Is this crack a serious problem?

[leotsou]

I have a crack on the underside of neck where neck meets body. Is this serious? What would this occur?

[Ron McMillan]

I'll leave it to the experts to give you a better technical assessment, but especially if this is a new development, I think you ought to loosen off the strings immediately and take it to a luthier to see what he thinks needs done.

[Willie Poole]

Looks like the top has seperated slightly and if so it should be corrected soon before it gets worse....

Willie

[Tobin]

Could just be a trick of the photos, but I see 3 places where cracks or separation seem to be happening.

1. At the neck join on top of the mandolin.

2. At the binding area of the heel of the neck.

3. A crack through the heel?

Can you confirm these? I ain't no luthier, but that looks like a pretty serious sign.

[leotsou]

The crack is just over an each the runs from the binding on the body towards the neck, slight separation, almost like the finish cracked. No other cracks are visible (yet).

[Folkmusician.com]

Are you talking about the line that goes across the top under the pick guard?

If it is cross grain and there is no obvious opening in the wood, it is normally just a finish crack and no big deal.

If you are concerned, you might contact Andrew:
http://mowrystrings.com/contact.htm

[leotsou]

As far as I can see, the crack is a the joint where the neck meets the body at the binding. It does not look like it is opening up. I am going to a party tonight after school and will show it to the music teacher at my school...I teach high school.

[billhay4]

Get it to a luthier. What kind of instrument is it?
Bill

[leotsou]

Get it to a luthier. What kind of instrument is it?
Bill

It is a 94 Flatiron F5. When looking at again, it looks like the finish opened up where the neck meets the body and is only along that line to the heel with no opening up. I loosened the strings just in case.

[MysTiK PiKn]

That's a nice mando worthy of recovery operations.

Can you get a closeup or 2 of the neck heel meets body, and maybe from below/back, or where is it exactly.?? No flash needed. I just think we're missing it, I dunno.

[leotsou]

Here is a much better photo. There is no break along the heel, just that 1.5 inch line.

[Tobin]

I'm still seeing something that looks like a crack right through the neck heel, as indicated below. Since it's showing up in all the photos you've posted, it can't just be a visual effect or glare. Is this a crack through the wood? You'll have to click on the photo to see it full size in order to see the line I'm trying to point out.

[leotsou]

Those are slight scratches that show with the glare but there may be a spot on the heel.

[allenhopkins]

Something's going on around that neck/body joint. Even the "finish cracks" may be caused by some movement.

I'd get it in the hands of a good repair tech ASAP. Could be "not much," could be more serious -- ounce of prevention, as they say...

[leotsou]

Thanks, will do.

[Marty Jacobson]

Definitely have someone look at it in person. But that heel button is not structural, it just looks like finish checking to me. It's easy for it to happen there with a heel cap made in that fashion.

[leotsou]

Just got back from seeing a luthier and everything is great, perfectly set up, and in great shape. Just old age. Whew!

[Ivan Kelsall]

The 'heel' of the neck has been made up by joining 2 or more pieces together prior to finishing it to shape. I'm sure that all you're seeing is that the finish has leeched into the joint over time.I've seen the same thing on many instruments,both inexpensive & very expensive. In fact,my Ellis "A" style shows a similar but very,very faint trace of the same thing where the 'riser' meets the top of the body,
Ivan

[MysTiK PiKn]

wow. my opinion changed w every picture.

thanks for all the pix.

Glad it's ok - a real going concern, eh? whewwww.!