It happened right before my very eyes...

agquake · #1 07-17-2003, 09:42 PM

So I get my new 777SK today, basically NOS. Plastic still on pickguard, all hardware and neck plate jet black, not a ding, nick, mark scratch anywhere. After a thorough look over, I decide to change the strings and make a few adjustments. Once I'm done, I look at the neck joint, and sure enough there before my eyes is now a finish crack!

I know it wasn't there before, because that was one of the first things I check. Unreal. Oh well, I bought her to play her, and she plays like "butta." I just wouldn't have minded if it would've waited at least a week or so to pop up. Perhaps the change in climates coming from the mountains to Florida. Jeesh!

Given to Fly · #2 07-17-2003, 09:45 PM

That's to bad. But now it has a little character. Also I don't know if it's like this with other people but when I bought my used guitar I didn't really have the instinct to baby it and make sure it doesn't get scratched. I bought it to play it. So happy playing and congrats on the new guitar.

Petie · #3 07-18-2003, 12:15 AM

They should start building the neck joint crack into the guitars at the factory, since it's obviously a stress point that needs some relief...

agquake · #4 07-18-2003, 12:35 AM

I don't believe this is an issue with the AANJ, is it? I've had no trouble with the VSBL.

Petie · #5 07-18-2003, 12:44 AM

Ever seen Evo?

agquake · #6 07-18-2003, 12:58 AM

Never really studied it, nor have I seen it in person.

Petie · #7 07-18-2003, 01:16 AM

Click on the "All About Evo" link.

http://www.vai.com/Machines/guitars1.html

agquake · #8 07-18-2003, 01:24 AM

That's way more than a finish crack. Besides, I believe his "style" of playing tends to "wear" on the guitar a tad more than normal.

Do you have an AANJ with the finish crack?

Petie · #9 07-18-2003, 01:43 AM

Hmm, I haven't checked, I'll have a look at 'em when I get home.

wilch · #10 07-18-2003, 02:14 AM

That crack is there because evo's been dropped a few times, and is kinda getting old.

Not the old Ibanez heel finish crack that's on almost all guitars with the old heel.

wil..

the.godfather · #11 07-18-2003, 05:06 AM

But i really do think people "cuddle" there guitars shall we say?

At the end of the day. the guitar is there to be played. And even if you have the most violent of playing styles.....a JEM will last you a good 10 years roughly i think.

Yeh you may lose resale value at the end and all that....but most people (like steve vai) get attatched to their guitars. And probably wont want to get rid of it in the end.

Because it has so many scratches and dings, it tells stories to you, it adds character.

Al M · #12 07-18-2003, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Given to Fly

That's to bad. But now it has a little character

People only say that dings add character to make people feel better :P we all know its not true

davester1234 · #13 07-18-2003, 10:00 AM

i hate dings.

I just spent several thousand on a jem7vwh, and when/if it gets dinged, I'll cry, and seek therapy.

Maybe if I was steve vai, and recieved 10 a year, it wouldn't bother me so much! Perhaps it was the 3 years of saving......

the.godfather · #14 07-18-2003, 10:35 AM

good point

JohnnyRasgueado · #15 07-18-2003, 11:41 AM

Wow, that's really too bad! Climate change might have done it, or changing strings. It's just a guess, but I think that if it's NOS, it had those strings on it since '88 and no change in tension (playing, bending, whammy bar antics, etc.), so everything settled in at just that tension. When you popped the strings off and then put new ones on ... that might have been the first "flex" the neck had seen since it was in the factory. Maybe that did it.

Mysteriously, the '88 777DY I bought a month ago has no stress crack ... could it be the only one in history to survive unscathed? Ha ha.

--jr