Guitar Repair 101

Picture this; you've completed your latest masterpiece and are sooo proud...

...and then, the unthinkable happens...

The shelf unit in the Master Bedroom collapses and smashes down on top of the Defender.  The little red spots are where I repaired the chunks that were taken out by the faulty shelf unit.

First, I mask off the area to be repaired.  Fortunately for me, I did not mix custom colors and therefore do not have to match.  I always try to use Krylon paints because they dry fast and can be lightly sanded if necessary an hour after spraying.

Excess tape is removed with an x-acto knife.

All areas not to receive paint are masked and cloth is taped to them.

Spraying about 3 light coats and sanding with 1500 grit in between coats.

...and now, all tape is removed to reveal a complete restoration.  The only thing left (besides the electronics) is to put on about 5 coats of laquer.

I got new pickups some time ago from a guy who was parting out his old Les Paul.  The tabs on these pickups required some modifications to the pickup cavities so I used them as a template to mark on the body.

Now that it's marked I'll use a rubber mallet and wood chisels to modify the cavities.  More later...