Strum Marks

Jerryc41

Jerryc41

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Strum marks seem to appear magically, but they're really no big deal. For my better ukes, I've started doing something to prevent those marks from appearing. I use that clear plastic made for LCD screens - like on cell phones.

I cut a pattern out of paper and trace it onto the plastic. It's almost invisible when it's in place, so it doesn't have to be cut perfectly. It doesn't use glue, so it can go on and off with no harm to the finish. Depending on the plastic you choose, it might even start to lift at the edges. As I said, strum marks are no big deal, but if you look at descriptions of ukes for sale, "strum marks" are often mentioned. If I had a choice, I would buy a used uke that wasn't marked.

One possibility -
https://smile.amazon.com/Mr-Shield-...cd+protectors&qid=1566821742&s=gateway&sr=8-8
 
I'm not saying this to be flippant, I like my strum marks. Gives them some character. If I were selling and buying used like you do, I would probably be more careful about them, but I'm not doing either, so I lovingly put them in all my ukes.
 
I don't mind strum marks much (I call them signs of love), but I think the screen protectors are a brilliant and simple solution for people who do mind. I imagine they would only really work on a gloss finish though.
 
Rllink said:
I'm not saying this to be flippant, I like my strum marks. Gives them some character. If I were selling and buying used like you do, I would probably be more careful about them, but I'm not doing either, so I lovingly put them in all my ukes.
Click to expand...

It depends on the uke, too. I'd be more concerned about a special or expensive uke than I would about a daily player. Willy Nelson's guitar doesn't have strum marks. It has holes. :D

Trigger 2.jpg
 
Jerryc41 said:
It depends on the uke, too. I'd be more concerned about a special or expensive uke than I would about a daily player. Willy Nelson's guitar doesn't have strum marks. It has holes. :D

View attachment 120851
Click to expand...

Yes, Willie Nelson's guitar is always the example. When I look at that guitar though, you know what I see? I see a lot of practice. I don't necessarily see a guitar with holes worn in it, I see a guy who spends a lot of time playing his guitar. I'll bet he isn't spending time looking for a new one.
 
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ubulele said:
Hmm, somehow my ukes don't acquire strum marks. My technique must be faulty!

But I should buy some of those protectors, just in case I want to let someone more .. exhuberant? .. play one of my ukes.
Click to expand...

Or if some day you are struck by the urge to play more exhuberantly. ;)
 
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I play pretty lightly as I play only for myself so I don’t really “dig in” to create strum marks. However, I notice that when I hand my uke to another person to play, particularly if it is a professional musician, I can hear their fingernails scratching against the sound board. It makes me cringe every time. Not because the tone isn’t beautiful, but because I imagine those strum marks being made. So, I don’t often offer that as much any more.
 
Hmmm. This thread started me a-thinking about my ukes. I don't see any abrasions on the soundboard. I am a finger picker mostly, but I do like to thump my soundboard on the downstrokes as a rhythmical accompaniment, in the style of James Hill. So my soundboards are safe but I do see some wear on the fret boards. For example, I see on one ukulele some discoloration at the 11th fret. It is no wonder; there's a nice B located there and since I mostly play in E, that dominant B is a frequent stop. Also, I suppose my style is a blues-based Americana so that I frequently bend my strings which would naturally wear away a fret board's finish after a while.
 
ubulele said:
Well, in my case, "more spastically" is likelier—I ain't no spring chicken no more. A pick guard protector might be a sort of adult Depends for ukes.
Click to expand...

Perfect description of my strumming sometimes, spastically. Especially in my ukulele group when we are all playing a song that no one has ever heard before.
 
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Jerryc41 said:
It depends on the uke, too. I'd be more concerned about a special or expensive uke than I would about a daily player. Willy Nelson's guitar doesn't have strum marks. It has holes. :D

View attachment 120851
Click to expand...

Expensive ukes should be daily players. Otherwise, what's the point of spending all that money?
 
ubulele said:
Um, bragging rights?
Click to expand...

A pretty inane concept. Of course I would never purchase a Bentley or Vuitton either. But at least people who purchase those use them daily. If someone needs to brag, there must not be much else impressive about them. Buy what you love, and enjoy it.
 
Rllink said:
Yes, Willie Nelson's guitar is always the example. When I look at that guitar though, you know what I see? I see a lot of practice. I don't necessarily see a guitar with holes worn in it, I see a guy who spends a lot of time playing his guitar. I'll bet he isn't spending time looking for a new one.
Click to expand...

He reportedly owns a brand new one just like it, but it's said he never plays it. It's a backup guitar.
 
I don't see strum marks on my two players. They do both have little marks where my pinky finger dug in while picking. Now, I try not to rest my pinky, but it still happens.
I'm not worried about the marks, these two ain't getting sold.
The last uke I bought had some finish worn off the top after only a months play. I don't know how I did it. It didn't affect the sale.
 
My Martin T1k has a soft finish that is easily marked with a fingernail. It bothered me a little but then I decided I didn't care. Now the finish has even worn off in spots above and below the strum area. Looking roadworn. Maybe in 20 years it will look like Trigger.
 
My Martin S1, similar barely there finish is scarred all over but it’s a keeper.
 
Nickie said:
He reportedly owns a brand new one just like it, but it's said he never plays it. It's a backup guitar.
Click to expand...

Willy's guitar is a hybrid. It started out as a Baldwin, but when it got stepped on by a drunk, it was beyond repair. The guitar shop suggested taking the unique pickup off the Baldwin and putting it on a new Martin N-20, and that became Trigger. This video explains it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhQuJTc5yFY&t=18s
 
Jerryc41 said:
Strum marks seem to appear magically, but they're really no big deal.
Click to expand...

I've only bought used instruments that were in near-pristine condition. I only fingerpick, so I don't put any strum marks on them at all.

Ironically, the only one that had very light strum marks on it was the mahogany Tiny Tenor you sold me , but like you say, it was "no big deal", and also, notice the operative words, "had" and "was". It no longer has the marks, as I was able to buff them out. I guess the fact that I did so shows that I'm somewhat anal, as well as being a bit of a snob about not strumming. ;)

bratsche
 
There's nothing snobbish about not strumming!

Thanks Jerry, for the info about Trigger. I have never heard of a Baldwin guitar.
 
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