Finish cracking on early 2000s Corona D55s
- Thread starter daknoco62
- Start date
adorshki
Reverential Member
HI "Dak" welcome aboard! YES Corona D55's are genuine NCL and in fact finish problems were among the earliest production issues they had. Fender installed a brand new state of the art spray booth in Corona and not only were folks who never sprayed nitro before on a learning curve, they also were switching between traditional NCL on most models and even acrylic lacquer on the D25's.
I can recall an early Corona D40 that developed a top check ("crack in the finish") that was most likely due to pressure applied on the top. That makes me wonder if the D55 you're looking at may be showing that same flaw, or if it may have have taken a blow on the endpin that caused the finish crack. Given either possibility I'd be looking very closely at the endblock and for telltale signs (loose braces, top separation) of other more serious issues. But if everything's intact otherwise I wouldn't worry about a simple top check.
Guildedagain
Enlightened Member
It's crazy but NCL does crack, almost always, because it expands and contracts faster than wood. And when it does, it relaxes it's hold on the top wood, as a whole, and the guitar sounds better.
What you need is more crazing, more, more, more.
Here's some 90's Westerly NCL that's gone a little crazy.
To try to avoid this is like trying to avoid old age.
What you need is more crazing, more, more, more.
Here's some 90's Westerly NCL that's gone a little crazy.
To try to avoid this is like trying to avoid old age.
Br1ck
Senior Member
NCL is always going to finish check, but the large and ugly checking of more modern guitars I can do without. The small spiderweb checking is a patina I love on an old guitar, but the cracked plastic look, not so much. I have a friend with a 335 that spent a decade in Chicago winters that has beautiful finish checking, and my 1913 Gibson A 1 mandolin has to be looked at very closely to see the finest checking I've ever seen. My 65 Epiphone Texan is finished checked too. Oddly my 70 Guild has none, likely to have spent a life in coastal California.
A finish crack along the center seam of a top is likely cosmetic.
A finish crack along the center seam of a top is likely cosmetic.
Welcome!
Photo? Is it finish checking or just the center seam?
Photo? Is it finish checking or just the center seam?
Guildedagain
Enlightened Member
True the seam seems to be more susceptible as it's a fault line.
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adorshki
Reverential Member
EXCELLENT question! Given the known Corona issues I forgot about that, but I seem to recall only ever seeing that issue finish cracking along the top seam on older builds that used thinner finishes. My F65ce's exhibiting a trace of it, for example. Also on plus 20-30 year old guitars where finish has shrunk due to aging, the other big source of checking, not to be confused with temperature or pressure checking.
So Dak if it's along the centerseam that's not uncommon, and frequently thought to be a top crack when in fact it's just the NCL. Not that top separation is unknown, but usually due to excessive dryness, lack of humidification.
Right, what's called temperature shock checking but in the case of that Corona D40 I mentioned, owner bought it new (as B stock) and it'd never been exposed to sudden temperature changes but it had been exposed to pressure on the top.
Bonneville88
Senior Member
Looks like my DCE-3.Just posted this recently in another thread,
here it is again - definitely the most checked guitar in my collection!
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wileypickett
Enlightened Member
Looks like my DCE-3.Just posted this recently in another thread,
here it is again - definitely the most checked guitar in my collection!
Someday people will be paying to have their guitars "relic-ed" to look like this.
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People pay ridiculous money to have Les Pauls aged with accurate looking nitro cracks.
bobouz
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Finish checking as in the examples shown above is very common & not a problem. But a cracked finish right down the center seam of the top is cause for concern & requires a thorough inspection under the hood.
It could be a minor finish issue, or it could be cracked all the way through & need repair. To date, I’ve always passed on guitars with center seam cracks, for either aesthetic and/or structural reasons.
It could be a minor finish issue, or it could be cracked all the way through & need repair. To date, I’ve always passed on guitars with center seam cracks, for either aesthetic and/or structural reasons.
Bonneville88
Senior Member
I'm noticing the remarkably similarity of the checking lines,
wondering if this reflects the normal stress and / or vibration
areas of the top. The guitar on the right looks like a DCE-5 - or perhaps a D50CE?
Also wondering if they were made around the same time.
1999 Catalog page from GADs site is linked below, this is
the first appearance I could find in a Guild catalog of the DCE-3.
wondering if this reflects the normal stress and / or vibration
areas of the top. The guitar on the right looks like a DCE-5 - or perhaps a D50CE?
Also wondering if they were made around the same time.
1999 Catalog page from GADs site is linked below, this is
the first appearance I could find in a Guild catalog of the DCE-3.
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Looks like my DCE-3.Just posted this recently in another thread,
here it is again - definitely the most checked guitar in my collection!
That is awesome! i would gladly add that to the herd. Mojo to the max.
The Guilds of Grot
Enlightened Member
Am I missing something or are the labels of the DCE5 and DCE! reversed on the photos?
Bonneville88
Senior Member
The labels near the bottom of the page are indeed reversed!
Good catch Grot!
I stayed away from using any labels when I took my
group photo
Good catch Grot!
I stayed away from using any labels when I took my
group photo
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Bonneville88
Senior Member
Apologies for the veer.
Back to the original post - I'll make the observation that lacquer checking, depending on
viewing angle or how it's photographed, can look like cracks through the wood.
Here's an '81 D55 I had as an example - all the dark lines are lacquer checking, but
they sure look like they could be cracks through the top.
Picking up on what bobouz posted, can be difficult to discern sometimes unless you're
able to examine the guitar firsthand.
Back to the original post - I'll make the observation that lacquer checking, depending on
viewing angle or how it's photographed, can look like cracks through the wood.
Here's an '81 D55 I had as an example - all the dark lines are lacquer checking, but
they sure look like they could be cracks through the top.
Picking up on what bobouz posted, can be difficult to discern sometimes unless you're
able to examine the guitar firsthand.
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The labels near the bottom of the page are indeed reversed!
Good catch Grot!
I stayed away from using any labels when I took my
group photo
What a trio of beauties!
Two of my friends have DCE5's; I was complicit in both purchases, one came from FNG and one from killdeer.
I love them - like a DV52 with arched back, electronics, scalloped bracing, ebony bridge and fingerboard, Chesterfield headstock inlay, and a cutaway, etc. More deluxe appointments than the D50 of the time.
adorshki
Reverential Member
Think it's Guildedagain's own DCE5.
West R Lee
Venerated Member
Interesting. I would agree that nitro cracks are not a real problem, but don't agree that they are inevitable. I have one lacquer check on my JF30 12. None of my other guitars have one.
West
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I agree. I have owned lacquer guitars for 30 years without a single crack.