Cracked archtop top

[SOLR]

I'm looking for a smaller archtop (from a 17" lower bout 3" thick) just too big and uncomfortable for me.....Found an Eastman 803 ce 15" in my area....but, it has a "repaired" crack on the top under the pick guard ..?? from the only pic of this damaged I can't see much, but it looks "gouged" any suggestions? I haven' t tried it or seen it just wondering if there's something else I should be looking for.....According to seller the pick up has been replaced from a floater to a routed in humbucker. But I don't see this model other than with the built in (set) humbucker ???

S

[Jimmy blue note]

REALLY hard to tell from that photo and with the pickguard in the way. That's a location that's not uncommon if the top took a jostle, hit or in-case drop where the top was compressed and flexed and split. That grain line has an open grain at the F hole and that's where it may have originated from.
It's also a good candidate for a dry split where the end grain started with a check and split up the line.
That "gouge" appearance could be where the two halves of the split have diverged and might suggest that it was some outside force that split it.
How long has the split been there? Wood has memory and the longer a misaligned top split has gone unrepaired, the more work the repairman's job entails in general.

Either way, if you're serious, inspect that grain line along the OTHER side of the F hole and look for any splitting there. That would be a little more serious and both would be cause for a great price reduction.
Both of those splits can be effectively addressed with a good repair and cross grain diamond cleats. But too, they can just as well have been inadequately repaired and that will run you a risk of that split growing, maybe the entire length of the top.
Get good photos of the repair from BELOW (mirror inspection and photos) before you make any decision.
I see a lot of humidity breaks. If repaired fast and well, I'm confident of the integrity. I see compression breaks and impact breaks and case-drop breaks, and they also can be repaired although maybe not quite as easily because you have to know all the hidden places that trauma has been effected (Maybe the bridge was squashed while in a gig bag, it opened up the split above the F hole but merely split the grain invisibly below or on the other side, those can haunt you later).
In short, get a trained luthier to make a full assessment cuz anything from a forum post is a guess at best.

[SOLR]

Thx Jimmy,

After contacting the Luthier who did the repair,I decided to pass as my home is definitely not a controlled environment
This is what he told me about the instrument: Hello, I remember the guitar. We humidified the instrument, glued the crack, added a small internal reinforcement under the crack and made a basic touch-up.It seems to remain stable in a controlled environment. I don't know exactly how long the repair took but at least 5 years.

S

[Jimmy blue note]

Thx Jimmy,

After contacting the Luthier who did the repair,I decided to pass as my home is definitely not a controlled environment
This is what he told me about the instrument: Hello, I remember the guitar. We humidified the instrument, glued the crack, added a small internal reinforcement under the crack and made a basic touch-up.It seems to remain stable in a controlled environment. I don't know exactly how long the repair took but at least 5 years.

S

I think that's a safe decision on your part. From what is visible after the repair, and the unknowns, you can do better by looking around. If it were your own instrument, and you knew how the damage occured and had it tended to by a good luthier immediately, you could rest assured, but given the circumstances, look around for an undamaged guitar and know you're buying peace of mind.
My two cent humble opinion.
Good luck with your search and enjoy the guitar you find.

Stable in a controlled environment. LOL, I guess that eliminates college dorm rooms, dogs, small children and spouses who are prone to throwing your prized possessions across the room. Ha ha

PS looking on that repair again, personally, I would've jacked the top internally while I was setting the cleats to assure a better alignment of the halves. Something seems to have been less than optimum about that repair if the repair left that disparity of top halves. I'm thinking you made a good call.

[FredH]

I think you did the right thing. There are plenty of Eastmans and other comparable guitars around - you don't need to take a chance on this one. Just be patient and use due diligence - you will find the right one.