Damage such as that you describe on a Salvi is very difficult to repair
well, for the polyurethane finish does not dissolve under a new coat as
lacquer or shellac would. It can be made "presentable", but will never look
new.
The dents, if they are not too deep, can be raised by covering the affected
area with a damp clean cloth and applying heat, as from an iron norrmally
used on clothing. Don't overdo it, but this is the first step.
The damaged finish can be sanded away with fine (320 grit) paper, and then
stain, then new finish. The new finish will have to be rubbed out once it
is fully cured, then wax may make the damage unnoticable except to very
close inspection.
Small scratches can be filled with super glue (cyanoacrylic). It is
chemically compatble with the polyurethane.
Good Luck!
At 06:30 PM 1/1/97 -0600, you wrote:
>On New Year's Eve, I was playing my gig at the restaurant I've played for
>the last 10 years. I'm squeezed into a very tiny area, between the
>swinging kitchen doors on my left and a table on my right, usually with my
>elbow in some patron's back. Directly across from me is the salad bar. So
>we are talking high-traffic area. Last night, one waiter came out the
>swinging kitchen doors like a bullet, colliding with a bus-boy carrying a
>tray heaped high with dirty dishes. The tray hit the column of my harp
>(denting it) and then food and broken dishes hit the sound-board and base
>of the harp. It was covered with food. When we wiped it all down, the
>chipped dishes had gouged off some of the finish of the sound-board, in
>about 4 different places. (I play a Salvi Diana) You can feel the little
>gouges, and see the marks.
>
>Now my question....should I try to repair this damage? How?? And, if so,
>who pays? Is this what my harp insurance is for? Or does the restaurant's
>insurance supposed to cover it? Or, is this just the chance I take as a
>professional gigging musician? Nothing like this has ever happened before.
>
>Thanks in advance....Ruthann
>
>
>
Howard
hbryan@pipeline.com