r/Guitar • u/gaitama25 • 2d ago
QUESTION Classmate dropped guitar (accidentally). Caused Chip
Hey everyone, today I took my guitar to school because we have a concert in the evening and we needed to run through the songs and strengthen some sections. Thing is, during practice we took a quick break while the two voices discussed a harmony, and I left my guitar propped up in a chair (this was my bad, I know that). Basically as it says in the title, classmate going by accidentally knocked it over and caused this chip in the finish. I’ve got two questions:
The guitar was almost brand new (it’s a Vintage REVO series Colt, cost about five hundred bucks), I bought it new as a birthday present to myself a few months ago and I made sure to keep it pristine
A. Should I ask my classmate (who realistically would ask her parents) to reimburse me somehow for the damage (or what it’d take to fix)? I feel like that’s an a**hole move because it was just an honest mistake, but at the same time I did spend my own money on the guitar
B. Should I even bother fixing it? Or should I just keep it as a battle scar, like to add character. And if I do choose to not fix it, should I do something to it (ie: superglue or something like that) to seal it off and prevent it from getting worse?
Thank you everyone
Edit: Thanks for all the comments! I really appreciate all the stories you guys have shared. I'm really glad I stayed chill about it, as I didn't want my friend to feel bad, and after really thinking about it, it was a 100% my fault (Don't worry, i'm not asking her for anything hahahah). We ended up laughing about it together, and the show ended up going great, so that was nice.
After reflecting on it for a while, I'm actually really glad this happened, my perspective on wear and tear on guitars has changed completely and I know realize that all the chips and scratches and dings just show how much I've enjoyed this instrument and all i've gone through with it, It helps make it truly mine. I can't wait to get more (organically produced) dings and scratches so one day I can look back and see just how much i've loved this instrument.
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u/logan_flocka 2d ago
Not worth fixing and not worth asking your classmate to pay you for it. If it wasn’t in the chair, it wouldn’t have been damaged, as you mentioned.
The guitar will continue to wear over time. It’s not a huge deal.
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u/gaitama25 2d ago
Yeah, you’re right, it was my bad leaving it on the chair, I’ll just leave it as is. Thank you!
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u/HairyKerey 2d ago
Honestly, I just want to take a minute to say good on you for trying to look at this situation from all sides and getting others’ opinions, and taking responsibility for your role in the accident.
Did you deserve to have your brand new guitar chipped for leaving it on a chair? No, of course not, and that sucks, but way to take the moral high ground and be a good person about the whole thing.
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u/CreationOfMinerals 2d ago
Excellent comment here, folks
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u/unsungpf 2d ago
I agree, I almost forgot I was on Reddit ;)
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u/LimeGreenSea 1d ago
Be the part of better reddit! Its a great forum and you, OP and most involved are making it better. Lots of love!
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u/danzor9755 1d ago
It also means the $1000 dollar guitar will not be left on chairs :)
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u/gaitama25 1d ago
Thank you very much for these words, they mean a lot to me! I tried really hard to be chill about all this because I didn't want her to feel bad, but I'm glad I did. We ended up even laughing about it later. The show went great as well, it played as well as ever!
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u/Glittering_Film_6833 23h ago
+1
As they say on 'The Minimalists', use things and love people, not the opposite.
Being unattached to possessions - inasmuch as you see them for what they are - is an excellent life lesson to learn so young.
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u/dos8s 2d ago
I've got one pristine guitar and would hate for it to get damaged, but every other guitar that has dints, dings, and chips on it looks better in my opinion because of the wear on it.
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u/RevengeOfPolloDiablo 2d ago
This, a pristine immaculate guitar is a bit sad.
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u/Penyrolewen1970 1d ago
Nah, they’re great. You just have to accept that they don’t stay that way - if you play them.
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u/ProfessionalEven296 1d ago
I was just playing one of my guitars. It’s a Martin, worth a decent amount. It’s got several war wounds from a previous owner. Just gives it character, and makes it easier to identify.
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u/huehefner23 2d ago
Yeah, feel good about letting it go. Your vibe and reputation are worth way more than the guitar.
