We may have had a thread on this some time back, but it may be worth repeating. I bring this up as a result of reading the thread on "Women's Issues in Folk Music" and from seeing a gouged Gibson mandolin last week end at my favorite three-day fiddler's picnic.

The "Women's" thread talked about guys always wanting to borrow women's guitars at jams. The owner of the mandolin I saw said he was at a jam and this guy kept wanting to play it, saying "I play mandolin, I won't hurt it" - famous last words !!! When my friend got his mando back it had a real good one inch scratch right down the front.

My question is: How do you nicely say no to these well-intentioned idiots ? And, if you cave in and they hand it back with damage, what is your recourse ? (Other than immediate violence) - I've had a couple of guitars scratched over the years and I always kick myself and say never again, and then of course relent. Any ideas on this ??