Eastman 305 Finish - Any way to improve?

[Scott R]

Doing some digging, it looks like the 305's have a matte nitro finish. The one I have has been through its fair share of travels and there are a bunch of spots that the finish has lifted and flaked off.

The neck, too, has a couple of small chips out of the center I would like to sand flush which will also eat through more surrounding finish.

If I'm up for an adventure, anything that is worth doing to clean this up?

I really love this Mandolin as a carry-everywhere, not-to-worry instrument. Setup is great, action is low, sound is perfectly decent.

Thanks

[multidon]

Ok, if it were mine, what I would do is go to the nearest big box home improvement store, and look at the assortment of furniture touch up markers. Buy 2 or three that you think come closest. Put test dabs on scrap, decide which is closest, and just go to town in those spots. You won’t get an exact match but close is good enough. You see, when you can see white wood like that the eye is drawn to it, but darkened it will just look like normal distressing. Now, I would never do that on an expensive mandolin, but for one like that it’s perfectly fine.

[Greg Mirken]

Looks to me like [most of] those white areas aren't bare wood, but places where the finish has lifted. At the edge of the F hole, for example, you might try wicking lacquer thinner in using a small artist's paint brush.

Greg

[Scott R]

Yeah, I think Greg is close to right. Nothing is through wood (well, not much), it is finish that is bubbling.

I don't care all that much, but if there were an easy way to do an even buff of the entire top I'd entertain it.

[Svea]

I'd probably either just leave it as battle scars, or polish it with some Virtuoso Premium Polish. Someone on the forum here polished their satin finish mando with it and reported very good results.

Svea

[Bob Buckingham]

There is nothing wrong with the 300 series finishes on Eastman. They wound better than those heavily finished 500, 600 and 800 models. Only the varnished models sound as good IMHO. Do you really want to spend more money? Why not just play it?!?!?

[Astro]

Agree with RobBob. Dont need no prissy mando. Looks boss!

[Roger Adams]

Let sleeping dogs.....I had an Eastman 515 that the clear top finish lifted/peeled off of the neck. I had no luck touching it up. I could not get anything to even stick to the "dang thang." At least with the matt finish on yours, it doesn't look so bad. I would leave it be, and think of it as mojo.