Ut-oh...

[Mitchmusicman]

Guys, need some of your expert help. Like many of you, I am guitar poor, 7 axes and counting. I started a business, have kids in high school sports etc, and well, I haven't played much (like not at all) in a few years. Today I just happened to take one of my accoustics out it's case for the first time in about 4 years. There was a crack running along the bottom of the top for about 9 inches. I think it is only in the finish. So in panic I began to open cases, the second case I opened was my 12 string, again a guitar I haven't seen in about 4 to 5 years. It had a couple of cracks that appear to be in the finish as well, accept this time they run from the bridge to the butt of the top piece. I bought both of these brand new in the late 70's. They are vintage Ovations which had a ton of miles on them, but were in mint shape last time I played them. I quickly checked my strat plus, my jazz bass, my classical and all the rest. No other trouble. Any theories about why these two older Ovations cracked up? Thanks in advance!
Peace

 

[Thatupstateguy]

Just off the top of my head, I'd say too dry,... when wood is exposed to very dry conditions, it looses moisture and shrinks, the results would be finishes that crack trying to hold the shape and size,... or other more sinister things like pick guards coming unlaminated, ivory trim (which does not shrink as much as the more porous wood) coming unlaminated,... etc etc.

I would maybe get some of those in the hole type humidifiers for them before any more shrinking occurs...and or store them all in a more humid or controled atmosphere,....

And pick them up and play a little more often,.... why the hell have a nice instrument if it is sitting unapreciated in a closet,..... better yet,.. if yer not gonna play em,.... give them to a deserving soul who will play em till their fingers drop off,... like ,.... say,........



Me,.....




hahahahahaha


ya got em dudde, play em while you still can.....







only my opinion tho,.. Steve

 

[Light]

Could be humidity issues, but they would usually crack the TOP, not just the finish. Ovation finishes are, however, eaisly cracked, and impossible to repair (they use a catilized epoxy finish, and there is no way to blend in new finish). Look at the tops. Are they sunken in. How does the action feel? Is it so low they are buzzing? Again, a humidity problem.

Take them to a good repair person, and they will be able to help you.

Feel the edges of all your fingerboards, by the way. If you are having low humidity issues, there is a very good chance that the fret ends are sticking out on all of your guitars. The fingerboards shrink, and the frets do not. It feels a little bit like playing a bread knife. Ouch!!


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Light]

Just off the top of my head, I'd say too dry,... when wood is exposed to very dry conditions, it looses moisture and shrinks, the results would be finishes that crack trying to hold the shape and size,... or other more sinister things like pick guards coming unlaminated, ivory trim (which does not shrink as much as the more porous wood) coming unlaminated,... etc etc.

Actually, the plastics shrink MORE than the wood, which is why plastic binding comes unlaminated, and pickguards (if you are lucky) peal and curl like a potato chip. If you are unlucky, you own a seventies Martin which has the pickguard glued on with a too strong glue, and it does not let go, causing the wood to crack. The Martin pickguard crack is well known to any even half way competent repair guy. I probably see between 50-100 a year.

But the plastic shrinking has nothing to do with humidity, it is an issue of the plastic continuing to outgas. As the solvents go away, the plastic shrinks.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Sloan]

Could be caused by the string tension.
As a general rule, I slacken the strings before long-term storage.

 

[Light]

Could be caused by the string tension.
As a general rule, I slacken the strings before long-term storage.

A very good plan, but that does not sound like the problems he is having. Could be, but I don't really think so.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Dani Pace]

Humidity may well be the cause, something else to consider might be temperature. Reguardless of the cause, this dosen't sound like something to try to fix yourself. In fact this would be the kind of repair that most repair people would shy away from. You might try to contact someone at the Ovation factory and see what they would recomend. If you can't get it repaired and it bothers you, send it to me, I'm not ashamed to play a guitar with a surface flaw (this sounds pretty minor compaired to some of the finish damage on some of mine, and I still play them.) Seriously though, changes in humidity and temperature seriously affect the materals used in all guitars, more so with acoustic than electric and this may explian why your electrics don't seem to have suffered. Any way, now that you have gotten it back out, play it, after all that's what it was made for.

 

[philboyd studge]

It's pretty common with Ovations, especially the earlier ones. I've had lots of them (still have 5) and about half have developed finish cracks, usually from extremes in heat and humidity. The good news is that it won't effect sound or playability.

Humidifiers are a good idea, as long as you remember to use them cause they dry out quickly. Hmmm, that reminds me, I'm way late in maintenence.

A real cheap humidifier is a common dish sponge in a plastic string pouch.

 

[Mitchmusicman]

Thanks...

Thanks for all of the info. The lacquer seems to the only thing effected. The action is still great, very playable and they never sounded better. The tops are nice and flat, not warped in any way. The frets and the necks are straight and true. As suggested, I am guessing that the lack of humidity in these nice hard cases caused some shrinkage and therefore caused the lacquer to heave up some. I will get them over to an excellent guitar maker and tech in Holland Mi (just up the road) and get his opinion.

At any rate, thanks for the quick response guys. And, I confess my sins, and will not allow these instruments to go idle for so long. I am back into a band now so I will be putting some more miles on these guys.

Thanks again! Peace...
Mitch