D40 traditional skunk stripe

[Georgeh]

As I was playing today I noticed that I can feel with my finger the skunk stripe on my d40 traditional neck. I can feel it only between the nut and the first fret. I have seen some fender necks like that which I know it happens and there is no problem with that but wanted to ask if there is any case of an issue I have to worry about.

I am attaching some pics so you can see

 

[chazmo]

George, I see what you're talking about. I think that center strip is actually part of a three-piece lamination of wood that your neck was cut from (mahogany-walnut-mahogany). I'm not positive though. In any case, are you keeping the guitar properly humidified? And, are you doing a lot of neck adjustments with the truss rod?

I'm hoping that's just some of the NCL finish rubbing off and shrinking a bit at the seam of the wood. If that's what it is then there's nothing to worry about and you could easily fill it with a little NCL. I think I would do that. But, if you have access to a Guild retailer that you bought it from you might want to let them have a look. Pretty likely this would be covered by warrantee.

 

[Georgeh]

The guitar is on a steady humidity room with 55% humidity. I did some trussrod adjustments yes.

 

[schoolie]

Same thing happened on mine. Could it just be the lacquer shrinking?

 

[Georgeh]

Is there a possibility that the trussrod pushes the stripe out ? I think it's unlikely but I am curious

 

[wileypickett]

As I understand things, different kinds of wood shrink at different rates over time. I had a '70s 12-string with a three piece neck -- it was very slight, but the center piece was also slightly raised.

My suggestion? Try not to worry about it!

Anything you might do to correct is likely to be pricy and laborious (building up the lacquer, fine sanding betweeen coats) or pricey and drastic (sanding the neck, relacquering it, and trying to match the original color).

 

[schoolie]

Is there a possibility that the trussrod pushes the stripe out ? I think it's unlikely but I am curious

Not sure, but I haven't noticed it getting any worse. I doubt it's the trussrod, but I'm no expert. I could overspray and sand, but it's not worth the trouble, as WIleypickett said.

 

[kostask]

I don't think it is the truss rod. Truss rods generally don't exert much pressure in the area where this is happening; it normally exerts counter pressure more towards the middle of the neck. I supposed if it it really cranked down, it may exert some pressure, but the area in question (between the nut and the first fret, according to the original poster) really doesn't move much when the truss rod is adjusted. You want the truss rod to work where the neck bends the most under string pull (i.e. middle of the neck), not at the ends, where this issue is.

 

[davismanLV]

It almost looks like the lamination has failed in a short portion of the neck. If you look at the first photo enlarged you see glue lines on each side of the lamination, where you don't see them above or below. Not sure what that means. Maybe a glue failure in this case. I can't think of any other reason for this. It's visible and you can feel it so it's an actual thing. Not sure if this is something that can be fixed or if it even needs to be, but I can see it and you can feel it, so.... it's a thing.

 

[SFIV1967]

What is going on here? What are those white lines? Also I see sanding marks somehow?



Ralf

 

[Georgeh]

What is going on here? What are those white lines? Also I see sanding marks somehow? Strange.



Ralf

Thats from Hanging the guitar in a stand

 

[SFIV1967]

Thats from Hanging the guitar in a stand

Ah, o.k., so the lacquer was still a bit soft maybe.
I was concerned that those lines are also part of the story, good to hear they are not. I know that having such pictures taken sometimes shows small things really big! Good it's not related to the issue.

Ralf

 

[Walter Broes]

It's not really a "skunk stripe" like on a maple neck Fender guitar. In those, it really is a filler piece of wood that covers the truss rod channel.

on three piece Guild necks, it's a center lamination between the two halves of the neck. On two of my old guilds, you can kind of feel it too in places - I *think* it's probably an effect of different species of wood wearing/expanding/contracting differently over time. As long as it doesn't get extreme or weird, it's nothing to worry about.

 

[chazmo]

Is there a possibility that the trussrod pushes the stripe out ? I think it's unlikely but I am curious

Hi George. The truss rod lives just above that center strip of the lamination, and I think it could be involved with this.

I agree with the others, though, that it's likely just finish shrinking around the seam. I also agree that this is a small issue in the sense that your neck is not about to come apart of something.

Just the same, if this is a new guitar, I would talk to Guild about it. This really shouldn't be happening.