RabiesGotBack Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 Howdy! I've got a 2008 J-45, and today while playing I felt a raised-up line along the grain of the lower treble side. I did a little bit of research, but it's still too hard for me to tell. The fact that I can feel it seems to rule out lacquer checking, but I'm not sure. I sat in a dark room with a bright flashlight in the sound hole and nothing came through so I'm hoping it's just a scratch. Any more knowledgeable people here have a better way of diagnosing it, and if it's the worst what am I in store for? http://i.imgur.com/Q9uG5Pe.jpg Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 If there's nothing on the inside, I say it was one of those "ouch!" scratches. I'm sure you'll get some very knowledgeable perspectives on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 Since it runs almost straight along the grain, it may be a crack. What's the humidity like this time of year where you keep the guitar? Examining it with a magnifying glass under good light might give a better idea. Not all cracks go all the way through the wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliasphobias Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 I bought one of these. I asked how he knew it wasn't a crack and he told me he blew on it and no air went through...good enough for me. I had other questions. But yes, you are on the right track. If no light/air/liquids thinner than molasses passes through, lets call it a check . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 Cracks when they start you can neither see through with light OR blow air through it. Best way to check for a crack (I think) is to apply some pressure to it with watching the reflection of the finish. A crack will tend to move, and you can see it move. Obviously, it will move along the crack relative to the rest of the surface. If it doesn't move at all, there isn't anything that can be done anyway. So then the only thing is to watch it, but don't worry. IF it gets worse and reveals itself to be a crack, it IS fixable, and ain't all that expensive. Looking closely at the photo, I don't think it's a crack because it doesn't follow exactly with the grain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabiesGotBack Posted November 26, 2015 Author Share Posted November 26, 2015 The weather just got dry here, so I definitely popped the humidifiers in, I apparently should've done so sooner! I went in laparoscopically (with a cell phone and flashlight, I couldn't tell with my jam buddy's girlfriend's make-up mirror) and from what I'm seeing in my amateur opinion is nothing, but it could be behind the "kerfed lining joining the top to the rim inside the upper bout" (got that from google). If it is a crack, maybe that's a good thing because it'll help keep it from separating and spreading? That's really my big fear here, I don't have the funds to see a luthier and I don't want to be looking at a catastrophic spread. Battle scars are fine with me, and the guitar still plays and sounds beautiful, I just don't want this to spiral into something that will compromise the structural integrity of the guitar. Thank you for the replies, guys, I want to preserve this guitar to pass on to someone in the future as it was to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliasphobias Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 Yup. I wouldn't worry about that one. Out of all the places I can think of that would compromise the structural integrity of the guitar, this is not one. I would worry about falling on it or leaving it on the roof of your car (all night) because you thought you would run the amp in the house first not this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabiesGotBack Posted November 26, 2015 Author Share Posted November 26, 2015 Yup. I wouldn't worry about that one. Out of all the places I can think of that would compromise the structural integrity of the guitar, this is not one. I would worry about falling on it or leaving it on the roof of your car (all night) because you thought you would run the amp in the house first not this. Ha, thanks. Also, thanks to you, I've literally made out with my guitar trying to blow air through it. Hahahahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabiesGotBack Posted November 26, 2015 Author Share Posted November 26, 2015 If it doesn't move at all, there isn't anything that can be done anyway. So then the only thing is to watch it, but don't worry. IF it gets worse and reveals itself to be a crack, it IS fixable, and ain't all that expensive. It doesn't seem to move, even with a decent amount of force. Sometimes it seems like it's moving, but I try it elsewhere and it could just easily be my fingertip moving :) So do you mean there's nothing I can do ever, or just nothing to do for the moment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 It doesn't seem to move, even with a decent amount of force. Sometimes it seems like it's moving, but I try it elsewhere and it could just easily be my fingertip moving :) So do you mean there's nothing I can do ever, or just nothing to do for the moment? I mean, nothing at the moment. And likely, nothing that should be done. It would only need attention or repair if there is something wrong. If it doesn't move, there is no structural problem, therefore, no way to tell if it is cracked or not cracked. If it doesn't act like a crack, then you can't fix what ain't broke. I guess another way of putting it, if it is so slight as to not be able to tell, then there is no reason to think it needs repair. Again, IF it ever DOES need repair, it's an easy fix. Certainly nothing to worry about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabiesGotBack Posted November 27, 2015 Author Share Posted November 27, 2015 Great, thank you! It felt like finding out your dog has cancer or something, but I feel a little better about it now. More like the dog has diarrhea and messed up the kitchen floor or something. Tough to live with that first injury on a guitar you love! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mafy31 Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 So do you mean there's nothing I can do ever, or just nothing to do for the moment? Show it to a luthier just ask how much it would be to repair this nitro scratch and you'll see what he says ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 Great, thank you! It felt like finding out your dog has cancer or something, but I feel a little better about it now. More like the dog has diarrhea and messed up the kitchen floor or something. Tough to live with that first injury on a guitar you love! If fixing a dog with cancer was as easy as putting a little graft inside over a little crack, then it wouldn't be a concern either. But please note, I don't think it's a crack. Just saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hogeye Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 You need to take this guitar to a good repair guy. He can tell if it's a crack or not. No one will be able to help you by looking at the photos. You should get it examined as soon as possible. If it is a crack it may get worse and compromise the whole rib. Things are going on here and it may be due to the change of seasons. Humidity can do a lot of damage to a solid wood guitar. I wouldn't wait to get this diagnosed. If it is a crack it needs to be dealt with immediately and the reasons for it need to be dealt with. Check with an authorized Gibson repair facility near you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabiesGotBack Posted November 28, 2015 Author Share Posted November 28, 2015 First of all, thanks to all of you for the input, you kept me from losing my mind :) I took it to the guitar shop I trust the most, and got the same mixed results as from this thread. Shop owner said "that's finish" and the repair guy overruled it and said it was a crack, but that he could stop it from spreading. Threw it in with the price of a setup, I'm pretty happy. I can live with the cosmetic aspect (though it does hurt to see the ones we love get damaged), as when it doesn't have a bright camera flash on it's barely noticeable, and I never plan on selling it, but the fact that my guitar's small crack isn't turning into a very big crack now really makes me feel better! Maybe someday down the road I'll be able to see it as "character" :) You guys are awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 It doesn't look like a crack to me. It's continuous across the grain - although at a shallow angle. But I'm just guessing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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