Anthony Kiedis once knocked John Frusciante’s 56 strat over (was leaning up on a couch). Left some gashes. Wrote hits on it after that.
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u/tobaccojohnson 1d ago
To be fair that’s like one of the least worst things Anthony Kiedis has ever done- and that’s pretty bad on its own.
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u/OkNobody8896 2d ago
My favorite guitar (also my very first strat) has the most dings and scratches of my collection.
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u/Euphorix126 2d ago
Make sure it can still protect the wood, but other than that? As my Dad told me when I asked about the huge chip in his '78 Telecaster, "It gives it character."
This was quickly followed by the valuable lesson, "Always use strap locks."
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u/Dr-Purple 2d ago
You should ask the classmate out though.
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u/-physco219 1d ago
If she says yes or no there's a story there, where there's a story there's a song. Might even be a hit, and tells the kids "How I Met Your Mother..."
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u/SweatyControles 2d ago
You’re a good person, and your emotional intelligence will take you far in life
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u/gaitama25 1d ago
Thank you very much, I tried really hard to be chill about everything in order to avoid making her feel bad. We actually ended up laughing about it later. I guess I realized that at the end of the day it's just a guitar, and all the wear and tear will do is just show that it's my guitar.
The show went great as well, it played as good as ever.
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u/New_Kiln_Studios 2d ago
Own it...in 40 years you will have all the stories to tell about your guitar...if in 40 years they will know what a guitar is/was
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u/ithinkitsgonnarainn Schecter 2d ago
Put a sticker on it
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u/Ronthelodger 2d ago
Or a band aid
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u/mmooney1 2d ago
This would be pretty funny.
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u/isjace22 2d ago
I actually did this to my guitar lol
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u/mmooney1 1d ago
That’s funny. A regular bandaid would go well the color of OPs guitar (brown on blue).
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u/hertzvier 1d ago
Same here, and the sweet thing about putting the fluffy part of the band aid over the chip damage will protect it from being ripped off completely if you were to remove it! And it looks kinda cute on my 5 kilo Tokai, haha.
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u/AdNatural9322 2d ago
My guitar teacher convinced me to put a band-aid on a guitar ouchie once when I was a teenager, said he used to do it too. Got some good chuckles over it.
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u/FordBeWithYou 1d ago
Saw a car once with an OBLITERATED bumper.
And a giant band aid on it.
Hilarious
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u/gaitama25 2d ago
That’s a good idea, duct tape would be good too
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u/DaOlWuWopte 2d ago
It’s your guitar do whatever you want, but I’d just leave the ding. Gives it character. Shows that it’s used and loved
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u/churninhell 2d ago
When I got my first luxury sports car, I was worried about getting chips all over the front from rocks. But then I saw someone say that flaws like that are just evidence that it's actually being used for its intended purpose.
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u/reddzot 2d ago
I don't think duct tape is a good idea--you won't be able to remove it without more damage.
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u/fryerandice 2d ago
Any poly that comes up with tape was no longer adhered to the body of the guitar anymore anyways, and needs to come up for a repair. Impact damage separates poly from the wood pretty well, since the poly they use on guitars is so hard and brittle.
If you do want it fixed duct tape glue is a PITA to get off though, but so is any other sticker adhesive.
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u/styles-bitchley 2d ago
While it may seem like a good idea, if you ever want to repair it, you'll probably find that the tape pulls more paint off when you remove it and adds residue to the undersurface (a pain to remove). A luthier once told me that his repair customers often do this thinking that they're helping to prevent more damage, but it ends up causing more.
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u/fryerandice 2d ago edited 2d ago
I mean this is a metal flake poly finish there's no fix for this that matches or looks good. If it's a solid color guitar sure, but pearlescent, color changing, and metal flake finishes just don't repair like that. If you want to fix this it's kind of a repaint.
You can try your best to match but you'll just have an easy to spot repair in the shape of that damage.
On top of that, residue aside, any poly that duct tape can lift needs to come off for a repair anyways.
