CRACK in my Masterbilt AJ-500MeVS

[lomolca+]

I am new to the Epi forum and firstly I'd like to say hi and thanks in advance for any advice you can offer. :)

 

My Epiphone AJ-500Me has a crack starting at the bridge plate and running to the binding on the tail edge - please see the two links below. You can see that the split runs with the grain and is wide enough to take a thin piece of paper.

 

AJ-500 Photo1 Photo2

 

The crack just appeared but the guitar hasn't been beaten, banged or dropped. I bought the guitar in the US but am now in the UK. I have emailed Gibson but no reply so far - is this a possible waranty repair / replacement?

[Bigsound]

Hi lomolca,

sorry to hear about this crack.

I don't have the right answer about waranty repair etc, but there are other possible reasons why this happened. Humidity. Did U check if humidity was too low (under 35%), or if humidity/temperature change happened too fast?

U traveled from US to UK, can U tell how guitar was sent? Maybe conditions changed rapidly...

[dhanners623]

Welcome to the forum, but yikes. What a crack. Sorry to see that.

 

Whether it is a warranty issue depends on several things. I'm no expert, but my friend Charlie Hoffman is, and here's an article he wrote on the subject for "Acoustic Guitar" magazine:

http://www.acousticguitar.com/article/default.aspx?articleid=25114

 

When did you notice the crack? You said you bought the guitar in the U.S., but you're now in the U.K. -- did the crack happen during transportation? Was there some baggage-handler involvement? Was there a big change in humidity when you moved the guitar from one locale to the other? Some woods, particularly greener ones, seem more susceptible to cracking than others.

 

Good luck.

[lomolca+]

Hi Bigsound and dhanners23 - thank you both for the quick replies!

 

The crack is very recent whereas the guitar has been in th UK for >3 years. I myself wondered whether humidity could have played a part so I have been keeping an eye on this: my Masterbilt case has a hygrometer fitted and my house is well within the 'normal' range (44-72%) at ~55%.

 

I do not believe the transportaion/handling had an impact as the crack is new.

 

Any further advice or comments are very welcome.

[smips65]

Welcome Here Lomolca-

 

 

Not to splash cold water all over you,

 

but I'm thinking you might be stuck on this one.

 

If you don't think it happened during transport, you could try a local authorized repair shop, and see what they can offer.

 

I had the same sort of issue with a Martin not long ago, and got stiffed from both ends. Alas the guitar is now gone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best of luck.

You could PM Musikron, he might have some thoughts as where to go from here.

[Ship of fools]

Well all I can add is that you best start to look for a good repair person, a crack like that is caused from two conditions first being not enough humidity, second being rough handling or bouncing in the case or at least these are the things they first say could have happened and just maybe if you were back in the States you might have a very slight chance but once the guitar left the US its warranty also left. Outside of the US their warranty carries only a 1 year warranty ( I live in Canada and just recently discovered this fact ).

Also I am enclosing a link on how to calibrate your hygrometer, living were you do I have seen many guitars sufffer from the same fate and they all thought that their hygrometer was working good also. http://exoticpets.about.com/od/herpresources/ss/hygrometer_8.htm

Its really a shame, but once its fixed play the heck out of her and enjoy it as best as you can.cheers.Ship

[dhanners623]

Unless you've got a high-end case, most case hygrometers aren't that good. In fact, in their sales blurbs for Guardian cases -- which are otherwise very good cases -- Elderly Instruments includes this proviso:

 

"These cases have a hygrometer in them that is really not very functional. It has been suggested to the manufacturer that these simply be eliminated (or improved). So please do not get your hopes up that the hygrometer will do much. They are essentially just cosmetic."

 

Also, if your case is one of those semi-rigid hard foam cases, they are notorious moisture suckers, in that while they provide good protection against bumps and bruises but they don't keep the moisture in very well.

 

The cause, however, is kind of secondary at this point. The important thing is getting it fixed. And over the years, I've heard plenty of guitars with expertly repaired cracks that sounded wonderful. Money is always an issue, but a crack like that is not a death sentence for the guitar.

[teegar]

It certainly looks like a classic humidity crack, not a trauma crack from rough handling. Those tend to be messier, more splintery. A humidity crack runs along the grain and is usually pretty clean, just as that appears. Indoor heating is the most common cause, the heat goes on, by the end of the winter season, the poor guitar is down below 30% humidity and pop. But cracks, while they may not look pretty, are no big deal sonically. A good luthier can re-humidify the guitar and repair the crack, that's a big one so it may need cleats to strengthen it, probably in the $100-200 USD range. Worth doing, if you really like the guitar.

 

I'm shocked, SHOCKED that Gibson hasn't gotten back to you on this.

