Westerley D50 cracked top... what do you think?

[Alexandre IV]

Hey guys, these are shots of the cracks on the top of the D50 I was talking about in my previous post. Guitar sounds really good but how does this affect it's value? The one that goes around the pickguard is particularly freaky... There are one on each side of the neck, just above the soundhole. There's another one starting at the bridge and going down towards the bottom, but that one is not as noticeable and it looks like it's been repared. What do you guys think? Should I still buy this instrument?

 

[Alexandre IV]

Ok, just to clarify, there are 4 cracks total:

Two between the soudhole and the neck, one on each side;
One that starts at the bridge and dances around the pickguard;
One on the lower part of the guitar starting below the bridge (2nd and 6th pics)

 

[FNG]

Looks like it's been really dried out. The two top pieces have shrunk whick caused the seam crack, and then you have what looks like a classic pickguard crack.

I'd only think about buying it if it was dirt cheap, sounded great, and you have a trusted repair guy nearby who can give the guitar a look over first to see if the cracks can be repaired, and there isn't anything else wrong with the guitar, like loose braces, etc. I'd say buyer beware...

 

[capnjuan]

Hi Alexandre; those cracks alongside the fingerboard are serious - they can be caused by the glue joints holding the neckblock in place failing and allowing the neck to 'crash' into the superstructure of the guitar. This is a link to a guitar recently on eBay with the same problem:

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=23170&hilit=tectonics

That's not a problem that can be fixed by sloshing glue on the cracks. Unless you know someone who'll do reconstruction work inexpensively for you ...

 

[Nigel Wickwire]

Looks like it's been really dried out. The two top pieces have shrunk whick caused the seam crack, and then you have what looks like a classic pickguard crack.

I'd only think about buying it if it was dirt cheap, sounded great, and you have a trusted repair guy nearby who can give the guitar a look over first to see if the cracks can be repaired, and there isn't anything else wrong with the guitar, like loose braces, etc. I'd say buyer beware...

+1 - I'd consider buying this guitar only as a project and priced accordingly. The cracks on either side of the fingerboard are a big deal. They are fixable, but not trivial:

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Lut...Structural/Cracks/FBTopCrack/fbtopcrack1.html
http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Lut...Structural/Cracks/FBTopCrack/fbtopcrack2.html

~nw

 

[Alexandre IV]

Is it possible that the pickguard is not original? Serial is 185851.

 

[GardMan]

I'd echo what the others have said...
Those cracks along the fretboard to the soundhole could be just dryness, but they also could be an early indicator for some serious issues.
I'd pass...
Dave

 

[Alexandre IV]

So here's the full story. I actually had BOUGHT this D50 this morning, a week after trying it (see my previous post). After discovering the cracks, sending pics to my luthier and reading your comments, I returned the guitar to the seller and got my money back. Pfiou! Can you believe that I have been a professional guitarist for 20 years and I didn't notice these cracks on the top?!? WTH!?! Must have been the light at the guy's place, as well as my the fact that I was wallowing in the sound of the instrument instead of carefully inspecting it. When I tried the guitar a week ago, he was showing me all the luthier's bills (very well known luthier in these parts, trustworthy guy) and saying how well maintained the guitar was, I kinda took that at face value.

One one hand, the seller was gracious enough to give me my scratch back, but on the other hand, he specified in his ad that the guitar had NO CRACKS. We even had a little argument as to what constitutes a crack, if you can believe it! When I returned the guitar, he was arguing that he didn't feel he had to mention it because they weren't really cracks, or that they were stable and didn't affect the instrument, that there was nothing to worry about... seemed like a real nice guy, I swear!

Anyhow, I'm relieved but at the same time very disappointed. Hopefully there's a decent D50 out there for me.

Also, I want to thank you all for your advice and comments. I am very grateful.

 

[taabru45]

Boy, that's a shame and a testament to the quality of the instrument, sounding good even after the damage....A good case to probe the need of humidity of the wood in the dry areas...I live on the west coast and its never been a problem....where did this guitar live...? I'd like to see it fixed and live on as a 'player'....a Guild is still a Guild...Steffan

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

Good that you were able to get your money back.
I'd hate to see just what that guy would call a crack!

I hope someone get's it back in shape again though.
That was once a very nice guitar.