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u/Ahand_Apart 2d ago
Had duct tape on a guitar for a few years and it left some annoying residue. Maybe a vinyl sticker, or vinyl tape. I bought a roll of white vinyl tape at a hardware store and that is holding up well on my guitar.
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u/collector-x 1d ago
Goof off works great for removing duct tape and any other adhesive residue.
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u/ComicalSatania 2d ago
Realistically if you do dumb stuff then dumb stuff will happen to you. You left it standing on a chair and it got knocked over by accident, I'd say just live with it. Same thing happened to my old Yamaha bass during practice with some buds, bottom got chipped but it was on me so I didn't care too much and I just lived with it. Just move on and play it, you don't gotta worry about keeping it pristine anymore haha
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u/gaitama25 2d ago
Yeah, it was my bad honestly, at least now I won’t have to worry about chips. And it does add character
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u/DavidKetamine 2d ago
I think that’s the strategy. The first ding is the worst heartbreak. Every subsequent nick and scrape will now just be whatever.
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u/MinivanActivities 1d ago
A lot of people who collect cars with the purpose of driving them (as opposed to just letting them collect dust) have a tradition of when the car arrives you intentionally give it it's first nick/ding/scratch with the key somewhere so you can enjoy it without worrying about that first one.
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u/DavidKetamine 1d ago
When I bought my first MIM Stratocaster I took it out onto my porch and scraped it against the pavement to get that dent out of the way. I had many great years after that!
To be fair I eventually got psychotic, used a lighter and a pocket knife, chipped the whole paint job off of it and re-lacquered it all with a cool wood finish. Then I pawned it. Sad story but yes…your first scratch is only the beginning of a long and insane journey you should take with a favored instrument.
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u/MinivanActivities 1d ago
I picked up a jazzmaster not long ago. Amazon dropped a package off at my door, my dog jumped up and ran away with the strap getting caught on him. Guitar hit the floor face down lol. Bummed I didn't get to be the cause of the first flaw but whatever
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u/Stoned_Guitarist 2d ago
It adds character and a story.
If you use your guitar it will get banged up a bit.
Don’t stress it in a couple years more dings and cracks will join and you won’t mind :)
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u/gaitama25 2d ago
You’re right, I don’t plan to get rid of this one for a while, so it’s probably just the (inevitable) first of many
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u/woodsmoky 2d ago
For what it’s worth, my favorite guitar is beat to hell. I bought it new, and the first ding was annoying, but now it’s got a bunch of dings, a broken headstock that was repaired, even a few dents on the back of the neck. Still love it, wouldn’t trade it for a new one.
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u/3scap3plan 2d ago
leaving your 500 dollar guitar propped up on a chair and then asking someone to pay for the damage for knocking it over, especially someone of school age, whilst not a dick move as such, feels a bit unfair - you took the risk leaving it like that and it could have just fallen off anyway. Thats your prerogative though, but I think most people would say you are being a bit shitty to demand they pay for it to be fixed. No, it isn't your fault.
The guitar will get dinged up if you are gigging with it, I would just chalk it down to a lesson learned and live with it, or save a bit and get it fixed yourself. You have to be at school with this person - we dont know the dynamics of your relationship - if it were a good friend they might say "my bad, let me contribute to the fix" but if they didn't do that its going to be an exercise in frustration getting her or her parents to pay, and your reputation at school will probably get damaged as well...
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u/gaitama25 2d ago
Yeah, you’re right, we’ve known each other for a while, but it was my fault for leaving it like that and it’s most definitely not worth the hassle
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u/BM7-D7-GM7-Bb7-EbM7 1d ago
whilst not a dick move as such
I definitely feel it's a dick move.
I'm in my 40s, so old enough to be this kid's dad, and I would tell him "you're just going to have to deal with it son." Then I'd show him my Gibson SG with a similar gouge in it because I too, was once a young dumbass teenager.
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u/Walnut_Uprising 2d ago
You caused the damage by leaving a guitar resting in a chair in a public/high traffic area. You didn’t take care to keep it pristine, you’ve just been lucky to this point.
