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I traveled with my Warmoth project this weekend. I’ve transported guitars in the cold countless times and never had a problem with the temperature change so long as the guitar remains in the case at all times. Well, even though I let the guitar cool down and warm back up in the case, the finish cracked all over the headstock and there are a couple cracks in the finish on the back of the neck (parallel to frets). Since I’ve had the neck for over a year it is no longer under warranty, so there’s nothing Warmoth can/will do about it at this point.

I may be able to take pictures tonight if necessary. I was planning on matching the headstock face to the body finish and leaving the neck and back of headstock clear gloss like Warmoth sprayed it.

How common are cracks like these and should they be repaired? Part of me thinks it adds character, but the other part of me is wondering if the cracks in the finish are deep enough to allow oils to reach the wood. I know hairline cracks in anything are giant moisture traps. Thoughts? Suggestions?

It is a very common problem. Nitro laquer is most suseptable to this problem. Espicially in old Gibsons due to the fact that the laquer was so thick, as soon as the wood starts to move under it it causes a lot of cracking issues. There are very few vintage Gibsons that don't have some laquer checking going on. I have an SG that I bought in '67 or '68. It came in a Chip board case and it was the only guitar I owned and played for a long time. There is really no laquer checks in the finish, so I gues I am lucky or I have been able to maintain the humidity correctly. If you can feel the frets sticking out of the sides of the neck, its a sure sign it is to dry. A good thing to do is to keep some moisture in the case with the guitar. I do this with all my acoustic guitars, but not my electrics. I store my electrics in a cool damp part of my home so it does not seem tobe a problem. I would recommend keeping a hygrometer in the area you are storing your guitars and always alway store your guitars in the case when they are not being played.

The cracking happened during transportation... it was quite cold on my way to Columbus last Wednesday and I had no room in the cab of my truck for the guitar. Storage has never been an issue.

I'm only worried about the longevity of the neck (should that even be a concern?) I'll be dragging out all the finishing supplies in a couple weeks, and if I have to repair the neck finish I will. But, if it's only cosmetics that are going to drive the refin, I might skip out on it since I don't feel like sanding down an entire neck.


Originally Posted by BludaveIt is a very common problem. Nitro laquer is most suseptable to this problem.
Exacty! I was going to ship Jeff_H's guitar out on friday,But it was 28 degree's here in NY. I just thought about it sitting in the back of a truck frezzing all weekend. Then avriving in N.C. where it's in the 60's. So I held on to it and shipped it yesterday. It's the common laws of physics. Heat expands, cold contracts. Nitro never really fully cure's. My 67' MelodyMaker is checked to the Max. But I don't imagine it more suseptalbe to moisture than a guitar without any finish?

I have used guitars in high heat and extreme cold and have yet to get any cracking... my Warmoth strat was finnished in Nitro as is my Les Paul... I have seen guys in the Canadian Winter playing outdoor new years gigs with extremely nice guitars and not seen them crack.... i wonder why some crack and some don't......


Originally Posted by WhoFanI have used guitars in high heat and extreme cold and have yet to get any cracking... my Warmoth strat was finnished in Nitro as is my Les Paul... I have seen guys in the Canadian Winter playing outdoor new years gigs with extremely nice guitars and not seen them crack.... i wonder why some crack and some don't......

It's the extreme change in temp that does it. Somewhat like hypothermy.Take a guitar from a 85 degree room out into the subzero Canadian winter than back to the 85 degree room enuff... And it will start to happen. On a cold night here in NY. I get to a gig early and bring the guitars right in and leave em' in there case's so the warm up slowly.


Originally Posted by kmcguitarsI get to a gig early and bring the guitars right in and leave em' in there case's so the warm up slowly.

Precisely what I did. Oh well. I assume that if there are lots of guitars out there sporting similar checking then the performance should be ok, and it's more of a cosmetic issue. I still may take pics because the headstock is pretty bad.