What do I do about this?

[BigV]

The area on the heel has developed cracks in the finish on my D-30. What causes this? Can it be repaired?. Should I be concerned?

Thanks for your help


A sweeter warmer tone as I've ever heard emanates from this guitar...

 

[gilded]

Big,

My best guess is that your guitar may have a short dovetail join, which would mean that the bottom part of the heel (where you see the cracked finish) is glued to the sides of the guitar.

At some point, whether by simple string pressure on the neck (150-200 lbs of pull, all the time), or an 'event' (your 'drunk roadie' dropped the cased guitar), the neck has been stressed to the point that the dovetail part of the neck moved and the 'lower, flat heel' part didn't move. So, you either have a crack in the finish, or a crack in the heel and the finish.

I'd take it to a luthier and have 'em look at it.....

 

[workedinwesterly]

Big V.

I think that neck has been reset....judging by the tell-tale grooves in the back binding that align with the heel cap.
It appears that the lacquer is bubbling up, or coming away, from the neck where that line is...could be heat or moisture damage from steaming the neck off.
Third giveaway is how the end of the heel is rounded down to meet the heelcap, and the color is missing on the heel in that area ( bad touch-up job).
Just conjecture based on that picture.

if the neck is solid and it plays well, i'd recommend you just play it.

 

[danerectal]

Third giveaway is how the end of the heel is rounded down to meet the heelcap, and the color is missing on the heel in that area ( bad touch-up job).
Just conjecture based on that picture.

if the neck is solid and it plays well, i'd recommend you just play it.

I'd say this is just the way the picture came out. There's lots of funny stuff going on all over the place with color and blurriness.

 

[gilded]

Big V.

I think that neck has been reset....judging by the tell-tale grooves in the back binding that align with the heel cap.
It appears that the lacquer is bubbling up, or coming away, from the neck where that line is...could be heat or moisture damage from steaming the neck off.
Third giveaway is how the end of the heel is rounded down to meet the heelcap, and the color is missing on the heel in that area ( bad touch-up job).
Just conjecture based on that picture.

if the neck is solid and it plays well, i'd recommend you just play it.

WiW, I think you're right! I'm looking at the pic on a better monitor today (or maybe I just cleaned my glasses!) and I think I can see undisturbed grain lines under the finish checking. Good call!!

 

[carscratchmelt]

I agree... I believe the neck has been reset... and poorly.

My guess... is that when the neck was removed... by happenstance... the bottom of the dovetail was cracked or worse. I would say it was "repaired" before it was reset... but, we all know that once something is broken it is NEVER the same.

I look at it this way... and I may get some crap for this...

If you love the guitar... ignore it and play it like crazy.
If you love the guitar but this bothers you... get it repaired... either reset or something.
If you are broke as a joke and this bothers you still... have a local repair man spray some clear coat and use some glycol to burn the cracks and finish together. Buff it an call it a day...
or...

you can sell the guitar and make it someone elses problem!

I love D-30's by the way!

Jack

 

[danerectal]

you can sell the guitar and make it someone elses problem!

With full disclosure, of course?

 

[carscratchmelt]

Of course... with full disclosure.

I think a confident luthier/repair man would not have a problem investing in that axe.

 

[danerectal]

For sure. Even worst case scenario, I think it could be fixed by anyone with structural experience.

 

[carscratchmelt]

Nice S-100 by the way.

My best friend had a black 1970 S-100 with a factory "hagstrom" tremelo.

Wicked nice axe. He bought it at guitar emporium in Louisville, KY for $550...and sold it at the Nashville guitar show years later for $800.00.

I listen to him now and he... regrets it.

I only wish it had been made a few years earlier...I think that baby would have rocked with those guild mini-hums.

Jack

 

[BigV]

Ok.. I have taken this to The Blue Guitar in San Diego and had my luthier look at it. There has been NO neck re set, it's all original. The cracks are in the finish and are from humidity, he seems to think the guitar was not stored properly and was exposed to constant temperature changes. It plays great and sounds better, but there is no structural damage to the guitar. He also told me that it is better late than never to start to care for a guitar properly and gave me a silicate humidifier to keep in the case.

Deep breath........phew