Gust0o Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 So, knowing my bandmates as I do, I always carry a spare kettle lead - because you never know when one divvy, or another, will attempt to power his amp up without one. Thus it was this week, dishing out the spare lead. Three hours later, I left the lads finishing packing whilst I went off to settle the rehearsal bill. As I walk back in: "I put your lead in your bag, chief". Smashing. Mono bulging, I got the gear in the car and shot off home... only to find, on unpacking, that I couldn't find the lead. He said he'd put in the bag; the front pocket was pretty full, but... nah, he wouldn't. Would he? He had. He'd chucked it into the bass compartment: where, as per sod's law, the plug had wedged itself - metal prongs torturing soft maple - underneath the f***ing neck. What a twat of a turnout, grinding out three shallow scrapes in an otherwise pristine neck. Bollocks. My fault, I should have checked, but for f***'s sake. Thankfully, the bass is a keeper - whilst I made my apologies to her, I did note that I wouldn't notice after 30 years of wear, but I don't think she understood This has got to be the most pointless bit of damage I've ever done to my kit. Still, to make myself better I put a kneecap through his danglies in the pub the other night. All's fair in love and bandmates. So, cheer me up - tell me I'm being soft; you've done worse; etc, etc, as I've got a tough recrimination streak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 (edited) [quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1340544387' post='1705849'] So, cheer me up - tell me I'm being soft; you've done worse; etc, etc, as I've got a tough recrimination streak [/quote] Oh yes, it could be much, much worse - you could be hanging upside down in total darkness in a prison in Syria with electrodes attached to your balls. Edit: Yes, you're being soft. Edited June 24, 2012 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 (edited) Not mine but I remeber talking to some super rock god dudes at a show and these guys were the coolest cats in town ever! (only by their own reckoning I must add) the one guy had a Gibson Les Paul that had been repaired and he was showing us the joint where it was still visible (crap quality repair I know) when I asked him how this damage occured I waited with baited breath for the story about how it was on the bed as he romped with numerous virgins or how Slash knocked it off a PA cab it was resting on as they took turns to snort coke off it......"me mom knocked it off the stand doing the hoovering" Edited June 24, 2012 by stingrayPete1977 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1340544778' post='1705860'] Oh yes, it could be much, much worse - you could be hanging upside down in total darkness in a prison in Syria with electrodes attached to your balls. Edit: Yes, you're being soft. [/quote] That sounds like quite the nightclub Good, good. I think I'm being amazingly precious, just need confirmation! Nothing beats someone's mam with a hoover though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbassist Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 What a thoughtless thing too do. It's a nice way to repay your favour! Still accidents do happen. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 (edited) If the wood is dented in rather than scraped out, it might be possible to raise the dents using heat and moisture. I've watched my brother (a guitar builder) raise similar dents using a bit of wet cloth over them, heating quickly with a hot soldering iron, to the point where they were barely visible. A bit nerve-racking though! Edited June 24, 2012 by Beer of the Bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monckyman Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 I hope you did knee him in the danglies. What numpty puts a plug in the same bag as an expensive instrument? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 [quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1340545299' post='1705879'] If the wood is dented in rather than scraped out, it might be possible to raise the dents using heat and moisture. I've watched my brother (a guitar builder) raise similar dents using a bit of wet cloth over them, heating quickly with a hot soldering iron, to the point where they were barely visible. A bit nerve-racking though! [/quote] They are indeed just scrapes. I'd been considering having Jon slim the neck, so was figuring they'd go at some point - either through me fiddling, or just the wear of ages. But that's a good idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 [quote name='Monckyman' timestamp='1340545346' post='1705882'] I hope you did knee him in the danglies. What numpty puts a plug in the same bag as an expensive instrument? [/quote] A guitarist who plays Epiphones. It was quite a knee. Not so much [i]in [/i]as [i]through[/i] the danglies. He dropped his cider, which produced something akin to a piss stain. A small measure of revenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 [quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1340545299' post='1705879'] If the wood is dented in rather than scraped out, it might be possible to raise the dents using heat and moisture.[/quote] This seems very possible, looking at the pic. It does work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 A quick cast about the living room reveals I have water... and a hair dryer. How much heat do I need? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 The way I've seen it done is with a soldering iron, so hot enough for the water to steam but very localised. Sort of like this: [url="http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luthier/Technique/Finish/SteamOut/steamout1.html"]http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luthier/Technique/Finish/SteamOut/steamout1.html[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 More than a hair dryer. The water has to turn to steam, the expansion blows the ding out. Bad luck, by the way. The fact that you are organised and responsible means you get gear damaged. That sucks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Saying that, on small dings I've just locally soaked the wood, it expands and raises the dent out. Once dry, you would need to sand level and finish. I've done his on bodies I've finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 [quote name='billyapple' timestamp='1340546721' post='1705920'] Saying that, on small dings I've just locally soaked the wood, it expands and raises the dent out. Once dry, you would need to sand level and finish. I've done his on bodies I've finished. [/quote] That was a trick I learnt on the Shuker course. Brilliant suggestion, people. Back in an hour! Should take me about that long to find my soldering iron in the shed, mind... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 EBS_freak did the ones on my Strat just over a boiling kettle, water and steam all in one soon had it done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 Just to note, all done! There's still a trace of the damage, like someone has run a fingernail heavily across the lacquer - but it's pretty much unnoticeable when playing. I used wirewool to smooth the area down after applying the heat/water/steam, and I've allowed it to settle before oiling and polishing. Hopefully all for the good now! Thanks for the great advice, phew! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbassist Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Great stuff! Nice one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 [quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1340558335' post='1706203'] Just to note, all done![/quote] Ah-ha, see? Now you won't have to kill anyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Result! I'm usually one for leaving dings as they are, but it's a different story when they're on the back of the neck and you can feel them everytime you play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Cool. But tell your band not to forget their sundries in future Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregBass Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 An aquaintance of mine had an EB3 which he knocked over. It fell off the stage and the headstock snapped off, so he glued it back together with Araldite. He was asked if it was a solid joint and he said yes - watch - and banged the headstock on the floor. It snapped again - in a different place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 [quote name='GregBass' timestamp='1340620357' post='1706981'] An aquaintance of mine had an EB3 which he knocked over. It fell off the stage and the headstock snapped off, so he glued it back together with Araldite. He was asked if it was a solid joint and he said yes - watch - and banged the headstock on the floor. It snapped again - in a different place! [/quote] f***ing hell, that's brilliant and tragic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Can you now un-knee your bandmate though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregBass Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 [quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1340627062' post='1707176'] f***ing hell, that's brilliant and tragic! [/quote] There is a happy ending, of course. He glued the new break together with Araldite too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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