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Post subject: Acoustic cracked soundboards and lifting bridges
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 12:26 pm
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Posts: 190
I purchased one of these Cordoba Acero guitars (Cordoba recently acquired the Guild brand from Fender):
https://youtu.be/C8JG0Rfo7BM

I really like the guitar in every way, especially the wide 1.8" nut width and ebony fingerboard.
The guitar incorporates a spanish neck joint, which gives it a nice resonance.
Question:
Fleabay has a number of these used with repairs done on cracked soundboards, and lifting bridges.
Mine shows no sign of that, but I worry should I unload it?..........or is it not so unusual seeing a few under 3 year old acoustic guitars with the same problems?


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Post subject: Re: Acoustic cracked soundboards and lifting bridges
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 12:54 pm
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Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2012 2:14 pm
Posts: 2561
ckmckool wrote:
I purchased one of these Cordoba Acero guitars (Cordoba recently acquired the Guild brand from Fender):
https://youtu.be/C8JG0Rfo7BM

I really like the guitar in every way, especially the wide 1.8" nut width and ebony fingerboard.
The guitar incorporates a spanish neck joint, which gives it a nice resonance.
Question:
Fleabay has a number of these used with repairs done on cracked soundboards, and lifting bridges.
Mine shows no sign of that, but I worry should I unload it?..........or is it not so unusual seeing a few under 3 year old acoustic guitars with the same problems?


Because of the bracing design, Cordoba's are prone to crack if allowed to dry out.

Be sure to keep it in proper humidity, esp. in Winter. I use a separate humidifier in my 'Music Room' to keep it at 50%.

Absent that, keep it in the HSC w/ a small humidifier and you'll likely avoid the problem.

cheers!

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Post subject: Re: Acoustic cracked soundboards and lifting bridges
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 1:05 pm
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Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 3:11 pm
Posts: 190
Thought I'd post a couple more RJ Ronquillo vids.
Great musician.
https://youtu.be/dNdSUt_ZUDQ
https://youtu.be/YQudQZFLwE0


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Post subject: Re: Acoustic cracked soundboards and lifting bridges
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 1:24 pm
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Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 3:11 pm
Posts: 190
Lightnin MN wrote:
ckmckool wrote:
I purchased one of these Cordoba Acero guitars (Cordoba recently acquired the Guild brand from Fender):
https://youtu.be/C8JG0Rfo7BM

I really like the guitar in every way, especially the wide 1.8" nut width and ebony fingerboard.
The guitar incorporates a spanish neck joint, which gives it a nice resonance.
Question:
Fleabay has a number of these used with repairs done on cracked soundboards, and lifting bridges.
Mine shows no sign of that, but I worry should I unload it?..........or is it not so unusual seeing a few under 3 year old acoustic guitars with the same problems?


Because of the bracing design, Cordoba's are prone to crack if allowed to dry out.

Be sure to keep it in proper humidity, esp. in Winter. I use a separate humidifier in my 'Music Room' to keep it at 50%.

Absent that, keep it in the HSC w/ a small humidifier and you'll likely avoid the problem.

cheers!


Yep. It came with a humidifier case and I've kept it humidified over the dry winters here in Pa.
Assuming it can take the summer humidity ok without keeping it in an air conditioned room.
thanks


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Post subject: Re: Acoustic cracked soundboards and lifting bridges
Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 12:03 pm
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Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2008 2:01 pm
Posts: 1598
ckmckool wrote:

Yep. It came with a humidifier case and I've kept it humidified over the dry winters here in Pa.
Assuming it can take the summer humidity ok without keeping it in an air conditioned room.
thanks



Brand names aside for the moment, I'm right next door to you here in Ohio and I gotta say - yea...the seasons around this part of the world can wreak some serious havoc with musical instruments. The winters are painfully dry, the summers are ungodly humid and spring and fall can be all over the board. On that issue alone, my advice would be to establish 1 room of your home (be it house or apartment) as your "music room"...one might even say "studio"...where you can adjust temp and humidity accordingly for your instruments. Personally I find my basement works best in my own home as the temperature doesn't fluctuate too much from summer to winter (although I do need to use a dehumidifier during the summer). A humidifier case is fine for storage, however for myself at least, the majority of my guitars are only in their cases when they are on their way to and from a practice or gig.

Now as far as brands go, while I don't really know much about Cordoba's specifically, yes...certain brands are more prone to this than others. As a tremendous lover of Ovations, I've certainly seen more than a fair share of cracked soundboards. With ovations at least, 8 out of 10 times it doesn't really affect the playability or sound of the instrument (one of my 3 Ovations has a pair of nasty looking cracks on the soundboard...plays just fine), but it can be rather unnerving to look at. Like many, I certainly like to keep my instruments looking as nice as possible for as long as possible, however the simple truth is that sometimes sh_t happens.

That said, my advice here is really the same as above...having properly controlled temp and humidity will probably do more for the instrument than anything else. Otherwise...at the risk of being blunt, if it does ever crack, either just deal with it or get yourself another guitar.

Just my $.02 for what it's worth.


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