Thread: Bridge Crack
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Old 01-28-2013, 03:41 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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Location: Chugiak, Alaska
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jcbmv11 View Post
It is a lot smaller than the picture referenced in the post above. But yes, it is similar. It is a crack in the finish around the bridge. It is a shame martin doesn't address the problem. Here is my main question: will it grow?
It might. But the reason that Martin "doesn't address the problem" is that they're under no obligation to keep your finish pristine. With the very rare exception of defective lacquer sprayed at the factory, 99.9% of finish problems with nitro-cellulose lacquer are due to environmental problems: the guitar gets too cold or too hot. Martin can't control where or how you use and store your guitar.

I'm not trying to imply that you've somehow been remiss and treated the guitar without sufficent attention to those factors: none of us can completely control that. Sometimes it's just the weather, and nitro-cellulose lacquer is easily checked and cracked.

But trying to keep it looking brand spanking new is neither practical or cost-effective. Even if you were willing to pay the steep cost to replace the finish on the top, there's no guarantee AT ALL that the exact same problem might not reoccur in the exact same spot. The guitar is made of wood, and it's going to expand and contract to a degree. Sometimes that affects the lacquer.

Sorry if that isn't what you want to hear, but it's the reality of the situation. It's happened to most of us who own guitars with nitro-cellulose lacquer finishes, especially those of us who live in colder climates.

Again, I may appear to be flogging a dead horse here, but you'll really be best off if you take the guitar to a repair tech to have him or her look at it. At the same time you can get a professional opinion about lacquer-checking and the feasibility of repairing it.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller
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