). As far as the thing about the paint, I'm not sure it was just a web rumour. I was waiting on my AVRI for months and the dealer told me that Fender themselves were telling him that the wait was on account of the paint issue.

Regardless though, the chips in the paint on his guitar look exactly like some of the chips on mine, no matter the difference in finishes.

I've had excellent results doing this: take your guitar to a beauty supply shop and find a nail polish that matches best. You can find any color you want from black to white at a good shop. I've even matched Sienna Sunburst. Carefully apply several coats until even with the original finish. When fully dry use some Meguiar's Ultimate Polish. This polish with cut the nail polish and never dull the finish of the guitar. In fact it's great for removing pick scratches on paint and pick guard if not too deep. With a little patience you can get your guitar back to where only you would ever know.