I just bought a used Robert Cray strat for $500. It has a dime size crack in the finish on one of the horns, but other than that the body is in great shape (three tone sunburst). I shouldn't worry about it cause I have always wanted one. Did I pay too much?

Welcome to the forum. Do you like it enough to warrant spending $500 on it ? If you do then I wouldn`t worry about what you paid for it as long as your happy with it. The main thing is to play and enjoy it, its an investment you won`t be sorry you made.

If you like it and will play it you payed what it was worth to you... and the seller sold it for what it was worth to him... If you want to know the relative value of the instrument compare it to what others have sold for on EBAY or consult a buyer's guide like "The Blue Book of Electric Guitars" or "Vintage Guitar Guide"

Regardless... enjoy your "new" baby and post pictures we really like to ooh and ahh over other's new stuff...

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I'm not slow... and I'm not fast... just sort of halffast...

The RC Standard or RC Custom? I think one goes for $500 the other is like $2k

It's the standard.

That would have been a killer deal on the custom Anyway, if you like the feel, sound and looks of yours it's still worth like a million bucks...

How deep is the crack? does it go to bare wood or is in just in the lacquer?
Worth is something only you can evaluate. If its worth $500 to you then its ok. Among lesser known collectable gear theres a saying, 'Its worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it'.

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No no and no

This is your guitar, huh? I think you did alright. The sunbursts are more desirable, and based on where it is, it can be touched up where no one would ever notice. Nice guitar.

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

Thanks guys. I just felt like I jumped on it without thinking. I tend to do that when it comes to strats. But I have always wanted a sunburst RC so I know I will be happy with it. I have a strat project I'm working on, but that may have to wait while I play around with the new purchase.

That's the one in the pics. Can't wait to take delivery of it.

Hi pickinlittle: I'm looking at that ding in the pic. The lacquer looks very much like polyester to me; the thickness of it and the way it's cracked. [A minute later] Just checked the specs on this site: it's polyester. Which happens to be a very useful thing, should you wish to repair it. Much easier than most of the "ding enquiries" we get on the Forum.

You will find that any automotive parts supplier stocks a repair kit for this kind of thing, and black (on the edges of your sunburst) is by far the easiest to match. Different kinds of repair kits available: I have had success with one that comes as three tubes in a little container.

First degrease the area with naphtha (lighter fluid) and then mineral (methylated) spirits. Next, ignore the primer and go straight to the black finish, which you will probably apply with a little brush, included. Keep tickling it in there a little at a time, allowing it to dry nicely before adding the next layer. Rebuild that ding untill your new paint is very slightly above the existing surface. Then get some 1000 grit wet-and-dry paper and very gently sand it down till the old and new material disappear into one another.

I don't honestly know whether your finish will have been clearcoated on top or not. You could ask Fender's Customer Relations dept. if you want to. If it has and you can be bothered you can buy a small can of clear acrylic lacquer from the same automotive supplier and touch in a little topcoat, having masked off the rest of the guitar. You will get a little line where you take the mask away which just needs to be lightly sanded off.

With or without the clearcoat, finish the job by buffing to a high gloss with automotive T-Cut or just some household metal polish.

Or - as no doubt everyone else will advise - just leave it and consider that ding to be mojo.

Either way: nice Strat!

Enjoy - C

Thanks for the great info. I printed it out and may try to fix the crack in a few weeks. I will let you know how it goes.

You got a relicced, or road worn RC standard!!

I would just leave it, unless it really really bugs you. just think that it has so much tone the finish can't contain it!!!!