the first ding hurts the most...

[Bill Clements]

Dropped an iPhone on the top of a brand new Eastman bowlback while trying to tune it with a tuner app and made a tiny ding. (yeah, what a ding-a-ling)
Hey, at least I wasn't using an iPad!

[Tobin]

I don't even remember putting the first ding on my Ellis. I just remember looking down and seeing it for the first time and wondering how in the heck it got there. I mean, surely I would remember bumping it hard enough to do that!? After being sick about it for a day or two (and secretly blaming my wife for playing it while I was at work), I got over it. The second ding, a much larger one, was from dropping the metal can of Fast Fret on it as I was cleaning the strings before putting it away for the night. It left a semi-circular dent near the scroll. That one still upsets me, and I make sure not to cross over the top of my mandolin with that can any more. Seems like I could have learned that lesson on my el-cheapo starter mandolin, but oh well.

I watched my wife put the first ding on her Pava one evening. She was playing the H4 mandola on the couch with the Pava sitting beside her. She turned, and I saw it happening in slow motion (funny how these things always happen in slow motion). The lower point of the mandola bumped the face of the Pava, putting a small ding in it. I could tell she was very upset about it, but I didn't say anything for fear of 'rubbing it in'.

[Randi Gormley]

I've only owned a few new instruments, so most of mine come already dinged. However, I remember looking down at the back of my Eastman and seeing a white line about 1.5 inches long on the back where I'd apparently scratched it, probably with a button or zipper while playing. It certainly gave me pause for a minute since it was the first I absolutely know I did. It still remains the only scratch on that mandolin and I feel embarrassed for my clumsiness every time I look at it.

My husband's Guild got whacked pretty badly once, though. We were doing an outdoor gig and the wind blew the mike stand into the neck and took out a chunk of wood. He had a luthier repair it, but you can still see where it was done because he didn't exactly match the mahogany-colored stain. My husband still gets aggravated whenever he thinks about it.

[farmerjones]

Well, I'd much rather be the one delivering the first ding to my own stuff, knowing how terrible I'd feel about dinging somebody else's.

I found a pair of claw marks on the top of my HD28. Only half inch long. Can't not think of a spoiled calico kitten. Entirely my fault. Now I can tell who's guitar it is from across the room.

[Jim Garber]

Most of my instruments are vintage and they come with built-in scratches, dings, etc. However, even with these, I never just leave them on a chair when not playing. We have two rambunctious dogs one of whom loves to jump on the furniture. Even when at a jam, tho, when I stop playing I put that instrument in its case.

[Sven the Impaler]

My dad put the first ding in a Martin guitar. Was pissed at the time.

27 years have passed since he passed away.

I cherish the ding.

[Cecily_Mandoliner]

My first ding was to my Oscar Schmidt guitar. I put it in the stand, looked away for just a second, only to see it, out of the corner of my eye, falling into the glass table-top. OMG! I just trembled. How could I? I'd only had it a week! when I brought it in for a neck adjustment, the dealer noticed right away - how'd that happen? I said, "operator error!" It was just a little dent in the next; I feel it when I play, and it reminds me to make sure the instrument is settled in the stand before letting go.
My other "ding" was to my first mandolin, the Fender. Somehow, I let it dry out, and it began to separate from the body. Sure enough, it blew apart right after my first old time and blue grass festival. There was an attempt to rejoin it, which failed, so I salvaged the parts.
The Washburn mandolin came with a dent and crack in the binding area of one of the points. Dear hubby was going to buy it as a surprise for my birthday, but found the crack, so he came and got me to approve the purchase. I didn't see any issues with it, and it has been playing just fine.
I have been very good at following the rules mentioned early in the post about closing and latching the case. I almost had a "Whoops!" moment with the newest on in my herd, JBovier. But, I realized what was happening quickly enough, so there wasn't a "slow motion" event. Whew! The other rule is to avoid putting instruments on chairs. Too easily bumped or sat upon.

[Pasha Alden]

Hi there

No good stories, just to commiserate and agree that the first ding hurts the most. I damaged my mandolin for the first time this year, in a hurry out of the house, on my way to work to play for colleagues during teatime. Lifting my mandolin to carry it off, not realising the case was not closed. I almost cried myself into a helpless state, however, I was organising a braille conference, and as the project leader there was no more time to cry, but to carry on. Fortunately, thanks to some advice from mandofriends on the cafe, and wonderful skill with woodwork of my husband we minimized the greater part of the visual impact of the otherwise unsightly ding, which was fortunately not too deep or too severe. It would have just been visible on a rather glossy mandolin, so thank heavens for Ivan's advice and my husbands skills.

[lorrainehornig]

I scratched the back of one of my mandolins the very first night I had it. I scratched it on a button (of all things).

[mandroid]

I discovered, to my dismay, how much sweat my Polar Fleece jacket transported to the surface , when after riding My Bike up a Hill, to a friend's house in my Rain Gear ,
and then sat down to play my Sheraton Brown Varnished A mandolin.

and the retained Moisture damaged the finish.

[I got a ToneGard and put it on the A4, learning that lesson]

[dusty miller]

I guess aggressive picking led to my first ding.

[Joey Anchors]

Putting the first ding does hurt. I put the first ding in my Gretsch the third day I owned it.

[dusty miller]

On a serious note, I have a ding on my new Jacobson, no clue how it got there. I guess it's better to just notice a ding than to watch some slow motion tip over. Bound to happen one way or the other.

[Mike Arakelian]

My condolences, Kris. I'll bet Marty would be happy to make a new one for you...I ll be getting my new Black Tie VERY soon. I've already started worrying about the first ding.

Mike