Fixable flaws???

113464

Those are some pics of my 2010 gibson aj . If you look at the headstock logo, you can see some sort of line around the inlay. It wont rub off. I cant figure out what it is or why its there. Could it be a mark for the logo placement and gibson missed its mark?? I dont guess its a big deal but it does bug me. Also theres some excess glue around the bridge as shown. And around the fretboard theres seems to be some. Im assuming a good luthier can remove that excess and make it right, but what about the headstock logo. Is it fixable you think?

You going to play that guitar or look at it? I'd clip my capo down over it, if it bothered me, but I don't think it would bother me.

I do both, look and play lol.

I have a 2003 AJ I got new. On yours: logo looks like maybe minor wear from a capo or something else, hard to tell. Glue lines: that's how they build Flattops; those are very close/discerning pics.

None of that would bother me but I'm not you. If you are the original owner take it to a Gibson authorized shop & ask them. If you bought it used be prepared to spend some $ on it if it bugs you that much.

As an aside, some day go look very closely at some vintage Gibsons that cost perhaps 2X-10X yer AJRI. You might be surprised at their 'flaws'.

Hope whatever you can enjoy yer AJ, great guitars.

Well its nothing thats gonna keep me from playing the crap out of it. I just figured a guitar with a 2500 dollar price tag would deserve a little more attention to detail. Theres bad apples in every tree, but you typically dont see much sloppyness in Martins craftsmanship. I just feel gibson should be able to do a better job than that for the pricetag they have. I guess its really not that big of a deal, but its just the idea of them being sloppy. Know what i mean? I would expect such things on a epiphone, but not a Gibson. Nevertheless, it still sounds good!

I agree with ya, for that price they should be absolutely perfect. I've never owned a Martin, Fender, Gibson, or Taylor that was absolutely perfect though. My Mcpherson just might be though.

Anyway, I'd say the entire face of the headstock could be buffed and probably take care of that part.

I'm not sure if the glue around the bridge could be fixed to perfection though. This seems to be a very tricky area, even when repairing vintage guitars. You can most always tell when a vintage guitar has had a bridge replacement because of the glue/finish around the bridge. Some even put a slightly oversized bridge on to help hide some of it. On yours it is possible that some of the glue could be removed with an exacto knife maybe but it still may show some. Maybe take it to a good luthier and see what they think.

Well its nothing thats gonna keep me from playing the crap out of it. I just figured a guitar with a 2500 dollar price tag would deserve a little more attention to detail. Theres bad apples in every tree, but you typically dont see much sloppyness in Martins craftsmanship. I just feel gibson should be able to do a better job than that for the pricetag they have. I guess its really not that big of a deal, but its just the idea of them being sloppy. Know what i mean? I would expect such things on a epiphone, but not a Gibson. Nevertheless, it still sounds good!

I wouldn't be so quick to praise Martins - my 2011 D-18 has developed a crack in the finish radiating from the bridge, quickly googling this issue seems theres alot of Martins with this issue. Being that the guitar is less than 12 months old I was pretty pissed off about it, but now I figure that its going to happen sooner or later ( damage to the guitar that is ). Might as well get used to it.

I wouldn't be so quick to praise Martins - my 2011 D-18 has developed a crack in the finish radiating from the bridge, quickly googling this issue seems theres alot of Martins with this issue. Being that the guitar is less than 12 months old I was pretty pissed off about it, but now I figure that its going to happen sooner or later ( damage to the guitar that is ). Might as well get used to it.

Well like i said, bad apples in every tree. Also a big difference between battle scars and the damage your refering too. I would find cracking in a high end guitar under 12 months old unacceptable. Unless i neglected to monitor and control humidy levels and caused it myself.

Well like i said, bad apples in every tree. Also a big difference between battle scars and the damage your refering too. I would find cracking in a high end guitar under 12 months old unacceptable. Unless i neglected to monitor and control humidy levels and caused it myself.

Humidity here has been, and usually hovers around 40% here, so I know its not that. In any case, it has some other small scars on it caused by me so its no huge issue, but it does irk me that these things happen on expensive instruments, where I've had cheaper guitar with no issues like this, ever ( likewise the pics of yours would make me a bit tense too). Sometimes you just have to accept it and move on - it is hard to do though.

* allegedly the cracking is due to finishing problems under the corners of the bridge - at least thats what I've read in several threads online.