Just a truss adjustment?

[RiverGrass]

Hey everyone. So my A strings were buzzin pretty badly, and I know I should have taken care of it sooner, but did not. So anyway I leave my mandolin sitting for a few weeks, and when I pick it back up the tonation is nightmarishly bad. Down on the e string somewhere around the 11th to 14th are all the same muted mess of a note. I then noticed what looks like some cracking in the lacquer around the base of the neck. That's when I became terrified and assumed that my axe was broken.

Now it's been sitting for way too long and I need to play again. Could it just need a simple truss rod adjustment? Or an expensive surgery? Also, anybody around the Denver area that knows a luthier or someone you like for mando work?

Thanks guys

[Vernon Hughes]

From the looks of the finish popping loose at the body/neck area, looks like the neck is pulling forward.Not a death knell but it ain't good.Can't tell from the pics but is there separation at the neck/body joint at the heel?

[colorado_al]

Ouch. That doesn't look good. I would take it to the Olde Town Pickin' Parlor ASAP
7515 Grandview Ave, Arvada, CO 80002
(303) 421-2304

open 10-6

I suspect the neck joint is failing due to lack of humidity causing the wood to shrink. Best to have a quality shop have a look. It could be that you can humidify it and then have the neck reset.
What instrument is it? i.e. is it worth the money to have that done?

[Dale Ludewig]

That's a puzzler. Your fretting issues sound like the neck has a back bow. But that wouldn't affect the neck joint especially at the top of the joint where the cheeks are. If the neck was shifting/ loose, you should see something at the heel, I would think. And the action would get higher if the neck were loose. If the top were sinking, you could have fretting issues, but that would cause that finish damage. Can you put up a few shots of the neck lengthwise? Regardless, Pickin' Parlor is probably the place to go.

[HoGo]

Agree with above.
You are probably seeing two problems at once. One is the neck joint that has shifted a little. This may not be of concern if it is still solid (perhaps it was exposed to heat and shifted a little causing the finish cracks) and not moving anymore. Another is problem with your action. It can be just fret popped due to dryness (heating season lowers humidity in our homes) or top sunk a bit (again due to dryness) but there can be problem with fingerboard separating from neck at neck joint due to increased pressure as the joint moved, but I don't see that happening in your pics. Have a better look at the damage and if there is no noticeable gap or visible glue line between fingerboard and neck you will likely just have to do some fretwork and set up.

[RiverGrass]

I'll throw up some more pictures today when I get home. Thanks for the suggestions guys.

[RiverGrass]

Ouch. That doesn't look good. I would take it to the Olde Town Pickin' Parlor ASAP
7515 Grandview Ave, Arvada, CO 80002
(303) 421-2304

open 10-6

I suspect the neck joint is failing due to lack of humidity causing the wood to shrink. Best to have a quality shop have a look. It could be that you can humidify it and then have the neck reset.
What instrument is it? i.e. is it worth the money to have that done?

Hey thanks! Didn't know about the Parlor. Those guys sound more than qualified so I'll be taking my mandolin down that way my next day off to at least get this diagnosed.

Well it's a The Loar LM 700. So got it for a little over a grand I guess about 5 years ago. Getting knee surgery in a month or so and don't know that I'll be able to fork out the dough for a big repair bill this season. There lies my biggest worry and why I've been afraid to diagnose this for a while now. Always assumed mandolin repair cost a small fortune.

[colorado_al]

If you're the original owner and you have your receipt, that may be a warranty repair. The Loar has a lifetime warranty for the original owner, if bought from an authorized dealer
http://www.theloar.com/warranty

[RiverGrass]

If you're the original owner and you have your receipt, that may be a warranty repair. The Loar has a lifetime warranty for the original owner, if bought from an authorized dealer
http://www.theloar.com/warranty

Yes I am the original owner. Bought it from The Mandolin Store around 2012 or so. Assumed this wouldn't be covered by warranty but I'm going to take a look at that. Thanks.

[RiverGrass]

If you're the original owner and you have your receipt, that may be a warranty repair. The Loar has a lifetime warranty for the original owner, if bought from an authorized dealer
http://www.theloar.com/warranty

And man, there's no tellin where the receipt is. I've moved multiple times since then and I'm sure it's gone by now. That could be a problem haha

[Dale Ludewig]

If you're the original owner, they should have a copy of the paperwork.

[RiverGrass]

No obvious signs on separation here on the back.

But I did notice the nut doesn't appear to be completely seated here on the G string side. Not sure how long this has been there.

[colorado_al]

I'd contact Dennis at the mandolin store and see if they can dig up a copy of your receipt. Then ask him what he would suggest you do.

[Br1ck]

Is damage due to dryness really covered by warranty? Seems that is owner neglect rather than mfg defect.

[colorado_al]

Is damage due to dryness really covered by warranty? Seems that is owner neglect rather than mfg defect.

Not certain that is the issue, but could be

[HoGo]

Not certain that is the issue, but could be

There are few threads of folks who refinished or restored The Loar mandolins with failed neck joints and typically the work inside the joint is quite sloppy and filled with lots of glue. Such joint is likely to fail, even if dowels were used at the back, the top has room to move...

[RiverGrass]

Thanks for the help guys. Micah at Old Town Pickin Parlour said my neck was pretty bowed. He's doing some fret work on the hump in the neck for now so I can get it playing again. Not a permanent fix, but a cheap solution for the time being.