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When's my top going to start crazing?


mountainpicker

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So I got a 2006 J-50 and it's tone is coming along really nicely. Just a couple of months ago I got a '97 J-45 and it's great too and I can only imagine what I'm going to have come out of it in a couple of years but, the J-45 has some cool crazing going on and I've always thought that the crazing is one of the many things that make Gibson Jumbos so cool. It individualizes each guitar and I think some of you believe that it "loosens" up the top somehow and adds to the tone (but that isn't the topic of THIS thread). What I'd like to know is how long is it gonna take to start getting some crazing on my J-50 without resulting to extraordinary measures like leaving it out in the cold on purpose or some such treatment?

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Since you said 'no extraordinary measures' I'll assume you don't want to leave it out in a very cold place--say 35F--and then bring it right into a nice warm house.

 

Without that I'd say the answer may be 'never'. I owned a Hummingbird for 19 years, my AJRI for 10 years, a Martin HD-35 for 13 years & no crazing on those. They were all played outdoors, stages, anywhere.

 

I have 'crazed' a guitar but it was the cold-to-warm thing. And it sure was not intentional.

 

I have never heard the crazing tonal benefit thing nor would I bet on it even after owning a number of 'crazed' guitars.

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Huh, I just figured the crazing was in the cards over time but find out here that it ain't necessarily so. onewilyfool, never thought much about the wording of the question at the time but you're right, LOL. And to think, I wouldn't need a refridgerator to cool it down as I think it was about 18 degrees this morning!

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I don't think crazing in and of itself adds anything to the tone or appearance of a guitar. Aging wood, often (but not always) accompanied by finish crazing is the great tonal variable.

 

You can acidentally or on purpose cause the finish on a brand new guitar to craze overnight, and it will still sound like it did the day before. It will just be worth a lot less money.

 

With a vintage guitar, we value the tonal qualities of aged wood, and accept crazing as a natural part of the guitar's life, sort of like wrinkles on your face.

 

I would never select a guitar based on its crazing, or lack thereof. Tone and playabilty are what you are after.

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I have to agree, I know people think it is a thing of beauty but it is really from drastic temperature shifts. My guess is that all of those that don't have cracked guitars either live in moderate climates or you don't just pull your guitar out of its case after its been in the cold or hot.

 

If that sort of thing wag's your noodle then just get a can of compressed air (for dusting out PC's) Turn it upside down and spray it on your finish. It will fast freeze the finish and you will have a instant crackled finish. I have never tried it but I have seen a couple of guitars that it has been done to. At first the cracks will not be very visible but after they collect some dirt and grime it will look "vintage" One of them was a light green Telecaster that the guy wiped motor oil on after he crackled the finish and it had that "rode hard and put away wet" look.

 

Not my thing but hey... For what its worth, thats how to do it.

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Why would anyone WANT finish crazing on their guitar? It just indicates to me that the instrument has been exposed to some kind of temperature extremes it hadn't oughta. My 1966 Gibson J-45 has NO finish checking or crazing whatsoever. Someone before me took just as good care of it as I do.

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Naw, I draw the line at purposeful relic-ing. I prefer to let time takes its course, cosmetically speaking. I was just wondering when I could expect the inevitable, which turns out not to be so inevitable after all. Dig the laughing St. Patty's day emoticon though. THAT was worth asking the question!

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My '03 has been around the block. But I've been careful NOT to let it have any drastic temp changes if possible, (showtime IS showtime ya know).

 

It has no crazing yet. My big fear is stressing the joint/bridge glue with fast temp fluxes, so I'm as careful as is possible.

 

I couldn't imagine shooting it with compressed air to freeze it on purpose.

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I love you purists.. you have no SOH

 

 

 

Lighten up fella.. god!

 

It might appear to another that it is you who is having your string pulled though... msp_tongue.gif

 

I'm most amused at the 'purist' part though, I'm normally chastised on here for not being a purist and wanting to stick to OCD degrees of history and whatnot. What a hilarious turn of events. Cheers, brightened my Sunday afternoon that has.

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