TriSarahPlop Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 (edited) Hi everyone I recently got a custom shop les Paul with an aged white finish and I noticed these cracks at the heel joint and I want to know are these cosmetic only or a potential problem? Edited November 7, 2020 by TriSarahPlop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 I cant be certain, but I think its likely just a finish crack. Did you buy the guitar new? If so, Gibson can advise you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriSarahPlop Posted November 7, 2020 Author Share Posted November 7, 2020 3 minutes ago, merciful-evans said: I cant be certain, but I think its likely just a finish crack. Did you buy the guitar new? If so, Gibson can advise you. I’m afraid not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 Someone else will happen along eventually with a 2nd opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriSarahPlop Posted November 7, 2020 Author Share Posted November 7, 2020 2 minutes ago, merciful-evans said: Someone else will happen along eventually with a 2nd opinion. I hope the general consensus will be it’s just a finish crack, it sucks because I really like this guitar and don’t like particularly want to return it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 If it is not a finish crack.....would the guitar tuning be unstable? Looking at the top pic I think that's a finish crack. Not that unusual on the white finish. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriSarahPlop Posted November 8, 2020 Author Share Posted November 8, 2020 9 hours ago, jdgm said: If it is not a finish crack.....would the guitar tuning be unstable? Looking at the top pic I think that's a finish crack. Not that unusual on the white finish. It stays in tune fine, as well as any les Paul does really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 The crack is appearing on the 'safer' side. If it were me, (with strings slack) I would carefully flex the neck while watching the area of the crack. If it doesn't change (ie: open) then its a sign that its stable. Other than that, I know Trogly checks guitars with UV blacklight for defects but I don't know how effective that is on wood really. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NighthawkChris Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 I’m going with finish crack. It seems to me that every older alpine white LP Custom does this eventually. @merciful-evans has given a good way to inspect it if it is an issue. Those neck joints have plenty of glue in there when they are set - no way it just wants to come unseated. Do you see anywhere else on the guitar it might have taken a pretty good bang to transfer enough energy to loosen that bonding point? If not more evidence that it indeed could be just a cosmetic thing here. Hoping it is just that too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriSarahPlop Posted November 8, 2020 Author Share Posted November 8, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, NighthawkChris said: I’m going with finish crack. It seems to me that every older alpine white LP Custom does this eventually. @merciful-evans has given a good way to inspect it if it is an issue. Those neck joints have plenty of glue in there when they are set - no way it just wants to come unseated. Do you see anywhere else on the guitar it might have taken a pretty good bang to transfer enough energy to loosen that bonding point? If not more evidence that it indeed could be just a cosmetic thing here. Hoping it is just that too. There is a tool mark on the fretboard that looks like an inpact point however its under the strings and there is no damage to the frets or anything. Here is a pic of the pickup cavity and tenon Edited November 8, 2020 by TriSarahPlop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NighthawkChris Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 Yeah if I was a betting man, cosmetic only... and being a long tenon that’s thing is in there good. You’d have to have a crack somewhere north of that for me to be convinced otherwise which I believe would be highly unlikely. Nothing is disturbed where the end of the tenon rests whatsoever. But based in what you shared, I’d say you’re good, enjoy the heck out of that beauty; would be great to give some pictures of that thing! I like guitars with aged stuff like that. You don’t baby the thing as much and keep them case queens. I know because I have some case queens, and I just can’t bear to put the first dings in them... luckily I have 13 guitars haha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 I'm interested now to see there's red undercoat (or something) in that pickup cavity - look at the preceding pics and you can see it has started to bleed where the binding meets the body. Because this sort of bleeding is not uncommon with Gibsons, usually along the binding.....why would they undercoat it in red? Is it a sealer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriSarahPlop Posted November 8, 2020 Author Share Posted November 8, 2020 13 minutes ago, jdgm said: I'm interested now to see there's red undercoat (or something) in that pickup cavity - look at the preceding pics and you can see it has started to bleed where the binding meets the body. Because this sort of bleeding is not uncommon with Gibsons, usually along the binding.....why would they undercoat it in red? Is it a sealer? The guitar is actually sunburst under white, it was part of the painted over series they did in 2017. I know these weren’t loved by most but I love the absurdity of it as in the wear spots the guitar has some crazy figuring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, TriSarahPlop said: The guitar is actually sunburst under white, it was part of the painted over series they did in 2017. I know these weren’t loved by most but I love the absurdity of it as in the wear spots the guitar has some crazy figuring Ah ok...... Have to say.....I hate that.......! Fender do it a lot. Ergghhh....... Is it a LP Custom? Edited November 8, 2020 by jdgm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriSarahPlop Posted November 9, 2020 Author Share Posted November 9, 2020 (edited) 29 minutes ago, jdgm said: Ah ok...... Have to say.....I hate that.......! Fender do it a lot. Ergghhh....... Is it a LP Custom? Yeah that seems to be the general reaction to it lol but I like it because it’s a bit different and it definitely means I am not precious about playing it hard or dinging it. it’s an abomination and I love it lol it’s actually an R8 spec and has the historic spec and all except it’s got a figured top and an aged overspray finish Edited November 9, 2020 by TriSarahPlop 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted November 10, 2020 Share Posted November 10, 2020 I'm not normally a fan of that sort of finish, but I have to say I like this look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NighthawkChris Posted November 10, 2020 Share Posted November 10, 2020 Not that I am changing my mind on what I assessed, but I thought I was looking at a LP Custom initially. I never knew that they made a LP Standard R8 with the alpine white finish... We learn something new every day I guess. I guess I was sort of surprised when I noticed the long neck tenon because a run-of-the-mill Custom doesn't have a long neck tenon. There may be some anomalies out there, but only 50s reissues and the 68 reissue have long neck tenons AFAIK. So anyhow, thanks for sharing some info on this guitar @TriSarahPlop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparquelito Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 Sarah, I'm with the rest of the contributors on the diagnosis of finish crack. I think that's all it is, and there's no problem. My belief is that when you do the 'neck wiggle' test, you'll be satisfied that it's fine. Cosmetic at best, and funny, considering it's a relic'ed instrument in the first place, so no big deal. jdgm hit the nail on the head with his observation on guitars with white finishes. Aged white Nitrocellulose has a habit of cracking, on nearly every brand of guitar. I had an old white Stratocaster that had similar cracks near the neck pocket, and when I consulted with some guys on tdpri, they all had the same situation. It's like service stripes, eh? Or crows-feet around the eyes. Character-building. 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparquelito Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 And by the way, I love the look of that white-over sunburst relic job. It's really cool, in my book. But then again, I've always been a fan of two-tone paint jobs. 😏 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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