Guitar cracks or checks or damage - please help a clueless idiot

[bozzi]

Hello !! I just got my gibson l5 in the mail from the store Soundpure. This is my first solid top archtop. They mentioned a ding here and there and showed me pictures. Those are fine. but when asked about cracks they said there are only some stress cracks at the neck heel. Thats fine too. But when I received the instrument i noticed some damage - I don’t know how serious it is - maybe you can help me figure it out??

[lammie200]

I would get it checked out by someone with experience. They could be finish cracks due to improper care and a temperature spike, or some of them could be structural cracks. Someone with a mirror and/or camera should look inside.

[wintermoon]

lacquer checking, not cracks in the wood

[omphalopsychos]

Those are definitely lacquer cracks. The guitar is fine. If they were pre-existing and not disclosed by soundpure, you might want to ask for a partial rebate. Was it this one? Gibson L-5CES N Archtop Electric Guitar #90940551 - Used If so, the cracks don't appear in the photos. It's hard to tell though, they could just not be apparent due to the angle of the light. Its possible that the cracks occurred after the guitar was delivered to you. How long did you wait from when it arrived to your house till you unpacked it?

[bozzi]

Yes that’s the one

Oh.. I didn’t really wait.. but i find it hard to believe that the temperature in my house was much different than that of the truck.. and it was already in the country more for more than 24 hours.. ugh I should have waited. Did i mention i’m an idiot already??

I gotta say until i used my flashlight from the side on it, i really didn’t notice anything. Is there anything i should do with the lacquer cracks?

[wintermoon]

Yes that’s the one

Oh.. I didn’t really wait.. but i find it hard to believe that the temperature in my house was much different than that of the truck.. and it was already in the country more for more than 24 hours.. ugh I should have waited. Did i mention i’m an idiot already??

I gotta say until i used my flashlight from the side on it, i really didn’t notice anything. Is there anything i should do with the lacquer cracks?

no, they're there to stay and shouldn't be anything more than a cosmetic issue.
some people here would have a cow if their guitar had checking but it doesn't bother me.
I blew up the pics and couldn't see anything but that doesn't mean they're not present

[bozzi]

thanks for letting me know. There aren’t many cows where i live.. might have a camel though it probably costs less then the L5!!

[omphalopsychos]

Happened to me once on a really valuable vintage instrument. Didn’t bug me at all. Over the next or so decades, the guitar will start to check anyway.

[Jimmy blue note]

Here you go. I use this. It actually works. Now you're not an idiot anymore. Post a video of you playing and do that guitar justice.

You can amalgamate finish on lacquer. With poly, it should be noted that there's nothing you can do. Either way, it's cosmetic.

[dconeill]

...Oh.. I didn’t really wait..

,,, to unpack the guitar.

Then the possibility exists that you had a hand in creating some of the finish cracks.

[Jimmy blue note]

,,, to unpack the guitar.

Then the possibility exists that you had a hand in creating some of the finish cracks.

Excellent! I don't really consider a guitar truly mine until I've bonded with it and imparted some kind of sign of its wear. Maybe that first rite of passage is done. They made that guitar pretty, but they made it to be played and they built it to be played a lot.
Go to it!

[northernbreed]

Yes that’s the one

Oh.. I didn’t really wait.. but i find it hard to believe that the temperature in my house was much different than that of the truck.. and it was already in the country more for more than 24 hours.. ugh I should have waited. Did i mention i’m an idiot already??

I gotta say until i used my flashlight from the side on it, i really didn’t notice anything. Is there anything i should do with the lacquer cracks?

Hilarity ensues. It’s yours now.

[Max405]

Bozzi,
I seriously doubt you caused all those checks.
In fact one of them (the one near the pickup, bass side by the f hole) is vaguely, but definitely visible in the store pictures. Most of the checks were probably there as well. They were just not disclosed.
I am one of those people who would be “having a cow”, and I really feel for you.
If this bothers you, I hope playing the guitar will make you forget.
It is a beautiful guitar. One of the most iconic jazz guitars that ever existed. A couple of checks are not going to diminish its greatness. Not one bit.
Joe D