First battle scar

[40Hz]

There's a saying that goes: "Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday."

Stuff happens. And now that it has, you have the luxury of becoming a little less worried about it - or upset - when it happens again. Which it inevitably will if you're gigging an instrument. And probably will even if you keep it home, as you just found out.

FWIW, anything you do to it to fix it is probably going to make it more visible and call more attention to it than leaving it alone. Oddly enough, most people seem to expect to see a few scratches and dings on musical instruments. So having a few small ones won't even register with them most times.

You might eventually want to have someone do a little touch up with clear nitro on the ding just to keep moisture from getting under the rest of the finish and having it spread. But I'd let it go at that.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I wouldn't try to touch it up. I might see about having it professionally fixed though.

Possibly. But what about the next nick? No matter how careful you are, if you play it, it won't remain pristine (maybe not through your own fault).

 

[Geri O]

No doubt the initial reaction of such an incident leaves one feeling empty and hollow. But usually, it will pass in a reasonable amount of time.

The location of the ding appears to be where your elbow or forearm will the resting on the bass, so it will at least be obscured from view when you are playing it. And for that very reason, you need to apply something, clear coat or color-matched, to that spot. You don’t want moisture or sweat from your arm getting into the unprotected wood.

It’s still a gorgeous bass with a gorgeous color.

 

[McFarlin]

sigh.

Brand new fender elite in ocean turqouise. Went to grab it from its case this morning and moved a litt too quickly and banged it on a piece of furniture. It now has a nice sized ding in the finish in the front of the instrument.

I bought it to play out with so I imagine something like that was bound to happen at some point but it still sucks.

Is there any kind of touch up that can be done these?

That's a genuine relic job. Some consider it a premium option.

 

[lbbc]

I have a custom made bass and it received it's first ding at a wedding ( I had one of those "gig stools w/guitar stand"....and it toppled over when the drummer was getting out from behind his "Neil Peart" looking kit. I don't know how, the headstock was ok but the lower right hand side of the body received road rash. Now I don't worry as much as before...but it still sucks. Maybe that's why I don't have a drummer in my current band, LMAO!

 

[Eilif]

As for the dent. Sucks that you got it, but it's about as small as can be and you're arm is probably going to hide it when you play so it's about the best case for a bad situation. I'd just leave it.

If you're worried about it getting bigger, put the smallest dab of superglue (applied with a needle or toothpick) on there to stabilize it. Probably not necessary but might give you some peace of mind.

Ya gotta feel bad about your first boo-boo, especially from such a lame accident.

I mean, it'd be different if your bass got hit by a beer bottle at a "swingin'" club or something.

Looks a bit like my gig last Friday...

 

[Paulabass]

Reranch.com sells ocean turquoise nitro in rattle cans. I would spray a little in a cup and drop fill the ding with a toothpick. Don't try unless you are confident and have a feel for repairing small dings without getting paint on other areas. Probably best to leave it and love it the way it is. My son still has his first "real" electric - an Ocean Turq Telecaster. The dings have made his guitar look quite distinguished over the years.

For chips that small, nailpolish comes in every color under the sun. I drop fill with a few coats of nailpolish, then sand flat with wet and dry paper, then polishing compound. It's not as good as a luthier job, but it's a playing out bass.

 

[Eric Swaim]

Leave and dont worry about it. Instruments are ment to be played. I know it sucks when the 1st ding happens but it does eventually happen. Now go lay down the groove and don't worry about it for now.

 

[MyTomomi]

Thanks to you OP, now I know that the color of my bass is Ocean Torquoise.

To answer your question, I'm with others that say "don't fix it". Let it collect those battle scars. I'm excited to see mine 20 years from now.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Yeah, I feel for ya' @glocke1... I know my day is coming too, but hey- a ship in the harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are built for.

I bought them to play... when it happens, it happens.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

This stuff happens...
Every single headstock of mine has dings and dents due to simply slinging it over my shoulder and contacting low-hanging ceiling lamps. Bodies have dents and dings from who the hell knows where...and guess what...plays great, sounds great...who cares? Get over it...
Is it a case-queen or a player?

 

[bassliner50]

Dings do bother me as well. Not the end of the world, but something to avoid when ever possible. I strongly agree with Killed by Death, buy used, be selective, save money and there will be less pain when damage occurs. Play on, brothers and sisters.

 

[Dick Lont]

Nailpolish was my first thought. Second thought is kintsugi, the Japanese way to repair broken pottery with golden glue.
Kintsugi: The Centuries-Old Art of Repairing Broken Pottery with Gold

 

[Wolfenstein666]

First one totally sucks. I almost puked when I saw the first one on my RIC. Now? I don't really care. Honestly it's a weight off my shoulders.

 

[Paulabass]

Small stages, and cymbals, a bad-for-your-finish combination.

 

[Spidey2112]

We got a puppy the same year I purchased my '80 Ric... left it on the bed, once, while "Fido" was sleeping. I turned around just in time to see one of his incisors preparing to dig into my bass, thinking the upper horn was a Milk Bone. I shouted and he stopped, looking all innocent and everything... a minor scrape, not even breaking the wood, on a relatively brand new bass...

... little guy lived 12 long happy years, and I still have the bass, with his mark left on it... wouldn't trade it for the world.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

If you use it and gig it. It's going to get beat up regardless.

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

View attachment 2854121

I've used steam to get dings out of gunstocks before but this is a chip in the nitrocellulose finish.

That! I would not spend time worrying about.

I abhor when I buy a new instrument, but I despise even more the longer time that passes before it gets some type of mark that shows it resides among the living with the rest of us mortals.

While it initially sucks the big one after the first nick, there is a sense of calm and wellbeing after realizing I'm not carrying THAT burden.

Now, the day I put the first blemish into my 3/4 John Lennon Rickenbacker that I bought in the 90's...........I'll take the day off and mourn, play a few tunes.........and be a lot happier.

 

[DD Gunz]

Leave it and don't let it bother you. You will put more on it in no time if it's a gigging bass.

I have a 2014 American P which I bought new. The first rehersal it was used it was knocked off the stand onto a concrete floor. Just a couple of scratches from that incident. I have since used it on about 200 gigs and traveled with it. It has almost no paint left on the back from my belts and has dings all over it. I do not abuse my basses. Those finishes were honestly paper thin!

Play the hell out of it!!!!

 

[sxaxsx]

To me, a ding looks better than a patch. Since a touch up will almost certainly still be visible, it is always easier for me to live with the ding.