Had an unfortunate mishap this weekend (battle scars!!!)

Well, luckily it wasn't my PRS. If it had been I would be sick right now!!!

Yep, dropped my Les Paul while standing this weekend. The strap lock (I use the Grohlsh washers) on the butt of the guitar worked it's way loose somehow. I've never had one work loose before it did this time.

I've never abused my guitars, but if they got a nick or bump here and there I never paid it much attention. I know battle scars are just part of it, but these hurt me. The one by the input jack is DEEP!!!

The ding by the nut is the one that had me most concerned. However, it doesn't appear to have damaged the nut at all. It still played great and had no issues. I'll be sure to keep an eye on that one for sure.

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Well, luckily it wasn't my PRS. If it had been I would be sick right now!!!

Yep, dropped my Les Paul while standing this weekend. The strap lock (I use the Grohlsh washers) on the butt of the guitar worked it's way loose somehow. I've never had one work loose before it did this time.

I've never abused my guitars, but if they got a nick or bump here and there I never paid it much attention. I know battle scars are just part of it, but these hurt me. The one by the input jack is DEEP!!!

The ding by the nut is the one that had me most concerned. However, it doesn't appear to have damaged the nut at all. It still played great and had no issues. I'll be sure to keep an eye on that one for sure.

9F6RNyF.jpg


QsgEDZv.jpg

pyJWP5z.jpg

8RN9pKi.jpg
From your photos it appears that the top is unscathed, and the top is all the audience sees so to them you're still a rock n roller so all is good.
 
I feel your pain. Hopefully there will be no long term effects.
I hope not either.
The ding near the nut might be fixable with cellosolve to soften and re-flow the lacquer, the other dings can be minimized by drop filling. A good tech should be able to easily handle this with proper color matching. All the repairs might not be perfectly level but they would be far less noticeable.

Cool. Thanks for the link. Not sure I have a luthier close to me that can do that kind of work, but I'll check around.
I dread the day this happens to any of my beauties! Your story awakens me be even more vigilant about their protection (precious)!! At least it is not affecting her voice!!! Have a Grolsch and b!tch at the rubber, it sounds like it was their fault!!!!
I had a few "Grolsch's" after that mishap.
I thought Les Paul’s shed their necks if you look at them funny? How did it get a ding and survive?
I was totally surprised it didn't snap that neck. In a way, I was very lucky.
Congrats on having a working guitar still! I've seen much worse from a shorter drop. As in adios headstock.
Yeah, it could have been worse.
From your photos it appears that the top is unscathed, and the top is all the audience sees so to them you're still a rock n roller so all is good.
That is the one thing I kept telling myself. At least it was on the back.
Thank Gosh the headstock still stayed on! Such a bummer…..
No doubt.
 
Well, luckily it wasn't my PRS. If it had been I would be sick right now!!!

Yep, dropped my Les Paul while standing this weekend. The strap lock (I use the Grohlsh washers) on the butt of the guitar worked it's way loose somehow. I've never had one work loose before it did this time.

I've never abused my guitars, but if they got a nick or bump here and there I never paid it much attention. I know battle scars are just part of it, but these hurt me. The one by the input jack is DEEP!!!

The ding by the nut is the one that had me most concerned. However, it doesn't appear to have damaged the nut at all. It still played great and had no issues. I'll be sure to keep an eye on that one for sure.

9F6RNyF.jpg


QsgEDZv.jpg

pyJWP5z.jpg

8RN9pKi.jpg
I've seen strap locks fail on every strap lock brand over the years. The stock PRS strap buttons work better for me. YMMV.
 
I would invest $20 on a pair of Dunlop Straplocks.. they’ve never failed me in 25 years on my 10 electrics. Can’t say the same for the Shallers I used to use… they come loose..
 
I've seen strap locks fail on every strap lock brand over the years. The stock PRS strap buttons work better for me. YMMV.
Couldn’t agree with you more, I’ve retrofitted a few of my non PRS guitars with US PRS strap buttons and aside from slinging your guitar around your neck ala 80’s hair band etiquette there’s no way a good quality strap is coming of those. Anytime parts are involved failures are possible just my two cents.
 
I've seen strap locks fail on every strap lock brand over the years. The stock PRS strap buttons work better for me. YMMV.
I agree. I've read some discussion on here about the newer PRS strap buttons not being well thought of by some, but I love them. It is a bit hard to get the button through the strap opening, but once you do.... it's set and not going anywhere.
 
I agree. I've read some discussion on here about the newer PRS strap buttons not being well thought of by some, but I love them. It is a bit hard to get the button through the strap opening, but once you do.... it's set and not going anywhere.
I've been using Heistercamp straps for the last few years; they're made to order, so I've had them make mine with slightly longer buttonholes, but they're now offering a PRS buttonhole option you can specify on the order form. I had them do that on my most recent strap, and they work great.

Their straps are thick (only their softer straps will fit under the button though), and once they're on the strap button, they stay put. The bonus for me is that I've yet to find a strap anywhere near the same quality, and they can be ordered with a removable cable loop, pocket for a wireless, etc. As I understand it, the family has made leather goods for several generations.

Richter has done the same thing with buttonholes for straps I've ordered. I think PRS' straps are also made to fit the buttons (at least mine have been as of a few years ago).
 
Couldn’t agree with you more, I’ve retrofitted a few of my non PRS guitars with US PRS strap buttons and aside from slinging your guitar around your neck ala 80’s hair band etiquette there’s no way a good quality strap is coming of those. Anytime parts are involved failures are possible just my two cents.
My son had strap locks on his guitars fail so many times that when he's done tours he's literally used duck tape over the strap locks. The goo gets all over the guitars. He doesn't care, to him guitars are just disposable tools.
 
