Now this is some weird S%^%t!!

[Ascension]

Have a Ibamez Nylon string that I rarely play and just pulled it out of the case. When I did I noticed that the buttons on the control pad on the side were down into the guitar. Looked close and then reached for the volume knob and it was sticky. I'm like WHAA then the knob pops off and the module falls into the guitar! Has been in the case for a while and the plastic on the knob and top of the plate are melted. the screw holes in the plate have desintergrated and screws pulled through allowing the the module to drop free into the guitar! case was a plastic NOS Washburn case i bought with a bunch of other stuff from a shop that went out of business a few years ago. Evidently some how the lining of this case reacted with the plastic on the control plate and just ate it!! Weirdest thing i have seen in a WHILE! Any body ever seen or even heard of this happening??
Photos

 

[AlexR]

Re: Now this is some weird S%^%t!!

Plastics can do some very odd things. They are all just glorified oil after all, and some of the formulations seem good in the testing process but fail once the real world conditions kick in.

At least it wasn't a cellulose nitrate type plastic.....you get nitric acid fumes as the byproduct of that breakdown.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Now this is some weird S%^%t!!

I’ve heard of outgassing materials causing problems, but that’s crazy.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Now this is some weird S%^%t!!

I've seen electric wire insulation dry rot like that just this week

Its slimy and nasty

Do you remember wiping it down with any solvents or cleaners before putting it away

Cat pee?

Anything?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Now this is some weird S%^%t!!

Yeah, my guess is that they tried to save money, tested out a new batch, or 'got a deal' on some raw materials. Hopefully you can replace it with something that might be stable for a few years.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Now this is some weird S%^%t!!

I've seen electric wire insulation dry rot like that just this week

Its slimy and nasty

Do you remember wiping it down with any solvents or cleaners before putting it away

Cat pee?

Anything?

Nothing use pure carnauba car wax on my guitars only unless i am doing a full on compound and buff which I have never done with this guitar. Case was new no anything as it was pristine just some sort of a chemical reaction between the case and the plastic cover and knobs on that guitar so?? case is unmolested other they a little slime where the lining was touching the plastic cover but it cleaned right up so?? Just weird as crap!

 

[BTMN]

Re: Now this is some weird S%^%t!!

I have a tuner that had a section that had turned gummy and have seen other plastics destabilze in similar ways. How old is the guitar? My Tuner is late '90's. I tossed the piece that was gummy. It was a flip type stand for the tuner.

 

[Condemnedsoul]

Re: Now this is some weird S%^%t!!

Had this happen to a 11 plus year old Hercules guitar stand a couple of months ago. It spent its entire life sitting in the corner of my bedroom next to a north facing window and out of direct and reflected sunlight - there are tall bushes in front of the window. Reached down and grabbed the stand t pick it up and the plastic mechanism fell apart into gooey pieces.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Now this is some weird S%^%t!!

So odd!