arneyz Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 I'm selling my tele to get a new solid body. So I went to GC today to see what they had to offer. I was focusing on the Gibsons today and I found this beautiful ebony SG Standard. It played like a dream and had awesome tone. I really bonded with it. But anyway, upon further inspection I found what I think might be a flaw and was wondering if it is normal or would affect the guitar in the future. What I noticed was the paint around the legs of the stop-bar tailpeice was a little cracked. hardly noticeable unless closely inspected, but I just don't want the finish to start chipping off of a $1200 guitar later on. Like I said, I really like this guitar and I will buy it if this isn't a fatal flaw. Hooray for the Moon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 I wouldn't worry about it, but if you're really concerned you might point it out to the store owner/manager and, if buying it, insist having it in writing that there was a question of repair or replacement if further cracking, checking, etc. in the finish there around the tail-piece posts occurs. Or, maybe, you might point it out and express being unsure; maybe the price might be lowered a little for ya... It just makes it more vintage-y, like those relic-ed, artificially aged Strats and Les Pauls and such... and it shouldn't be any real problem. Not a fatal flaw. Oh, jut get the damn SG! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arneyz Posted November 29, 2007 Author Share Posted November 29, 2007 Well thats certainly enough reassurance for me! I'll post pics this weekend. Hooray for the Moon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 So long as it is just the finish, and not the wood itself; probably just the finish. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fumblyfingers Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Yeah get the price dropped....I always look for little nicks and scratches to try drop the bottom line with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Just curious, I know you mean ebony as in Gibson's "Gloss Ebony Black" finish, but is the fretboard ebony, too? Or the more typical rosewood? Big pickguard (with the pickups mounted on it), or the little one? Trapezoid inlays, like a Les Paul's? Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Fraser Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 It just makes it more vintage-y, like those relic-ed, artificially aged Strats and Les Pauls and such... and it shouldn't be any real problem. Not a fatal flaw No, it will be vintage-y after it's been played for 30 years. Those 'relics' are ridiculous. A work of marketing bulls**t. A friend of mine used to actually take a fender grinder (no pun intended, that's what the tool is called) & a blowtorch to his Squier Strat in performance, but the results look no more authentically vintage than the crappy looking 'antiquing' done to the Fender relic series. Anyway, off my soapbox, I'd be concerned that what caused the finish cracking around the bridge was caused by stress which is pulling unduly on a weak or poorly installed insert. Maybe it took a hit in shipping. I haven't seen that on other SG's & it seems indicative of an injury, either in the past or ongoing. Do the other SG's in the store show anything like that? Scott Fraser Scott Fraser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 It just makes it more vintage-y, like those relic-ed, artificially aged Strats and Les Pauls and such... and it shouldn't be any real problem. Not a fatal flaw No, it will be vintage-y after it's been played for 30 years. I, uh, shoulda put a little smiley " " in there... I don't really think it makes it better in any way, though I don't mind normal playing-wear on a guitar, especially if it's worn from my playing it. I meant that in a rather smart-@$$ way, and I did mean vintage-y, not vintage; again, meant lightly. Those 'relics' are ridiculous. A work of marketing bulls**t. I very much agree; in part, I was pointing out that such "vintage-y" finish-abuse could be as easily had as a potentially cost-lowering defect or an accident, and thus the ridiculousness of paying a premium for those "Relic" and "Artificially Aged" Fenders and Gibsons... A friend of mine used to actually take a fender grinder (no pun intended, that's what the tool is called) & a blowtorch to his Squier Strat in performance, but the results look no more authentically vintage than the crappy looking 'antiquing' done to the Fender relic series. Too funny! Especially the coincidential and unintended pun of an automotive "fender grinder" (hey, that'd make a good on-line display-name for somebody, particularly with an avatar-image showing your friend putting a fender-grinder to a Fender-grinding)! The only kind of artificial aging or antiquing I can see any real point to would be a procedure like a deliberate and precise rolling of fretboard-edges, precision degaussing of magnets in pickups or speakers, or anything else that actually benefits the feel, playability, or tone of the instrument. Anyway, off my soapbox, I'd be concerned that what caused the finish cracking around the bridge was caused by stress which is pulling unduly on a weak or poorly installed insert. Maybe it took a