DISASTER - HELP!!!

[Matt Fisher]

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A terrible thing has happened this weekend! Any advice would be greatly appreciated:

I just finished my first Martin-type 0-12 guitar in December, despite a few small imperfections it plays and sounds fantastic. It is a tru-oil finish on Indian RW back and sides.

I came in yesterday morning and my wife announced that "something terrible has happened!". The culprit was a lamp (one I particularly hate) with very sharp corners on the base, which fell off the piece of furniture it was on. The guitar was standing in the corner next to it innocently minding it's own business, when the lamp went crashing into it inflicting significant damage to the bass-side rib. It's a small puncture wound in the upper bout area and a few other scratches that I could probably live with if it wasn't for the main damage (see pic).

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I'm pretty sure I can patch it from the inside to stop the crack spreading once I get the strings off but I'm not sure if I can improve the look cosmetically. I don't know what sort of filler would be appropriate, if any, and would it stick to the tru-oil finish?

I don't think rosewood dust and glue would work as it has a tendency to go a bit pink but I was thinking maybe a bit of ebony in there too to darken it. Maybe sanding it after and reapplying the tru-oil to finish?

Any advice would be helpful in this time of tragedy. Or maybe a little sympathy.....

[ken cierp]

This is the process I'd use and have used. You can blend the shellac sticks to get a grain pattern and color match. Drizzle some CA in the crack before hand to help prevent further along the grain cracking.

[John Link]

Matt - you have my sympathy. I keep gits in cases but am always tempted to display them. They are one of the most beautiful objects ever created by our culture. You have just experienced the downside of display.

As far as the fill Ken suggests goes: Make it darker than the surrounding wood rather than lighter, if you can't get a dead match. To put it another way, match the darkest wood that it will touch, not the lightest. The eye is more sensitive to light spots than dark ones in a field that is essentially dark, as is the case in your unfortunate instrument. Apparently the pupil dilates to accommodate the low light level so any invasion by a light area is especially noticeable, while something a little dark melts into the field. Or maybe the brain dilates - I'm no physiologist, but I've worked with color for a long time.

One consolation, you are going to notice the repair 5 or 10 times more than anyone else will.

[Tim Benware]

If you have an old tuner you can make a jig that will pull the wood to line up the cracks in the wood. Tru-oil is pretty forgiving so you can sand that area down if needed. Fill the smaller cracked areas with RW dust and CA and Ken's method for the larger areas. Re-apply the TO and it will be almost unnoticeable. If you PM me your email I'll send you the plans to make the crack alignment jig.

[Ron Belanger]

It looks like there's a dent as well as the cracks. I would align the cracks first, then use a wet cloth and a hot iron to raise the dented wood, then proceed to gluing, leveling and retouching the finish. Be patient and take your time to think through each step. And remember, as I have also learned from hard experience, the best place for your guitar when you are not playing it is in its case.

[Matt Fisher]

Thanks guys, I hadn't actually considered CA and was thinking of other glues so I'll go for that. I like the idea of the hot iron to raise the dent as well. I may be able to push it out a little from the inside too. Will post results when I get a chance to do it.

Time to get this little git a hard case....

[Dave Bagwill]

Matt - that's a very nice TO finish. Could you share your method? Pore filling, application, buffing?
Thanks
Dave