why would a crack form at the long horn side of the neck pocket?

07 road house · November 2nd, 2009, 11:30 PM

I have a 95 usa strat and it has a small ( about 3/8 in) crack on the long horn side of the neck pocket. The neck does not move. The crack seems to be only in the finish, but my question is how did it get there? It was there before I got it but it has just been bothering me tonight. (I havent taken my meds and I have OCD LOL) Do you guys have any ideas?

Malikon · November 2nd, 2009, 11:36 PM

my green dog has a little finish crack in the same spot, I've actually seen quite a few Strats that have a crack there. I'd kind of assumed it was normal. Maybe since the woods so thin there the expansion and contraction that happens to the guitar with tempature change makes the finish crack a bit in that spot. I wouldn't worry about it, but then again I really don't worry about my guitars much at all so maybe I'm not a great person to give advice, Lol.

07 road house · November 2nd, 2009, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malikon

my green dog has a little finish crack in the same spot, I've actually seen quite a few Strats that have a crack there. I'd kind of assumed it was normal. Maybe since the woods so thin there the expansion and contraction that happens to the guitar with tempature change makes the finish crack a bit in that spot. I wouldn't worry about it, but then again I really don't worry about my guitars much at all so maybe I'm not a great person to give advice, Lol.

I have a disorder that causes me to worry about silly stuff. I have to take 225 mg of effexor each day or I have bad episodes of obsessed behavior.

Malikon · November 3rd, 2009, 12:04 AM

Don't feel bad, most good guitarists have some form of OCD or another. It takes a warped mind to sit there and practice the same run over and over and over and over for hours till you can nail it. And then the next day first thing you do is try that same run again,....just to make sure you still can.

Boris Bubbanov · November 3rd, 2009, 12:08 AM

07, do remember when you first got the guitar, was the crack already there?

If not, was the neck pocket super tight at that time?

Chances are, the crack is just from the expansion and contraction of the neck within the pocket. Fender wouldn't make them that way if it'd be a concern.

I've tried to avoid guitars with that trait, but if you're too reluctant to get a tight neck fit you'll get a loose one.

So stay loose. I'd be amazed if it turned out to be a problem. Unless you just dropped it, it has been getting along well for 14 years and will be just fine.

thaus · November 3rd, 2009, 12:22 AM

I've had it happen on a guitar with a tight neck and removing the neck caused a small crack in the finish. Some guys actually wax the sides of the heel to avoid this and slide the necks on and off with ease......I wouldn't worry about it.

olaftheholy · November 3rd, 2009, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 07 road house

Do you guys have any ideas?

Yeah, right...... take an extra 100 mg of EFFEXOR and the crack will go away

Malikon · November 3rd, 2009, 01:12 PM

gee, that sure was a cool answer.

Might have been funny too, if it were....you know....funny.

Jimi Hendrix · November 3rd, 2009, 01:28 PM

I believe Boris is correct. I've heard of this phenomena being attributed to tightly fitting necks.

Two of my Strats have tight fitting necks and short hairline cracks on either side of the neck pocket, my third Strat has a loose fitting neck and no cracks.

harrysmo · November 3rd, 2009, 01:53 PM

I have only seen those cracks on poly finish guitars. Too brittle for any side movement in the neck pocket? The crack typically isn't into the wood, just the finish.

Jimi Hendrix · November 3rd, 2009, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harrysmo

I have only seen those cracks on poly finish guitars. Too brittle for any side movement in the neck pocket? The crack typically isn't into the wood, just the finish.

Yeah, that's a good point Harry.

Diocletian · November 3rd, 2009, 02:42 PM

I have it on a Squier, and also on a couple of bolt on Jacksons.
Never bothered about it.

Orlando Mike · November 3rd, 2009, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malikon

Don't feel bad, most good guitarists have some form of OCD or another. It takes a warped mind to sit there and practice the same run over and over and over and over for hours till you can nail it. And then the next day first thing you do is try that same run again,....just to make sure you still can.

effexor is a mood stabilizer, not an ocd drug

fenderkev · November 3rd, 2009, 04:26 PM

When you consider the trend back in the early 70's to strip all the colour coat off Electric guitars in general, and then respray them in a clear coat of laquer, that small crack in the finish that you have really isn't worth worrying about.

