Please have a look at this neck picture

[Woodstove]

I'm looking at a used Collings I35. The seller seems very honest. He pointed out small dings in the headstock and neck in another image Do the long white streaks appear like cracks or just light effects? Thanks

[arnie65]

Hard to tell without looking at the guitar up close, lighting can play tricks on photos, and this one is not a very good photo. Just make sure he's willing to take it back if you find that it is a crack in the neck.



Cheers,
Arnie..

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

The seller seems very honest.

Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to be much of a photographer. It looks like that pic was taken with flash from a slight frontal angle. So the guitar casts a shadow that obscures the treble side and makes the body and neck look wide and ill defined. Worse, the flash (or whatever light source he used) is reflecting off the neck at multiple spots along those two lines from the heel to the tip of the headstock. The neck is probably shaped a tiny bit along those two lines and the back of it is not perfectly rounded. It might be a U or other profile with a more flattened center back, and the reflections are from the lines at which the contour changes:



I think those white spots and linear blemishes are reflections off the neck. If the neck is shaped with even a few microns of angulation to either side of the midline, reflected light will show it. I just looked at the Collings website to see if it has a 3 piece neck. Here's their picture of the back of the neck, complete with two linear reflections (which surprise me - I expected better pics). But this seems to confirm my impression.



Obviously, Arnie65 is correct and personal inspection is the only way to tell for sure. Try to get the seller to provide better pictures with soft illumination, including closeups of the back of the neck. But I think the probability that those are cracks is very very low.

[Woody Sound]

Looks like reflections.

[Woodstove]

Thanks gentleman, especially Never with his usually detailed and precise observations! I agree, and btw I spent time doing pro photography years ago and without good lights it's very hard to get these shots, but his are worse than usual.

[EmanueleFaggion]

Yes, I too am quite sure that they are reflections.
Photographing guitars can be a real nightmare - I often take pictures of the archtops I build by myself, and those streaks on the neck are extremely common. They could be an artificial light in the room, a window, or whatever. Glossy and dark-colored finishes really catch up any source of light.

[Jimmy blue note]

The lines are long and very straight, fine and regular. Please ask for another angle, from the side, and off centre looking at the neck. The truth is, you can't tell anything from this one photo. It could be nothing, it could be a split in the lamination; no speculation is going to give you the truth here.
How many pieces on the neck? What's the material? If it's a three piece neck, that line may align with the place where two pieces were joined (not a good sign), if it's a two or one piece neck, I'd put my mind at rest-that would very likely be a reflection.
Don't buy until you have better photos. That's my thought.
Good luck with the transaction!

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

How many pieces on the neck? What's the material? If it's a three piece neck, that line may align with the place where two pieces were joined (not a good sign), if it's a two or one piece neck, I'd put my mind at rest-that would very likely be a reflection.

There are 5 different versions of the I-35. I’m 99% sure that all have a one piece mahogany neck. The profile is apparently different on at least one (the LC Vintage I-35), but the necks on all are described as mahogany. And the site pics show a one piece neck -

[Jimmy blue note]

There are 5 different versions of the I-35. I’m 99% sure that all have a one piece mahogany neck. The profile is apparently different on at least one (the LC Vintage I-35), but the necks on all are described as mahogany. And the site pics show a one piece neck -

For one piece Mahogany, yeah, nice neck and yeah, the evidence shifts to reflection. Please get better photos to be sure. Looks like you may be very pleased. Just make sure.