This is gonna sound weird...

[vchizzle]

..but is there a way to polish up a body and get rid of some of the swirl marks and pick scratches without getting rid of the deeper scratches, nicks, dings? :laugh:
I'm mostly talking about the top, the black back I don't really care about.

The whole guitar has some sunken finish going on that I love, and I'm not a big believer in fixing up dings, dents and chips - I like the character and history they offer. The top has just gotten a bit dull and less glassy looking.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Head to an automotive store and grab some swirl remover. If you do it by hand you won't be able to remove the deeper scratches... I've tried.

 

[vchizzle]

I suppose. Automotive store products always freak me out pertaining to guitars. I was considering sending her off for some fret work to be done anyway, so I figured I'd ask.

 

[John Beef]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/fender-instrument-care-kit-by-meguiars

I have this which might ease your apprehension about buying automotive stuff. Back in 2005-ish, I had this figured redwood top telecaster body that I finished myself using rattle can nitro. I wet sanded up to 1500 and then used the Swirl and Haze remover from the above kit with a T-shirt I got at a baseball game and a car buffer to shine up the finish.

 

[László]

I suppose. Automotive store products always freak me out pertaining to guitars. I was considering sending her off for some fret work to be done anyway, so I figured I'd ask.

Most guitar finishes in recent history (70 years or so) have started life as automotive paints. In fact, Fender and Gibson used the exact automotive paints supplied by DuPont and others to the car manufacturers for a very long time, and sometimes they didn't even bother to rename the colors. This includes nitro finishes; nitrocellulose started life as a "latest-greatest" car finish lacquer back in the day, and remained in use on some car finishes by GM until some time in the 60s because it held a shine well, even after other manufacturers went to enamels and other finishes of the day.

Urethanes and other modern finishes also have been car finishes first.

Fender in fact offered a finish care kit by Meguiar's, a very well known automotive paint care company, just a couple of years ago.

High quality automotive finish products like Meguiar's do a nice job on most guitars, including most nitro finishes. I haven't needed to polish a V12 finish, however, so I can't say how well they work on that, you might want to contact PRS before trying one.

 

[vchizzle]

Most guitar finishes in recent history (70 years or so) have started life as automotive paints. In fact, Fender and Gibson used the exact automotive paints supplied by DuPont and others to the car manufacturers for a very long time, and sometimes they didn't even bother to rename the colors. This includes nitro finishes; nitrocellulose started life as a "latest-greatest" car finish lacquer back in the day, and remained in use on some car finishes by GM until some time in the 60s because it held a shine well, even after other manufacturers went to enamels and other finishes of the day.

Urethanes and other modern finishes also have been car finishes first.

Fender in fact offered a finish care kit by Meguiar's, a very well known automotive paint care company, just a couple of years ago.

High quality automotive finish products like Meguiar's do a nice job on most guitars, including most nitro finishes. I haven't needed to polish a V12 finish, however, so I can't say how well they work on that, you might want to contact PRS before trying one.

I knew the paints were, but was unsure about the poly or any other clear coats. This guitar is poly so I'd guess it would be fine then.

 

[Poffypoffa]

Guitar scratch remover is great stuff. http://http://www.guitarscratchremover.com/