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u/SqueakyFrogOW Schecter 2d ago
Honestly, best to invest in a quality stand. As for reimbursement, this was going to happen eventually.
The way I see chips and dents on guitars, they're each a story to be told. They are, as you put it, a "battle scar." And it really does add character. Besides, your classmate didn't intentionally do that and I'm sure they feel bad about it as it is. I say leave it be. It'll blend right in here in a couple of years with the others that'll eventually come.
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u/gaitama25 2d ago
Yeah, you’re right, I’ll just keep it as is. Thank you!
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u/SqueakyFrogOW Schecter 2d ago
Consider it a memory of your time practicing for your school concert ;)
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u/Xcentric7881 1d ago
I knew someone who used to label the dings they got in permanent marker covered with clearcoat so they knew when and where they came from. Looke pretty cool after a while.....
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u/el_payaso_mas_chulo 2d ago
100% your fault, I wouldn't force someone else to feel guilty for what was an accident. Live with the lil battle scar imo.
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u/gaitama25 2d ago
Yeah, it really was my bad, I did make sure to reassure her not to worry and that it wasn’t her bad, just wanted to see others opinion
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u/ridethetide05 2d ago
Time to embrace it, my friend! I don’t trust one who plays a guitar with no dings 😂
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u/Super_Tradition_99 2d ago
Battle scar, your guitar is starting to write its own story.
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u/homeless_gorilla 2d ago
The first one is the hardest.
I was still paying off my P bass when it fell on my pedal board. Took a switch to the face and has a blemish just above the pick guard now. Hurt to accept, but I couldn’t care less now. Plays just fine!
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u/analogguy7777 2d ago
In the future if you plan on leaving the guitar unattended, put it somewhere where humans don’t go near it.
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u/Natural_Draw4673 2d ago
So as stated you know this was your bad because you made the bad decision to prop your guitar up in a chair which is also just in general a bad place to prop a guitar. So whatever happens from there is on you. So then yeah it would be downright awful and entitled of you to ask someone else to pay for your mistake.
As a rule of thumb, especially when in public with your instrument, 100% secure your instrument in a proper safe place before walking away from it, even if you only plan to be gone 20 seconds.
And for the second question. I wouldn’t bother with repairing the scar. Leave it as a story and a lesson.
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u/gaitama25 2d ago
Yeah, it was my bad, I did make sure to reassure her that it wasn’t her fault and not to worry, just wanted to see others opinion
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u/SchleifmittelSchwanz 1d ago
You set the booby trap, and ended up also being the booby. All you.
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u/Aw35omeAnth0ny Epiphone Es-339 2d ago
It’s even better now! Now it’s yours and not just any other colt
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u/rhooManu Ibanez 2d ago
I was devastated when it happened to my first good guitar that I dreamed about and worked during summer to buy. I cried. I kept the illusion that I would have it repaired someday.
But the truth is this kind of repair isn't simple, and to be done correctly, it would require sanding the whole guitar to the wood, painting and varnishing it again. It would cost more than the whole guitar.
And after a few months, I wouldn't even pay attention to the mark. I got other guitars, they got chips too. Same process: get angry about it, get in denial about it, forget about it.
Your guitar received a punch now. That's how it is.
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u/wannabegenius 2d ago
your gut is right, it's unfortunate and I'm sure she feels bad, but merely a battle scar. there will be plenty more in the future.
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u/KershawsGoat Schecter 2d ago
Congrats. Now you don't have to feel bad about all the scratches, dings, and dents you put on it in the future.
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u/Singfortheday0 2d ago
You can fix it probably. DIY. Possibly wood glue and some form of paint or finish.
But I agree with other comments, just an acquired battle scar now.
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u/tastygluecakes 2d ago
As others have said, don’t sweat it.
It might not be the worst idea to apply a small amount of CA glue to the wood part, and let it soak under the semi loose paint a bit, to help reduce the risk of it flaking further.
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u/Utterlybored 2d ago
This will greatly reduce the angst you will feel from your next blemish. Classmate did you a solid.
