Damage control

[Santiago]

While I was out last night and my teenage son was home "alone," a mysterious gouge not unlike the wear on Andy Statman's snakehead mysteriously appeared next to the f-hole on the front of my my Eastman. Knowing this is not a collector's item, what's the best way to cosmetically repair this?:crying:

[Jim]

Learn to live with it, it will make you stronger.

[MikeEdgerton]

Repairs that are done poorly look much worse in most cases than the gouge. On the other hand some very competent luthiers can repair things in a such a way that they don't show. Here's one example on www.frets.com (http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Finish/Lacquer/DropFill/dropfill.html) of a finish repair. You might take a look at the entire finish repair section there to see if your ding looks familiar.

[Santiago]

Does anyone know a good repair person in the Long Island, New York, area?

[Santiago]

I guess I got me a distressed version... and I feel distressed.

[walt33]

Cris Mirabella is in Babylon:
http://www.mirabellaguitars.com/

Walt

[Chris Biorkman]

This is the reason that I always leave my mandolins in their cases.

[WindinBoy]

Learn to live with it, it will make you stronger.

My sentiments exactly. It still plays the same, and now you got the first ding out of the way. Letting it slide is good for you. Tell him you like that mandolin and ask him to be careful around it?

[mzuch]

Bob Jones in Brooklyn

[JGWoods]

I keep some thinned out shellac around for various things and use it for gouges that expose bare wood- dip a Q tip in it and dab a little on the spot. That seals it from moisture and shellac is compatible with most any repair material that might be used in further repairs.

[Michael Lewis]

before you try to fix the damage, either take it to a recommended luthier or just leave it alone. Once you try to fix something you can't go back if it doesn't work out. You have only one first attempt available, so if you want it repaired I suggest you take it to a pro.

[GRW3]

I'm assuming he said nothing...

Wait until he buys his first car (not the first car you buy him). Borrow it for a test drive. Open the door into a concrete post. Say nothing. If he says something, show him the mandolin...

Well maybe not but you could threaten it :)

[Santiago]

I know enough not to try to fix it myself. I ruined my father's antique German violin that way. It's pay a lot for an expert or don't touch it. As for the case, I only leave it out when I'm planning to use it. I kept my customer Gibson 335 guitar out for 20 years and it never had any damage. It's one scratch (thank God it's just the pick guard) came from putting it into the case.

:disbelief:

[jim_n_virginia]

While I was out last night and my teenage son was home "alone," a mysterious gouge not unlike the wear on Andy Statman's snakehead mysteriously appeared next to the f-hole on the front of my my Eastman. Knowing this is not a collector's item, what's the best way to cosmetically repair this?:crying:

The best way to fix this is to put the same exact gouge on your son's head as is on the mandolin.

Worked like a charm for my Dad and his hunting rifles! :grin:

[Santiago]

I'm not so sure my son did it. I'm looking forward and want to fix the problem not the blame.

[jim_n_virginia]

I'm not so sure my son did it. I'm looking forward and want to fix the problem not the blame.

I was just kidding but I have to answer. So you fix the gouge... and a week later there is another gouge... did you fix the problem.

Find out who did it, waterboard all suspects if you have to. And then make sure the perp never does it again by whatever means necessary!

THAT'S fixing the problem.

As a Dad who raised a teen already I am guessing your son had friends in the house and one of his friends did it and he won't rat them out!

Seriously I wouldn't fix the dent either, just mess it up unless you have the whole top refinished and that would cost you as much as what you paid for the mandolin.

:mandosmiley:

[Eddie Sheehy]

A mandolin without "character" is a day without sunshine.... your mando has its first story to tell...

[F5GRun]

Im gonna tell you the same thing that everyone here told me when I asked about my frist bad ding.

