Why do we feel so bad when dinging a new mandolin?

[MandoJam]

I just bought a new mando 2 weeks ago and got my first big ding. My Weber was sitting on the floor and I was handing off a tambourine to a friend and it slipped and CRASHED right down on my new beautiful mandolin. G*&^&*(*& it. Why do I feel so bad? Any experiences?

[Santiago]

A new mandolin is (seemingly) perfect. With the first imperfection it's no longer new. Funny that we'll pay folks big bucks to distress it for us, but when we accidentally ding it, it does feel like a catastrophe. Some people are that way about their cars, but I'm always relieved when my car gets its first ding, becaue I can then relax. I should do the same with my instruments.

[auteq]

I agree w/ santiago. I have an eastman and I was very protective until the first ding, and now I pass most stuff/dings off as "played" "distressed" . Of course I don't play vintage mando's for this reason.

[Tim2723]

Sorry to hear about the first dent, but at least it's over with.

Why do you feel so bad? It might have something to do with leaving your Weber laying on the floor. I'm not making a joke or slighting your experience. I feel your grief because I've dented a mandolin or two. I know how it feels. But don't leave your instrument on the floor. And don't play tambourines. They have more sharp edges than a pizza cutter. Hell fire!, they're a dozen pizza cutters on a convenient handle. Be happy you got a dent and nothing worse.

[John Flynn]

First off, friends don't hand friends tambourines! Tambourines are like banjos, only with cymbals on them instead of strings. Uhggg! :))

But to your point, the first scratch on a mandolin is heart breaking. My main mandolin is a black-face. I love the looks of a black-face, but they attract dings like magnets! I was sitting at my desk and my brand new Old Wave mandolin was in a stand right next to me. I picked up a headset cord to plug it into the computer and I was holding the cord about a foot from the plug. Then I turned around quickly for some reason and just whipped the plug into my mandolin, putting a pock-mark in the top. What's worse is I did the exact same move about six months later and put another pock mark in it about an inch from the first one!

I got over it. I know there are people who take immaculate care of their instruments and good for them. I am not one of those people and never will be. I like the term "character marks." I figure since Gibson is now charging a couple grand to distress a new instrument, if I put a ding in mine, I've just made it more valuable! I'm never gonna sell it, so you can't prove me wrong!

[Tim2723]

I love the looks of a black-face, but they attract dings like a magnet!


Why is that, John? It's perfectly true, but why is it? Does God hate black-face? He hates trailer parks sure, but what does He have against black mandolins?

[John Flynn]

I dunno. It's like white shirts and spaghetti sauce! ;)

[JEStanek]

The nicer the white shirt the bigger the sauce splotch. A white undershirt, nary a smear, a freshly pressed linen shirt will get a glob of jelly or splash of coffee before you make it out the door.

Jamie

[JeffD]

I have never dinged an instrument.

[Tim2723]

I have never dinged an instrument.

Neither have I.

[Willie]

If you have ever played with one mic and had a dobro player in the band you can`t help but get dings on your mandolin...I have a real nice scratch on my F-5L and I tried using rubbing compound to get it out but to no avail...Thats why some people leave their Loars at home and play a pac-rim, I say if you don`t want it to get dinged then leave it home or in the sase.....Willie

[cedarhog]

Well at least you know how your dent happened. I hate the mystery dent....for the rest of that mandolins life you wonder how the dent happened.

[allenhopkins]

...That's why some people leave their Loars at home and play a pac-rim...

Who are these people?

[Philphool]

I have never dinged an instrument.

Then you're not having enough fun!!:))

[jim_n_virginia]

All I have to do is stare at an unblemished clear spot on my mandolin and slowly shut my eyes and when I open them up ... PRESTO a ding is magically there! :grin:

[MandoJam]

I am starting to like my dings

[Hans]

It's just like a new car...after the first scratch, it's transportation.

[CharlesMoman]

I just got my first mandolin (Eastman 504) on Wednesday from the Mandolin Store (good people). I have been showing it to my music classes (grades 1 - 5) at school and comparing it to my acoustic guitar. Most had never seen one and were surprised by the size difference.

They said it was beautiful and I told them that the first ding would happen before too long - I would whine for a minute and then get over it. Once it happens I am no longer "babysitting materialism". My wife and I use that phrase about anything new we buy.

