Members V Posted December 19, 2013 Members Share Posted December 19, 2013 So, I have a 2001 MIM Strat that I absolutely love and have been playing pretty much daily for a dozen years or so. Over the years the neck finish has worn down and gotten nicks and dings in it for a variety of reasons. But over the summer I noticed a finish crack had developed along the edge of my skunk stripe on one side. This was pretty annoying under the thumb so I decided to have the finish touched up on the back of the neck by my luthier (also happens to be the telenator pickups guy). So all was fine and awesome until I noticed today that the finish crack had returned. Now we've had a lot of crazy weather here lately and I haven't played all week since I've been sick, but I am wondering if this a known symptom of some other issue. I don't mterribly ind having the finish touched up again but I am wondering if this is something that just happens with fender necks after you play them for a long time or what? It's my oldest guitar so I wouldn't know myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 I've never had a Fender develop a finish crack along the edge of the skunk stripe, and as far as I know, that's not a common issue at all. The only thing I can think of is that there's insufficient glue or filler along the boundary of the two wood types, and that maybe expansion / contraction is causing that area to develop a recurring crack. I'd definitely see about having it filled and then touching up the finish - it definitely shouldn't be doing that, and the fact that it's happened twice leads me to think that it's something other than just a finish issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members macadood Posted December 19, 2013 Members Share Posted December 19, 2013 skunk stripe is a funny term Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members V Posted December 19, 2013 Author Members Share Posted December 19, 2013 Man I hope this isnt a serious issue. I love the neck on this guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eerock Posted December 19, 2013 Members Share Posted December 19, 2013 I've got a road worn strat which basically has no lacquer behind the neck and I've noticed that during the year the skunk stripe (rosewood) elevates a little. During the winter humidity gets quite low compared to the summer so the wood 'lives' along with the humidity changes. Hasn't bothered me, altough I can always feel the skunk stripe on my hand. If it would be finished with thin laqcuer I think it could crack at the edge of the stripe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members V Posted December 20, 2013 Author Members Share Posted December 20, 2013 Its got a polyurethane finish and rosewood board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Well, unless it's coming in from the fretboard side, I don't think it would be from humidity. Is it exposed to extremes of heat and cold a lot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members V Posted December 20, 2013 Author Members Share Posted December 20, 2013 Nah not really in my opinion. However I live in Connecticut so in the summer we're in the 90s and 100s with high humidity and in the winter we are in the 10s frequently with dry conditions. Of course indoors it's not going to go down nearly that low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 V wrote: Nah not really in my opinion. However I live in Connecticut so in the summer we're in the 90s and 100s with high humidity and in the winter we are in the 10s frequently with dry conditions. Of course indoors it's not going to go down nearly that low. ...not unless you're going out into that cold to get to gigs, etc. You're certainly in the classic temperature / humidity fluctuation zone where those things can cause issues... but most of the time, acoustics are the instruments you have to watch out for, not electrics. I'd talk to a good luthier about it. Short of stripping the finish, repairing the (I'm assuming, loose) skunk stripe, and then refinishing it, I'm not really sure what can be done to prevent it from re-cracking the finish again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BrentMpls Posted December 20, 2013 Members Share Posted December 20, 2013 V wrote: Its got a polyurethane finish and rosewood board. That was the name of my 1998 hit single Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members V Posted December 20, 2013 Author Members Share Posted December 20, 2013 Exactly. I picked it out out of all the Strats in Sam Ash when I was in high school as a graduation present from my dad and then modified it a lot over the years. Has hand wound lace sensors by don mare because they used to have a custom shop at the time and damn they sound way way better than any of the lace sensors I've tried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members awallace Posted December 20, 2013 Members Share Posted December 20, 2013 Just another data point- I have a early/mid 90's mexi strat with a skunk stripe and mine is the same- some times of year I can feel the edge of the skunk stripe a little if I run my finger over it. It's not enough to bother me when playing and I've never worried about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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