Cracks

Not all cracks are created equal, and the price to repair them reflects that.

All cracks will be cleated with full length “TJ Thompson” style cleats.

In short, fix a crack as soon as you notice one.

Crack types: New/Old, Clean/Dirty, Tight/Wide.

New: The easiest crack to repair (This type are usually tight and clean).

Clean: The easiest crack to repair (The older the crack, the less clean it inevitably is).

Tight: 0.001”- 0.005” wide. The easiest crack to repair (Best looking after repair too).

The easiest crack to repair is a New, Clean, Tight, crack.

Old: Cracked years ago and usually dirty with grime which has to be cleaned before gluing for good adhesion. An old crack may have also oxidized which makes a crack darker so some light bleaching may be required for best aesthetics.

Dirty: Needs to be cleaned, & possibly bleached, before gluing for good adhesion & color.

Wide: (1) 0.005”-0.010”+ wide. Typically humidity related. Any guitar with a wide crack I hang on my workshop wall for 2-4 weeks to see if the crack closes a bit, which it often does at least 50%.

(2) The wider the crack, the worse the glue line will look.

(3) A crack over 0.015”+ wide may require a splint of new wood to best fill the cavity. The splint is then color matched to the top and finish added- (This is most extensive crack repair and usually reserved for better quality, more expensive guitars.)

The most time consuming (expensive) crack to repair is an Old, Dirty, Wide, crack.

A crack can be any 3 combinations of these 6 elements. e.g:

An old crack can be tight and clean.

A new crack can be wide and dirty.

In short, fix a crack as soon as you notice one.