BlakJak Posted April 23, 2009 Posted April 23, 2009 This is the neck joint on my faded SG, you can see a noticeable gap where the left side of the neck meets the body. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v344/BlakJakofSpades/neckjointsg.jpg Should i be concerned? Clearly it's not ideal, but is it dangerously weak? Also, I think there's a hairline crack right where the headstock meets the neck, but I'm just trying to deal with one thing at a time. Eager to hear your thoughts...
80LPC Posted April 23, 2009 Posted April 23, 2009 Can you slide a piece of paper into the gap ? I wouldn't worry unless there is evidence of movement elsewhere.
thejay Posted April 23, 2009 Posted April 23, 2009 I noticed a gap in the neck joint of my BFG recently on the lower side where the cutaway is. there is a slight gap between the body and the neck, never noticed it before but it does face down, how often do I look at the guitar like that?? It holds tune and its straight so really unsure what to think... first time I have seen that though on any guitar.
BigKahune Posted April 23, 2009 Posted April 23, 2009 the headstock crack should be looked at ASAP by a luthier. the angle gibson puts on the headstock helps make the sustain so good, but leads to a lot of breakage. get it checked. the other space/crack, I agree with '80LPC'.
chongo Posted April 23, 2009 Posted April 23, 2009 This is the neck joint on my faded SG' date=' you can see a noticeable gap where the left side of the neck meets the body. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v344/BlakJakofSpades/neckjointsg.jpg Should i be concerned? Clearly it's not ideal, but is it dangerously weak? Also, I think there's a hairline crack right where the headstock meets the neck, but I'm just trying to deal with one thing at a time. Eager to hear your thoughts... I wouldn't be too concerned about the leftside neck/body gap. This is just standard Gibson workmanship. If you're not getting a major finish crack in the back of the instrument where the neck meets the body, ignore it. The headstock/neck crack is another story altogether. This is traditionally where SGs and LPs break (hard to find a good luthier who hasn't got several repairs of complete breaks under his belt), and it can happen with no warning and no external force whatsoever. Have it looked at. A very good luthier can probably stabilize the area and refinish it so that it looks like it was never touched, but don't let this near a hack.
chongo Posted April 23, 2009 Posted April 23, 2009 I noticed a gap in the neck joint of my BFG recently on the lower side where the cutaway is. there is a slight gap between the body and the neck' date=' never noticed it before but it does face down, how often do I look at the guitar like that?? It holds tune and its straight so really unsure what to think... first time I have seen that though on any guitar.[/quote'] There shouldn't be any gap at all between the body and the neck. Often a finish crack will occur on set neck guitars due to two pieces of wood changing length (humidity, temperature) over time, but there shouldn't be any gap. You may find that you need to have the neck reset. There's a lot of stress in that area due to the weight of the body and the kind of joint it is. (Yet another reason why I prefer neck-through guitars) My best advice to owners of SGs and LPs is to never lie the guitar on its back. Never store your guitar on a stand (on a daily basis), but put it inside the case (this reduces the effect of rapid temperature changes, such as daytime to night time,. Keep your guitar's humidity constant (easiest in a case, virtually impossible sitting on a stand in an open room). Make sure that your case supports the body fully and that the case doesn't elevate the neck and "float" the body. Don't lean your guitar against your amp using the headstock as the main support.
thejay Posted April 23, 2009 Posted April 23, 2009 There shouldn't be any gap at all between the body and the neck. Often a finish crack will occur on set neck guitars due to two pieces of wood changing length (humidity' date=' temperature) over time, but there shouldn't be any gap. You may find that you need to have the neck reset. There's a lot of stress in that area due to the weight of the body and the kind of joint it is. (Yet another reason why I prefer neck-through guitars) [/quote'] I can feel it with my hand and see it, its not thick enough for me to get a finger nail or anything in there... and its not a finish crack its def the woods... unless there was a bunch nitro in there to begin with and it wore out... this guitar is my main axe for about a yr and a half. I use it heavily for practices as well as live... so my concern is great. I had a headstock crack with my V and it was probably due to laying it down b/c my stands wont hold it and was easier doing that then putting it in its case (especially during live performances...) I am sure a neck rest is quite intense and I'm sure expensive... any idea on how much that would cost and how much time it would take??
BlakJak Posted April 23, 2009 Author Posted April 23, 2009 So the general consensus seems to be the neck joint is alright as long as it doesn't move. I'm trying to be really cautious about it because I know SG's are known for their weak neck joints. I was thinking about filling in the gap with some epoxy, would that hurt anything? Ok, round 2, the headstock... Hairline Crack I'm relatively certain it's gotten bigger, I'm gonna take it to get looked at but what should I do in the mean time? Would it be better to take the strings off or leave them on? I'm certainly not hanging it from its wall hanger. I guess I should have gotten a real Gibson case instead of the cheap on I have that supports the guitar from the tip of the headstock to the body Thanks for your input and help.
BigKahune Posted April 23, 2009 Posted April 23, 2009 ...I'm relatively certain it's gotten bigger... Would it be better to take the strings off or leave them on? I'm certainly not hanging it from its wall hanger. I guess I should have gotten a real Gibson case instead of the cheap on I have that supports the guitar from the tip of the headstock to the body... Hmmm... unusual spot. Usually headstock cracks emanate from the area of the nut on either side. If it's getting bigger, removing the pressure by loosening the string would be one way to go. But, again, have it looked at ASAP. Wall hanger - some people like 'em, but not such a good idea for a Gibson. And definitely get a proper case.
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