Aboutpaul wilczynski Expertise Anything concerning building, tuning, theory of construction. Specialist in finishing (40 years' experience); extensive knowledge of Rickenbacker instruments of all vintages. Rckenbacker factory connection on personal level; ONLY licensed Rickenbacker luthier in the world.
Experience Extensive. I build and restore electric and acoustic guitars (steel string and nylon classicals). I build all of Rickenbacker's acoustic instruments in my own shops in San Francisco and Healdsburg, CA.
I write two online columns with a total of over 15,000 posts since January, 2005.
Google my name or my screen name, "jingle_jangle".
Organizations American Guild of Luthiers.
Publications Mostly automotive and hobby (in the past).
Education/Credentials Manage a University Department (Industrial Design) in SF, also have taught and written design and fabrication classes for almost a decade. Have produced online classes, written curricula, syllabi, etc. Run an online forum for my students (500 in number).
Awards and Honors Awards won for product, vehicle, and preschool toy design in the past.
Past/Present Clients Rickenbacker International Corporation, Waterstone Guitars LLC, many Fortune 500 companies before I worked in guitars (I ran a design studio for 22 years). I have hundreds of individual--private party--customers.
Expert: paul wilczynski Date: 6/30/2008 Subject: neck sanding
Question QUESTION: I accidently droped my Fender Strat putting two indentations on the neck about 1/32" deep.and 3/8" long, it is a 07 mexican strat with no finish on the neck (or so it seems), can I sand down the indentations ? and if so what grade of sand paper can I use or should I use a tool such as a dremmel. thank you
ANSWER: Hi, Michael!
The Mexican Strats do, indeed, have a finish on the neck; it's a matte polyester varnish. An unfinished neck would soon turn gray like all the relics you see out there with the finishes worn off and stained by the sweat from players' hands.
I would not sand down the neck--it will spoil the finish. Additionally, if you sand through the finish, the color change will be obvious.
Avoid the Dremel at all costs. These tools are responsible for more guitar butchery than any other device. I make a decent living correcting the Dremel mistakes of people who think they are doing the right thing with their instruments.
The best way to take these dents out if they are going to come out, is with a steam iron set on "COTTON" and a dampened towel, wash cloth, or cloth diaper. Place the dampened cloth over the dent and use the iron over the cloth to heat the dented area, keeping the iron moving in small circular movements. The moisture still present in the wood turns to steam and pops the dent out.
If this does not work, you'll just have to live with the dents and be more careful in future.
--Paul
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: it seemed to help a bit but how long should I apply the heat 5 mins.? 10 mins? 1/2 hr. is longer better ?
Answer Hi, Michael...
You'll have to sort of feel your way through this one with regards to time...just be sure not to make it hot enough to melt or blister the finish. If you're going to keep it on for longer than a minute or two, you should turn the iron down a bit.
This is not very scientific, I realize. But please understand that giving this sort of direction without the benefit of being there actally helping you hands-on, I have to be conservative in my advice, so that no damage is done.
Once you have a comfort level with this, you'll be able to do a better job than I could!
