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2006 Gibson Firebird, finish cracks on headstock or something worse?

jb_abides

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Apr 6, 2005
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My USA Firebirds have the Steinberger tuners, perhaps different neck profile construction, and I've not seen this. Perhaps it's commonplace on Firebirds with banjos because of geometry and neck / headstock shape differences ...? I dunno, can't say based on photos alone, so just food for thought:

In general, finish checking can happen and this doesn't look like its to the wood from looking at the pics, although suspicious as it looks as if stress might have occurred, given the specific location coupled with several cracks aligned in the same crossways direction -- where the neck bends -- as if the headstock was pulled forward.

Now, that can happen AND be OK, but it's something which merits closer inspection.

I am also curious about the jagged cracking along the edge where the binding meets the neck proper, also appears where the headstock veneer meets the wing wood above the nut.... What's going on there? Given it merges with the finish cracks: hmmmm.

Evidence of physical forces at play, or just overall damage caused by storage, weather changes, taking a beating by a real wrangler: hmmmm.

It never hurts to get it looked evaluated professionally...

Stay tuned: there are some real Firebird experts who may give you some fine points backed by long-term experience.

Hope all is well, and ends well!
 

garywright

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Aug 17, 2002
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fwiw, my 2003 fb1 has been played little and in case a lot ..even so, the pelham blue paint has developed some light sporadic weather checking.
 

charliechitlins

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The problem is the jagged ones parallel with the fretboard.
It's much more likely that there is a crack there than under the ones parallel with the nut.
 

jb_abides

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The problem is the jagged ones parallel with the fretboard.
It's much more likely that there is a crack there than under the ones parallel with the nut.

Agree... unless they are somehow linked by a blow to the front nut area and the force transferred throughout.
 

gmann

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May 26, 2003
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Finish cracks I’m thinking. Keep an eye on it but I wouldn’t worry.
 

charliechitlins

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I've not seen a jagged finish crack like that that didn't involve wood.
Especially right below the neck/fretboard glue line.
That's a common one when the headstock takes a hit.
 

poor man's burst

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Oct 3, 2010
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I see no evidence of crack in the wood in the finish cracks behind the neck . The jagged crack along the binding is likely the sign of the binding or the fingerboard and the binding getting unglued. To avoid it going further it should be checked, and repaired if necessary, by having the nut (carefully) removed by a skilled luthier/guitar tech.
 
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charliechitlins

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Nov 16, 2021
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In my experience, the glue is stronger than the wood and seldom separates.
It can from old age and/or extreme temperatures, but I've not seen it from an impact.
I have often seen the neck wood crack right next to the glue joint and it causes a jagged finish crack that looks like that.
For the OP's sake, I hope this isn't the case!
 

J T

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Oct 20, 2005
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My Firebird is the same color. All Stock. Banjo tuners. There is nothing like that on mine. Yeah that crack on the edge of the fretboard binding does not look like finish checking.
 
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