Small paint cracks at a 330/6 neck joint - !?!

[Hotzenplotz]

Today I found very small cracks (9-10) of the paint at one side where the neck meets the body. They were not there last week.
It is just at the upturned side (when playing). I hope You know which place I mean. These cracks are unfortunately not possible to photograph. When receiving the new guitar I noticed that this area near the corner was not polished like the rest of the guitar. My old 360 from 1990 was shiny at that place.

I am a bit confused: I took 100% care of the temperature, humidity and handling. The guitar was made in 40/2010, so not very old. Of course I did not use chemicals for cleaning after playing! No sun influence or whatever, too.

These cracks go all in the same direction and they look like they are originated by string tension. My strings are .10 TI flats with "normal" tension. The strings can not be a reason, IMHO.

Does this effect happened to others, too, although the guitar was not used/ stored in a wrong way? Could it be an effect from the new varnish that is used since spring 2010?

I know the old CV painted ones very often have cracks starting from the soundhole.

[Hotzenplotz]

Found one other at the bay, same effect and good photo. Strange, it is the old CV because it is from 22/2007?! Seems to be a common MID issue :

[Ric_MEL]

Weren't inlays Full Width by 40/2010 ?

I assume you're getting that right from the serial number..

but just wonderin' ...

[Hotzenplotz]

No, it is this way:
Mine is a 40/2010 made 330/6. The picture I posted is from a 22/2007 made 360/12 from a running auction in the US. The thin cracks are visible there, even same direction like mine. I have no equipment for doing such pics, but never mind, the 360's pics show EXACTLY what I mean.

[Ric_MEL]

Doh... yep:

lookin' at the picture and didn't even read the post that went with it. !

[Hotzenplotz]

No problem!

Can You see these white lines in the corner joint that go all parallel? That is not dust from a cloth!

[Ric_MEL]

yes..

and one would assume that would happen if the paint was stiff.. and there was flex right at that spot causing some hairline cracking in the finish..

Someone has to have seen it before. and would know if it indeed was just a paint issue.. or symptomatic of movement at that spot.

Also interesting if you suggest it is related to MID..

[Hotzenplotz]

I had personally two other 370/12 MIDs in my hands that had (other) paint issues as well. Seems to be a "difficult colour".

The paintwork itself is stunning with no doubt. But there is obviously something wrong. Maybe it is the thickness of the paint that is very low to provide a good tone. My theory is:

The left wing of the instrument is open via the soundhole, right? The wood at this side "breathes" maybe a bit more than the rest of the guitar (the cracks are only at this side!). So not the fully painted neck: At this point we have some shearforces. Why MIDs? Maybe the are metallic. These little particles are stiff, the paint not. JGs, MGs and FGs are without particles so these are maybe "more flexible" (enogh) at this point. The particles maybe cause some inner tensions.

In the corner it is to see that there is the colour darker with more particles, BTW.

Let's compare them later with the ruby ladies...

[Ric_MEL]

if your scenario is correct.. then that would actually be good news..
re: it's not structural.. it's the paint .. not the guitar.

It's easy for me to to go retentive re: guitar stuff.. minutiae -

except for perhaps a hit in value because of this tiny visual issue - ( less so if you bought it right..)

-- that it's the sound the instrument makes that's the most important ( hard to remember )

** This was brought home to me when watching a J.J. Cale video ( I love J.J. Cale.. one of my short list musicians )

and he has a Frankenstein guitar where he just punched holes in it over time to add pickups, controls.. etc. thing was kind of an atrocity..

but he makes great music.

I hope what you bring to light here is some aspect of metal flake paint.. on a perfectly solid neck joint

( I'd think RIC would weigh in on this .. or Mr. Jingle Jangle! the experts on RIC contsruction / paint minutiae ! )

[Hotzenplotz]

I agree, there is no structural issue.
Sound and playability are, out of discussion, perfect. Perfect tuning stability, too.

It is just about the paint.

To have some exchange of ideas about this existing effect with RIC or PW may be surely interesting.
Maybe they'll chime in.

[trosse]

On a 360/330 the neck continues to the middle of bridge pickup cavity. So no structural problems here.

Sometimes finish cracks like that are caused by small bumps and knocks on the peghead - particularly on the side of it. The energy from even small impacts can spread along with the neck and cause the finish to crack around the neck to body junction.

[Hotzenplotz]

The only question is: Why only certain colours?

[jps]

The only question is: Why only certain colours?

That may have to do with the particular formulation of the paint, I think. Is this only an issue with solid colors vs. transparent ones?