Shiny spots in satin finish: Badges of honor or marks of shame?

Wagster

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So, I'm just curious how the uke community feels on this issue. I have two ukes with satin finishes and both are well worn and smooth in several places. I see no reason to ever scuff these up to restore the finish. They will only get shiny again! So I guess I am a "Badge of Honor" kinda guy! :)


So how do you feel about it?

Does it lower the value?
Raise the value?
Change the tone?
 
My Kamaka has a few worn spots in the finish, and my Flea is shiny in a few places after a few months. Battle scars might affect an instrument's value if you were to sell it, but they shouldn't affect its value to you. If anything, it lets you know that your uke has been played and loved. :D Shouldn't affect the tone, but in general, good instruments are said to sound better with age. And with age come battle scars.

If I had a Pineapple Sunday or something else collectible and fancy, I probably wouldn't bring it to the beach like my others, but it would definitely accumulate its share of dings and worn finish spots while in my possession. ;)
 
Battle scars worn with pride. ;)
 
And when you're long gone, some adoring fan will point to scars on his ukulele collection and say "Think of it, man, Wagster made those marks back in '09.":cool:
 
You don't get those marks with out playin.

Art is for lookin at....

Ukuleles are for playin!!!!!!
 
So, I'm just curious how the uke community feels on this issue. I have two ukes with satin finishes and both are well worn and smooth in several places.
The uke equivalent of laugh lines.
 
What I don't get is why some people will spend an extra $500-1000 buying a brand-new guitar that's been intentionally worn in the factory. Broken-in instruments usually do feel better, but isn't half the fun in all of the stories involved with each little ding and scratch and dent? I'm glad that uke manufacturers don't think that uke players are that stupid. ;)

Still, I figured I'd try to make a few extra bucks by offering to do the "relic" treatment to peoples' guitars on Craigslist for a lot less than Fender would charge, but nobody has bitten. Yet.
But once the economy bounces back, millions of people will line up at my door so I can bust up their Strat with a shovel and soak all the plastic bits in coffee grounds and cigarette butts. Right? :eek:
 
It's definitely mojo!

Think Bill Monroe's or Sam Bush's mandolins or Rory Gallagher's Strat!
 
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