Cracks at neck pocket on bolt ons

[UnderTheFlame83]

I noticed recently that my Ibanez SA from 2000 is starting to crack at the pocket. Seems weird considering this guitar rarely gets played and when it does I always return it back to its thick padded gig bag shortly after. I have other bolt ons that gets played way more that doesn't have any cracks at the pocket. Old strat from 1997 doesn't have any, either. So, would keeping a guitar in a hardshell case prevent cracking? Or can anything prevent cracking to appear on bolt ons?

 

[ehdwuld]

Pictures help

Could be a finish crack
Cant tell without images

 

[Aceman]

Yeah - the finish often stresses / cracks long before the wood.

 

[Condemnedsoul]

Maybe you should be enjoying your guitar and be thanking the six string gods that the guitar isn't an old abused Gibson with a nitro finish that came in from the cold and hasn't been given a chance to warm up.

 

[UnderTheFlame83]

Pics

 

[Mincer]

Looks like the finish to me. I am sure others might be able to see more into it than I can.

 

[Artie]

I've got finish cracks that are FAR worse than that. I don't think you need to worry about it.

 

[Adieu]

ALL old ibanez have neck pocket finish cracks.

I've never seen it turn into a problem

 

[UnderTheFlame83]

I've got finish cracks that are FAR worse than that. I don't think you need to worry about it.

Yeah, it's really not a big deal. Just strange those appeared almost over night...

 

[formula73]

Those are notorious for doing that. Not a big deal.

 

[Artie]

ALL old ibanez have neck pocket finish cracks.

The bad one that I was thinking of, IS an Ibby.

 

[Chris Pile]

It's no big deal. So WHY is it no big deal?

ONE: Wood used to be alive, and it responded to heat, humidity, and barometric pressure. Just because it's a guitar now - that hasn't changed.

TWO: Any finish is more brittle than the wood - and because finishes expand and contract at different rates than woods - the finishes crack. They crack where there is stress - neck joints, at pegheads, around nuts, around tuning machines, and any routing in the body.

It's no big deal, and it's not going to change unless you buy a guitar made of something that's NOT wood - like carbon fiber, metal, whatever. Get used to it.

 

[Lucius Paisley]

It's no big deal, and it's not going to change unless you buy a guitar made of something that's NOT wood - like carbon fiber, metal, whatever. Get used to it.

But the guy at the store told me it was "a metal guitar"! Can I sue?

 

[Adieu]

The bad one that I was thinking of, IS an Ibby.

But is it structurally screwed or just cosmetically?

 

[UnderTheFlame83]

I want a carbon fiber guitar.

 

[Artie]

But is it structurally screwed or just cosmetically?

Not only is it only cosmetic, but it's not nearly as bad as I remembered. I haven't looked at it in awhile.

 

[Mr. B]

It is super common, especially on Ibanez Guitars. They usually do not get much bigger over time, and its just a hairline crack in the paint.

 

[Chris Pile]

It is super common, especially on Ibanez Guitars.

Don't gimme that crap. Have you looked at any Mexican or Asian Fenders? How about Epiphones? This is NOT brand specific.

 

[Adieu]

Don't gimme that crap. Have you looked at any Mexican or Asian Fenders? How about Epiphones? This is NOT brand specific.

It's pretty much universal on non-new Ibanezes since the mid-80s, though

Probably has something to do with their finish formula and maybe how they torque their neck screws

 

[greekdude]

Apart from the nice AANJ joint I don't see any crack, and those barely visible are superficial.