Would you buy a used guitar with a repaired crack? - Page 3

The Bard Rocks · #31 02-16-2020, 09:40 PM

Properly repaired with the price adjusted - If you wanted it, why not?

lodi_55 · #32 02-16-2020, 10:42 PM

I bought a Carmel Guitar Co OM at Gryphon's a few years ago. As I was buying it the salesperson told me there had been a small crack repaired. I couldn't see anything other than a tiny swirl in the finish, thanked the guy for his honesty and went on with the sale. Makes no difference to me.

Hoyt · #33 02-16-2020, 11:11 PM

35 years ago I tried a Gibson J50 with a small crack at soundhole. It was the unquestionably the best sounding/playing guitar I’ve ever seen. It was priced like $400. I still kick my rear for passing because I did not realize it was a relatively minor issue.

JohnW63 · #34 02-16-2020, 11:18 PM

I have done it twice. In both cases, the purchase price reflected it and I probably wouldn't have either guitar if I had to pay market value.

One was a Guild D-55 that had already been repaired and was done so well, you'd almost have to know it had been cracked or put a camera in the body to see it.

The other was a sort of rare Ovation that had the crack at the time of purchase. Basic center seam from bridge to bottom sort of thing. Took it to a well respected guy in Hollywood. He didn't do much. In my mind I was saying, " That's it ? That's the best you could do ? " but I just paid and left, figuring he must know what he is doing. I then sent it across the country to someone much less famous, but with really good reviews in a forum and he did a great job.

The only thing I do make sure of doing is keeping both properly humidified. No need to let them get so dry and to ruin good work.

mcduffnw · #35 02-16-2020, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jklotz

If you ran across a guitar you liked and it had a crack in the back or top, which had been professionally repaired and the price reflected market value with the damage, would you consider it?

I'd buy one with an unrepaired crack if I liked the guitar and the price enough.

Cracks are fixable...mostly always...

Great guitars that really "fit" you all around are rare...best not to pass one up whenever you run onto one.

duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

DesertTwang · #36 02-17-2020, 01:49 AM

If it was a guitar that's very difficult to find or mostly unavailable (think prewar Martin or similar) yes. Otherwise, no. I would consider it only if it caused a guitar to become available (to me) that would be out of my reach otherwise.

Lakewood_Lad · #37 02-17-2020, 01:58 AM

If the sound is right and the structural integrity is there, then yes. I don't listen with my eyes. I have one with a repaired crack in the side.

Also I was in an accident, suffered a major injury and was repaired so a bit like Timmy from South Park and the Thanksgiving Turkey, I feel a certain empathy towards damaged things.

Note: The link in my post is to a full episode of South Park but if you're in the UK you won't be able to see it. Use a VPN so it thinks you're from a different country and it's fine.

Shaneh · #38 02-17-2020, 02:04 AM

I generally move on from listings when a crack is mentioned. Seems like the price is never that much cheaper relative to the market. Hard to resell and for me, it just feels not right unless it is a vintage guitar. There is a center seam separation at my local GC for a new D-18 only marked down 400 with no mention of the reason, just clearance. Feels a bit dishonest to me. No way you could get more than 1500 on a good day with that and best I can’t tell, it isn’t even fixed.

So with all the unknowns, might as well keep looking

Lakewood_Lad · #39 02-17-2020, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaneh

I generally move on from listings when a crack is mentioned. Seems like the price is never that much cheaper relative to the market. Hard to resell and for me, it just feels not right unless it is a vintage guitar. There is a center seam separation at my local GC for a new D-18 only marked down 400 with no mention of the reason, just clearance. Feels a bit dishonest to me. No way you could get more than 1500 on a good day with that and best I can’t tell, it isn’t even fixed.

So with all the unknowns, might as well keep looking

Have you tried it or spoken to the about it? Try it and if it's okay then offer them half what they're selling it for. When they decline let them know that if they've still got it in 6 months time they can give you a call.

gmax150 · #40 02-17-2020, 05:43 AM

When I picked up my '93 D28 "1935 Special" it had 5 top cracks and 2 side cracks plus a number of other issues. Ten years after repair it's still one of the best guitars I've run into.

Gary

Norsepicker · #41 02-17-2020, 06:48 AM

I was given a flamenco guitar with three cracks in the top; one ran the length of the guitar, one from the center of the bridge to the bottom, and a partial crack from the upper bout to the top of the sound hole. My friend had purchased the guitar in Spain and left it in the attic. I had a luthier put very small strips of wood in the seams. The label said Juan Alvarez for the house of Archangel Fernandez. I did my research and found it was an example of the great “Madrid” school of guitars in the mid sixties. Of course I gave my friend some money when I found out its worth, and he said it sounded better than when he had played it. The or a point of the story is that guitars are valuable for many different reasons; instruments to play, objects of beauty, testaments to history. I’m sure the resale of the the guitar, which I will never sell, would be diminished by the cracks - but they’re part of its personality, and don’t affect the playing at all.

s2y · #42 02-17-2020, 06:55 AM

I got a smoking deal on a Brazilian rosewood DN that had a repaired crack. Killer tone.

varmonter · #43 02-17-2020, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jklotz

If you ran across a guitar you liked and it had a crack in the back or top, which had been professionally repaired and the price reflected market value with the damage, would you consider it?

Yes. But simply saying yes is less than 10 charecters.

TY56 · #44 02-17-2020, 07:53 AM

I did, no regrets. My Larrivee SD-50 had been professionally repaired. Looks and sounds great.

jfgesquire · #45 02-17-2020, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmax150

When I picked up my '93 D28 "1935 Special" it had 5 top cracks and 2 side cracks plus a number of other issues. Ten years after repair it's still one of the best guitars I've run into.

Gary

The quilting/pillowing of that spruce is absolutely gorgeous!

And what also caught my attention was the pickguard. I’m pretty sure Martin wasn’t using beautiful translucent pickguards in the early 90’s unless that was a special part just for the 35 Specials.