Repairing poly dings

[Jakester]

I recently picked up a new (to me) bass which has a natural finish presumably using a poly lacquer. 
 

It’s had a hard life but most of the dings etc don’t bother me. However, last night as I lifted it out of its case and over some obstructions I managed to clatter the top horn on the corner edge of a stone fireplace, putting a big dent into it. 

The wood has been compressed and the lacquer cracked. It’s annoying me because it’s right in front of me every time I play the bass, and it’s the first big ding I’ve done to this instrument. In the past I’ve had some success in steaming dents out of furniture, but would that work here? Would I need to remove the cracked bits of finish first? If so, what could I use to refinish it? Clear nail polish? Superglue? Or should I just chalk it up to hamfistedness  and resolve to be more careful?

[BlueMoon]

I've not had much success steaming dents out unless you have contact with the "bare" wood. If you have some poly in the vicinity, and it is cracked, then steaming will likely be ineffective and could even risk lifting the surrounding cracked poly as the steam gets under it.

If drop filling is an option, I use auto clear coat in a small paint stick container. Several thin coats always better than a thick one.

From what you say the bass is already dinged up from previous owners. Maybe best to consider your ding  as just another "battle scar" and play the heck out of it.

[mcnach]

For a small ding I've used nail varnish.