Sabre - Two small cracks on both sides of the body where the neck is attached

[gcastbr]

Hi everyone, I would like to get your feedback here from the community.
I bought a music man sabre 2-3 years ago, I only use it at home, never travelled, wall mounted, it's literally in my guitar stand and I play at home only. there is no scratch at all, nothing happened to this guitar.

I got the guitar yesterday to play and I noticed something strange when I was clean the guitar, two small cracks one in each side of the body where the neck is attached. I'm totally sure it's a manufacture defect!

I've just sent an e-mail to their support but I'm very concern about this issue, it is a very expensive instrument, I love this guitar, but I very concern that I may lose it due to these cracks and also not able to sell the guitar anyhow, if someday I decide to.

Honestly speaking, I'm very concerned about it...and how the support guys will approach it.

I'm attaching the pictures here and would appreciate your comments. (I tried to do my best to capture the cracks in those pictures).

 

[Luc]

Stress cracks. Both my Lukes have them. Purely cosmetic, nothing to worry about. Enjoy the Sabre!

 

[gcastbr]

Hey, thanks for replying! yes, I've just removed the neck just to check and indeed it looks like a comestic only as there is no crack inside. however, just wondering as it's a very expensive guitar, in my view it should not happen. I have two more with nothing and I had a few others guitar and never got it... very strange considering the quality this guitar should have. Honestly, I am very disappointed with that, I'm quite surprise with that from Music Man.

 

[dibart77]

This happens on virtually every guitar with a tight (well manufactured) neck pocket. I have many many EBMMs and Ibanez that have these finish cracks (it's usually called a NJFC - "neck joint finish crack"). It's an unavoidable byproduct of making the neck and neck pocket a tight fit which improves sound and sustain. It has absolutely zero impact on the playability or sound of the guitar, you can't feel it while playing, and it won't get worse. It's just that the microscopic movement of the neck in the tight neck pocket puts stress on the layer of paint or the polyester clear coat and it cracks. It 99.999% of the time manifests as one crack on each side of the neck pocket in the same spot your finish cracked. Play your guitar and rock it -- it's just getting broken in!

 

[PBGas]

Finish check, nothing to worry about!

Enjoy and play well!

 

[morsecode]

This happens on virtually every guitar with a tight (well manufactured) neck pocket. I have many many EBMMs and Ibanez that have these finish cracks (it's usually called a NJFC - "neck joint finish crack"). It's an unavoidable byproduct of making the neck and neck pocket a tight fit which improves sound and sustain. It has absolutely zero impact on the playability or sound of the guitar, you can't feel it while playing, and it won't get worse. It's just that the microscopic movement of the neck in the tight neck pocket puts stress on the layer of paint or the polyester clear coat and it cracks. It 99.999% of the time manifests as one crack on each side of the neck pocket in the same spot your finish cracked. Play your guitar and rock it -- it's just getting broken in!

I’ve had Custom Shop Fenders, PRS and Suhr with that have developed similar cracks. Can’t blame the manufacturers. It just happens and is often unavoidable. Like others have just rock it and enjoy it. That’s what it is meant for. Not to be a museum piece.

 

[tbonesullivan]

These are common, and can happen even if the neck joint isn't super tight. Wood expands and contracts at different rates, and if the neck pivots at all, it can cause that. The only way to avoid it would be to have a very unsculpted body transition to the neck. A Luke III that I owned had that on both sides, even though the rosewood neck was fairly loose in the pocket. Of course having some room in the pocket allows for corrections of the string alignment should it be off.

There are several schools of thought on bolt on neck joints, and most hold that the pressure from bolting is what gives the sustain and tonal transfer. Look at Anderson guitarworks, who use an "A Wedgie" neck joint that only has two bolts and is not flat. PRS on their CE 24 guitars are apparently designed to have a tiny gap on either sides.

 

[gcastbr]

Thanks a lot for replying! got it, and it makes sense indeed, if it is what it is, I will ignore it at all for sure! and indeed, there is nothing about the guitar I can complain, for sure!

Thanks a lot!

 

[gcastbr]

One more question

Wondering what are these two big holes in the neck pocket, any idea?

 

[ohbugger]

From what I've seen of the factory tours, those two mounting holes are where the guitar is held from during the process of painting the body (and possibly during other steps of the production process).

 

[gcastbr]

From what I've seen of the factory tours, those two mounting holes are where the guitar is held from during the process of painting the body (and possibly during other steps of the production process).

Got you! Yeah, it makes sense indeed. thanks a lot for that - I believe the tour was a pretty nice experience!

 

[Sweat]

Stress cracks, cosmetic and not a big deal ,my Sabre has them, it is why I got a killer deal on it and makes no different on any level, sure if I look closely one or two of mine have them I am not even aware of, enjoy and just play

 

[Rbg]

To the OP, it is a beautiful guitar, you need to practice taking photos, though

 

[gcastbr]

Photos is not my strong point, true fact ! not so sure if I play better or not ! Thanks for all the comments everyone!