and I heard this big "pop"...

[jgmaute]

Last night I was playing my GAD 30R, learning a new song so I'd play a bit, put the guitar down, write in some chords, play some more, etc. I was writing chords when I heard this big "pop" sound. I thought somehow I must have popped an E or B string. I picked up the guitar, all strings were fine. This morning as I was packing the GAD into a gig bag to get ready for the Sat. jam I noticed a big honker crack from the just below the bridge down almost all the way to the binding. CRAP!

Well, at least I know what the sound was. And I got this guitar off ebay two years ago. It was new but had three cracks. I paid $300 then took it to Randy and had the cracks fixed for $45. I think it was one of the original cracks popping open but it is much worse than it was originally. So...I'll take it back to Randy.

Here's my question...I know it's winter. I know even down here the humidity is low. I also keep my studio around 40-50% humidity. It must be humidity related but why now? The guitar had been out on its case in the studio for about a week. I had been playing some heavy strumming songs yesterday so maybe the top was just vibrating too much? I just don't get it.

I took it to the jam today and had John (guitar shop owner) look at it. He said this winter there have been a lot of cracks from the dryness (very unusual for down here but we've been running heat for way too long). He also said that maybe the top was just a little thin and that's why it got the first cracks but also why it has such great volume. (He also said he loves the guitar and the crack just needs to be stablized.)

Any thoughts or is it common for guitars to just decide they need a drink and crack. (By the way the crack goes all the way through the wood.) Joan

and yes, I checked my other guitars and they're all fine.

 

[twocorgis]

Last night I was playing my GAD 30R, learning a new song so I'd play a bit, put the guitar down, write in some chords, play some more, etc. I was writing chords when I heard this big "pop" sound. I thought somehow I must have popped an E or B string. I picked up the guitar, all strings were fine. This morning as I was packing the GAD into a gig bag to get ready for the Sat. jam I noticed a big honker crack from the just below the bridge down almost all the way to the binding. CRAP!

Well, at least I know what the sound was. And I got this guitar off ebay two years ago. It was new but had three cracks. I paid $300 then took it to Randy and had the cracks fixed for $45. I think it was one of the original cracks popping open but it is much worse than it was originally. So...I'll take it back to Randy.

Here's my question...I know it's winter. I know even down here the humidity is low. I also keep my studio around 40-50% humidity. It must be humidity related but why now? The guitar had been out on its case in the studio for about a week. I had been playing some heavy strumming songs yesterday so maybe the top was just vibrating too much? I just don't get it.

I took it to the jam today and had John (guitar shop owner) look at it. He said this winter there have been a lot of cracks from the dryness (very unusual for down here but we've been running heat for way too long). He also said that maybe the top was just a little thin and that's why it got the first cracks but also why it has such great volume. (He also said he loves the guitar and the crack just needs to be stablized.)

Any thoughts or is it common for guitars to just decide they need a drink and crack. (By the way the crack goes all the way through the wood.) Joan

and yes, I checked my other guitars and they're all fine.

Wow Joan, what a bummer!

That guitar seems awful young to have had so many cracks. Maybe I've just been lucky, but I've never had any of my guitars crack on me, and I've never used humidifiers on them until this year, and that's through a whole bunch of Northeast winters. Damn, maybe I'd better stop! :shock:

Maybe others would know more about this, but could it be attributable to that much vaunted Chinese quality control (home of lead paint in kid's toys)? Is this more common in the GAD series? I don't know really.

 

[chazmo]

I had my G-312 out in my office for a couple of days, and it's dry in there... The first sign that there would be trouble is how out of tune the guitar got. Then, as I tuned it up, I heard that dreaded gentle pop. Bridge lift.

Oh well. I don't mind a trip to the luthier's house.

My guess is that it's not unique to the GAD series, but there are an awful lot of factors that lead to soundboard cracks, Joan. I know that I damaged two dissimilar guitars, cracking their mahogany bodies and spruce soundboards by denying them humiidity for a few years in their cases. Sigh. I still kick myself about that, on the other hand it raised my awareness on the subject.

 

[cjd-player]

Joan,
How sure are you that the studio is at 40 to 50% RH?

 

[GardMan]

Ouch! So sorry, Joan! I put my first ding in my D-46 while cleaning my cave a few weeks ago... altho' still annoyed with myself, the saving grace for me was that it already has it's share of "beauty marks" from its previous life, and the one I put on is on the side that rests on my knee, so I don't see it when I play. D

 

[wright1]

40-50% humidity would be fine if I was making a guitar but I would like it 50-60% at least around the house. And how hot is the house? The speed of moisture loss is what usually does the damage. The wood can't change fast enough. Also dare I say that Gad's are made in China? While I am sure Guild do all they can to oversee the production, people will try to cut corners and maybe there was a problem at the factory with a batch. From what your shop man says the wood may be a little thin. This may also be a factor. We have all seen some guitars suffer loads of repairs while others seem immune. You may just have one that will need a lot of care. Don't love it any less!! \get it fixed and play on.
Best wishes, Steve.

 

[jgmaute]

Took it to Randy's today

Well, it's with Randy Woods, and he should have it back together in a week or so. Now that it's on its way to being fixed I can post the "before" pictures...same crack, just two different shots. I can't wait to post the "after" shots! joan

 

[Default]

Yikes, you hate to see that.

 

[P-E-Z]

It looks like a finish crack not the wood.

 

[AlohaJoe]

Dang, that's so frustrating! It's so new to have all these problems, it makes me wonder if the wood was properly dried before it was assembled.

 

[P-E-Z]

Its gotta be frustrating

 

[jgmaute]

It looks like a finish crack not the wood.

It was hard to photograph to show the crack. Well, that would have been nice if it was only a finish crack, but shine a light on the top and you see it inside the guitar. Fortunately Randy's a great luthier so it'll be back home and fixed soon. I still can't get that sound out of my mind.

 

[AlohaJoe]

I still can't get that sound out of my mind.

Ah yes... I broke a smallish bone in my foot once that sounded like a snapped pencil. There are some sounds you just don't forget.

 

[fungusyoung]

Just a stab in the dark here, but this crack might have had something to do with prior mistreatment. Somebody else already pointed out that this young guitar sustained an awful lot of cracks for it's age so I suspect it was exposed to very dry conditions for a fair amount of time before you got it. All I can suggest is you keep it well humidified once you get it back.

Have to agree with you... it's very strange that this would happen now in the climate you are in so I have to believe it has something to do with the guitar's history.