Put the first ding in the top of mine this evening. I felt terrible, and it’s not even an expensive model. It doesn’t appear that the finish was cracked, so I’m hoping for the best. I guess it’s like a firearm. You can buy a “gun safe queen,” or buy one that you’re going to shoot. Still, I switched to stainless handguns years ago because I got tired of having to deal with holster wear on the blued ones.
Dings - Do they bother you?
“The first cut is the deepest”… sorry to hear about the maiden ding. I did something similar not too long ago. Earlier in this post, I mentioned a guitar I have that doesn’t get out of the house, because I don’t want to mess it up. A few weeks ago, I dropped a phone onto it’s side and put a pretty good one on it. It’s not huge, but it’s noticeable. I got mad for a little bit, and then kind of like Doc’s story, I thought, well I don’t ever again have to worry about putting the first ding in it. I may repair the ding, but so far, I have just left it. If you use a guitar, it’s going to happen. It doesn’t make me happy about it, but it’s part of playing guitar. Again, sorry for the ding. If you feel worse than you think you should about dinging it, you are not alone.
Someone posted a picture of Willie and Trigger… I have a hunch that the signature hole in trigger was intentionally “relic-ed.” If I remember correctly, the N-20 is a 1969 (or he received it in 1969 anyway). A while back I did some searching and found that hole in some pictures pretty close to when he first got it. The “story” is that decades of use did it, but I am skeptical. Obviously, in the 43 years, it has taken a bunch of unintentional dings, but I am wondering about the early days. Anyone have any scoop on it?
— Begin quote from "CameronK"
Hi everyone! I know this is a pretty weird topic, but I have a question for all of you. I just bought 2012 D-18 about 4 months ago, and it already has a couple minor finish dings on the side, and a couple small headstock dings. If you were me, would you take it to a luthier and have them repaired? Or should I just live with them? I know over time guitars get dinged up and it adds ‘mojo’, but I feel like this guitar is too new for a couple of dings. Thanks in advance everyone.
- Cameron
— End quote
I have a new or used Martin DCPA4 now but I was twirling my keys on my finger one day and yep they came off and hit the guitar , I had to look three times before I saw the ding but it was there and not very noticeable and it made me a tad bit more careful but things happen deal with it accept it and play the dinged instrument . I have accumulated a few more as time went by and they are not real noticeable I don’t worry about it it is mine and I can live with a few dings as long as it plays well and sounds good who cares. I also have a 1989 Takemine that has some noticeable dings but she still sounds great and plays well. Waxed up she shines like new money and has turned that shade of darker that comes with age and is more better looking than when I bought the guitar. More better is country for ultimate very good looking ect.LOL
Guitars are kind of like automobiles. A good work truck might cost me as much as a sports car, but I know that it’s going to get dinged because it’s my work truck and the utility of it is what is most important to me. On the other hand, if I had a vintage Chevy pick-up of similar value, I’d be devastated by a ding because it’s value to me would be as a collector’s item.
Currently, I only own work guitars, so I accept a few dings. Maybe someday I’ll manage to acquire a collector’s guitar that I’ll polish more than I play.
I’ll add some evidence for the Trigger mystery. Here’s Willie with the guitar in the early years. There appears to be only minimal damage under his right ring finger, but pictures from the late 70’s show the hole to be almost as big as it is now. Whatever caused the hole to open up must have happened in the first 5 years or so.
[attachment=0]trigger.jpg[/attachment]
If that is indeed Trigger, that’s as clean as I have seen it. The mystery continues. My guess is that it is an intentional hole to start, but I probably already stated that.
I did an image search for Trigger. Lot’s of fans out there. Trigger has it’s own shirts, bumper stickers, even tatoos. I have a 1970 N-20 (the year after Trigger). It’s in excellent shape, but I bet I could increase the value of it by relic-ing it and selling it to a Trigger fan.
You should get Willie to sign your N-20.