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I've got a very light hairline scratch in the clearcoat of my AVRI 62 Jag.  This is the only nitro finish guitar I've ever owned...I don't want to screw it up since its thinner than typical modern finishes. Any tips on buffing/polishing it out? 

Can I ask whether it is a scratch or a crack in the nitro finish....  remember cracking/checking can occur to nitro finishes if taken from cold to hot.

Hi, its definitely a scratch...unfortunately I saw it happen   

you could look at it a different way, forget about fixing it, and see it as the first step on the road to:



in 35 years.

although your guitar won't have grown witch hats and binding magically. that would be cool, though.

On all kinds of guitars, nitro, polyurethane and polyester finished I've used automotive polishing products to remove (thinner) scratches with some success. I prefer carnabau wax based products, I am currently using one from a brand called Valma. I also used it with great success on my Jag to polish the dull pickguard and non-clearcoated black refin on the body.

My general approach is to use very gentle circular motions for both applying and removing the polishing agent and a very soft flannel cloth (wow that sounds really karate-kid ) If the result is not yet quite there just repeat it, applying more wax or rubbing harder in one run will probably add even more scratches. This also works on nitro but be careful not to rub too hard because it's definitely softer. If in doubt I'd test it in the neck cavity or trem rout (or any other non exposed but finished surface).

If you use products like this you will end up with a super-shiny guitar which may or may not be to your liking. In that respect the suggestion by chrisjedijane to leave it alone and make some more on the way is also worth considering.