Top crack
 

I purchased a Voyage Air VAOM-06 in late March, and I noticed yesterday that it has a small 2 or so inch crack in the top, and I don't know if it a finish crack or is in the wood itself.
It's on the pick guard side and looks to begin just below the bridge. It's almost imperceptible, and I found it by rubbing a nail over the area after I felt it when cleaning the guitar.

If I leave it alone will it spread? What is the approximate cost of a repair if it is in the wood? Should I just play the heck out of it and ignore it?

The crack hasn't separated at all, and doesn't affect the sound or playability as far as I can tell. It is stored on a stand as is recommended instead of folded in the case. Help!

First, know what the relative humidity of it environment is. Most cracks in tops and backs are a result of low humidity.

If it is a crack in the wood, it is a relatively straight-forward repair - typically under $100.

I live on the Oregon coast and the humidity rarely is under 60%. Thanks for the response. I'll look into having someone check it out.

Outdoors or indoors? it matters. If you use any heat in the winter, it may be far less than 60%.

I don't have an indoor hygrometer, but I have 3 other guitars one all solid, and three ukuleles, again, one all solid, and none of them are having any problems. So why this one?

That guitar may have been built at a higher humidity than the other guitars - the ukes don't have as wide a top or back as a guitar and are therefore less succeptable to changes in humidity. It may have a wider body than the others, it may be of a different material - say cedar, rather than spruce - it may be braced differently... There are numerous contributing factors.

Chances are good that you are using this guitar as a sacrificial humidity indicator for your other instruments, a humidity version of a canary in a mine shaft.

It is a $5 investment. Get one. Then you know what you have, without guessing. Then you can make decisions based upon knowledge of the environment you have. That knowledge will tell you things, important things regarding the care of your solid-wood instruments. The most common cause of cracks in tops and backs is low humidity. Winter heating lowers indoor humidity. Depending upon one's home heating system, it can be significant.

As we move towards summer and away from indoor heating, the indoor humidity will rise, typically causing the wood to swell and close an open crack. Until next winter.

Thanks again! I'll get a hygrometer or two. If the crack does disappear over the course of the summer and returns but does not spread next winter, should I do anything to stabilize it? Should I get it repaired? It is not open, and the only reason I found it, because you can barely see it, is that I rubbed a fingernail across the area while removing a smudge. It is less than 2 inches long.

Monitor the humidity level and ensure it doesn't get too low. If you do that, it won't likely enlarge. If it is a split in the wood, its advisable to repair it sooner than later. As long as it is accessible, it is a fairly simple repair for a pro.

You can get hygrometers now at dollar stores. Look at half a dozen or more, and choose a few that show the same reading. (Ie: outliers showing different readings drastically higher or lower than the others are likely not accurate.)

Thank you Charles and HCG for your help. I live over 50 miles from a decent shop, so I'll have it looked at. Is there customarily an estimate fee? The guitar cost a bit over $500, so hopefully it will be worth fixing.

I took it in to have a local VA dealer look at it, and he said the crack is only in the finish and doesn't go through the top. He said if it was his, he'd leave it alone. Whew!!! I will be getting a couple of hygrometers, and will monitor it from now on. Thanks for the advice and help.

Cracks by the Bridge
 

Hi everybody, recently a friend of mine gave me a 20 year old Alvarez dreadnought, but got two small cracks on the top at each end of the bridge, to give a little relief I put a light string set (#10 at the high E) and tuned down to a Open D minor flat: Db, Ab, Db, E, Ab, Db. Are those small cracks will get bigger thru the years? Thank you.
http://<a href="http://s872.photobuc...ps19adcba4.jpg[/IMG]
http://i872.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps20a3ab52.jpg
http://i872.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps19adcba4.jpg

A bit hard to tell from pics but as those cracks seem to run across the grain a bit, they may just be in the finish. Lighter strings tuned down = less tension so it may never get worse. Those pics are a good indication of why so many builders now angle the wings of their bridges.

Jim

Thanks Jim, never thought about a cracked finish, hope that is the problem as I pass my fingertip over the cracks they don't protrude at all.