cracked top (has this happened to you?)

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aleksi

Posts: 528
Joined: Nov. 10 2008
From: Helsinki, Finland

cracked top (has this happened to you?)

my new training room made nasty suprise to my guitar. It was there over weekend in a stand (I didnt have humidifyer and didnt put it to its case

) and when I came back on monday this crack had appeared. I kept it nicely in the stand in my house, sometimes with the humidifyer worm inside and it lasted nicely over two winters, and somehow I had an idea that it would last now forever

. I know I was stupid and should have kept it in the case or atleast with the worm, and in a way it seems I was asking for it.
But well...I try to learn from my mistakes.

It would be interresting to know what do you luthiers think about this crack and what would be the best way to repair it, and will it effect to the sound in the long run, and to what else does it effect in the guitar contruction.

Here are few pictures, they are taken with a mobile, but I hope they are clear enough.

Thank you very much
-Aleksi

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Attachment (1)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 2 2009 6:39:35

aleksi

Posts: 528
Joined: Nov. 10 2008
From: Helsinki, Finland

RE: cracked top (has this happened t... (in reply to aleksi)

more pictures

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 2 2009 6:43:25

aleksi

Posts: 528
Joined: Nov. 10 2008
From: Helsinki, Finland

RE: cracked top (has this happened t... (in reply to aleksi)

one more

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 2 2009 6:44:47

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: cracked top (has this happened t... (in reply to aleksi)

Ouch.

Thats a long crack. Does it continue under the tap plate? If it goes all the way to the tap plate it might have cracked underneath the tap plate but maybe you dont see it. In this case the tapplate has to be taken off

The guitar needs to be glued. It can be done with very thin superglue. It is relatively easy. Let the glue seep into the crack and it´ll repair itself. If the crack is open, the guitar needs to be humidified so that the crack closes before gluing it.
Backside of using superglue is that it leaves a thin dark line.

The same reparation can be done with hot hideglue. It needs to be thin in order to enter the crack and only a bit at a time. if the glue gets to cold it doesnt work.

Both ways, you need to carefully scrape off the glue when its dry. and repolish the guitar.

If its an expensive or very nice guitar, its best to leave it to a specialist.

_____________________________

Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 2 2009 8:09:59

aleksi

Posts: 528
Joined: Nov. 10 2008
From: Helsinki, Finland

RE: cracked top (has this happened t... (in reply to aleksi)

thanks for the reply and insight anders.
The crack goes underneath the tap plate, maybe 1/3 of the plastics length.
I think the dark line from the superglue doesnt matter. Anyway the grains are also dark, and then its even more personal. I have to think it as a customised guitar.
The thing is that just before posting these, I left it to one local luthier and he said he can repair it. I didnt ask too much how he will do it, but I just left her I trusted that he knows what hes doing.
One thing he said that he will put some little pads under the crack. I asked about effects for the sound and he replyed that it doesnt do anything because of the position of the crack. I dont know...maybe so...
I just hope, he will be patient and take the tap plate of to glue the whole crack.
How about the polishing? How big of a job it is?
I paid like 800e for the guitar and I would like that it would be repaired properly. Its not my ideal guitar, but its my first "real" guitar and first that I have bought.
My luthier said that repairing the crack would only cost some 25e but I'm not sure what he eventually will be able to do with such a price.
Well, it will be ready tomorrow, so if Im not satisfyed with the result I think I have to ask him to put more effort to it.
Im little bit worried.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 2 2009 12:46:14

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: cracked top (has this happened t... (in reply to aleksi)

quote:

ORIGINAL: aleksi
One thing he said that he will put some little pads under the crack. I asked about effects for the sound and he replyed that it doesnt do anything because of the position of the crack. I dont know...maybe so...
I just hope, he will be patient and take the tap plate of to glue the whole crack.

Sounds like your luthier is doing exactly the right kind of repair. Putting patches or pads of cross grain along the crack on the inside of the guitar is standard procedure. His price seems very fair. I wouldn't worry about it.

_____________________________

John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 2 2009 14:35:09

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: cracked top (has this happened t... (in reply to aleksi)

Putting the pads underneath the crack shouldnt change the sound. Its a serious crack so its a good idea. Besides being in Finland where you get very low humidity in winter, Your local luthier most probably is a specialist in repairing cracks.

Good luck

_____________________________

Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 2 2009 23:03:25

aleksi

Posts: 528
Joined: Nov. 10 2008
From: Helsinki, Finland

RE: cracked top (has this happened t... (in reply to aleksi)

unfortunately its true. He said that this is the time when they (guitars with cracks) start coming.
Good time for business

jshelton5040; thanks for your reply and easing my worries.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 2 2009 23:13:12

aleksi

Posts: 528
Joined: Nov. 10 2008
From: Helsinki, Finland

RE: cracked top (has this happened t... (in reply to aleksi)

so I got my guitar back today.
They had repaired it quite well in my opinion, Im satisfyed. They used superglue and put a patch inside of the top. They didnt take away the golpeador, but said its not nesessary because the brace under soundhole is stopping the crack.

Same time I had my neck (the guitars

) straighten and also I got a little pearl to mark the seventh fret. They also made me a new bone because now I can use a bit higher one because of the straight neck.
These little things gave me new inspiration with this guitar. Sound is now better and also playability.
The cracking was almost a good thing in the perspective that I got all these little updates also.

Its quite interresting adventure trying to get the best fitting and sounding guitar. I think my search continues still.

but anyway, thanks for the interrest and advices.
-Aleksi

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 5 2009 3:08:49