Split in body at bolt-on neck

Uncle Paco · **Joined:** Tue May 15, 2012 4:40 pm **Posts:** 1

I just purchased a Nashville Deluxe Tele from Guitar Center. Where the body meets to back side of the bolt on neck there is a hairline split on each side of the body. Guitar Center says that is common, especially on the lighter finished. Mine is Honey Blond. Any advice.

Buxom · **Posted:** Fri May 18, 2012 3:03 am

It's common. I have it.

The_Nutter · **Posted:** Fri May 18, 2012 4:11 am

Uncle Paco wrote:

Any advice.

Any pics? I suggest macro-zoom.

Cheers & welcome to the forum!

Nutter

tbazzone · **Posted:** Fri May 18, 2012 5:04 am

If by split you mean seperation thats not a good thing. If just a seam that no problem.

Retroverbial · **Posted:** Fri May 18, 2012 7:35 am

Were it mine I'd insist that they exchange the defective guitar for a new one or refund my money.

Arjay

tbazzone · **Posted:** Fri May 18, 2012 7:53 am

I doubt its finish checking. I don't think poly will have finish checking.

63supro · **Joined:** Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm **Posts:** 8827

+1 on all counts, take it back. Could just be finish cracks, but a new guitar shouldn't have them. Where does a guitar get finish wear when nobody really plated it in any serious fashion?
Take it back. It could have been subjected to severe weather changes.

nikininja · **Posted:** Fri May 18, 2012 10:47 am

Retroverbial wrote:

Were it mine I'd insist that they exchange the defective guitar for a new one or refund my money.

Arjay

^^^^
That.
We could speculate for decades as to what has caused the crack/split. And that is all we will have, speculation. No definite answer as to what caused the crack. It could be from having the neck forced into a slightly tight neck pocket, which is ok. It could be from having the guitar dropped and the wood has become weakened. We will never know 100%.
So tell them they are having the guitar back.
Fender provide an excellent guarantee, they want you to use it. They want happy customers that will return again and again to the brand.

It's not finish checking. My hotrod is four years old now and it has no checking on it's very thin cellulose finish. Never mind checking appear on a new polyurethane finish.
Non of my Fender guitars have neck pocket cracks. I have a cheap Eastwood that has one, I dropped it.

texasguitarslinger · **Posted:** Fri May 18, 2012 11:55 am

tbazzone wrote:

I doubt its finish checking. I don't think poly will have finish checking.

It's not checking, but it probably is a hairline crack in the finish. This is very common in poly finished guitars that have taken some sort of shock. My Samick neck through has it, and a used guitar we had at the shop got it after some kid knocked it over. We discounted it by about 25%, but it was still perfectly playable. The crack occurs when something like a fall happens because the wood somehow moves more than the poly coating it's finished in. The wood's sudden movement causes the harder, more rigid finish to crack in that spot. Around neck pockets are the most common spot for it to happen. Most of the time the wood underneath is just fine, it's only the finish that cracks. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just watch it, and if you notice it getting worse then you could look into what you could do about it.

Buxom · **Posted:** Fri May 18, 2012 12:05 pm

texasguitarslinger wrote:

tbazzone wrote:

I doubt its finish checking. I don't think poly will have finish checking.

It's not checking, but it probably is a hairline crack in the finish. This is very common in poly finished guitars that have taken some sort of shock. My Samick neck through has it, and a used guitar we had at the shop got it after some kid knocked it over. We discounted it by about 25%, but it was still perfectly playable. The crack occurs when something like a fall happens because the wood somehow moves more than the poly coating it's finished it. The wood's sudden movement causes the harder, more rigid finish to crack in that spot. Around neck pockets are the most common spot for it to happen. Most of the time then wood underneath is just fine, it's only the finish that cracks. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just watch it, and if you notice it getting worse then you could look into what you could do about it.

Guitar scientist.

Rob Schwarz-Fender · **Joined:** Fri Mar 20, 2009 12:40 pm **Posts:** 746

"just purchased" is a key ingredient.
+1: nikininja and Retroverbial

Cheers,
rob

CajunBlues · **Posted:** Fri May 18, 2012 12:36 pm

Uncle Paco wrote:

I just purchased a Nashville Deluxe Tele from Guitar Center. Where the body meets to back side of the bolt on neck there is a hairline split on each side of the body. Guitar Center says that is common, especially on the lighter finished. Mine is Honey Blond. Any advice.

Just because they say that doesnt mean they won't refund your money... demand a refund if you want... They will give you a refund...

atolleter · **Posted:** Fri May 18, 2012 12:37 pm

Yea, if you can live without the guitar, return it, why take a chance?

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