New acoustic has a hairline crack on bridge

[OlpAxis]

Bought a new 500$ acoustic a few days ago. When I was changing the strings, I noticed a hairline crack on the bridge going with the grain through the pinholes. I do like the guitar, and was wondering if it's even a big deal enough to bother bringing it back to the shop.

I've tried taking a picture of it, but it's really small, so I just took 3 pictures hoping the camera's flash can help:

http://oi57.tinypic.com/2m2gxtk.jpg

 

Thanks for any advice.

[mbengs1]

it does not look that bad (like it goes through the whole bridge). i suggest you keep it. what brand is the guitar ?

[katopp]

New?

Send it back and ask for replacement.

This looks to me like someone pushed the pins in really hard. Maybe the guitar fell over or something fell upon it...? Never know. But I would not bother myself with botched attempts to repair something that is under warranty.

Todays production via CNC and a working QC at most manufacturers limit the variability - you will most likely get something of similar quality, playability and sound in return.

[OlpAxis]

It's an Alvarez electric-acoustic, solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides. Wonderful instrument really. It's an older model, which I bought full price from display since it has a a better electronics than the current ones (dual pickup system - both piezo and condenser pickups)

[OlpAxis]

Well, I think quite the contrary. As with the cheaper instruments (under 500$) there's a much bigger variance between units of the same model.

[FretFiend.]

You asked for advice. You received advice... good advice, BTW, ... and yet you choose to argue instead.

[OlpAxis]

You asked for advice. You received advice... good advice' date=' BTW, ... and yet you choose to argue instead. [img']http://www.harmonycentral.com/forum/core/images/smilies/idk.gif[/img]

 

I received 2 opposite suggestions , which one of them is the good one?

I thought a discussion is what a forum is all about, probably missed the part where it says "don't express your opinion to someone who replied to your post".

/sarcasm

[katopp]

Alvarez is a good brand. They have good QC and produce consistent quality.

The point that you can not return the guitar for replacement with exactly the same model was missing from your initial post.

If you - for that reason - do not want or are not able to return the broken guitar for a new one, I would suggest that you ask the vendor to either repair it for you or - in case you do not trust the workmanship of said vendor - ask the vendor to (part) fund a QUALIFIED repair.

Qualified does not necessarily mean to wick some CA into the crack (even though it might work).

Regardless: a split bridge is always an issue that should be dealt with ASAP. If the crack widens and the bridge splits completely, damage to the top (and in case of said Alvarez it might be an economically not feasible repair) will almost surely occur.

[FretFiend.]

"Well, I think quite the contrary."

[video=youtube;kQFKtI6gn9Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQFKtI6gn9Y

[katopp]

No, you don't!

[Freeman Keller]

I fix guitars. The fix for that is to wick some thin cynoacrylic glue (super glue, but you want the water thin stuff, StewMac number 10 or equivalent) into the crack, then ream the pin holes with the proper reamer (Bob Colosi says that Alvarez uses several sizes of pins, probably 5 degree but you or your repair tech should measure).

 

I'm also a big believer in slotting pin holes and turning the pins around, but that may void the warranty. Obviously amateur attempts at repair will void the warranty if the bridge does happen to completely crack. And remember that when installing strings the pins only need to be lightly pushed into the holes, it is the side wedging action of the balls that holds them in place.

 

Welcome to HCAG, hope you get your guitar repaired to your satisfaction.

[DeepEnd]

I'm at work so I can't see the pics but Take It Back To The Shop. ASAP. Do Not try to fix it yourself. That would be my advice for Any issue with a new guitar, computer, drill, toaster, etc. If the shop won't fix it or at least knock something off the price, you have two choices: Keep it or return it and look for another guitar. Up to you.

Not to take anything away from mbengs1 but he's mainly an electric player so his opinion regarding an Acoustic guitar is going to differ. That's why you have two suggestions that are at odds. BTW, Welcome to the Forum. And you'll have a better Forum experience if you don't approach things with a chip on your shoulder.

[OlpAxis]

Thanks for your replies.

 

I'm not from the US, as so our return policy is not the same. I can't simply return it after it's been "used". I've changed the strings myself since too, but more on that in the next part.

I've been to the shop today, they told me that I might be at fault here since I changed to a 0.012 string set when the guitar had 0.011 prior without a proper setup, and it helped that grain to crack... Don't how true it actually is, not that huge of a tension difference. Was pretty sure it was a 0.012 set too.

I don't want the newer model with the single piezo pickup anyway.

So I decided to just keep it. Not planning on ever selling it anyway.

[FretFiend.]

The shop sold you the guitar with a warranty... and then acknowledged that the bridge is cracked... and then tells you that you caused the bridge to crack by going to .012 strings??? What do you plan to do if the crack worsens?

 

Sorry, but there's no nice way to put this. You're getting screwed.

