How to repair chip in finish?

I just bought a used Invader Tribute with a chip out of the finish. Looks like it goes to the wood. What is the best way to fill and refinish this one small spot, short of doing a complate refinish?

Thanks for the great forum.

I just bought a used Invader Tribute with a chip out of the finish. Looks like it goes to the wood. What is the best way to fill and refinish this one small spot, short of doing a complate refinish?

Thanks for the great forum.

Posting a photo of the chipped area might be a good starting point.

Have you seen this post? : chip repair.

Thanks Craig. I looked around the forum and didn't find that post. Gave me some ideas though.

Here is what I'll be dealing with once guitar arrives;



BTW, I haven't found much on the Tribute Invader model online. What does everyone think about this model with HBs? I'm a newbie and just learning guitar. I tried 30+ years ago to learn and gave it up. Right now I've got a Starcaster Strat and a Line 6 III 15 watt amp. No problem with my cheapie Fender, but wanted to step up a little and found this at what I thought was a decent price.
The guitar has a serial # of 04095XXX. Can anyone tell me the year and location it was made?

I am really enjoying the forum.

Chuck

Thanks

i would leave that alone. when i started out i tried to fix the chips, but they never look perfect (especially when the painted top surface and the clear side have to be repaired at once) and it gives more character unrepaired. fred finisher can give you some good insights on how to do it well, but i'd just leave it.

that chip would eat me up...could not stand it.
1) Cut black electric tape and place very close to outside edge as a dam
2) Get black enamel from model shop. fill in black part of chip and make blck line same as existing. nice sharp edge to ddifferentiate from the natural wood part of the chip. Do not try to fill with black as it is just for colour under clear.
3) Buy medium thick Crazy glu at hobby shop (#2 I think) and buy accelerator spray as well.
4) buy cheap nail files from $ store...and wet/dry sandpaper in 400 800 1000 etc from building supply center.
5) Buy mild auto polish with some grit
6) Fill chip....wait a liitle and then spray with accelerator. It will be hard instantly. Do again with the crazy glue if all is not above existing/finished level
7) sand with nail files all the high spots with the tape still there or new tape if the existing tape is messed up. Use thinner masking tape and file again while trying to make a nice shaped 90 degree edge. Finish sand and then polish/buff

A great big thanks to everyone who posted or emailed me. I got the Invader from the post office Friday. All I can say is WOW. What a guitar!!!

I don't know how the seller took the picture, but the pic made a really small dig look gigantic. It's no more than a beauty mark. The repair may be just a speck of Testers model paint, or will stay like it is forever. I have saved the replies for when I put a real ding in it though.

Thanks again

I have the solution to these chips: FINGERNAIL POLISH!!
I buy the cheapest available at CVS!
You can buy it in black and clear and dozens of other colors, like various reds. It comes in a bottle with a brush, which I always have a hard time finding and then cleaning when using model paint.

You should not do this on vintage guitars that have high valuations that can be adversely affected by touching up the finish!
On G&L Tributes- go right ahead!
Just mask it off and go and use clear to fill in.