Hello all thank you for all your feedback I sincerely do appreciate it! I do not wear any rings at all on my left hand. I never usually play on the 9th fret at all, which is why I find this issue quite strange. I got in contact with Sweetwater to see what my options are, just waiting to hear back from their techs. I'm not the one to complain about scratches or dings on my guitars and I actually do not mind, but only owning this beauty for seven months has me concerned. You guys are awesome!