The stock PRS strap buttons work better for me. YMMV.
I had two PRS straps. I always use the stock strap buttons. When I got my last new PRS strap, it took months before I could get it on and off a guitar, without a fight. The slot in the strap is so tight with those big buttons that it's hard to get on the guitar.

My lovely wife bought me the new PRS strap for Christmas. Last year... It's the thickest leather of any of my PRS Straps. I still can't use it when I play at church, because it's so hard to get on and off. But it is about 50% better than it was brand new. At this pace, I'll be able to use it by next year, and it will last about 75 more years without ever slipping off of a guitar.
 
Well, luckily it wasn't my PRS. If it had been I would be sick right now!!!

Yep, dropped my Les Paul while standing this weekend. The strap lock (I use the Grohlsh washers) on the butt of the guitar worked it's way loose somehow. I've never had one work loose before it did this time.

I've never abused my guitars, but if they got a nick or bump here and there I never paid it much attention. I know battle scars are just part of it, but these hurt me. The one by the input jack is DEEP!!!

The ding by the nut is the one that had me most concerned. However, it doesn't appear to have damaged the nut at all. It still played great and had no issues. I'll be sure to keep an eye on that one for sure.

9F6RNyF.jpg


QsgEDZv.jpg

pyJWP5z.jpg

8RN9pKi.jpg

Ouch! You dodged a bullet, getting a hit right on the weak part of the neck/headstock transition. So many Les Paul's take way more than cosmetic damage from a hit there. I know from personal experience, seeing all the strings suddenly become wet noodles with zero tension is a horror nobody should have to experience. Play on!
 
Ouch! You dodged a bullet, getting a hit right on the weak part of the neck/headstock transition. So many Les Paul's take way more than cosmetic damage from a hit there. I know from personal experience, seeing all the strings suddenly become wet noodles with zero tension is a horror nobody should have to experience. Play on!
I know. I got really lucky in that regard.
Now it's a Les Poorly...

Sorry.
Yeah, she's not as pretty as she once was.
 
I had two PRS straps. I always use the stock strap buttons. When I got my last new PRS strap, it took months before I could get it on and off a guitar, without a fight. The slot in the strap is so tight with those big buttons that it's hard to get on the guitar.

My lovely wife bought me the new PRS strap for Christmas. Last year... It's the thickest leather of any of my PRS Straps. I still can't use it when I play at church, because it's so hard to get on and off. But it is about 50% better than it was brand new. At this pace, I'll be able to use it by next year, and it will last about 75 more years without ever slipping off of a guitar.
When I spec a buttonhole with a 1" length for the slot, they're easy to get on and off, yet they still stay on well - if that helps. You can always enlarge the strap buttonhole to that length or something close. But sounds like it'll simply stretch out a bit over time, and of course, that works too.
 
As an aside to the OP, I gave my son a CU22 Soapbar when he was in high school, and the first gig he did with the guitar, his bass player bumped his bass into the guitar, and the tuning key of a Fender bass can do considerable damage! Took a BIG chunk out of the edge. I didn't think it was repairable.

Jack Gretz, who now owns Northeast Music Center, and is a luthier in his own right, offered to repair it, and he did an incredible job fixing it. You couldn't tell it had been repaired by looking. If I felt along the edge of the guitar, I could barely discern a dimple, but remember, a big chunk of wood had been chipped off the edge of the guitar.

There are some wonderful repair people out there; I'd bet that the guitar could be restored to close to new condition easily, especially since it's nitro. Nitro's easier to repair than poly, because the nitro used in the repair will melt into the nitro on the guitar. It's a great finish for repair purposes.
 
As an aside to the OP, I gave my son a CU22 Soapbar when he was in high school, and the first gig he did with the guitar, his bass player bumped his bass into the guitar, and the tuning key of a Fender bass can do considerable damage! Took a BIG chunk out of the edge. I didn't think it was repairable.

Jack Gretz, who now owns Northeast Music Center, and is a luthier in his own right, offered to repair it, and he did an incredible job fixing it. You couldn't tell it had been repaired by looking. If I felt along the edge of the guitar, I could barely discern a dimple, but remember, a big chunk of wood had been chipped off the edge of the guitar.

There are some wonderful repair people out there; I'd bet that the guitar could be restored to close to new condition easily, especially since it's nitro. Nitro's easier to repair than poly, because the nitro used in the repair will melt into the nitro on the guitar. It's a great finish for repair purposes.
I'm going to call a luthier today and send some pics to see if it can be repaired. Thing is, I live in the middle of nowhere Kentucky, so I'm going to have to drive about 70 miles one way to find a luthier to repair it. It'll be worth it to have it looked at though. I'm not too worried about it being perfect. I'd just like for some of the major cosmetic damage to be addressed.

Plus, while the guitar is being (hopefully) repaired that'll give me more time to play my PRS!!!
 
Ouch! You dodged a bullet, getting a hit right on the weak part of the neck/headstock transition. So many Les Paul's take way more than cosmetic damage from a hit there. I know from personal experience, seeing all the strings suddenly become wet noodles with zero tension is a horror nobody should have to experience. Play on!
Yes, that sound when the neck hits the floor and the strings all go loosey goosey… I know it all to well. It happened to me in North Conway NH to an early Gruhn Gibson chevron 59 reissue around 84… back then they were $1300 new…
 
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