"Leave it, its called character"
"Some people pay more for that type of thing"
"Welcome to the Club"
"Throw it away and get a new one"
"Wont be the first one"

Anyway, you get the idea. I ended up just keeping mine the way it was. It will surely give you a story to tell or make up if you dont know what happened. The worse part of mine was that I didnt do it. If I did it myself I would feel a little better about it. It really comes down if you want to spend the money and time away from your mandolin to have it fixed. Remember that a ding or gouge can happen anytime so if you get it fixed and ding it again your back to square one.

Good luck, and remember to breathe.

[Nolan]

It's the law of the universe I guess. Sons will always ruin Dads good stuff. My Dad always kept his instruments in the case but that didn't stop us from getting them out when he was at work. I remember one time my brother and I couldn't get the lid closed on my Dads trumpet case... our solution was for BOTH of us to sit on the case while we reached down and latched the locks! Ooops. It never occurred to us that the trumpet was in backwards.

After my Dad had calmed down (just a few years ago) he told us about the time my grandpa had just finished putting in a new banister up the stairway and my dad thought he should try out his hatchet on it. He said the only thing his dad said was, "You know, I'm not going to fix the banister because whenever I look at it I'll be reminded of you"

[Santiago]

Yeah. As I said, I ruined my dad's violin, but I was trying to fix it. The problem with it being a badge of honor is that I don't have the amusing anecdote about how it happened. I mean if two guys were fighting over a girl named Lucile and I rescued it from a fire, it would be a cool story.

[JEStanek]

Make one up. If you tell it often enough it'll become true. Somehow work in a damsel in distress, the ghost of Lloyd Loar and a levitating fire poker. ;)

Jamie

[Gerard Dick]

It's called mojo. the first hurts the worst, even more if someone else applies it. It ain't the last. Leave it.

[Dave Greenspoon]

"Yepper,that's a ding allright. Funny story behind that one. Only Mandolin in the world to be awarded a Purple Heart AND the Navy-Marine Corps Medal. You see, we were out on patrol (sorry, I can't say where, but let's just call it "Stan" between you, me and the lampost, because it's all still classified), and I pulled old Bessie out of the case do practice a little Soldier's Joy, some mood music if you will. Yepper, I plugged in thru the Humvee's pa so's that the locals could appreciate what REAL traditional music is all about, and I was pickin' and a grinnin' and generally having a grand ole time. Well, I started getting a little crazy with pentatonic harmonics, and I swear, this is a real no--shi##er--the freqs detonated this roadside IED about 100 yards ahead of the patrol. I instinctively ducked behind something solid, in this case solid red spruce and sugar maple, and good old Bessie took a hit of shrapnel that was coming right towards my forehead. She saved my life that day, and the lives of my entire patrol. Sorry that the rest of the details are still classified, but in 75 years you'll be able to petition the records under the Freedom of Information Act and read it all for yourself."

[Michael Lewis]

When we have a new ding or nick or scratch in an instrument we tend to focus on it, get all riled up and just sort of make the whole thing bigger than life it's self. This is part of the human condition, and the only thing we can do about it is to keep in mind that we do tend to make a big deal out of little things. try to look at the damage as it really is, and not make it worse than it really is. Yes, it can be repaired if you need, but look at it with fresh eyes for a while before you do anything about it. You may well find it's not so bad after all.

Here, have a cup and think about it for a while.~o)

[first string]

I say, ponder this for a while:

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/6980590-md.jpg

I promise you you'll feel better about that scratch/nick.

[JEStanek]

How about a photo so we can commiserate or help you realize how small it is?

Jamie

[Santiago]

I'll see if I can get my digital camera working. Had some trouble with it yesterday. May have to repair that first.

[DryBones]

I was just kidding but I have to answer. So you fix the gouge... and a week later there is another gouge... did you fix the problem.

Find out who did it, waterboard all suspects if you have to. And then make sure the perp never does it again by whatever means necessary!

THAT'S fixing the problem.

As a Dad who raised a teen already I am guessing your son had friends in the house and one of his friends did it and he won't rat them out!

