NGD and a neck pocket crack

Sparky

First of 2 new guitars arrived today-a Squier Deluxe in beautiful Daphne Blue. To be used for kicking around with, taking on holiday for practice and when I fancy playing something other than my PRS SE Custom 24. But... it has to go back as it has what I've come to believe is an all too common neck pocket crack. I wouldn't mind if I'd had it a few years, but a few minutes is taking the mickey.

http://i.imgur.com/wL88YLP.jpg


 

ICBM

That looks like a finish crack, I wouldn't worry about it at all. Especially not if you're going to be taking it on holiday.

Flink_Poyd

Those lacquer cracks are really common and only cosmetic, happens on nearly all bolt on necks. If it was in the wood on an unfinished guitar Id be worried, this not so.

Sparky

Thanks chaps, I was a touch worried it might extend deeper than it looked. I may just try for a bit of money off instead.

GoldenEraGuitars

Very very common. One of the Fender pro series I was playing last month had a crack at the neck pocket. Nothing to do with price or brand though. It's just a weak point on the body.

Hopefully it won't affect your tone

ICBM

lonestar said:

Very very common. One of the Fender pro series I was playing last month had a crack at the neck pocket. Nothing to do with price or brand though. It's just a weak point on the body.

It's not even the body - although it can be, if it gets dropped or something - it's that the sharp angle in the corner is a natural stress point in the finish, so it develops a 'check' there when the body expands with temperature or humidity.

TTony

Sparky said:

I may just try for a bit of money off instead.

Why?

m_c

My 2000 American Strat developed a crack there not long after I bought it, and it's not fallen to pieces yet, despite being bashed around a few times.

StormshadowGuitars

TTony said:

Sparky said:

I may just try for a bit of money off instead.

Why?

Have a wisdom @TTony

GoldenEraGuitars

ICBM said:

lonestar said:

Very very common. One of the Fender pro series I was playing last month had a crack at the neck pocket. Nothing to do with price or brand though. It's just a weak point on the body.

It's not even the body - although it can be, if it gets dropped or something - it's that the sharp angle in the corner is a natural stress point in the finish, so it develops a 'check' there when the body expands with temperature or humidity.

Sorry, I should have included the word "finish" I'm usually happy to see that on bodies I'm doing given that they're nitro but on poly it's just a pain when you see it. Stil, it doesn't affect anything and certainly not enough to haggle for discount or a partial refund.

Sassafras

You're lucky they didn't charge you extra for the relicing.

Sparky

TTony said:

Sparky said:

I may just try for a bit of money off instead.

Why?

I wouldn't expect it on a new guitar. Unless I am being either naive or unrealistic?

ICBM

No reason not to ask. They can always say no.

If you were in the shop and you pointed it out to the salesman before you bought it, they'd probably knock off a few quid or give you a couple of sets of strings or something. Or, they may just say no.

And I do work for a small shop so I see the other side of this, with tight margins and picky customers… often it's better to make a clean sale for a few pounds less and not have any hassle with returns, either from the customer or to the supplier depending on how bad it is.

BloodEagle

Its a minutely small neck pocket crack on a pretty competitively priced guitar and youre asking for some money off? Jesus

richardhomer

I believe this is a standard feature on the Pete Towshend signature Strat....

JDE

Sparky said:

TTony said:

Sparky said:

I may just try for a bit of money off instead.

Why?

I wouldn't expect it on a new guitar. Unless I am being either naive or unrealistic?

A guitar can sit on a rack in a shop, unplayed for 10 years before you buy it "new." It still may or may not have a lacquer crack.
Just my 2p, but if you didn't know about the crack/were going given a photo before you bought it, fair play. If it's from a shop and you didn't clock it, that's different.

Fron playing Fenders from Squier to Custom Shop for 20 years, they nearly all develop that crack, sooner or later.

Sparky

BloodEagle said:

Its a minutely small neck pocket crack on a pretty competitively priced guitar and youre asking for some money off? Jesus

So because it's competitively priced, you think I should accept it with defects? I get the message that eventually they all develop this issue and that is why I came here to raise the point in the first place-to find out. At over £300 I would expect it to be free from such defects and if it develops later c'est la vie. All depends on what £300 means to you I suppose-each to their own. Christ.

Sparky

JDE said:

Sparky said:

TTony said:

Sparky said:

I may just try for a bit of money off instead.

Why?

I wouldn't expect it on a new guitar. Unless I am being either naive or unrealistic?

A guitar can sit on a rack in a shop, unplayed for 10 years before you buy it "new." It still may or may not have a lacquer crack.
Just my 2p, but if you didn't know about the crack/were going given a photo before you bought it, fair play. If it's from a shop and you didn't clock it, that's different.

Fron playing Fenders from Squier to Custom Shop for 20 years, they nearly all develop that crack, sooner or later.

Bought online JDE. I played one in a shop a few weeks prior but decided to sleep on it. When I made up my mind, turns out it was the last one they had and it had gone hence the online 'blind' purchase. 

JDE

Well, my opinion (which is meaningless), is I would expect a brand spanker. You wouldn't take delivery of a new car with a crack in the paintwork. Any really good shop would have mentioned the crack on a new guitar, imo.

Sparky

JDE said:

Well, my opinion (which is meaningless), is I would expect a brand spanker. You wouldn't take delivery of a new car with a crack in the paintwork. Any really good shop would have mentioned the crack on a new guitar, imo.

Precisely my point. In their defense, it looked unopened from the day it was sealed in it's Squier box so I doubt they were even aware.

Neil

You are right to return it. I wouldn't have  a neck finish crack on a new guitar and contrary to what some people think it isn't normal either.

As for "they all get it sooner or later", I bought my US Standard new in 1989 and it hasn't got a crack.