Laquer cracking

[John D]

Hello,

I have a Gibson that has some finish cracking. It is nothing to severe at this point, but how concerning is this? The guitar is 26 years old, and from what I’ve read, some amount of laquer cracking is not uncommon for Gibson guitars as they age. Thanks.

[Vorocnan]

Hello John cracking appears to be common with nitrocellulos lacquer wonder if fixing it might change the resonance

Some info from Quora

Lacquer shrinks for decades. It rips itself to shreds. That is called ‘checking’ and you can’t stop it.

Checking reveals a property of lacquer we want in a string instrument coating – it is thin, hard and brittle like glass, when cured. It vibrates with wood while adding little mass. Less as it ages.

Meanwhile polyurethane and similar finished stabilize. They remain a gooey, thick, motionless, dead layer over a wonderful material that was once living trees.

That said, if it really bothers you, a tech can “overspray” the fault with lacquer thinner mixed with a little clear lacquer. The new lacquer will partly fill the gap while the thinner melts the surrounding original coating to liquid, so it will re-flow into a flat film. That will require some finish buffing too.

[San Luis Rey]

Hey John,
According to the Gibson forum nitrocellulose lacquer checking is common with changes in humidity and age. Most folks thinks it adds to the patina of the instrument and nothing to worry about.

Mike

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