Does this look fatal?? Need help asap.....please

davismanLV

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Here's the deally-o..... it's unlikely that someone was that clumsy time and again in the same point over and over. Not impossible People are irresponsible and sometimes have crappy habits. But when I see a symmetrical break of finish all around an area it makes me nervous and I'd definitely want someone (better than eye) to take a look and see, so I think you're doing the right thing. If it's a chip or two lacquer chips.... well played guitars get those but in such a symmetrical pattern around the heel cap like that .... it might have taken a hit. I think your caution is worth paying attention to. Let us know what the pro know..... LOL!!
 

geoguy

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I think the lacquer chipping/cracking at the heel might be due to the different orientations of the wood grain in the neck versus the wooden heel cap.

In dry weather, the neck would shrink across the fretboard (hence the fret "sprout" that you can feel if a guitar isn't properly humidified when the air is dry).

But the heel cap's grain appears to also be oriented perpendicular to the fretboard. So when it shrinks in dry weather, it will contract in the direction that is parallel to the guitar's neck.

So, perhaps the neck/heel-cap wood shrinking in those two perpendicular directions resulted in the lacquer cracks that appear to be concentrated where the cap is adhered to the heel.
 
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