We buy a lot at Goodwill to avoid that syndrome!

[acousticnotes]

Neither have I.

True Tim. You just crush them.:))

[sunburst]

Folks! It's your lucky day!
Today, I introduce my new dinging service! Send you new, pristine mandolin to me and I'll ding it for you and spare you the pain of doing it. Prices vary from inexpensive small dents in inconspicuous places to large scratches prominently placed for all the world to see!
Don't delay! A ding could happen at any time, so send them in NOW!!
......
...
.

[Santiago]

Good business model. Odds are shipping will do the work for you. :-)

[Cape Cod Struggler]

I just refinished the top on my main "Beater" and when I putting it in its case for first time the cover dropped suddenly resulting in a nice latch ding.

It added character to my beater but I was annoyed just the same. I was glad it wasn't my 20 year Porsche concours car.

[journeybear]

I have never dinged an instrument.


Neither have I.

No, you're much too thorough. Ding? Nahhh ... Demolish? Ummm, weeelllll ... :) :grin: :)) :whistling:

I've never dinged a new instrument because I've never had one - used and abused, before and after I got 'em. When I got my late lamented F-12 back in 1978 I didn't have a case, nor any money for one, so I fashioned something out of a dress box (right shape and size) with a couple of pieces of wood glued to hold it still near the neck join. Didn't realize padding would be necessary until a couple of weeks went by and I saw these little grooves had been dug into the neck. :disbelief: Oh well. Didn't mar the sound any, and gave it a little character and distinction.

[Willie]

Allen...I knew three Loar owners that played with big name bluegrass recording artists and when they played out in a bar or some crowded place they never brought them out they both played Arias...One of the Loars is now owned by a very popular member here on the Cafe....Willie

[pager]

All I have to do is stare at an unblemished clear spot on my mandolin and slowly shut my eyes and when I open them up ... PRESTO a ding is magically there! :grin:


THAT was funny! I love it. Plus, it is SO true!

jillian

[mcH]

That is one reason I do like "pre-dinged" instruments. Someone else has done the damage, and I don't feel bad when I put another one on. It makes it easier to start playing out and not worry about keeping it pristine. In fact the more heritage it has, the more fun it is to play.

[sunburst]

See there?
For one low price you can have less worry and more fun playing!!
Hurry, hurry!!!

But wait! There's more!!!

[Chad Thorne]

I've owned my Genest for a year now and it still has no dings on it.

I have no idea how that happened.

[TEE]

I have a mandolin that I have played and owned for 27 years. Except for a ding under the bridge where a screw went through on a faulty bridge it doesn't have a ding. The tailpiece cover is not even tarnished. I took off the pickgaurd and I plant and brush my fingers. I have played it on stage for years and I play in front of a mic once a week. It has never had a fret job although it almost needs one. It's a Japanese Kentucky 82 model, I have no idea what kind of finish they used. KM850

I also have a HD28 that I have had for 5 years and it looks as good as it did the day I bought it. It looks mint. Frets show no wear whatsoever. I am a flatpicker and I like to play very fast and I have to play above banjo pickers sound level.

I have never had a problem with pick click and I have no idea how a pick could come into contact with the top of any instrument. I like low action also.

I also am a ferocious nail biter and I don't have the acid skin problem so I guess that helps some.

I have never been able to afford a nice instrument, so I guess if I bought a Loar the first thing I would do was drop it into a wood chipper or something.

On the other hand the only time I have ever washed my car is when I get a free one with an oil change.

[Matt DeBlass]

I have plenty of "mystery dings" on my guitar, but haven't gotten around with my mandolin enough to get battle scars yet. I'm big and clumsy enough that I have plenty of matching dings about my person, so it's OK.

I suppose the first ding on a new instrument marks the point when it stops being a new instrument. On the other hand, you could be playing something like Glen Hansard's guitar:

http://www.amoeba.com/dynamic-images/blog/Sarah/glen-hansard-guitar

[Tim2723]

Holes in guitars I've seen. But where can you get a free car wash with an oil change?

[saintandsinnerguy]

The nicer the white shirt the bigger the sauce splotch. A white undershirt, nary a smear, a freshly pressed linen shirt will get a glob of jelly or splash of coffee before you make it out the door.

