What's Up With So Many Cracks??

[Shovelhead]

When shopping for older acoustics like Martins or Gibsons, seldom do you see anything depicting cracks in the tops. I've looked at hundreds of them before pulling the trigger on my incoming 2010 F412.
My 1974 D-35 does not have one crack in the finish or body.
Why does Guild seem to have what seems to be this ongoing problem?

Since I started this month-long journey to find a killer 12-string acoustic, I'm shocked at how many 412s, 65-12s, and even some 512s, are showing up with cracks on the tops or repaired cracks on the tops. Even the F412 I purchased yesterday - a 2010 - had one long crack repaired with cleats behind the bridge. The repair job is so perfect, you really can't see at all. I'll know for sure when it arrives next week.
Fortunately, the vendor does have a written return policy. I tracked down the phone number of his storefront and had a good discussion with him. He swears up & down the F412 I bought is in Excellent condition, one owner instrument, and he will stand behind it 100%.

 

[Rocky]

It comes down to climate, and whether they're humidified when it's dry out. 12-strings are particularly vulnerable due to the high tension on the neck.

Additionally, some people perceive Guild to be lesser somehow than Martin or Guild, and as they pass from their original owners, they may not be treated as nicely.

 

[chazmo]

As an adjunct to Rocky's post, it's all about the owner taking care of the thing. Abuse comes in the form of neglect, mostly, with 12 strings.

Players abandon their 12s because they either let the guitar become unplayable over time or they never get them setup correctly in the first place, Shovel... That's why you have to be on the lookout. That, and the fact that, as Rocky said, the necks are under more tension than their 6-string counterparts and will bend out of shape (neck block movement, etc.).

Anyway, don't get frustrated. You bought a guitar that the seller will stand behind... Great! Now, just cross your fingers that he packed it up well and the shipping doesn't cause any damage.

Oh, and Guild is not the only one that has this problem.

 

[Shovelhead]

As an adjunct to Rocky's post, it's all about the owner taking care of the thing. Abuse comes in the form of neglect, mostly, with 12 strings.

Players abandon their 12s because they either let the guitar become unplayable over time or they never get them setup correctly in the first place, Shovel... That's why you have to be on the lookout. That, and the fact that, as Rocky said, the necks are under more tension than their 6-string counterparts and will bend out of shape (neck block movement, etc.).

Anyway, don't get frustrated. You bought a guitar that the seller will stand behind... Great! Now, just cross your fingers that he packed it up well and the shipping doesn't cause any damage.

Oh, and Guild is not the only one that has this problem.

Thanks Chazmo ... its' not the only one with that problem. Its' just that the Guilds far out number the other top brands from my pre-purchase shopping adventures.

 

[Cougar]

I tracked down the phone number of his storefront and had a good discussion with him.

A very smart thing to do when buying online. I took a BIG risk when I bought my used 2018 F512. It was not listed as excellent or very good or good or even fair condition. It was listed as "for parts or not working" lol. (So the price was well reduced.) But the photos just showed a couple of fairly small gouges on the upper sides of the lower bout. Apparently it had been knocked off a stand onto some very hard ground. Contacting the seller really didn't help much -- he said he couldn't tell me a lot more since it was all packed up and ready to ship. He did say he'd pay for return shipping if I wasn't satisfied. Well, OK, that pretty well removed the risk.

So I bought it. The gouges were through the finish, but really fairly minor. Otherwise the guitar was like new. I had a luthier fix the gouges for next to nothing -- can barely tell they're there now. Oxnard-built F512 -- spectacular 12-string!

 

[GAD]

This is not a Guild problem; it’s a poor storage/handling/care problem.

I have (I think) 15 or so Guild acoustics with nary a crack among them and they are all currently resting in their cases in a temperature and humidity controlled room. I’d imagine that most “normal” people don’t do that. People store guitars in closets and under beds and in attics and a lot of people hang them up or lean them in a corner. And forget about them for years.