OMG - PLEASE HELP - shipping nightmare on the finish

[Kevin A]

Definitely contact & complain to the seller.
Unless the 'honeycomb' look is something you can get used to seeing every time you play the guitar.

[zombywoof]

I would think that Meguiars Scratch X 2.0 and a microfiber cloth would remove them.

[bwstl01]

Stop! Do not touch this yet!

Contact the seller. You two have, at the very least, some negotiations to do.

Contact a luthier. Unless you are proficient at wood refinishing, you will not profit from making this a do-it-yourself job. If you have to, write to a store such as Gruhn's in Nashville. Let a pro handle this.

Good luck! Sorry to see this happened to you.

[zhunter]

Aside from remedies with the seller, I wouldn't touch the finish for a while to give it time to off gas and possibly resolidify. I am assuming it is probably still softened at this point. There is definitely a good chance that this won't be easily fixed, especially given the importance attached to old, original finishes.

On a new guitar, you might be able to let the finish re-harden and lightly compound out the spots such that the damage disappears. On an old finish, you run the risk that the rub out will be detectable and generate all kinds of questions should you ever decide to sell. Checking is a factor too since it will tend to hold compound. That is where the services of a true old guitar repair professional become necessary. They can tell you the risks, the techniques, and project outcomes. If no one is close to you, with the pictures you have, you could probably make contact with a pro in an advisor role.

Pictures don't tell all but, from the pics it doesn't look completely tragic so a pro might tell you a rub out will take care of it. And you'll have to rub the entire face so the outcome should look pretty even across the top. It is an unfortunate circumstance since a guitar like this cannot just be swapped for another one. It looks like a good example and it's probably worth making some effort to save the finish.

hunter

[cary]

Ack!! That is painful to look at.

I feel for you.

[Dwight]

Any repair has the probability of damaging the guitars patina. The vintage patina could represent 50% of this guitars value. Don't polish it, don't wax it.

[MICHAEL MYERS]

I've never seen that happen before and I've had a lot of guitars shipped to me with bubble wrap placed on top of the guitar. It must have been wrapped really tight.
Hope you get things sorted out.

[JTFoote]

Originally Posted by XYRN

I've seen damage done to nitro finishes in just a couple days from one of those Leg-Up thingies that attaches with suction cups.

A rule of thumb, the softer a piece of plastic is, the more volatile compounds it contains (to maintain the suppleness) and the more likely it is to damage nitro.
Rubbery clear suction cups are vinyl, and I'd wager that there is a good proportion of similar stuff in bubble wrap.

Such a shame, had they even wrapped the guitar in a single layer of newspaper and then the bubblewrap, this would have been avoided.

Not to change the subject -- but; just to interject a quick note -- Neck-Up Guitar Supports do not have plastic suction cups; they are silicon. I have used them for several years, with nitro-finished guitars of various ages and have had absolutely no problems, even if the device is attached for a week at a time, or even longer. It's a great product.

I can't speak for other products, such as those mentioned in this thread, but I know for a fact that a Neck-Up is safe.

I would never use something that had a suction cup made of a material that could harm my guitars, having had a bad experience back in the '80s with a vinyl cover that was supposed to protect against buckle rash.

I have read information from chemists stating that silicon will not harm a nitrocellulose finish unless in a liquid or aerosol form. And perhaps not even then; read if you wish - A WORD ABOUT SILICONE.

Thanks, and back to the OP. And much sympathy for the bubble-rash incident -- I hope that something can be done that is satisfactory for all concerned parties.

... JT

[PorkPieGuy]

Like the others, I'd contact the seller ASAP. Maybe even take it somewhere and have it looked at by someone that knows what he/she is doing, and possibly get a written estimate scanned to see if something could be done.

[Aaron Smith]

Originally Posted by JTFoote

Not to change the subject -- but; just to interject a quick note -- Neck-Up Guitar Supports do not have plastic suction cups; they are silicon. I have used them for several years, with nitro-finished guitars of various ages and have had absolutely no problems, even if the device is attached for a week at a time, or even longer. It's a great product.

I can't speak for other products, such as those mentioned in this thread, but I know for a fact that a Neck-Up is safe.

I would never use something that had a suction cup made of a material that could harm my guitars, having had a bad experience back in the '80s with a vinyl cover that was supposed to protect against buckle rash.

I have read information from chemists stating that silicon will not harm a nitrocellulose finish unless in a liquid or aerosol form. And perhaps not even then; read if you wish - A WORD ABOUT SILICONE.

Thanks, and back to the OP. And much sympathy for the bubble-rash incident -- I hope that something can be done that is satisfactory for all concerned parties.

... JT

The suction cups are silicone (not silicon... big difference), and they absolutely can damage a nitro finish. I left one on my 2010 martin 000-18GE overnight, and the suction cup ate a ring through the finish that almost went down to bare wood.
For the OP- sorry about that guitar. Boneheaded move by the seller- I wouldnt accept less than a full refund.

[roadbiker]

Originally Posted by GraceGuitars

Who the heck ships ANY guitar of quality in bubble wrap and not in a hardhsell case? Unbelievable lack of common sense on the shipper's part!

My thoughts exactly. Pretty stupid thing to have done. I'd be contacting the seller and telling him/her that I am sending it back and want my money back.

Jim

[MICHAEL MYERS]

Originally Posted by GraceGuitars

Who the heck ships ANY guitar of quality in bubble wrap and not in a hardhsell case? Unbelievable lack of common sense on the shipper's part!

Not sure if that's what actually happened. Perhaps the bubble wrap was added protection in the case.

Originally Posted by MICHAEL MYERS

Not sure if that's what actually happened. Perhaps the bubble wrap was added protection in the case.

That's why it should be shipped in a good quality case to begin with--no need to add bubble wrap inside the case. Some paper stuffed underneath the headstock (and above if needed) to immobilize it and bubblewrap the case on the outside to your heart's content.

[SalFromChatham]

would naptha help?

[dablues]

Originally Posted by GraceGuitars

Who the heck ships ANY guitar of quality in bubble wrap and not in a hardhsell case? Unbelievable lack of common sense on the shipper's part!

Exactly, why was it not shipped in a case? And then the case, not the guitar by itself, could be packed with bubble-wrap and styrofoam.