Jamie

Man, ain't that the truth. I always thought I was the only guy who had such bad luck.......glad to know I'm not alone. I don't think I have a shirt that doesn't have a mark on it somewhere.......add to the fact that I have 2 little girls (6 yrs and 3 yrs) and I just gave up trying to have any shirt that is pristine.....ain't gonna happen :)

[acruzn]

Good business model. Odds are shipping will do the work for you. :-)

or United will also do it for free. :))

[journeybear]

Holes in guitars I've seen. But where can you get a free car wash with an oil change?

Got the soap, sponge, and bucket right here. The hose is over there.

[TEE]

Holes in guitars I've seen. But where can you get a free car wash with an oil change?

Pretty much all the Jiffy Lube type places around here have a drive thru car wash built on to them. It cost $5 if you just want a car wash and if you get full service oil change you get to run your car through free.

[sunburst]

... Send your pristine mandolin in for a set up and I'll throw in the first ding service absolutely free!!
No hidden charges...

[mcH]

To me, Willie's guitar is the ultimate "dinged" instrument:

45898

[Rob Gerety]

Ages ago, when I was a college student, I returned to the room where I left my guitar the night before and discovered this little ding in my Epiphone - no one owned up to it either:

[journeybear]

THAT'S a "little ding?" I YI YI!!! You must be made of some stern stuff! :))

[Dragonflyeye]

Couple of years ago, I noticed a ding in my then new Eastman, and never knew how I did it. Dang! Then, due to my not monitoring humidity levels at the start of a WI winter, a couple tiny pieces of laquer popped off. Dang, dang!! What is it they say about cars - you lose 25% of the value when you drive them off the lot. Well, my mandolin's way off the lot..

On a personal front, I changed my wardrobe choices yrs ago, after dressing up all in white for some jazzy summer musical event at a restaurant, ordered lasagna (of all things), and proceeded to dump it in my lap. Since then, I've bought an awful lot of black.

Anita

[Matt DeBlass]

On a personal front, I changed my wardrobe choices yrs ago, after dressing up all in white for some jazzy summer musical event at a restaurant, ordered lasagna (of all things), and proceeded to dump it in my lap. Since then, I've bought an awful lot of black.

Anita

That's why I wear a lot of Hawaiian shirts. That and it makes me cool like Magnum P.I. :cool:

[Larry Simonson]

Back to the question-why do we feel bad .....? I dinged the top of my first from scratch mando after working to get it ready for the first coat of dye.

Sometimes this forum reminds me of answers to test questions I have gotten from students.

[Matt DeBlass]

I think I answered at some point, among my tangents. I think it's at least in part because once we ding it, it's no longer "new."

[Rob Gerety]

A ding itself doesn't really bother me at all. Truth is it makes me play better because I am more relaxed. But I don't like the fact that resale dollars just went out the window!

[journeybear]

I like that. Reminds me of that wonderful word from "Garp" - pre-disastered. ;)

I still get on my case when I pick up one of my instruments and I see I've been careless, it's got a new pick scrape or string ping or some such. Grateful they're minor damage, but still wish I'd be more careful. The blessed things give me so much joy, comfort, and transcendence, they deserve to be treated well. :mandosmiley: Good thing they're well-made and resilient, so they can survive me and what I sometimes put them through! :)

[Ronnie L]

I ran out of sticky pads for my Barcus Berry bug recently, so I used double sided tape...uh-oh! It sounded great actually. Just when I took it off, a little of the finish came off with it! its very faint and you cant really see it till you hold the Mando up close to your face but I know its there.... Glad My Eastman 615 was bought 'previously dinged'.

[PJ Doland]

In all honesty, this thread really validates the idea of distressed/antiqued instruments.

If the guitar already looks 85 years old when you bought it brand new, you're unlikely to feel bad the first time you ding it.

[Space Pup]

In all honesty, this thread really validates the idea of distressed/antiqued instruments.

If the guitar already looks 85 years old when you bought it brand new, you're unlikely to feel bad the first time you ding it.

Unless you paid extra for the distressed/antiqued finish. I'm glad to see the whole custom "Vintage look" thing has not invaded and ruined the mandolin like it has the electric guitar.

Back to the original question;
I think we feel so bad when we ding an instrument because we are the cause. You think to yourself, "How could I have been so stupid?!". Don't feel bad most of us have been there before. The first ding alway hurts the most.