ren758 Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 Hello, I purchased a JTV-89 early 2017, out of warranty now. I just noticed a small (1/2") crack on the (black) surface of the neck pocket, inside the top cutout. I am HOPING it is only a crack in the paint and not the wood. I have babied this instrument with the utmost care: no drops and regular cleaning/maintenance. 1) What are the chances this is a crack through the wood? I am a bit nervous unbolting the neck. 2) Has anyone experience paint cracking in the neck pocket region/is this common? 3) Assuming this is a paint crack, is there a solvent to remove the crack, and later buff out? Thanks all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 First of all, pics would help. It's difficult to tell exactly where it is from your description. That being said... 1) It's nearly impossible to gauge a finish crack from one that goes clear though the wood by looking only at one side...you can stare at the top of the crack from now till Doomsday, and you'll never figure it out. If un-bolting the neck will allow a look underneath the spot in question, go ahead. Provided that you don't have at it like a drunken chimpanzee, you're not going to damage anything. Just make sure you loosen the strings (or remove them completely) first. It's four screws...you're not opening the Hubble telescope. 2) Finish cracks can (and do) happen anywhere...babied instrument or no. Happens more often at spots that are under stress, such as near tremolo post inserts, around pick guard or hardware screws, etc... but, wood moves. If the lacquer is a little thin somewhere, it might crack. Typically it happens to older instruments, but anything is possible. 3) Solvents don't remove cracks. They dissolve things... so don't do that. You could have somebody who knows what they're doing sand it down, re-paint and re-lacquer, but it's probably gonna make things look worse. It'll never match perfectly without stripping the entire instrument and starting from scratch.... but you do that for giant hatchet wounds, not tiny cracks. ;) Bottom line, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. Assuming that it's just cosmetic and not affecting playability, then leave it alone... no instrument that actually gets used will remain blemish-free forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 1) Seen it, not common. Typically just the finish, not down into the wood (only seen two into the wood). 2) Can happen at stress points, especially with bolt-on necks. One of my JTV-69's has a small one in the finish, at a corner stress point at the edge of the neck pocket. Not a problem for me. 3) Take it to a guitar finish specialist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ren758 Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 Hello All, While doing a partial setup and string change, I unbolted and examined the neck pocket. It was just a finish crack, no crack in the wood. Crisis averted. Thanks for all your advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 There are very few bolt-on necks where I don't see tension cracks in the finish around the edge of the neck pocket, regardless of who makes them. Being seeing that for decades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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