Advice please: lines/cracks on fretboard edge - cause for concern?

[Patrick_W]

Hi, hoping the strat hive mind can help me out. I just picked up a used 60s Classic Player. Largely pristine - and described as pristine to me by the seller. (I bought online from a reputable UK store.) In most regards, it is indeed pristine - a lovely example!

But upon receipt I've found marks along the thumb edge of the rosewood fretboard. These are scratches, or cracks in the finish. They aren't just visual, they can be felt. They're evident most the way up the neck, but the biggest are down around the early frets. I've tried to capture these in photos.

I've been playing a while and own a bunch of RW strats, so I know this ain't usual... (And doesn't really fit the 'pristine' description, IMO..?) But what I'm keen to hear advice on, is this a concern - a problem in the making, e.g. for the finish to crack/chip/otherwise worsen over time? What might be the cause? And if it's a problem, what's the solution - either pre-emptive, or over time, if it does worsen?

On the other hand: if this is a non issue, and I should just relax, try not to look at them, and enjoy the guitar, do tell me

As an aside, I'm also a little narked to have found that the frets have been levelled somewhat poorly - there is a rough 'corner' between the flattened top and the normal curved fret sides, along numerous frets. I presume this would be a quick job for a tech to smooth off (or myself, with the right tool) but again I'm a bit narked, having been sold on the basis it was pristine...

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bob the builder]

Tape off the maple + scrape the rw
good to go
+ hey
Welcome to the looney bin

 

[uncle daddy]

Do you have the option of sending it back? First impressions count, in my book.

 

[The_idiot]

The rosewood doesn’t require the finish. Can be sanded off easily if you can feel it.

The frets being poorly levelled in my opinion is the nature of a used guitar. Pristine may be a bit of a stretch, no doubt .

Some of it depends on your expectations and it’s not for me to say if they are right or wrong. Personally I expect a few unforeseen surprises with used guitars.

I’d be crowning and polishing the frets properly, sanding the finish on the rosewood and calling it a day.

In the end only you can decide if it’s worth your while or worth the back and forth with the seller.

Good luck. I like those guitars btw.

 

[The Ballzz]

Hi, hoping the strat hive mind can help me out. I just picked up a used 60s Classic Player. Largely pristine - and described as pristine to me by the seller. (I bought online from a reputable UK store.) In most regards, it is indeed pristine - a lovely example!

But upon receipt I've found marks along the thumb edge of the rosewood fretboard. These are scratches, or cracks in the finish. They aren't just visual, they can be felt. They're evident most the way up the neck, but the biggest are down around the early frets. I've tried to capture these in photos.

I've been playing a while and own a bunch of RW strats, so I know this ain't usual... (And doesn't really fit the 'pristine' description, IMO..?) But what I'm keen to hear advice on, is this a concern - a problem in the making, e.g. for the finish to crack/chip/otherwise worsen over time? What might be the cause? And if it's a problem, what's the solution - either pre-emptive, or over time, if it does worsen?

On the other hand: if this is a non issue, and I should just relax, try not to look at them, and enjoy the guitar, do tell me

As an aside, I'm also a little narked to have found that the frets have been levelled somewhat poorly - there is a rough 'corner' between the flattened top and the normal curved fret sides, along numerous frets. I presume this would be a quick job for a tech to smooth off (or myself, with the right tool) but again I'm a bit narked, having been sold on the basis it was pristine...

Thanks in advance!

To me, it looks as though the finish has simply sunken into the grain of the rosewood. From the looks of the fret end in the first pic, I might suspect that finish has been "re-applied" to at least the fret board edge, if not the whole back of the neck. While not quite "pristine" I'd see it as no big deal on a used guitar, especially if the guitar otherwise plays great, you like it AND you didn't pay a huge premium for that pristine factor! I personally own an '06, 60s Classic Player with ABY initialed p'ups and it is pretty stellar in all ways!
Simply Noticin'
Gene

 

[Frank Roberts]

^^^^ THIS!

 

[Butcher of Strats]

Hard to tell if the first two pics are cracks or some odd extreme grain.
The first does look like a crack.
Not totally right though, RW should not have grain texture THAT extreme.
Looks like nicer colored RW they decided not to discard due to some small cracks that may be stable and solid enough.

 

[Lateralu_s]

It can be repaired fairly easy. The issue is that it was sold as pristine. Contact seller maybe they will reimburse you some money to make it right.

Then use said money for your tech to do a little finish repair.

 

[rolandson]

Has all the appearance of finish being applied to the rosewood. Frim what is visible it doesn't appear to be a defect in the classic sense of the word.
But because it appears to be a moderately thick layer of clearcoat it is impossible to tell if there are indeed any "cracks" in the wood itself.

Who the hell applied finish to the rosewood?

 

[Patrick_W]

Thanks all, appreciate the input.

Comparing it with my other CP 60s strat, the finish is highly consistent with that, so it looks/feels original. And there are actually one or two minor wood-grain lines - much smaller, but similar looking - to be found on that guitar. (And my CP Jazzmaster come to that...) So, my best guess at the moment is, it's an unusually large grain line that the finish has sunk into. Not ideal, but probably not cause for huuuuge concern, on balance.

Do you have the option of sending it back? First impressions count, in my book.

I do still have that option - and there's something in what you say. If I'm constantly looking at these marks and wondering about them, I just won't relax when I'm playing it.

I think I'll give it a few more days (within the returns window) and live with it a little while, then see how I feel.

Which is also an opportunity to assure myself it seems stable, given that it's on the large side for grain as pointed out.

And yup - they're lovely guitars... This is a 2010 - no AY initials on the pups, but I'm trying to avoid falling too deeply into that particular rabbit hole!

 

[joebtone]

I would send it back.

 

[Scott Baxendale]

Hi, hoping the strat hive mind can help me out. I just picked up a used 60s Classic Player. Largely pristine - and described as pristine to me by the seller. (I bought online from a reputable UK store.) In most regards, it is indeed pristine - a lovely example!

But upon receipt I've found marks along the thumb edge of the rosewood fretboard. These are scratches, or cracks in the finish. They aren't just visual, they can be felt. They're evident most the way up the neck, but the biggest are down around the early frets. I've tried to capture these in photos.

I've been playing a while and own a bunch of RW strats, so I know this ain't usual... (And doesn't really fit the 'pristine' description, IMO..?) But what I'm keen to hear advice on, is this a concern - a problem in the making, e.g. for the finish to crack/chip/otherwise worsen over time? What might be the cause? And if it's a problem, what's the solution - either pre-emptive, or over time, if it does worsen?

On the other hand: if this is a non issue, and I should just relax, try not to look at them, and enjoy the guitar, do tell me

As an aside, I'm also a little narked to have found that the frets have been levelled somewhat poorly - there is a rough 'corner' between the flattened top and the normal curved fret sides, along numerous frets. I presume this would be a quick job for a tech to smooth off (or myself, with the right tool) but again I'm a bit narked, having been sold on the basis it was pristine...

Thanks in advance!

It almost looks like the fingerboard is two layers of veneer, and in some areas the two veneers have separated. I’ve never seen a Fender fingerboard made like that before though? It’s not just scratches in the finish, but it is either cracks in the edge or the two layers separating. It might be an easy fix. It’s probably something I could repair in about 15-30 minutes max.