Finish touch up

[MML]

Hey all.

I looking for some feedback. On one of my latest Gibsons, a wonderful A2-Z. Somewhere in its life it looks as though the bridge may have slid or been toppled over by someone and scratched through the varnish. I am not so hung up on overall looks but I am concerned that the bare wood may stain, discolor without a protective top coat. Should I have a luthier french polish these areas or just leave it alone. I am inclined to have it fixed to help preserve it.
Any thoughts would be appriciated http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[sunburst]

I'd brush in a little shellac 'til it's filled, level, with fine sandpaper and Micromesh, and "spirit" the patch into the rest of the finish. That means rubbing with a fairly dry alcohol rag, and takes some experience. Yopu can also simply buff the repair to a matching gloss.
I use small artist's brushes, but there are brushes sold for violin touch up.

[MML]

Thanks for the reply John as to how, but I guess my question is should I. I know its personel preference, but is touch up work considered a no-no, and could it hurt the value? Mabey I should consider myself lucky, after all a distressed Gibson usually costs more http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Bob DeVellis]

If the touch-up is done well and is virtually undetectable, it shouldn't hurt the value (unlike, say, stripping off an original finish and reapplying, which typically would hurt the value a lot). On a nice instrument, I'd have a pro do it. I have at least one vintage instrument that I suspect had something like this done because the area the pick normally strikes looks a bit too good to be original. But other than that, there is no evidence of any finish repair. I also know that the instrument passed through Frank Ford's hands at one time. If my assumptions are correct about it having been worked on, a finish repair of that quality would do no harm to an instrument's value.

[sunburst]

I agree. A small touch up doesn't seem to hurt the value, as long as no more original finish is disturbed than is necessary.