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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I got my Stealth
 
Excuse the lint... My white socks must be shedding. |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Now to the "Is this Bad?" part...
 
There are a coupla more pics in my Gallery under Elite T...
All y'all BFLG'ers, any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.
Crazy Glue? Or just leave it alone.
This is "new" with no paperwork. It was a Display Model. It don't have no pick-marks or chips. And no "USED" or "FRG" stamp.
He did show the neck-joint in photos, but I still can't see nuthin' when I re-looked.
Upon looking inside, that crack isn't where the bolt goes through from the bowl...
So, what y'all think? Just play it and don't worry about it? :mad: :confused: |
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December 2001
Posts: 7237
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | It's hard to tell from the picture, but is that an actual crack or just a mark? If it's a crack, it's pretty bizarre. My only guess would be moisture and sudden change in temperature as I don't think it's a stress point (although it could be I guess) and it's running across the grain... which just seems odd. |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | It is a crack. I just took a sliver of paper and slid it a half-inch into there. I'm guessing that that is where it encountered the glue holding the two piece neck together.
Or maybe that is where the lower bolt goes through...? |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Maybe it would be easier to live with if the seller gave you an adjustment on the price.
Since the word "new' was used, something like that should have been disclosed. |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | I don't think there's a bolt anywhere near there. Why don't you email the in-focus photo to John or Kim and ask them if it would be a concern to them. I've done that before with concerns about guitars and they're glad to advise.
John <>{ |
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July 2005
Posts: 3410
Location: GA USA | I agree with Slippy. That guitar was misrepresented. "New" assumes that there are no defects, and the auction page doesn't show the crack at all. You should be entitled to a discount, or a refund if you prefer. |
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Posts: 134
Location: Lakewood, Ohio | Id slip some elmers wood glue smeared on a piece of one othose plastic grocery bags in the crack and then clamp it if you can. Can you return it?Those are on sale at Guitar Center for $779.00, no case. I imagine theyl blow them out at the Presidents day sale. I like the lusty red ones. |
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August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by bauerhillboy:
I don't think there's a bolt anywhere near there. I KNOW there isn't a bolt anywhere near there. The bottom bolt is at least an inch higher up than that. And anyway, the bolt doesn't go into the wood, but a metal block embedded in the back of the heel.
I would imagine the crack is just cosmetic, though how it could have happened is beyond me.
It is not a stress point, so I wouldn't worry about it. Think about the physics of where the stresses are on a steel string guitar. That area, the bottom of the heel, is probably the least stressed part of the whole guitar. |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I would imagine the crack is just cosmetic, though how it could have happened is beyond me.
I've got an idea how.
Concider this.
UPS workers and airline baggage handlers have to do something while they're not at work. |
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Location: Warren,Pa. | Or consider this: You are looking at a piece of Maple. Yes, it happens to be shaped nicely, finished smoothly, and it's performing a nice function on your guitar.But the wood isn't aware of all that...it's a piece of Maple acting like a piece of Maple.
I say it's a check in the wood. Checks show up for various reasons by surprise in all kinds of wood. It could have opened up on the way to you after the seller sent it. I don't ever blame a guitar manufacturer for something that wood does naturally and by surprise to me.
Now if a guitar is made completely of synthetic materials, you can expect fewer, if any, surprises like this.
So...there are 2 pieces of Maple glued together in that heel. Is there a check in the other side? If there is it would be likely that this is from stress at that end of the heel. But if it's just in one of the 2 pieces I say it's a check in the wood and all I'd do is fill it. I wouldn't hold it against anyone who had their hands on it before it got to you.
John <>{ |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Yes John, there is a matching crack on the other side. Just not as obvious... You gotta run your fingernail over it.
And Thanx to Muzza, For reminding me that there is a metal block under there with the Kaman-Bar stuff attached to it. I am guessing that it is a "stress-crack" from when they shoved the truss-rod-assembly into the groove when they made it.
But! The bigger crack is on the bass-side... I see it every time I look down! |
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March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Sounds like something that opened up in transit. Did it ship in the case? Even hard cases don't stop a determined UPS driver who's had a bad day, but it's a start.
I had something similar happen with a 1778T, but it was a crack in the top, and it was shipped without a case at all and poorly packed. That was purely a case of poor packing resulting in shipping damage. That was completely the seller's fault, and he took it back no problem to fix it himself.
I agree with John here - it looks like a flaw in the wood that transit and mother nature exploited. If the neck isn't tweaked and the action is still good, I'd fill it and not even worry about it.
Call customer service just for good measure though... ;) |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | It came through the US Mail (believe-it-or-not). Well packed, no dents in the box, 48 hrs travel time. But it was only in a gig-bag. It might have been a temperature/air pressure thing. It came from Michigan, so it must have flown.
I'm just waiting for enough of y'all to tell me it is alright. :rolleyes:
Then I will go find me the appropriate colored beeswax (or something) and fill the crack.
Then I can enjoy my new toy.
Monday, my 1718 with the big finish-crack (hopefully) in the top will get here...
Then I will have something really bad to fret about! :eek: |
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Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | OMA,
On the limited info - I'd say its a check in the Maple. Not in a critical structural area but visible. As the Ebay phrase goes "will not effect playability".
Maybe...
If you were to trip over your Dog, thus scaring the Cat, that jumped up on the table and spilled your beer which made you grab desperately, knocking over a lamp that fell and hit your guitar - causing the same mark...
...would you feel like the guitar was worth a lot less?
That Elite T will take a lot of abuse in the next decade and still sound sweet! You will enjoy much more peace of mind when you take it out and "USE IT" because it can stand up to the environment. Consider this as the dreaded "first mark" and move on.
I would use some of the Vinyl filler used for Laminate flooring. It comes in a variety of colors to match, costs about $3 a tube and is flexible and removable if needed. Then wax over it if it looks good in a month.
If you think you paid top dollar and believe it is worth the time to pursue then run a claim through the USPS. If the Seller says it was that way then negotiate a price cut.
Or trade it with me. I like those!
Is it LX (with TRC) or previous? |
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January 2008
Posts: 58
Location: west | Hey, I don't want to offend anyone here - especially since I was going to bid on this T - but if it were me I'd send a nice courteous email to the seller and show him the anomoly in the maple heel, and ask if this guitar is under warranty. In my entire long life I have never witnessed anything like this on a guitar. At least Ovation shuld be made aware of the problem, as it could crop up in other 1778T guitars with maple necks. If it's under warranty I personally feel Ovation should make it right..
my $.02
additionally, I personally feel it's a hideous crack and I wouldn't like to have it on one of my guitars - regardless of stress points etc., it's just flat out ugly - and you're right to not want to look down at it..
I wouldn't want to have to rationalize it away myslef...
nuff said |
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Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | Email the pic to Kim: kkeller-kmc@kaman.com. |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Good Idea... Done Dat. Now I wait! |
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1778T -- is this Bad?
