crack in the wood - help!!

[npirt.89]

I have a martin d28 and in the past month or so i noticed a crack along the outside of the guitar. I haven't been playing it too much just so that it doesn't get bigger...but i looked at it and the crack has gotten longer. I was wondering if there was anyway to fix it. Glue? or something..?
Its a very nice guitar and i can't just get a new one. help!!!

[Nuclearfishin]

Where is the crack, on the top, back, or sides? Put some low-tack painters tape over the crack and all around it to try and stabilize it and keep it from spreading. Resist the massive temptation to push on it and play with it to see how bad it is. The location and size of the crack will determine the best way to fix it, whether it be cleats, hide glue, CA, fish-eye glue, etc.

The good news is that almost all cracks are easily repaired by a qualified luthier, and if yours is just a simple split along the grain, it shouldn't be too expensive either. Is your guitar properly humidified? In winter when the humidity drops, all the wood starts to shrink and that's when you get cracks. Feel along the fret edges, are they sticking out from the side? If so, you're guitar is already dried out. Don't worry, cracks are easily fixed, but be careful with the guitar in the meantime.

Good luck!

[Tricks]

Definitely. Slacken off the strings and find a good luthier (or, acoustic guitar tech) in your area, fairly standard job for them to cleat and stabilize the crack. Depending on the climatic conditions of where you live, you may want to consider the humidity and dryness of the atmosphere - too dry an atmosphere will cause the timber to dry out and crack. There'll be a lot of guys adding to your thread who know a lot more about this than I do, in the meantime - no need to panic. Just make sure you find a GOOD, REPUTABLE guitar tech to do the job. Good luck.

[sinner]

Take it in, the sooner the better, it will only get worse and cost more later.

[bbrunskill]

My maple side Cole Clark did the same thing. My tech glued it up for me and it's been fine.

[zombywoof]

Not a biggie.

Had two cracks in the top of my old J-200 repaired - the lutheir put some wood cleats on the underside where the cracks were. Has been fine for alot of years now.

Back in the "old days" we used to actually drill tiny little holes at either end of the crack to keep it from spreading. I actually did this to a Guild. Yup, we were the brain trust.

[pitner]

My 1968 D-18 has 6 or more cracks in it. All have been repaired and the guitar sounds amazing. Was scars thats all. Not to worry just get it repaired ASAP.

[clemduolian]

Depending on where you live, how old your guitar is, etc., cracks just happen in acoustic guitars. First, breath, relax. It can be fixed and the guitar will look and play fine.

Your guitar will still be around for your grandkids' kids. And it will sound better...and the crack will be one of the "badges of honor."

[npirt.89]

thanks guys... i'm going to get it fixed up tomorrow. How much do most places charge? the crack is about 5 inches on the side of the guitar, where your arm would lay. i'll give them a call in the morning...just wanted to see about how much i'm looking at spending.

[Nuclearfishin]

Hmm, that depends--my buddy just had a Thomas Humphery classical repaired by Richard Brune. It had a 5" crack along the lower bout. I think it cost him $500-$1,000, but for a $20,000+ guitar it had to be done by the best. Richard also touched up the finish when he was done.

For your guitar, I'm guessing 1-2 hours work, so I'd say $100-$300 without any finish work being done. I'm assuming the crack is clean and along the grain. If so, he'll likely put a finger brace on each end to stop it from spreading and then glue the crack from the inside. When he's done it should be stronger than new and you shouldn't even be able to see the repair from the outside.

[justMe]

Taylor's got some good info on the importance of proper humidity for your guitar.

[justMe]

Sorry, the url would be useful...

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/features/woods/Humidity.aspx

[RustyAxe]

It's a Martin D-28 ... don't screw with a repair yourself, since admittedly don't have a clue. Take it to a good luthier and get it repaired the right way. A proper repair of a minor crack won't seriously affect the value of the guitar, and more importantly, won't hurt the tone, volume, projection, etc.

Do it wrong, and your D-28 becomes little more than an expensive Esteban!

[npirt.89]

thanks guys...i'm taking it tomorrow to get fixed. ain't know way i'm chancing screwing it up by myself. although it doesn't sound too hard.

[majorbanjo]

cracks happen to acoustics......I just had a crack repaired on a Collings D2H I have.......I took it to Randy Wood just outside Savannah Georgia...he's one of the best luthiers in the country.....actually was a partner of George Gruhn when he set up shop in Nashville and has worked on and built guitars and mandolins his whole life....here's his website....do not try and repair it yourself....

http://www.randywoodguitars.com/

[cahn1014]

a couple cracks haunted the back of my 814ce for a while so i took it to a luthier. he humidified it heavily for a while and added some glue -- sounds like new.

[dmcowles]

One last thing, as Detective Columbo used to say. Since the crack is in the side, it is critical that you take the tension off the strings. That tension is pulling up on the bridge, which puts pull across the whole top of the guitar, and that stress goes to the weakest point, that being the crack in the side. It will continue to lengthen if there is tension on the strings, even just sitting in the case.

Dave

[Fuchsaudio]

Usually a small strip of veneer glued inside, and a minor finish touch up will solve your problem.

[Dave Orban]

Depending on where you live, how old your guitar is, etc., cracks just happen in acoustic guitars. First, breath, relax. It can be fixed and the guitar will look and play fine.

Your guitar will still be around for your grandkids' kids. And it will sound better...and the crack will be one of the "badges of honor."Yup.