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SG style guitar plays great but need advice


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I recently purchased my first SG set-neck style guitar, a Ivory colored Jay Turser JT-50 Custom, after seeing a nice review on Youtube. I paid much less than list price, so I considered it a great way to get my feet wet in SG land on the cheap, to get a feel for the basic design before investing in a real Gibson. Coming from a Japanese Tele, I must say this guitar plays and feels rather nice for a cheapo instrument. Straight neck, nice glossy finish; set-up was beautiful out of the box--nice action, truss adjustment, and perfect intonation. Great sounding factory pickups! Seems to stay in tune but the factory strings feel slightly stiff and the guitar would definitely benefit from a new set of high quality strings.

 

Anyway, my joy was spoiled in short order, as I couldn't help but notice a flaw at the corner of the right side of the neck/body joint. It looks like it may just be a very slight paint crack, but I really have no experience with this kind of thing; as I said, this is my first set-neck instrument. I can still return the guitar for a refund or exchange but I hesitate considering the low price and the amazing feel and tone. It is very slight and difficult to notice unless you're looking directly at the neck joint at eye level from the back of the guitar. It's wider and more pronounced at the corner, but runs all the way up the right side of the joint in a line so thin it's nearly invisible. It's difficult to capture with a photo, but I was able to render it visible in one or two digital pics, which I append here in the hopes that someone can give me an informed opinion, as I'm not sure what course I should take at this point or whether this is something that is terribly out of the ordinary for a new guitar. Here's the guitar:

 

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So does anyone think I should risk the return and exchange? The guitar cost less than $200.00 out the door with the discount I got from Amazon, but I must admit that I am a bit of a nudnik when it comes to new guitars.

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Hello George, and welcome here.

 

I am not expert in finishes, but I think that there is some glue residue under the finish affecting looks. I have seen quite a few guitars where this is the case, and some of the Gibsons in my arsenal show it, too.

 

I am not annoyed about that. My reason is as simple as can be: If I had to choose between a gap between glued parts - I have seen those also - and a little too much glue left around the seam, I would opt for the latter. There are guitars where it may look bad, e. g. along the ridges where the wings are glued to the through neck of a Firebird model. However, I don't care for that at neck heels, and even don't for the ripple caused by glue on some of my Gibson guitars where the fretboard meets the top wood.

 

Glue seams usually are not a problem where the woods are tooled and/or smoothened after glueing, i. e. on multipiece bodies or necks. As a matter of course, it can't be completely excluded at angled joints and around or along edges, and I hope this isn't a problem for you, too.

 

Hope this helps.

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Thanks for that response. So you are saying that the reason why the finish cracked at that part of the neck/body seam is because of movement in the excess glue residue directly underneath the paint finish? Does anyone else here think this is something that should be lived with? Obviously, this is an inexpensive guitar, though if, as you say, it is an issue which affects the SG model in general--and even made in USA Gibson guitars--I'd like to know for future reference.

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I don't know the chemistry of your guitar's finish. However, I think it is just what usually happens: It looks like a crack but isn't one in reality, the finish never adhered to the glue from the start. In next to all cases it is cohesive enough, so this won't be a problem even in the long run.

 

There are rare cases where the finish may get brittle over the years and develop cracks, but this is rather unlikely in my opinion. However, some guitars suffer from this over the entire surface, completely independent from glue or shavings left. It even didn't happen up to now on two 1970's Gibsons of mine where the finish ripple on the top along the fretboard edge is pretty obvious. So for me it isn't worth worrying about. I am aware of it but just keep on playing the heck out of these axes. And you also may believe that I am very peculiar about my instruments. I am really pampering them... [biggrin]

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Here's the deal as I see it: If it plays well and sounds good to you, a little finish irregularity is like a small scar on a girl/boy you really like in every other way. You gonna dump 'em because of the scar?

 

Besides, there will be scars through the years.

 

If you didn't care for the guitar in the first place, no big deal. But I've never heard of anyone in an audience stating the player's guitar stinks because it has a flaw or ding in the finish.

 

m

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OK, let's get this straight. You buy a $200 FAKE Gibson, and come to the Gibson sponsored website for advise. I don't get it! What do you expect for $200?

 

As you state, your used to playing Japanese Fenders, so now you've got a Chinese fake Gibson. You get what you pay for. My advise would be to where a wig and dark sunglasses whenever you play this guitar.

 

I learned about 1972 that a "Lafayette Electronics" Les Paul, or a "Lyle" SG, were not even GOOD copies.

 

Enjoy the $200 guitar, and save your money for the REAL THING, you won't be disappointed!

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OK, let's get this straight. You buy a $200 FAKE Gibson, and come to the Gibson sponsored website for advise. I don't get it! What do you expect for $200?

 

As you state, your used to playing Japanese Fenders, so now you've got a Chinese fake Gibson. You get what you pay for. My advise would be to where a wig and dark sunglasses whenever you play this guitar.

 

I learned about 1972 that a "Lafayette Electronics" Les Paul, or a "Lyle" SG, were not even GOOD copies.

 

Enjoy the $200 guitar, and save your money for the REAL THING, you won't be disappointed!

 

 

I'm sorry, I had no idea anyone would find my post offensive.

 

The guitar plays and sounds great. It's just that I have no experience with this style of guitar and wanted to find out if the flaw I highlighted in my post was indicative of some kind of underlying structural damage, since I can still exchange the guitar.

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OK, let's get this straight. You buy a $200 FAKE Gibson, and come to the Gibson sponsored website for advise. I don't get it! What do you expect for $200?

 

As you state, your used to playing Japanese Fenders, so now you've got a Chinese fake Gibson. You get what you pay for. My advise would be to where a wig and dark sunglasses whenever you play this guitar.

 

I learned about 1972 that a "Lafayette Electronics" Les Paul, or a "Lyle" SG, were not even GOOD copies.

 

Enjoy the $200 guitar, and save your money for the REAL THING, you won't be disappointed!

I think this is about a copy here, not a fake. When looking for guitars on a budget, one may find nice ones, too. With respect to Epiphone and Squier, they even don't have to be copies but can be licensed originals.

 

I think everyone here knows that an expensive guitar should be expected to be better. In case they are obviously not, us humans strangely tend to excuse major faults of expensive items sometimes, taking and talking them as unique... [rolleyes]

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I'm sorry, I had no idea anyone would find my post offensive.

 

The guitar plays and sounds great. It's just that I have no experience with this style of guitar and wanted to find out if the flaw I highlighted in my post was indicative of some kind of underlying structural damage, since I can still exchange the guitar.

 

I had a Gibson SG in 67 that I leaned against my amp; it slipped and cracked at the heel looking like yours...only it started to split open later. I exchanged it at a loss for a used Les Paul plus a few $. Yours could be just a crack in the poly finish.

 

But the main thing is to play and enjoy playing as much as you can. You can always buy a Gibson; but you can never buy lost practice time or talent. Yeah, wear out the frets on that guitar... Forums seem to spend inordinate time discussing the instruments, what name brand to buy, and what to mod... all the while forgetting discussions on playing techniques or practicing.

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I'm sorry, I had no idea anyone would find my post offensive.

 

My bad. Sorry for the late night rant.

 

What I really should have said is "welcome To The forum", and "enjoy your new guitar".

 

OK, now back on topic!

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Might be just a stress crack, in the paint only. SG type necks flex a bit,

and can crack the paint, in that area. Not uncommon. But, just to be sure,

I'd have it checked by a good repairman/Luthier, to be sure it's not more

serious. After that, Play on! As budget guitars go, I've heard decent things

about Jay Turser guitars, for the most part.

 

Cheers,

CB

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