EVIL DINGS!

[stringsncords]

As a working musician with quite a few guitars, my regularly-used guitars have some minor war wounds from the gigs; nothing serious, just part of the job. BUT...... It drives me absolutely berserk if I get the most minor of dings in one of my Ricks; I've been to Chris Clayton (Pick of The Ricks) for 3 wet-sand cosmetic repairs in the last year.

Thankfully, Chris understands my pain (I just dropped off my 330AFG today) and he's done a great job.

Here's my question: Do you hold your Ricks to a different standard than other guitars? Does it REALLY BOTHER YOU if one would get a blemish, or a ding, from regular use?

I think the problem is that I have guitars, AND I have RICKS, and I'm so in awe of their beauty, I absolutely hate for them not to be perfect.

Do any of my fellow forumites have this problem?

Bob

[1965]

Personally, I think they're more beautiful when they're aged and played. Now I only buy used/vintage Rics and don't sweat the little dings. I've had new, shiny Rics before and perfection is annoying to me now. Having to constantly baby my instruments isn't what I want to have to worry about when playing guitar.

So I guess my answer is: Yes, dings on brand new Rics drive me nuts. My solution: don't own brand new Rics.

[Danotron]

I like honest battle scars on guitars. The good ones get played, including Rics.

I do, however, understand that those first few dings on a new Ric are hard to take, so I agree, and I mostly like to buy used.

[winston]

It's all good. War wounds eventually happen if you play them as you should. To have a guitar that is not played...........now that would be a crime in my house.

[goofyfoot]

There are players. There are players and collectors. There are collectors. Count me in the first group. Nicks and dings? Global warming? Priorities. It's all relative, AFAIC. But yeah, the act of nicking and dinging any guitar is sort of bone-jarring at that moment. But I think most of us simply move on. My dos centavos' worth. Regards.......Goofyfoot.

[weemac]

Both of my Rickenbackers have been trashed in a former life and while I really don't want any more dings on the Rm1999, my 74 4001 is there to be played....
However I mostly play my Waterstone basses and a chip out of that overtly thick poly finish looks really horrid... (they are a lame coloured wood underneath)

When I break a headstock off or something, thats when the crying starts...

Eden.

[collin]

Personally, I think they're more beautiful when they're aged and played. Now I only buy used/vintage Rics and don't sweat the little dings. I've had new, shiny Rics before and perfection is annoying to me now. Having to constantly baby my instruments isn't what I want to have to worry about when playing guitar.

So I guess my answer is: Yes, dings on brand new Rics drive me nuts. My solution: don't own brand new Rics.

+1, on all of it.

The first ding is always the hardest. Fortunately that means the guitar has been USED. While you can stress out about keeping it perfect, you're not really enjoying it, and besides----guitars look better (to me) when they are used and played.

Now my car.....that's another story That's when ding-frustration sets in!

[ozover50]

I was really mad at myself when I dinged the headstock of my first Rick but now I accept the fact that if you play them the chances of some minor damage are are a lot higher. Doesn't really bother me any more but I do try to be careful. Given that none of my guitars could be classed as 'vintage' it will be many years before any damage will amount to 'mojo'!

[longboard_ric]

I'm the same as Aitch.

I try to keep them ding free but you have to accept that it's going to happen.

As long as they don't finish up in pieces on the floor!!!!!

[cjj]

+1
I try to keep mine ding free, but don't sweat it too much. Back when I used to play in clubs and bars, etc. I always tried to make sure the setup left me enough room that banging into stuff was minimized. Of course, I play bass and don't sing so I can keep a bit more mellow profile. Then, having a sort of beater bass to use in those situations where things are more likely to happen is a great way to go too...

[JakeK]

Personally, I think they're more beautiful when they're aged and played. Now I only buy used/vintage Rics and don't sweat the little dings. I've had new, shiny Rics before and perfection is annoying to me now. Having to constantly baby my instruments isn't what I want to have to worry about when playing guitar.

So I guess my answer is: Yes, dings on brand new Rics drive me nuts. My solution: don't own brand new Rics.

+1, on all of it.

+2

[jimk]

It does bother me some when I discover a new ding on an instrument. After practicing one evening through a headphone amp, I noticed that the volume switch mounted on the cord of the eaphones had left a rash on the back of my Rick. That really bugged me, as I had only had the guitar maybe a week, or ten days at the most. Next butter-fingered ol' me dropped my compressor which gave the backside of the neck a glancing blow. So now there's a small dimple. But the finish is still intact.

I expect 'em all to acquire some...um...patina...yeah that's it...just later, is all.
JimK

[kiramdear]

Love hurts.

[Bighouse]

I'd rather have an instrument that I can play than one that looks perfect. Probably not possible (at least for me) to have both.

Guess this means though, that you won't be buying any "Road Worn" finished instruments!

[cjj]

Why pay extra for "road worn" when it's so easy to make 'em yourself?