Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

[mirkok1]

i noticed a small crack in my fretboard between the e and a string at the twenty first fret. how bad is this and should i do anything about it? if so what? Thanks for any responses

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[Edgecrusher]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

Your screwed just junk it... :joke:

is it really in the wood or just a finish crack? is odds are its nothing.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

Couple drops of super glue, scrap flush.

That is not a structural crack, so no concern other than cosmetic.

 

[zenmindbeginner]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

1). Clean the crap out of the crack with Naptha
2). get a high quality wood filler (I suggest Timbermate which comes in a bunch of tints)
3). pop in the filler
4). get a lacquer pen from StewMac and put a tiny bit down... I'd get the thinner amber tinted kind 'cause you'll probably have to go with "natural" tinted filler and a little amber tint will look perfect. The clear kind is thicker and more of for drop fills not tiny sliver like repairs.

or just let it get bigger over time.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

Is your fingerboard glued on? If so that crack probably doesn't extend passed the frets and probably doesn't extend into the neck. As Ayrton mentioned, you could fill it with super glue and then use a single edge razor blade to scrape (not scrap...LOL!) the surface level again. It's easy to mess up though. I'd practice on something else first.

And don't apply the glue out right of the container. It'll spill all over the place.

Instead, put a drop on the end of a toothpick and touch the drop to the crack. It should flow into the crack with a minimum of mess. You might have to repeat the process to get it filled completely.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

Check to see if it aligns with one of the neck screws. If it does, then it's from the neck screw being tightened into a pilot hole that was too short or too tight. If its an "all access" type neck joint, it should use two shorter screws and two longer screws. Maybe someone put the longer screw in that position?

It doesn't look like a lacquer finish, looks like poly. If that's the case don't use lacquer or amber tint. Just use the thin superglue. But if it's aligned with the neck screw I'd clean it, then remove the screw and it may close up on its own. Then use the thin superglue, scrape it, maybe some steel wool. But carefully drill that pilot deeper.

 

[zenmindbeginner]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

Guys... don't drop fill with super glue, there are very good lacquer pens out today for very cheap. Super glue does not look and act like lacquer... it's a "rigged" repair at best.

You can still use a razorblade to cut the drop fill so it's still just as fun.

I mean, if it's a guitar you don't care about, then use super glue for a lacquer repair

Nitro pens work great over poly... you just don't wanna repair nitro with poly.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

Scrap... Doh! :banghead:

Yes, Lew makes a great point about the glue making a mess. The water thin CA glue can make a big mess right out of the bottle. I like to use the little droppers that you can get at the same hobby store you will be buying the glue.

I am pretty sure that is an Ibanez guitar, so the fretboard is glued on.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

Its such a non issue I dont see why you would risk messing things up with a half baked fix.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

I use super glue for a lot of finish repairs. So does Dan Erlewine and so does Frank and Ayrton. Works well for me!

 

[zenmindbeginner]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

I use super glue for a lot of finish repairs. So does Dan Erlewine and, so it would seem, so does Frankfalbo. Works well.

Not saying that it doesn't work well, but just pointing out the quite simple logic of using lacquer for lacquer repairs and using glue for glue.

Not trying to step on anyone's toes here but just stating the obvious.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

Not saying that it doesn't work well, but just pointing out the quite simple logic of using lacquer for lacquer repairs and using glue for glue.

Not trying to step on anyone's toes here but just stating the obvious.

Other than the obvious that its not laquer

 

[zenmindbeginner]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

Other than the obvious that its not laquer

Two kinds of finishes... lacquer and enamel. Poly is a lacquer.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

Not saying that it doesn't work well, but just pointing out the quite simple logic of using lacquer for lacquer repairs and using glue for glue.

Not trying to step on anyone's toes here but just stating the obvious.

I hear you. I've used the drop fill technique with lacquer on lacquer finishes. Works great. I'm a pretty meticulous guy though.

Lacquer works well on lacquer finishes because it burns in - it melts the old lacquer and blends into it.

The downside is that it melts the old finish and an unsteady or inexperienced hand might melt some finish he or she didn't mean to.

I've done that too! :eyecrazy:

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

Yes, lacquer for lacquer repairs works very well as new melts into old.

However, there is no lacquer involved here.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

Two kinds of finishes... lacquer and enamel. Poly is a lacquer.

dude lacquer or more precisely nitro cellulose lacquer is not a poly urethane

 

[BrianS.]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

Two kinds of finishes... lacquer and enamel. Poly is a lacquer.

Zen, I recommend you read the excellent book "Understanding Wood Finishing" by Bob Flexner. It will be well worth your time.

http://books.google.com/books/about/Understanding_Wood_Finishing.html?id=CaqCPwAACAAJ

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

Yes, lacquer for lacquer repairs works very well as new melts into old.

However, there is no lacquer involved here.

That's what I was thinking as well.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

At the end of the day it's a crack in the fretboard and should be halted. Thin CA will penetrate, soak in to the surrounding fibers, I've even seen it wick through the pores and show up over an inch away from the point of entry. That is the correct structural fix. Lacquer is not glue. What you do after the CA is irrelevant. Fix the crack or it may spread. It's right at the neck joint. I would pull the neck and check for stress cracks in the neck wood too. Just because the fretboard is glued on doesn't mean the crack is only in one of the pieces, because the grain is aligned. It's not plywood. A split at the neck bolt can transfer to the board.

 

[J E C]

Re: Hairline Crack in Neck Help!!!

I fully agree with Frank and Lew on this one. I my self as well as a grate many professional Luthers have used CA to repair cracks and finishes of all kinds. CA is the best option for this crack repair due to it's wonderful ability to wick into the tiniest of cracks and its strength. Ya, I know. Can't even spell with spell check. Whats up with that! LOL