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Old 04-13-2021, 07:37 PM
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TDavis TDavis is offline
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Default Repairing Finish Cracks

There is a beautiful Santa Cruz guitar for sale locally, but it’s got quite a bunch of hairline finish cracks in the top. My question: can finish cracks be repaired?
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Old 04-13-2021, 07:49 PM
buddyhu buddyhu is offline
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If you want to refinish the guitar, they can be repaired. But most folks would argue against such a move. A refinishing job will make it look oretty, but might change the tone and might reduce resale value. Best to just get a good price when you buy, and accept the finish cracks as part of the overall deal.
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Old 04-13-2021, 11:13 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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I agree with Buddy. Trying to make a damaged finish look new is going to be an expensive proposition however it turns out, and the chances are that the repaired finish is going to revert to the cracks it developed in the first place.

If you can get the guitar with the finish cracks at a good price, count your blessings, and don’t try to correct it any further. Unless you really enjoy spending the extra money for the repairs.

Hope that makes sense.


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Old 04-14-2021, 03:51 AM
Proclaimer888 Proclaimer888 is offline
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My understanding, assuming it is a nitro finish is it cannot be repaired. Read all about some of the home remedies and it might work on a single small crack but from what you described....I wouldn't consider it. I do not believe finish cracks affect the sound and some actually like the look. As Wade mentioned, you can use the issue as a bargaining tool. I would not think twice about finish cracks if I liked the guitar and the price was good.
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Old 04-14-2021, 06:38 AM
llew llew is offline
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I have to agree with what's been said above. If it's not a structural issue and just superficial I'd work on a reduced price and grab that SCGC. Best of luck!
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Old 04-14-2021, 07:00 AM
Scotso Scotso is offline
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Appreciate the mojo of your cracked finish
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Old 04-14-2021, 07:28 AM
musicman1951 musicman1951 is offline
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If you don't like a guitar with a bunch of finish cracks I'd keep looking. You could get the top refinished, but not with a guarantee that it would sound exactly the same, and when you add the price of the refinishing it's probably no longer a good deal.
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Old 04-14-2021, 07:33 AM
soma5 soma5 is offline
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I've been a vintage guitar afficionado for many years and the finish checking is quite beautiful to my eyes. If the cracks are ugly and large, then that might be different but even very pervasive finish checking isn't a problem for me. As was mentioned, some people even prefer their new guitars to come with finish checking, for example, the guitars made by the Pre-War Guitars Co. that are currently hot-hot-hot.
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Old 04-14-2021, 09:26 AM
catndahats catndahats is online now
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It's a 25 yr. old guitar, and not cost effective to refinish a high end guitar top. As some have stated, either love the finish checks and pay a reduced price or wait till you find the same model without the cracks. I chased a D12 model for a long time before going another direction so my opinion is just that---somewhat biased. In my experience I thought most SCGC have or would develop finish checking as that was my experience trying to buy one, and owning one. Now, I conclude not so much, just my experience looking/shopping---it was a very small sample.

Personally, it would depend greatly on a number of factors before purchasing:
* how does it sound / play?
* the history of the guitar ---how many owners has it passed through in the last 3-4 yrs? Why?
* the functional condition---new correct tuners, newer frets, neck smooth, bracing good?
* price--how bad do I want a particular model right now?
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Old 04-14-2021, 10:49 AM
Victory Pete Victory Pete is offline
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If it is Nitro then it can be touched up, I have been doing that to many guitars for 20 years.
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Old 04-14-2021, 10:54 AM
Victory Pete Victory Pete is offline
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This is my 1998 Martin HD-28 getting touched up, it had some checking.
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