Suthrn_BLU_Sman · November 3rd, 2009, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malikon

gee, that sure was a cool answer.

Might have been funny too, if it were....you know....funny.

Malikon dont you know drugs are cool?

Malikon · November 3rd, 2009, 07:40 PM

depends on the drugs I suppose. I just thought Olaf was picking on the OP, perhaps I was wrong. If so I apologize.

peskypesky · November 3rd, 2009, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malikon

depends on the drugs I suppose. I just thought Olaf was picking on the OP, perhaps I was wrong. If so I apologize.

i don't think he was picking on the OP. seemed like he was just making a good-natured funny.

but as for the cracks, i can't imagine worrying about them. especially not at a time in history when it seems like at least a half of all strat owners are either buying "relics" or trying to figure out how to make them.

07 road house · November 3rd, 2009, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orlando Mike

effexor is a mood stabilizer, not an ocd drug

I guess I have been taking the wrong medicine all this time. It works for OCD

Ladynational · November 4th, 2009, 11:38 PM

I wonder if the crack happens cause right there is where the finish pools when being sprayed on. laquer or whatever it is poly or whatever you call it builds up. and those angles there are likely the trails of the fender spray booth.. so thinckness slightly occurs or drying to quckly and then the neck is placed but it really isnt set up.. as this stuff needs a cure time overall mm the same, so, Voila! Crack baby. Just hard to judge there...??? OCD or what? I work on Sailboats varnish for a living.. I can see this plastic stuff playing this game right there.

Ladynational · November 4th, 2009, 11:39 PM

O on C crack D distractions

heres2u · November 24th, 2009, 10:40 AM

I have two Strats, a 2005 American Standard SSS and a 2008 American Deluxe Mahogany HSS. And BOTH developed short (less than 1/2 inch) hairline cracks in the clear coat where the upper cutaway wood narrows and touches the neck at the corner. I thought it was a fluke combined with aging in my 2005 American Standard, until my newer 2008 American Deluxe developed the SAME crack in the exact SAME location during the very SAME time period. I finally chalked it up to changes in the weather, which where I live (MN), can be 70 degrees and humid one day and 20 degrees with very low humidity the next. Obviously, inside a house the extremes aren't as pronounced but they are there nonetheless. The guitars were merely sitting in their cases when one day I pulled them out to play and surprise... there are cracks looking back at me. I would maybe expect this on the Squires or MIM Fenders, but it is rather frustrating on the USA models which carry a large price tag. I doesn't matter from a playability standpoint, but if I want to resell, I can't really say they are in "mint" condition. I become more "OCD" with each hundred dollars I spend on an item. I think that is normal behavior. Short of going with a guitar with a Les Paul shape, I'm not sure how I could have prevented these cracks in the clear coat of my Strats.

It would be interesting to hear from people with Fender Highway One Strats to see if their non-clear-coat finishes avoid this malady.

dman · November 24th, 2009, 11:52 AM

I've got the same crack on my Squier Pro Tone. It's been there a long time and doesn't pose a problem. As long as the neck is still bolted on securely I'm not too worried!

Rickster · November 24th, 2009, 12:03 PM

Oh, Les Pauls crack too. And it is more noticeable on a set neck guitar.

macnik · November 25th, 2009, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harrysmo

I have only seen those cracks on poly finish guitars. Too brittle for any side movement in the neck pocket? The crack typically isn't into the wood, just the finish.

I agree with you Harrysmo. I have only seen this with poly finish guitars. The first being back in '79 on a brand new 3 bolt that I bought and now on a three year old poly finish I have a couple of very tight fitting necks on nitro bodies from the'60s and they're ok.
I don't like it but I don't think it's anything to worry about.

Forgot to mention that the cracks appeared where the neck pockets weren't a tight fit and had a visible gap.

CIJ62 · November 25th, 2009, 04:38 AM

Thanks for starting this thread! I was thinking of asking the same question myslef since my poly-coated, 62 *** reissue is in all other respects a fabulous guitar, but just developed the same sort of crack everyone here describes about 9 months after I bought it.

Reading all the various replies, it's reassuring to learn that I'm not the only one.

I'm not going to worry about it. I'll just keep half an eye on it and take remedial action if necessary.