SG Headstock Defect

[charlie brown]

Just received this same guitar that you sent back to Musicians friend. Very weird but I recognized the pics you posted. I removed the truss rod cover and I think it's only a defect in the black paint on the headstock not a crack. I got a great deal on this SG, and I love the way it plays. They sold it as a mint condition used guitar and I ended up getting it for $832.00. I think I am keeping this one

 

 

Sorry, but that's NOT "Mint Condition Used!" It's a defect, in manufacturing...even if it's only

in the paint, as you claim! Be Sure that's All it is...I'm amazed (although, I don't know why, by now?)

that this kind of thing isn't caught in QC! That's pretty blatant/obvious. I mean someone had to see

that, when they screwed on the TRC, if not before! Amazing!!! I think NO one, checked that

puppy, at Gibson "final inspection," or MF. Frankly, I'd send it back, to MF, and demand a "Mint"

(Flawless) guitar, in it's place. But, it's Your money. ;>b

 

CB

[JellyWheat]

Well, I don't know how they do it at the Gibson factory these days, but they USED to glue a strip of wood into the truss rod channel underneath the fretboard and over top of the installed truss rod to take the torque applied by the rod when placed under tension. This wood has the same function as the "skunk stripe" on the back of maple Fender necks... it gives the truss rod something solid to push/pull against.

 

[bTW, it is when the 17-degree face of the peghead is applied to the belt sander to knock the end of the furring strip flush, prior to gluing on the fingerboard and nut, that the infamous "ruined, filed truss rod nut gremlin" strikes!]

 

Now, if this wooden strip is not properly glued, or if somebody is overzealous in tightening the truss rod nut, or - conversely - if the truss rod is not tightened enough and the instrument case is dropped somewhere in its travels, the headstock may not break, but the wooden retainer strip or its associated glue joints can split or shatter.

 

In such an instance, there is enough movement in the underlying wood to also shatter the finish, and - although the thumbnail shot is not great - I strongly suspect this is what we are noticing. If a chip of wood from the furring strip has popped out, you would be able to see some of the steel truss rod.

 

In any case, this is neither minor, nor is it cosmetic. It needs to be carefully inspected by a competent luthier and properly repaired, or you are asking for major heartache down the road.

 

[DISCLAIMER: I have not examined the guitar in person, so this is just my best-informed OPINION, under the circumstances.]

 

I'd send it back, if I could.

 

J/W

[JellyWheat]

OOPS!

 

I see that my inability to open the .jpgs from post # 19 buggered up the appropriateness of my reply. The guitar from the thumbnail I was able to open did, in fact, get returned to the retailer. Oh well... I'll let the post stand anyway. If nothing else, it's a fair description of one of the potential defects to beware of if things don't look right in the vicinity of the truss rod cover of yer new Gibson.

 

[i'm sorta embarrassed... Once again, sorry for the bunt to left field!]

 

J/W

[Jed50]

Has anyone had this problem......just received my new SG....and the Gibson logo is partially blacked out on one side, you can see through it if you look hard...but I think it was oversprayed.....do I send it back or can I try and remove that.....just wondering.....

[kaicho8888]

I noticed that the rosewood on SG's appear to be extremely porous... lots of long grain cracks. Maybe they use the lower grade rosewood on these models. It also bugged me and I might try filling in the grain someday.

 

Rosewood on my older Gibsons are smooth unlike my newer ones. Hell, even my cheapie Fender Squire has nice closed grain rosewood. Maybe the Feds kept the higher grade rosewood.