F50R question about selling...

BoneDigger

Member
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
211
Reaction score
27
I am thinking of selling my F50R. It's a great guitar but I have been trying to modify my guitar lineup and focus on just a few other makes and models. Anyway, the F50R has some finish checking, which in and of itself is no issue, but one of the checks runs straight down the front from the bridge to the lower bout. Thinking this is a crack of the seam, I took it to my repair guy, who is very good and works on instruments for some famous people. He checked it with a mirror and also ran his hand along the inside and said the wood is fine, it's just a finish check. So, how would I sell this guitar with what looks like a crack but isn't?

I bought the guitar for a good price and plan to sell it for a good price as well (I also installed a nice pickup system). But, I'm not sure how to sell it with a very deceptive looking finish check?

Todd
 

txbumper57

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
7,577
Reaction score
58
Location
Texas
Hey Todd, Honestly it is not that big of a deal if everything is stable which your luthier said it was. What is happening is when the top wood expands and contracts along that seam with temperature and Humidity changes over the years it is causing the finish to crack along that line as it does not expand and contract at the same rate as the top wood.

There are a few options to repair it as I have dealt with this in the past but some can be expensive and really it is a catch 22. You can have the effected area "Drop Filled" to reduce the visibility of the crack but when you go to polish it down there is a chance the texture of the repaired area won't match the rest of the top which can stand out even worse than the unrepaired issue in the first place. You can also have the entire top refinished which will solve the visual issue but then you are taking away from the value of the guitar by refinishing the top which when it is finished may not match the rest of the original finish on the guitar. Both of these options cost money and time (Nitro finish repairs require several weeks sometimes as you have to let the nitro set up before you put on another coat and buff it out. Then you wash, rinse, and repeat. It could take several of these cycles to achieve your overall goal.) which is counter productive to the original goal of selling the guitar in a timely manner in the first place. They also carry the inherent risk of the repairs not coming out right and still costing you money.

The difference in pricing on your guitar from a repaired stand point to the condition it is in now may not cover the cost of the repairs and time you have lost by having them performed, hence the Catch 22 I mentioned earlier.

If a buyer plans on playing the hell out of a guitar then the fact that it is stable is what matters to them, they may not even care about the finish check. A collector on the other hand may have an issue. This is just from my experience and purely my opinion on the subject.

If I were you I would sell it as is being upfront and honest in your ad that there is a finish check at the seam joint but your Luthier has checked everything out and it is in Stable condition. Then the buyer can decide if they want to go down the rabbit hole of fixing it or playing it as is. I think the overall cost effectiveness of selling it as is will allow you to come out with more cash in your pocket and less headache than if you have the repairs done and then try to sell it.

As a rule of thumb my Luthier normally monetizes a guitar needing a repair like that as having a 5-10% effect on the overall value depending on the extent of repair needed. That is just from our discussions in the past of guitars I have purchased that had the same issue without it being openly disclosed in the ad. Once again this is just my opinion on the subject and others may differ.

I hope this info helps a bit and best of luck selling your F50R, They are Amazing guitars!

TX
 
Last edited:

wileypickett

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2009
Messages
4,965
Reaction score
4,490
Location
Cambridge, MA
Hey Tx,

I think you’re confusing the back and front, if I’m reading the seller’s message and your response right. The back of the guitar has a piece of binding that runs down its center length.

The front of the guitar, the top, doesn’t. The only bracing are the lengths of fan bracing that cross the seam.

What Bonedigger is describing is not uncommon. I have a Guild 12-string that also has what looks like finish checking along the center seam. I took it to my guitar guy thinking it might need to be cleated or otherwise attended to. He put a super-powerful light inside and the crack “disappeared.” He flexed the seam slightly from the inside, and nothing. Not the tiniest hint of light shone through. The top glue seam, he said, is solid.

He recommended keeping the guitar hydrated, which I do anyway, but otherwise gave it a clean bill of health.

In terms of selling, Bd, maybe a note from your luthier that the guitar has been inspected and is, in his opinion, good to go?

Maybe offer it for sale here first?

Good luck! I have a Westerly F50R — magnificent guitar!
 
Last edited:

txbumper57

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
7,577
Reaction score
58
Location
Texas
Hey Tx,

I think you’re confusing the back and front, if I’m reading the seller’s message and your response right. The back of the guitar has a piece of binding that runs down its center length.

The front of the guitar, the top, doesn’t. The only bracing are the lengths of fan bracing that cross the seam.

What Bonedigger is describing is not uncommon. I have a Guild 12-string that also has what looks like finish checking along the center seam. I took it to my guitar guy thinking it might need to be cleated or otherwise attended to. He put a super-powerful light inside and the crack “disappeared.” He flexed the seam slightly from the inside, and nothing. Not the tiniest hint of light shone through. The top glue seam, he said, is solid.

He recommended keeping the guitar hydrated, which I do anyway, but otherwise gave it a clean bill of health.

In terms of selling, Bd, maybe a note from your luthier that the guitar has been inspected and is, in his opinion, good to go?

Maybe offer it for sale here first?

Good luck! I have a Westerly F50R — magnificent guitar!

Thanks Glenn, Got the top and back mixed up in my head at the very first of my post, LOL! That's what happens when you are on Pain meds with 2 200lbs puppies running around with each other's heads in their mouths while you are trying to type and have a train of thought, LOL! I'll go ahead and remove that first paragraph. Everything else should be on point.

TX
 

BoneDigger

Member
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
211
Reaction score
27
Thanks guys! Yes, this is on the top, from the bridge straight down to the binding at the lower bout. It's not on the side, just the top. It's a straight line and I had assumed there is a seam there, but I could be wrong. It's just strange that it's a straight line check.
 

Rayk

Enlightened Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Messages
5,769
Reaction score
1,173
Lets see a pic Bones 😊
 

Butch

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
91
Reaction score
12
Location
St. Petersburg
Either way, I could be interested in it. What year is it, and what are you asking for it?
 

BoneDigger

Member
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
211
Reaction score
27
Either way, I could be interested in it. What year is it, and what are you asking for it?

It's a Corona built guitar, so my guess is 2001 to 2004 or thereabouts. I have not looked up the serial number yet. I am asking I was thinking maybe $1,700 shipped but that's a bit negotiable. It's a great playing and sounding guitar and looks good aside from the surface checking.
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,791
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
It's a Corona built guitar, so my guess is 2001 to 2004 or thereabouts. I have not looked up the serial number yet. I am asking I was thinking maybe $1,700 shipped but that's a bit negotiable. It's a great playing and sounding guitar and looks good aside from the surface checking.
Corona was '02-'04, and only Hans has s/n records.
 

BoneDigger

Member
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
211
Reaction score
27
Finally going to sell this one. Will post it in the classifieds once I find a good picture hosting site. Given the checking, does maybe $1500 sound about right?
 

Rayk

Enlightened Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Messages
5,769
Reaction score
1,173
Finally going to sell this one. Will post it in the classifieds once I find a good picture hosting site. Given the checking, does maybe $1500 sound about right?

Imgur is a good choice free and easy .
 
Top