How bad is a crack if it affects my sound?

[ABetterTelePlayer]

I'm not a pro with finishes, but I'm not a total dork, either. I can tell you that spot repairs for something like that can end up looking worse than the original flaw. Getting a good color match always takes time, especially for that color. MIMs can be great values, and if you got a sweetheart deal, you might be best off to play it and be happy. I understand the dissatisfaction, though. I baby my guitars.

Thanks, I'm a little disappointed but probably not as bad as most people think. I have quite a few guitars, blessed. Some I don't need but I play the heck out of every one. I probably won't ever try to do any repair myself because I am not good at it or knowledgeable with that stuff. I'll likely just play it and have fun with it.

 

[Danb541]

I crack all my guitars in that exact spot, really opens up the mid range on the neck pickup. Also sustains way better.

Kidding. I have guitars that are cracked there though, pretty common. Not a big deal IMHO.

 

[ChicknPickn]

One last thing: if it drives you totally crazy, you can try finding a nail polish to match that color and building it up slowly. Test the color with a dab in an inconspicuous place. It may not be a perfect repair, but that approach, if done patiently with several careful dabs of enamel, can work reasonably well.

 

[Wallaby]

Ahh, so tone cracks is a thing, I've been wondering!

tone cracks.....

 

[NWinther]

The paint and cracks.....no true bypassing that thing!!

 

[TelePlank]

I had this happen on both sides of a neck pocket during shipping to an American Standard Tele. It bothered the snot out of me at first. To calm my mind I had it looked at to make sure it was just in the finish and not the wood. It was just the finish luckily so I had the cracks stabilized so they wouldn't spread over time.

Later I sold the guitar which I regret deeply. I was upfront with the guy disclosing the cracks along with the repair. We wound up staying in contact through the years. Now it spends it's time between being in a case, practiced on or played up on stage being used professionally. Guy said he ain't letting it go even so I told him if he decides to sell it let me know. If it's just in the finish and this guitar you have plays great don't let it detract from your love of it. It'll still be a killer guitar!

 

[NoTeleBob]

Probably just the paint. If it's something you bought new, have it replaced. If it's something you own with no recourse, "let it go".

Ya know, I'm literally just starting to let go of my OCD. I've discovered that no matter how careful I am, stuff is going to happen.

I have over 20 guitars and play at church, I'm kinda learning that no guitar is "perfect" whether it's the finish, wood or grain, etc. And if something doesn't happen by my doing, it can possibly happen by someone else's doing. The singers and drummers at my church use Ipads for words/notes on parts of the songs. 2 have tripped on my guitar cords - not because I didn't have it out of the way but because they were looking down at their ipad and not where they were walking. Another steps over my Pod Go (which has a screen) their foot didn't come into contact with the unit but they had ample room to go around. So it's like the universe is against me!

Gaffers tape is your friend... unless they are tripping over the part you need to have moving. Or a wireless.

 

[ABetterTelePlayer]

Where do the cracks come from? I mean ... How do they form?

 

[TelePlank]

Where do the cracks come from? I mean ... How do they form?

If I'm wrong someone correct me. I was told they are called stress cracks. Sometimes the neck pocket is tight, the guitar takes a spill or the wood on the neck, finish/body contracting from temps differently ect. In my case the guitar was shipped correctly in a Fender hardshell case, but it was winter. So my guess was the temperature mixed with probably a rough transit did it.

 

[ABetterTelePlayer]

If I'm wrong someone correct me. I was told they are called stress cracks. Sometimes the neck pocket is tight, the guitar takes a spill or the wood on the neck, finish/body contracting from temps differently ect. In my case the guitar was shipped correctly in a Fender hardshell case, but it was winter. So my guess was the temperature mixed with probably a rough transit did it.

Mine was also shipped in a hardshell. And I'm betting they were pretty rough with it.

Thanks!

 

[ABetterTelePlayer]

Will it get bigger?

 

[39martind18]

Depends on the type and location of the crack, and the tones desired. Now, the tones and the crack I'm thinking about....

 

[ABetterTelePlayer]

Depends on the type and location of the crack, and the tones desired. Now, the tones and the crack I'm thinking about....

I best just be careful with it then

 

[Boreas]

Will it get bigger?

Wish I had a dime for every time I heard that...

 

[Boreas]

The chunk of missing wood bothers me more than the finish crack. But for a few hundred off, I could warm up to it.

 

[thegrasshopper]

Just another one to confirm it will not affect tone... It is just a crack on the finish

I can understand it might piss you off since you recently bought the guitar, but as you may read through this thread... Sooner or later this crack will appear... Obviously I don't know the percentage of teles and strats with a crack in this very same place, the neck joint... But I would say the majority. I notice mine reading a thead like this: I said to me "no, my MIM does not have a crack...' then I went to check it out, and boom, the crack was there! Pretty common issue, live with it

EDIT:
Looking twice... I agree with

The chunk of missing wood bothers me more than the finish crack. But for a few hundred off, I could warm up to it.

The missing wood is not that common...it will not affect tone... But it is weird

 

[mfguitar]

This is very common with Fender-painted finishes and is nothing to worry about. I have seen it on MIM as well as MIA models. Also, I have yet to see a great explanation.

 

[57joonya]

They charge a lot of money for relic finishes . You got that one for 300 off! Have u seen any of gibsons Murphy lab guitars ?

 

[RhythmFender]

My apologies to the mods and all the gods of forum decency for accidentally using a swear word that got automatically edited out anyway.

You play the doodoo out that there geetar.

 

[RobRiggs]

My 1989 Squier Strat has had that same crack since it was new and it’s my most tuning-stable guitar.