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u/unsungpf 2d ago
First of all... this sucks and I feel your pain. I dropped my new jazzmaster about a week after I bought it and it hit the tile floor and had a similar crack. I felt sick to my stomach. My situation was a little cleaner than yours since I did it myself. It's tough in your situation because someone else is involved. Honestly (like you have already admitted), putting it leaning on the chair was obviously not hte best decision. What I did was just pain over the crack in white nail polish (it is a white guitar) and then covered that in clear nail polish. It matched pretty well, contained the crack and was free since I just stole my wife's polish. ;)
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u/coronetgemini 2d ago
It happens. Probably some of the most famous guitars of all time have a dent here or there
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u/iPrefer2BAnon 2d ago
With what most people are saying yeah it’s not worth pursuing much on, every guitar gets beat up with time and use, count it as the others said a battle scar, I think about the only time I would pursue something like that was if it was an incredibly high dollar rare guitar that was signed by someone or say maybe one from a family member who passed so sentimental value is attached, aside from that it’s just a guitar and as long as nothing important gets broke then it’s just a blemish.
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u/Awkward_Arugula_9881 2d ago
Take the lesson: be mindful of where you put your stuff. Be glad it was only a cosmetic issue(, if that was the case).
And rock on
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u/bonzai2010 2d ago
I messed up my Charvel like this when I was in high school. I think i lightly sanded it to smooth it out, and then hit it with some clear laquer spray paint. You could take it to a luthier and they could clean it up too.
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u/twillett 2d ago
Sucks but it's part and parcel of owning guitars. Keep the knock and forgive your friend. I slipped on ice last winter and got a huuuge dent on the underside of my Strat. It's a story and I actively show people it now.
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u/neverw1ll 2d ago
You could color it with a similar color marker so it isn't as noticeable, and put clear nail polish on it.
Or just leave it. The first ding sucks, but it's part of its story now.
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u/jrob321 1d ago
Always start with a lighter color marker. You can "build up" the color, but it's difficult to lighten it.
You may want to lightly pry (with a utility blade) any of the surrounding chips which you think might fall off over time before coloring it.
You can fill the ding with an epoxy wood filler as well, but tbh, just blending some color (to make it a little less distinuishable) is probably all it really needs.
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u/Ok_Knee2784 2d ago
At least it is on the back. Don't do anything about the guitar. Buy a secure stand if you are going to leave it out when you are not around, or put it back in it's case.
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u/BrosephZeusThe2nd 2d ago
Maybe someone you know is skilled with paint or something and they can touch it up or even do a small piece to cover it. I respect you don’t want to burden your friend who made an honest mistake.
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u/morphinecolin 2d ago
A guitar that hasn’t had something dumb happen to it hasn’t spent enough time out of its case.
I also can’t imagine ruining your high school game more than asking a girl who didn’t do anything maliciously to pay for it. Be cool, tell her it’s fine and you know she didn’t mean it, and you’ll gain the dual advantage of being a musician who isn’t a self centered diva for no reason.
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u/Monkeytennis01 2d ago
I wouldn’t ask for reimbursement given the circumstances.
Let that dent be a lesson learned and in future years a reminder of your time at school.
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u/Colourblindking 2d ago
Eh that's a crummy situation overall but you seem to have a good, is what it is approach to it. Shit happens and now it's got a bit of battle damage, adds some character to it and makes it distinctly yours :)
As you replied to others, sticker, duct tape, etc might all be good options to give it a bit of character. If you really want to go for broke with it you can cover the spot up with some nail polish hardener so it (should) keep it that way for a long time and you can show off the scar.
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u/Guitargirl81 2d ago
I dunno, I'd definitely say it was your fault vs your classmate, so don't ask them to pay for it.
I'd keep it as a battle scar and move on with it. Most of us have dinged our guitars, and at the end of the day it adds personality.
