Is It Possible To Fix A Cracked Acoustic?

[darkshadow54321]

A guy is offering me an acoustic/electric guitar in trade for a pedal I no longer want. It would end up costing me around 90 bucks for the guitar... the guy says it sells for around 550 new....

The reason he's willing to let go of it for so low is because the body is a bit cracked. I don't know bad the crack is, and I'll only be able to see it on saturday. Let's say the crack is an inch wide.

Would this damage the sound of the guitar terribly? If yes, would it be a cheap fix? I'm really gassing for an electro acoustic right now so this is quite tempting...

What do you think?

[gordon_39422]

Re: Is It Possible To Fix A Cracked Acoustic?

Seriously cant predcit the sound since the size of the "crack" is unknown. Willie Nelson has been playing his guitar so long that he literally wore a whole in the top of the body. Of course, he amplifies his guitar, so he still sounds like Willie. My 1970 Gibson split at the neck (Characteristic of older Gibson's) and I had it fixed relativley cheap. Cant remember the price, so it couldnt have been that bad. But if its the top or sides, that is a whole different story. If you are into E/A, I would assume you are going to amplify the guitar rather than mic it. In that case, you should still get a decent sound depending on the quality of the guitar in its original condition. If the pedal is sitting around anyway, and you want an E/A, I would say "Go for it!"

[Bludave]

Re: Is It Possible To Fix A Cracked Acoustic?

It depends on where the crack is and how bad the crack is. If the crack is on the soundboard it could be a serious repair. The braces on the top may have seperated causing some additonal weak points and the braces will vibrate when you play it. What should be more of a concern is what caused the crack in the first place. Most acoustic guitars that show up for repairs are caused from a lack of moisture. If this is what caused it, this indicates that the guitar was not cared for properly. As I said earlier it depends on where the crack is and how severe the crack is. It could cost more than the guitar is worth to have it repaired properly. Go check it out. Lossen the strings and feel the crack from inside, if the crack has gone all the way through it will require a luthier to repair it properly. Whatever you do do not attempt to repair the crack with a fast glue. You must use a good quality wood glue, clamps and patience to repair a crack well. In some cases it will require some small braces to be glued over the top of the crack to make it a permanant repair. Good Luck