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GAD

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This looks bad to me, or at least the start of something bad. That looks like pure stress crack to me.

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txbumper57

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Hey GAD! After opening each image in a new tab and zooming in on them I am perplexed. In one photo number 1 it looks like the neck is slightly off keel leading one to think the neck is actually starting to separate. That could just be an Optical illusion because in photos 2 and 3 it looks like the neck joint is somewhat secure and the crack could be the result of Shrinkage of the heel cap over time. Hard to really tell either way form the photos. Is there any movement at all in the neck joint when pressure is applied? If it is moving even ever so slightly I would get it taking care of immediately with the drier winter months coming soon.

Either way I think it merits at least a serious inspection from your Luthier being that it is on such a rare and beautiful guitar. If it is the neck joint then it can be properly addressed and if it is only the shrinkage of the heel cap then that should be a quick and easy fix. I think it is definitely worth your time to have it looked at sooner rather than later. Best of luck with it my friend and I hope it all works out!

TX
 

GAD

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Hey GAD! After opening each image in a new tab and zooming in on them I am perplexed. In one photo number 1 it looks like the neck is slightly off keel leading one to think the neck is actually starting to separate. That could just be an Optical illusion because in photos 2 and 3 it looks like the neck joint is somewhat secure and the crack could be the result of Shrinkage of the heel cap over time. Hard to really tell either way form the photos. Is there any movement at all in the neck joint when pressure is applied? If it is moving even ever so slightly I would get it taking care of immediately with the drier winter months coming soon.

Either way I think it merits at least a serious inspection from your Luthier being that it is on such a rare and beautiful guitar. If it is the neck joint then it can be properly addressed and if it is only the shrinkage of the heel cap then that should be a quick and easy fix. I think it is definitely worth your time to have it looked at sooner rather than later. Best of luck with it my friend and I hope it all works out!

TX

I don't have it in hand. This started as one of those "almost mint!" deals that turned into, "well, it's my friend's and he said that." to me asking for better pictures, to this.

I can buy the binding shrinkage theory, but that crack up the side in the second pic makes me think that the guitar was dropped, perhaps in the case, but dropped nonetheless.

I also can't get past the impression that it looks like there are muddy boot prints on the guitar in the third pic.
 

txbumper57

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Is that one of your guitars or one you are looking at buying? If it is one of yours I say get it checked out, If it is one you are looking at or has a return policy I say send it back or look elsewhwere. I also noticed the prints in the photo and thought that was strange. Is there any evidence of a hit to the String nut area? If that thing took a hit to the neck as hard as it would take to cause the separation there might be evidince of a loose string nut or finish issues at the string as well. Just an Idea.

TX
 
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walrus

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Geez, I really misunderstood that thread title...

walrus
 

GAD

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Is that likely with no other binding shrinkage on the guitar?
 

Sleeko

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:moody: I'm confused. Is this a guitar you are just looking at or did you actually buy it. It looks to me as if it has been dropped. I'd pass.
 

GAD

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I lowballed him and he bit, so looks like it's mine (though I can return it within 7 days)

Let's say for the sake of argument that it was dropped. Is there anything else to check for? Certainly I'll be looking for other dings/dents indicative of a drop, but I'm really more concerned about the structural stability of the guitar.
 

txbumper57

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Personally on a guitar that may have been dropped I always look at the String nut and the surrounding finish where the nut meets the neck and fretboard. If the string nut is loose it may have taken a hit. Sometimes a drop or Hit to the neck can start a fret board separation from the neck at the nut itself. Make sure the finish is smooth where the binding meets the neck at the nut. If there is any hint of a seam it is something to take into consideration as the only real way to fix it is to remove the fretboard from the neck and reglue the entire thing, then refinish.

Inspect the truss rod cavity to make sure there are no shavings and everything is where it is supposed to be and in good working condition.

Take a Square and make sure the neck is not shifted one way or the other at the neck joint itself. Check it for dead/uneven frets or warps/bows in the fret board. Double check the string alignment from the tailpiece to the string nut. If the neck is off the rest of the guitar starts to compensate for that so it should show.

Use your straight edge to check for a twist in the neck itself by placing it on the outer edge of the frets first on the bass side and then on the treble side. You should be able to measure down from the bottom of the straight edge to the body on both sides. If the measurement comes up different the neck is twisted a bit.

Check the tuner button shafts, Normally a bent tuner button shaft is a tell tale sign of hitting something pretty hard.

Best of luck with it!

TX
 
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kakerlak

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Take a crisp dollar bill (or sheet of paper -- always had dollar bills at guitar shows and pawn shops, lol) and try to slide it into the neck joint at the heel. If it's just a shrinking heel cap, then it should stop when it hits the wood. If the joint is actually pulling away, it'll slide down b/w the neck and body a bit. To me, this looks like either simply a shrinking heel cap or a neck joint that's gotten hot and loosened up -- I don't think it's likely to be impact damage. Whatever's going on, it looks like it's lifted the finish on the bass side of the body, next to the heel cap and started to pull it away from the wood, so be careful about chipping it off if you try to slide something into the joint.
 

gilded

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I like what everybody is saying. Without knowing what the guitar is (made in USA, import, new, old), I would guess that the neck is falling into the cutaway. To me that is symptomatic of the the neck block being loose. It must have come from some kind of event (dropped, not enough glue in the first place, stuff like that).

If that's an expensive guitar, I'd probably send it back quickly.

What is the guitar?
 

kakerlak

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I like what everybody is saying. Without knowing what the guitar is (made in USA, import, new, old), I would guess that the neck is falling into the cutaway. To me that is symptomatic of the the neck block being loose. It must have come from some kind of event (dropped, not enough glue in the first place, stuff like that).

If that's an expensive guitar, I'd probably send it back quickly.

What is the guitar?

Harry, from looking at the photos, I think we can narrow this down to '70s-'90s X-500/X-700. My vote would be on '80s X-500.
 

GAD

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Sorry for being vague. It is indeed an 80s X-500. Here's another pic:

Here's the original ad: https://reverb.com/item/3221883-guild-x500-1986-amazing-condition

I did not pay anywhere near his asking price.

When I first saw the ad I asked him if he had the original bridge, MV, and switch tip. He seemed dumbfounded and then proceeded to produce the bridge and knob, then asked how I knew the ones in the pics weren't original.

The guy "works on guitars" and swears up and down there's nothing wrong with the neck, but we'll see. I can return it and also have paypal protection, so we'll see what happens.

Pics:

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wileypickett

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I would guess that the neck is falling into the cutaway. To me that is symptomatic of the the neck block being loose.

My thought too. My guess is the neck block has shifted and since there's less internal support for the neck on the cutaway side of a guitar, it makes sense it'd shift in that direction.

The same thing had occurred to a D50 I bought used some years ago. I had it repaired by Guild, still in New London at the time. The repair involved removing the neck -- just like with a neck reset -- and re-aligning and re-gluing the neck block. The work wasn't cheap, but it was well worth it.

Good luck!
 

gilded

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I think you'll play Hades getting that neck block into place on an F-hole guitar.

Another reason necks fall into the cutaway is that the treble strings have more tension.

Not really any pics of the area with the problem, either. Maybe there is one, but if you enlarge it, it's hard to tell whether the 'dark pixel' in that shot is part of a crack on the edge of the neck heel or not.
 
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