F-Holes?

[Sitedrifter]

Hey all. As some of you may know, I sent back my Capri due to the F-holes being sunken on the center side of the guitar.
Now the height level from one side of the F hole to the other was in my opinion, really way off by a 1/4" or more. The binding side of the F hole was higher then the pickup side.
However, I am wondering if some height difference is expected since it is an archtop or should one side to the other side of the f hole be level?

I do not want to think there is an issue on my next one if it is normal. I am speaking about new versus used/old.


Thanks

Mark

 

[GAD]

It's an arch-top guitar. I think what you're describing is normal since the center of the guitar top is by definition, higher than the sides. Since the f-hole is a hole, the tips within the f-holes aren't pulled down like the wood surrounding them.

Here's a quick and dirty pic of what I think you're describing from my X500T:

Now, if what you're saying is that the opposite of what I've shown is true, then yeah, you may have a sunken top on your hands which can happen on true hollow body guitars.

 

[Sitedrifter]

Yes mine were opposite and I can see that yours look normal as I would have expected that.

Here is one side.

 

[GAD]

Yes mine were opposite and I can see that yours look normal as I would have expected that.

Here is one side.

Is that a brand new NS Capri?

 

[gilded]

I wouldn't buy an arch-top if the top/center portion was 'sunk in', not on a guitar, mando or standup bass. Period. The Kiss of Death. New or old.

To me, if the F holes aren't aligned properly, the team of employees that assembled that batch of guitars probably goober-ed up all of them. A friend used to import Korean guitars under his own brand name. About one out of four batches had a problem. Some problems were fixable, some weren't. One batch of strat knock-offs had about 25 bad necks (wrong scale). It was an easy fix to replace the necks, but it took a month to get the corrected product.

Another example. They'd get Les Pauls with the wrong inlays. The fix? Put them in the catalog as a 'Special'! But you can't fix a mis-aligned F-hole.

Good luck!

 

[Sitedrifter]

Is that a brand new NS Capri?

yes BUT, the dealer told me it was a 2016 but when I got it, the guitar is a 2014 so who knows what type of climate this thing sat in for 2+ years.

 

[Cougar]

Hey all. As some of you may know, I sent back my Capri....

Yes, I'd say that was a good move, though you might have had to eat the return shipping. But especially when you were expecting a brand new 2016, and you got a 2014. Are you getting a replacement or your money back?

 

[Sitedrifter]

Yes, I'd say that was a good move, though you might have had to eat the return shipping. But especially when you were expecting a brand new 2016, and you got a 2014. Are you getting a replacement or your money back?

The dealer (reputable national dealer) already sent me a return label no cost to me. They were very nice and apologized. The manager showed the guitar arrived at their warehouse in Florida in 2016 but he did say it could have been shipped there from their other warehouse, hence fooling the sales person. I can buy that reasoning especially since they were very nice.

The Capri was their last one in stock. I am looking at the new VI as well (I like bling) and I know that is a 2016 but there is something about the Capri I really liked so who knows.

 

[Sitedrifter]

If I wanted issues or crappy finish I would have bought a $399 guitar. Even though lots of brands are made overseas, when you pay $1k and up you should get great quality gits regardless of where they are made.
I read that the brand Eastman has the low cost archtop QA sewn up as people swear by the quality but I want a Guild and I hope the one I got was warehouse damaged and not representative of their quality control !!

Mark

 

[Sitedrifter]

ATT: Neal

I cannot respond to your PM because your inbox is full or your total messages is at the allowable limit.

 

[Neal]

My bad. Try again.

 

[Diggey]

I did look at my Newark Guilds after your post. I noticed this on my recently purchased T-50 Slim, however mine appears to just be the bottom wing part of the F- Hole, and is slight, perhaps 1/8-1/16" drawing up vs. the curve of the top. So, I'm wondering if it is more of the wing vs. top responding to moisture, stress and so forth then I am of it actually representing a sinking top. I've seen this on a few Gretsch Guitars that were in very dry rooms over time and they did the same thing at the F-hole wing area. Mine is pulling up slightly and the arch on the slim model is so minor, almost nonexistent so I'm not sure what to think.

 

[Sitedrifter]

I did look at my Newark Guilds after your post. I noticed this on my recently purchased T-50 Slim, however mine appears to just be the bottom wing part of the F- Hole, and is slight, perhaps 1/8-1/16" drawing up vs. the curve of the top. So, I'm wondering if it is more of the wing vs. top responding to moisture, stress and so forth then I am of it actually representing a sinking top. I've seen this on a few Gretsch Guitars that were in very dry rooms over time and they did the same thing at the F-hole wing area. Mine is pulling up slightly and the arch on the slim model is so minor, almost nonexistent so I'm not sure what to think.

Like others have stated and what I read, the edges of the F holes towards the outer of the guitar can be lower then the edges of the F hole near the center of the guitar. In fact, my DG-ES335 is like that and I feel it is normal.
What my Guild had was opposite and really wrong. I would not doubt that guitar sat in the warehouse in Florida for over 2 years in lord knows what type of environment. I think heat did it versus lack of moisture.

 

[Diggey]

Looking at your picture though, it looks like your F-hole outside edge along the whole f-hole looks higher than the inside edge of the f-hole. Is that correct?

Mine is like yours, but only where the bottom of the f-hole wing edge closest to the tailpiece slightly flairs up. Just on the the f hole wing bottom edge. But the t slim top arch is so slight that you can't notice it unless you look at the guitar in edge.