What are these strange dimples in my Adi top?

[DesertTwang]

A while back, I noticed a streak of strange-looking dimples in one location on the top of my Martin America 1 Model, which I bought new about a year ago. I have no idea if they have been there from day one, and I just never noticed them, or if they developed over time.

The dimples look like small, shallow indentations in the top wood. Each appears to be limited to one grain line in width (about the width of a grain of rice), and there are about 8 of them, arranged in an arc. The dimples are only visible when the light bounces off the gloss top at a certain angle, which is why I wasn't able to get better pictures. They're almost impossible to get a photo of.

It's definitely not any kind of scratch, as the finish is not compromised in any way. Rather, each of the dimples appears as if the wood is "sunken in" in that small particular spot.

Does anyone have any idea as to what might cause this?

[charles Tauber]

They are "dents". It looks like something was pressed against the soft tops wood, causing it to dent.

In the first photo, only, there also looks like there was a repaired crack just above the dents, with a slight ghosting in the finish surrounding where the finish was touched-up. Could just be the lighting/reflection, but difficult to tell from the photo.

Originally Posted by DesertTwang

Each appears to be limited to one grain line in width (about the width of a grain of rice)

Did you play a wedding recently?

[Erithon]

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

They are "dents". It looks like something was pressed against the soft tops wood, causing it to dent.

+1

I'd just leave them be, but if they really bother you you could look into having them steamed out (assuming the finish is thin enough and won't react poorly to such work). They look shallow enough to be steamable. Again, though, I'd leave them be. They're negligible and will only appear at certain angles.

[Goodallboy]

Something dented that top by being pressed into the guitar.

[jseth]

Yep - they look like dents to me. Lacquer isn't real solid, prone to dings and dents...

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

Something dented that top by being pressed into the guitar.

Agreed. I'm wondering if something might have been shut between the guitar and the lid of the case.

[jaymarsch]

Originally Posted by bufflehead

Agreed. I'm wondering if something might have been shut between the guitar and the lid of the case.

This was the first thing that I thought of when I saw the location of the dents.

Best,
Jayne

[DesertTwang]

I can't think what, though. I have treated this guitar like a raw egg ever since I got it, and never had it in the case with the strap attached. I can't think of anything else that could have produced those dents. I guess I'm not going to worry about them. I was mostly curious as to whether they may be some kind of manufacturing defect (unlikely, since I think I would have noticed them), or some other issue related to the wood.

The guitar has another "ding" I have not been able to explain: a scratch running exactly along the ridge of the neck heel, the kind you would expect from carelessly leaning the guitar against a very rough surface, like a metal bench or something. Except I'm not aware of ever doing that.

Tracing these things back is difficult for me, since I have a tendency not to notice stuff like this for a while, and when I do, I can no longer think of any occasion that may have caused it.

With the scratch on the neck heel, my first thought was that when I noticed it, I had a setup done on the guitar not too long before. I had been wondering whether a careless technician may have placed the guitar in the adjusting bench and forgotten to insert the necessary padding. I have no idea if that's a likely scenario, though. Again, I can't tell whether the scratch had already been there before the setup or not, and the same goes for these dimples in the top.

I guess I need to closely examine my guitars much more often, and especially before I take them to a shop for a setup.

[Cameleye]

Anyone else have access to your guitars?

[DesertTwang]

Originally Posted by Cameleye

Anyone else have access to your guitars?

Other than our cats and our 15-month old son, no.

Just kidding. No, the guitar has been cased whenever I don't play it, and I have never loaned it out to anyone. I think the most likely explanation is that something indeed got trapped between the top and the case lid at some point, and I just didn't give enough thought to it to remember.

[PaulRF]

I can understand how that annoys you when you treat your guitar with a lot of care. I am the same and not only with my 2 budget priced guitars but with anything I value. It's like when you have a new car (or scooter in my case) and find that first scratch or dent.

[phavriluk]

OP mentions having a setup performed on the guitar, meaning it was in the hands of whoever it was doing the setup. And out of the owner's hands. I'm sure it's never happened that a technician bumped a guitar and didn't notice what the results of that bump were. Or be prepared to deny doing any damage.

[mb propsom]

Almost looks like the wraps of a wound string were pressed into to the top.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by mb propsom

Almost looks like the wraps of a wound string were pressed into to the top.

Yes it does.