Neck crack during nut change?

Lenny · Apr 29, 2014

Quick question: has anyone ever seen a crack at the back of a neck/headstock happening during a nut change?

A friend of mine had a guitar shipped back with such an unpleasant surprise and it is obviously hard to tell if it happened during shipping or could have been the result of a rough treatment at the workshop.

landminelenny · Apr 29, 2014

Ouch. That's bad news. It will have most certainly happened during shipping. A nut change will not have caused this. It's unfortunately a very common thing and I've seen it too many times. A lot of the bigger shipping companies use conveyer belts in their facilities and packages fall off from time to time. I had a similar thing with FedEx a number of years ago and they tried to say it was not their responsibility. We argued back and forth for weeks and when it came down to it, it was pointed out to me that in the 'small print' all packages had to be able to withstand a drop of 1 metre because they used conveyor belts. Your friend needs to put a claim in with the shippers ASAP.

Lenny · Apr 29, 2014

It's in Japan and shipping companies are very careful so this is pretty unusual. The shipper has already agreed to fix it, which obviously doesn't compensate the drop in resale value.

landminelenny · Apr 29, 2014

All it would take is for the shipping carton to fall over by mistake. The force of inertia would do that to a Les Paul. It's not going to be the repair guys fault. I'd be asking for compensation due to loss of value or a replacement.

Progrocker111 · Apr 29, 2014

Ouch, that seems to be the crack caused during shipping, most probably there was some fall.

On the other side, it seems to be only finish crack, not into wood.

landminelenny · Apr 29, 2014

It looks like a crack in the wood not just the finish. You can see where it's raised above the crack.If you zoom in you can see cracks in the lacquer that are much finer.

toxpert · Apr 29, 2014

An added stress factor during shipping is string tension.
When I've shipped guitars, I always detune to where the strings are floppy.
I also add packing inside the case so that front and back side of headstock are supported.
Depending upon how the case fits the guitar, I have also had to add packing under the guitar body to make the guitar fit level in the case.

Sorry to see and read about the cracked headstock...ouch!

Aloha_Mark · Apr 30, 2014

This could be due to the case, specifically, how well the body, neck and headstock fit into the case. To establish equilibrium, support and padding may have to be added.

On an expensive guitar it pays to overbox. A box within a box, suspended by several inches of foam, is the only solution that can survive a one meter drop, or backflip. I have never seen a neck injury under those circumstances.

Wilko · Apr 30, 2014

the volute doesn't help.

Loosen strings for shipping.

Make sure back headstock doesn't touch anything.

Pad FRONT of headstock well.

Sorry for your loss.

Neck crack during nut change?

Lenny

Member

landminelenny

Les Paul Froum Member

Lenny

Member

landminelenny

Les Paul Froum Member

Progrocker111

Well-known member

landminelenny

Les Paul Froum Member

toxpert

Active member

Aloha_Mark

New member

Wilko

All Access/Backstage Pass