[peeper]

Could very well be from dryness, but there is not enough information in the pictures to say for sure one way or another. Whoever says $100-200 fix is incorrect. The crack appears to run under the bridge, which will need to be removed along with some braces and the bridge plate under the top just to access the crack. Then cleaning and a possible splice, cleating, then re assembly of the braces, a new bridge plate fabricated and installed, new pin holes cut, the bridge re attached, then finish touch up, which is hard and always looks bad on a poly guitar. When PROPERLY repairing a crack in a soundboard, $100 an inch is standard. Plus an hourly rate for all the other work needed I mentioned. You could get a superficial hack job done for a hundred bucks, but a complete repair is gonna cost you.

 

Sadly your crack is in a bad spot. I can't see everything inside the guitar, you could need more work than I stated, just know the repair will be as much as the guitar was more than likely.

[dhanners623]

Keep in mind the $100/inch isn't a universal charge. I went to the website of Hoffman Guitars in Minneapolis (which, with three exceptions, has done every bit of guitar work I've needed done since 1994) and here are their charges for crack-related repairs:

 

 

Cracks (no touch up)

 

Top/Back …….50 per inch

 

Sides…40 – 60.00 per inch

 

Peghead………….125 – 500.00

 

Bridges

 

Reglue.175.00 – 225.00

 

With pickup +++

 

Make New….200-400.00

 

Bridge plate

 

Replace…..………200.00

 

Repair……………125.00

 

 

So yeah, much depends on what the condition is inside the guitar. You're the one who has to make the decision whether the guitar is damaged beyond economical repair.

[Rockanrolla]

Yeah I agree, you need to assess the damage, if any to the inside, it'll need a good going over by a luthier, if its all O.K they may be able to splice a bit in and finnish , that wouldn't cost a lot but as Musikron sais it could be a lot more if it has caused damage.

[lomolca+]

Thanks to everyone so far. It seems that everyone is agreed that I have to put up with it one way or another and that the warranty is not much use.

I have to admit that I was hoping for more positive news. I'll speak to my local luthier and see where we go from there.

 

Thanks again.

[byrds1965]

Have the same guitar and the same problem except mine cracked all the way down the back.

 

It was in the same room with my Gibson acoustics and in its case at the time of the crack.

 

My guitar room has a humidifer and a I have a digital guage at the other end of the room so I know what the humidity is all winter.

 

While I would say mine and yours are caused by the wood drying in some way I would say that they bang some of the Masterbuilt togeher so fast in China the wood has not cured yet. Mine aslo developed a top hump behind the bridge and a bridge lift too.

 

The Tech I took it to who managed to seal the crack in the back finally told me to just pretty much just write the guitar off as a lemon and in his words was made from "suspect materials".

 

For reference I still own a DR500M which I have had longer than my AJ500ME VS. And that guitar is still rock solid. The same tech has worked on my DR several times and has no problems with that one and also feels that one is solid.

 

So I feel you man it sucks but I guess with $550 all wood acoustics you roll the dice and hope for the best down the road and hope they used wood from the cured pile.

 

 

Dave

[meanstreak1281734111]

wow, this makes me very nervous about mine cracking!! The case hygrometer shows a pretty constant 70% without a humidifier. It's humid as hell in southeast texas so hopefully I will be OK....

[lomolca+]

I am planning on discussing this with Customer services so I'll keep you all updated.

Any further advice *always* welcome!

[Dagwood]

Some friendly advise to y'all. I'd suggest you google 'videos' on guitar humidity and find the ones done by Bob Taylor. They're very informative and revealing. Too much or too little will damage your instruments in a hurry.

[Svet]

I agree with the others here and I think this was definitely caused by insufficient moisture levels brought on my home heating. You can not use the hygrometer in those cases as they are far from accurate. Ideally you should maintain a temperature of 70 degrees and humidity level of 40-50%. I use a console humidifier during the winter months and during the summer I have a de-humidifier along with an air conditioner. I try to maintain a 70 degree temp with 50 % humidity year round.

[Svet]

Hey lomolca, Dagwood gave some wonderful advice, It would behoove you to check out this video:

 

[Svet]

wow' date=' this makes me very nervous about mine cracking!! The case hygrometer shows a pretty constant 70% without a humidifier. It's humid as hell in southeast texas so hopefully I will be OK....[/quote']

 

If that was an accurate reading it would be cause for concern. There is such a thing as too much humidity as well and 70 is high. Look into getting a de-humidifier for your room.

[Harrison]

I am new to the Epi forum and firstly I'd like to say hi and thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.

 

My Epiphone AJ-500Me has a crack starting at the bridge plate and running to the binding on the tail edge - please see the two links below. You can see that the split runs with the grain and is wide enough to take a thin piece of paper.

 

AJ-500 Photo1 Photo2

 

The crack just appeared but the guitar hasn't been beaten' date=' banged or dropped. I bought the guitar in the US but am now in the UK. I have emailed Gibson but no reply so far - is this a possible waranty repair / replacement?[/quote']

 

 

 

 

Hi, thats a defo Humidity crack. I had 2 on my Texan. Got it repaired though, £20. if your in London, theres a place in Surrey i can recommend she's a really good repairer. Not sure if i'm alllowed to name on here but if you send me a message I'll give you the details.

 

cheers