best ways for filling chipping epiphone guitar

[ibarakishi]

I have a 10+ year old epiphone les paul standard that has a small ding that i am concerned will probably start to splinter or possibly further chip due to its location (it is where my arm rests when playing and is really small). The problem area is right on the top edge (where the white/ivory lining meets the top of the guitar's face, if this makes any sense, right on the edge/corner). I don't really care about making it look great (i enjoy playing guitars, not simply looking at them) and am concerned with the fact that the white rim and corner of the top are going to continue to splinter or break if i don't fill it with something that will anchor it in place (again, because it is a contact area where my arm touches constantly or fabric from my shirt could grab) for the future. I have read online the usual things about super glue, nail polish, etc. but wanted to ask here what you have found to be the best solutions for situations like this. In the past with my other guitars, i would just sand the problem area down so that it didn't cut me or cause problems and didn't really care about making it look perfect so long as it played great, felt great, and sounded good to me (strat style guitars). I would leave the wood exposed and keep playing. But with this epiphone, if i can, i would just like to remedy it for playability and comfort (again, mainly just out of concern for the further splintering of the problem area).

So what have you all found to be good ways to deal with this sort of thing?

Thanks in advance for any ideas or experience, i appreciate it all

[popvulture]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Epis are poly finish, no? If that's the case, you don't really have to worry about cracks/dings spreading or chipping more—it doesn't have that same brittleness that happens with old nitro.

If you're seriously worried about it, maybe a dot of clear acrylic nail polish would do the trick?

[ibarakishi]

i think that you are right about the poly finish popvulture. the dent goes down to the wood a bit in one point on the corner/edge, and kind of started to crush the white lining (i don't know the vocabulary for this part, it is the sort of whitish rim that goes around the tops of the les paul's on the face edge). The whole thing is maybe the size of a small eraser head of a pencil. So maybe it would be better or more accurate to label it as a chip instead of a dent? But it isn't just a dent in the finish, if that is what you were thinking popvulture. Sorry i don't have a photo to post, i am sure that would help my words make more sense. The corner/edge was hit up against something. I hope this makes sense and isn't more confusing. I was leaning towards using acrylic nail polish like you suggested too, so it i good to know that you recommend that too popvulture

[popvulture]

Gotcha! The rim you're talking about is the binding. I think it will be ok as long as it's not cracked/peeling.

[cheapgtrs]

The binding I'm not sure there's much you can do. The poly just mix a little wood glue and saw dust and fill then level a bit. Cover with fingernail polish if it bothers you.