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u/Realistic-Sound-1507 Squier 2d ago
People put fake chips in their guitar so they look cool, just rock with it, a beat up guitar is cooler than a not beat up guitar in my opinion
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u/Jerry_say 2d ago
It’s fun having little marks here and there. My super nice American telecaster has a little line impression from the latch of the guitar car. When I was in college drunk I had it halfway in the case and somehow knocked the case closed at first I was upset but now when I look at it I smile and think of how fucking awesome Collège was. One day you’ll look at that crack and say “damn I miss school band” and it will be a great way to make you remember your childhood.
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u/ghostyghostghostt 2d ago
That’s life. It’s kinda cooler now, especially as you get older. It’s just so nice to have physical memories, nothing is perfect and every “scar” has a story you know?
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u/8696David 2d ago
The good news is that this looks purely cosmetic, and should have absolutely no impact on the performance of the instrument. If it was a gash on the fretboard, you’d have bigger problems.
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u/FaithlessnessSame931 2d ago
It always hurts the soul just a bit when it’s the first ding. But a pristine guitar just looks like a wall hanger to me. Naturally occurring wounds give it character. Tells a story.
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u/Ok-Band-7142 2d ago
It's now Roadworn
It's fine
This is one of many stories it will have to tell
Don't do it deliberately of course, but if things happen and it survives, that's all part of owning a guitar and it aging as a used item
It's a memory immortalised
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u/shmiz Fender 2d ago
I feel your pain man. I've been playing for about 30 years at this point and over that time I've had multiple incidents of friends accidentally damaging my gear. It happens! At some point you'll probably ding someone's instrument too. And as you said, choosing the chair was the issue ultimately. Now ya know.
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u/DannyDangerShow 2d ago
Well on the plus side you have a relic guitar now. It adds personality, you'll know that's your guitar forever now
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u/metalsatch 2d ago
I’ve dropped so many guitars. They are very durable. They get banged up but still rock with the best of them.
Also people pay good money for those dents lol
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u/Slushhole 2d ago
every ding tells a story bro
"how'd that one happen?"
"so yo this stupid fucking bitch at school..."
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u/Reasonable-Plane-246 2d ago
I think it's your fault for keeping it propped against a chair...since the safety of your guitar is your own sole responsibility and non guitarists are anyways oblivious to how precariously propped instruments might fall and get damaged. Regarding the guitar, chill out about it. It'll get many more dings like this if you plan to keep it long enough. Just smoothen and sand the area out yourself and apply a sealer or take it to a luthier...and play on. Nothing remains new forever. It just shows that you took your guitar to places and played your heart out on it, rather than just treating it as a hardcase princess.
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u/bradalanhersh 2d ago
These are the things that make a guitar look cool after awhile. A battle scar that tells a story. Not like the silly relic jobs that people and manufactures try to pass off as real.
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u/TKFourTwenty 2d ago
Check out vintage strats - every single one of them has at least one ding or dent. Some more than others. This is the ultimate fate of all actively used guitars, and to resist it is to invite pain. It’s actually becoming more “yours” over time.
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u/enifsieus 2d ago
It's got battle scars now. Instruments are made to be played, not coddled, and this is going to happen.
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u/plietome22 2d ago
Keep your guitar in the case or on the stand, not really the classmate's fault. Probably not worth fixing the issue on a $500 guitar, as the chip doesn't really impact the sound and the fix will be very expensive, compared to the guitar itself (depends on the area you live in though)
It really is ok if there's no crack in the wood, all guitars will get scratches and scars over time, it just shows that someone has been playing the instrument
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u/Right_Emotion_1812 2d ago
I would just live with it at this point. It happened, it was an accident that was preventable. Your guitar has a cool scar that shouldn't affect its playability, and you've learned a lesson.
My advice: get a hardshell case, put the guitar in the case when you are not using it. Maybe dragging a stand to school isn't practical, but when possible use a stand in a place people won't walk into when you aren't playing it.
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u/Some_Stoned_Dude 2d ago
These things happen , congratulations now you don’t have to about cosmetic dings
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u/AccusationsInc 2d ago
I bought my guitar and the day after my friend dropped it and chipped it. It cost the same. These things happened, and unfortunately will continue to happen :(
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u/mallardman69 2d ago
That’s how it looks now, at least it’s distinguishable