hit in shipping. I haven't seen that on other SG's & it seems indicative of an injury, either in the past or ongoing. Do the other SG's in the store show anything like that? Not a bad idea at all to thoroughly check it out; I'd bet the threaded-inserts were pressed-in a bit too hard, though. You are right, though, that it could be caused by a poorly shaped and sized hole for the press-in posts there, allowing the strings to pull the posts into leaning forward, and cracking the finish, or that it suffered a physical shock somewhere along the line. Again, if it is just the finish, if the perceived cracks are only skin-deep, it is very marginal, and easily repaired if desired. (I wouldn't buy a new guitar and then pay to have its finish repaired, though; if you want that fixed, get it done as a condition of the sale, or get the price knocked-down and accept it as-is. Or... one day make it a learning, D.I.Y. experience...) Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmptinesOf Youth Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 with reguard to the relics, i guess its probably what caevan said about rolling the fretboard edges, but i played a 58 relic strat and it was one of the nicest feeling guitars ive ever held. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arneyz Posted December 1, 2007 Author Share Posted December 1, 2007 Well it only appeared to be the finish. I could see just a tiny bit of something underneath and it didn't appear to be cracked. I'm definately going to point that out though when I buy it. It didn't look bad to me but I'm not an expert so I wanted some more credible input. Just curious, I know you mean ebony as in Gibson's "Gloss Ebony Black" finish, but is the fretboard ebony, too? Or the more typical rosewood? Big pickguard (with the pickups mounted on it), or the little one? Trapezoid inlays, like a Les Paul's? The fretboard is rosewood. Big pickguard. Not like the '61 Reissue. And yeah, it has trapezoid inlays. Hooray for the Moon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 You should be able to judge whether it looks like the cracks were caused by the posts being pulled forward, or from pressure coming downwards against the face of the guitar. If the former, it may indeed have loose-fitting, poorly sized and shaped holes for the press-in post-inserts; if the latter, it's most likely from the inserts being pressed in a bit to hard during installation, or being accidentally smacked with some considerable force one way or another, but that may be of less concern if no further damage was done beyond the finish. And if it is the finish and only the finish, it should be fairly easy to fix, should the look of the cracks bother you. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Fraser Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 [ I, uh, shoulda put a little smiley " " in there... I don't really think it makes it better in any way, though I don't mind normal playing-wear on a guitar, especially if it's worn from my playing it. I meant that in a rather smart-@$$ way, and I did mean vintage-y, not vintage; again, meant lightly. LOL. So vintage-y, kinda like truth-y. I very much agree; in part, I was pointing out that such "vintage-y" finish-abuse could be as easily had as a potentially cost-lowering defect or an accident, and thus the ridiculousness of paying a premium for those "Relic" and "Artificially Aged" Fenders and Gibsons... The whole 'relic' concept is absolutely incomprehensible to me. Why anybody would attach any value whatsoever to something being deliberately f*#ked up is totally beyond me. To me guitars are sacred objects, to be respected & treated with care. I just don't get it at all. Too funny! Especially the coincidential and unintended pun of an automotive "fender grinder" (hey, that'd make a good on-line display-name for somebody, particularly with an avatar-image showing your friend putting a fender-grinder to a Fender-grinding)! Yeah he was a real Fender grinder. Lots of sparks, very dramatic. The only kind of artificial aging or antiquing I can see any real point to would be a procedure like a deliberate and precise rolling of fretboard-edges, precision degaussing of magnets in pickups or speakers, or anything else that actually benefits the feel, playability, or tone of the instrument. What is 'rolling of fretboard edges'? You mean a light sanding to smooth it out, get rid of the sharp fret ends that Fender leaves on everything they make anymore? But yeah, those things are all aimed at improving performance, not intentionally trashing the appearance in a vain attempt to attain some kind of faux street cred. Again, if it is just the finish, if the perceived cracks are only skin-deep, it is very marginal, and easily repaired if desired. Yes, absolutely, if only skin deep, don't sweat it too much, & push for a discount. You just want to be damn sure it wasn't being dropped hard on the bridge that got the finish to crack. Scott Fraser Scott Fraser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arneyz Posted December 1, 2007 Author Share Posted December 1, 2007 Thanks guys. I'll hopefully be picking it up tomorrow. Hooray for the Moon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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