[katopp]

Not taking sides with the shop here, but if you drive them pins home with force, you CAN split the bridge. Should not happen, but it's not impossible to do.

So I understand that they try to cop out on that.

Still, no reason for you to give up prematurely.

I would - calmly and friendly, very friendly - go there and ask them again to fix this broken saddle.

If they refuse ask very friendly for the name of the manager and the name of the owner, and start filling in those details in a pre-printed letter to the Better Business Bureau. You might even ask - again very calm and friendly - for a pen to fill out that pre-printed form.

Works wonders.

If not, the BBB is a good place to start anyway.

[DeepEnd]

^ Unfortunately for you, FretFiend is correct. You're getting screwed. Most guitars ship with 12's and Alvarez is no exception. Specifically, current models ship with d'Addario EXP16's which are indeed 12's. You didn't cause the crack and they know it. And yes, what are you going to do if and when the crack gets worse? Have it fixed at your own expense when it's already under warranty? Here's what the Alvarez warranty says about cracking:

Additionally, this warranty does not cover cracking of woods or finishes resulting from changes in climate or humidity.

If you bought the guitar with the crack, they may conclude the damage isn't your fault. Here's the Contact URL for St. Louis Music, which distributes Alvarez: http://alvarezguitars.com/contact/. Email them, call them, write them a letter, but don't let this lie. The sooner you pursue this the better.

[Neal]

I think that guitar has a crack on the bridge..

 

Out of curiosity, are the fret ends fairly sharp?

[steve_man]

contact Alvarez... let them repair it... it comes with a warranty for a reason...

[Freeman Keller]

 

I'm not from the US, as so our return policy is not the same. .....

.

So I decided to just keep it. Not planning on ever selling it anyway.

 

I think everyone has missed this. If you can't (or won't) return it then fix it. You'll void the warranty but that doesn't seem to matter. The whole story, including your shop, seems a little fishy, but I'm glad you're happy with it.

 

 

[DeepEnd]

^ I, for one, haven't missed it. I know some US made guitars that would have a "lifetime warranty" only have a year outside the US. But it seems as if there ought to be a warranty of some kind. We're not talking about returning the guitar, we're talking about making it right. What the OP is saying may well be the case. After all, we don't even know what country he's talking about. But it doesn't seem right to me.

[OlpAxis]

Nope, the frets are really well done. As is everything else on the guitar.

[OlpAxis]

Thanks for your assistance. I do have a 1 year warranty. What I failed to mention is that the shop said that if that crack gets any more serious it will be covered under warranty, as long as it's still in the 1 year period. That being said, I do understand all your well pointed arguments. Should I go back and ask for a repair now already?

[OlpAxis]

Sorry for the double post, it says the edit option is not supported on my device.

I wanted to ask what kind of repair should I expect in case I do decide to use the warranty now, given the size of that hairline crack. Just some glue?

[guitarcapo]

Wick in a little cyanoacrylate glue. Quickly while it's still wet in the crack, sand over the area with something like 400 grit sandpaper or coarse steel wool. Very fine particles of ebony or rosewood will mix with the wet CA in the crack. Then buff it. If the wood is ebony, the crack will completely disappear. With light rosewood it might look like a grain line.

 

If it's an extremely thin crack, simply wicking in the CA glue might suffice.

 

This is what they probably would do at the factory under warranty.

If it's a large crack they'd probably heat the bridge until the glue softened. Then just remove it and replace it.

[Freeman Keller]

Thanks for your assistance. I do have a 1 year warranty. What I failed to mention is that the shop said that if that crack gets any more serious it will be covered under warranty' date=' as long as it's still in the 1 year period. That being said, I do understand all your well pointed arguments. Should I go back and ask for a repair now already?[/quote']

 

In a perfect world these would be the order that I would expect things to be done

 

1 - the shop replaces the guitar with a new one with no questions, new warranty starts at that time

 

2 - the shop has the guitar repaired by a factory trained and authorized repair person. The warranty is still valid

 

3 - the shop repairs the guitar themselves and gives you a new warranty starting at that date

 

4 - you fix it yourself and kiss off the warranty

 

5 - you do nothing and watch it get worse. Try to deal with it within a year.

 

for 3, 4 or 5 you should leave a paper trail - document all of your discussions with your shop, including the statement you make above..

 

Will it get worse? Probably, cracks don't heal themselves. Both GuitarCapo and I have told you what the fix is - either stabilize the existing bridge or replace it. Stabilizing the crack with thin CA is a diy project - the pin holes should be reamed and your shop may have the correct reamer. Replacing the bridge is not a diy project.

 

Whatever you end up doing, this whole thread points out one of the big disadvantages of buying online - what do you do if you get a new guitar with problems like this? How do you negotiate with the online seller, ship it back and forth - all that stuff.

 

Good luck

 

btw - I usually charge about $40 to remove and reglue a bridge, $100 if I have to make a new one to fit a particular foot print. You said something about onboard electronics - that can complicate things.