Gibson Crimson Headstock Back Overlay

[CDarwin]

Dear colleagues,

the varnish on the back of the headstock of my Gibson Crimson Archtops is starting to shrink at the overlay. I have also seen this on many other Crimson archtops online.

In your opinion, does this happen to every guitar over time (even stored with correct humidity)?

How does the back of the headstock look like on your Gibson Archtop?





Looking forward to read your opinion! All the best!

[jads57]

I believe it’s Nitro Lacquer used in all Gibsons, not Varnish. And lacquer tends to shrink over time and is highly susceptible to weather changes.

[Stringswinger]

I own 3 Gibson archtops with the back overlay on the headstock and that has happened on only one of them. It is normal, but not inevitable from what I have seen.

On the guitar that has that issue, I had it repaired and it happened again, so I am just living with it.

[CDarwin]

You are right, its my bad english skills leading me to write varnish instead of lacquer.

So due to shrinkage, this might happen to every guitar over time?

Does anybody happen to have a picture of an unfinished headstock back from a Crimson guitar with overlay?

[vinnyv1k]

2 of my Crimson Gibson’s have the sunken overlay lines also. The others not a trace. I guess it’s a common occurrence.

I have had a lot of trouble with their laminate necks with the walnut strips shrinking causing the lacquer to peel off the shrunken walnut strips. Gibson had to refinish the necks under warranty on my 2014 Tal Farlow, 2016 L-5, and now my 2022 L-5 is going back for the same reason.

[CDarwin]

Thank you for your feedback and the pictures.

Even if the only "downside" of these lines is that it's not really appealing from a cosmetic perspective, it's at least good to know that it's the norm rather than a rarity.

[timsmcm]

Oh my goodness. I would be heartbroken.

[wintermoon]

Oh my goodness. I would be heartbroken.

The headstock overlay checking doesn't bother me much but the damage on Vinny's black L-5 neck lams is certainly worth sending back.
I'm not sure if Gibson had to change their lacquer formula in the last 30 yrs or so due to VOC regs, or if it's improperly kiln dried woods or both, but we're seeing many cases of crazing in that time span. I have Gibsons dating back to the 20s w no such issues other than normal checking.