Seriously I wouldn't fix the dent either, just mess it up unless you have the whole top refinished and that would cost you as much as what you paid for the mandolin.

:mandosmiley:


If it was one of the son's friends that did the damage then the son should still be held responsible. He was the "man in charge" while all parents were away. At least that's how it works in my house. :whistling:

[Santiago]

Great story Dave. Now that's a great Veteran's Day annecdote. Sounds much more honorable than I left it on the couch and when I came home it was messed up.

[Gutbucket]

This is the reason that I always leave my mandolins in their cases.


This is the reason teenagers should be kept in their cases.

[Ivan Kelsall]

That Guitar looks like Willie Nelson's, & i've seem one that Del McCoury used to play (maybe still does),that was almost as bad but without the 'extra' sound hole,
Saska :cool:

[Santiago]

Right. What type of case is good for holding your teenage sons, to protect your mandolin from damage.:))

[allenhopkins]

Well --

Not quite sure how this thread got on the subject of parental discipline. Mandolins are wonderful, but inanimate and fixable. Children are wonderful, and, while prone to error and problems sometimes, are in many ways the reason we live our lives the way we do.

So, even in jest, the idea of encasing our kids to protect our instruments rubs me the wrong way. Whatever joy my instruments have brought me, and whatever gray hairs my sons have given me, there's no possible comparison.

[Santiago]

Lighten-up. Nobody's putting their kid in a cage, just expressing the normal frustrations of being a parent. I'm sure the damage was accidental. I would just expect him to own up to it. We lose our hair for a reason. As Sinbad says, "Your parents were normal, you just broke them." ~o)

[CES]

To paraphrase Mark Twain's philosophy on raising teenagers:

"When they turn thirteen seal them in an oak barrel with an air hole. When they turn 16, plug the airhole..."

I've got one on the brink of teen-dom (and one younger), and, Allen, I wouldn't trade anything for either of them, but I still get a kick out of threatening with the barrel on occasion ;)

[JEStanek]

This may not be just a case of needing to "lighten up." There were times, when I watched this thread, I thought it might not be prudent to advocate child abuse on a public forum for all the world to see. Certainly the risk lies on the poster rather than on the site (thus nothing was deleted). Even things written tongue in cheek can be misinterpreted and could come back to you.

As I've learned in the business world, perception is reality so control the perception.

Jamie

[Schlegel]

A gouge is nothing. My Mom shot her guitar with Grandma's 38. Didn't seem to hurt the sound any.

[Gutbucket]

Just what I love about this new Republic. The freedom of expression goes only about two inches before it's stopped by extremely thin skin. We've become a country of cry-babies and whiners. Hope everyone had a happy Veterans Day. Those that gave the ultimate sacrifice would be so proud of how this thread went sour. Good day and for cripes sakes, lighten up!

[Santiago]

I'm not interested in discussing my son further, but I guess if Andy Statman can live with his A being beaten up all all those years (until he recently got his Nugget) I figure I can harbor a few dings now and again. Now how do I afford a Nugget? :-)

[allenhopkins]

Just what I love about this new Republic. The freedom of expression goes only about two inches before it's stopped by extremely thin skin. We've become a country of cry-babies and whiners. Hope everyone had a happy Veterans Day. Those that gave the ultimate sacrifice would be so proud of how this thread went sour. Good day and for cripes sakes, lighten up!

That's good advice. "Lighten up," I mean. And respect everyone's freedom of expression, not only those with whom you agree.

Had a great Veterans' Day, by the way, just four days past the 41st anniversary of my own ETS.

[Don Christy]

I'm not interested in discussing my son further, but I guess if Andy Statman can live with his A being beaten up all all those years (until he recently got his Nugget) I figure I can harbor a few dings now and again. Now how do I afford a Nugget? :-)

I thought he was playing a Kimble now??

[Santiago]

You may be right.