Boo hoo! 1st crack

bunnyf

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I opened up the case of a uke I don't play too often and boo hoo there was a crack. It's on the cedar top of one of my baris, from the bottom of the lower bout up toward the bridge. I live a block from the Pacific on the central coast so I'm thinking not humidity but maybe temp change (we've had some cold). Anyway, I just wanted to cry the blues a bit and wondered how others handled their first uke catastrophe. Uke still sounds great. Should I glue crack?
 
Here is a link you may find useful.
http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Lut...tructural/Cracks/LG2TopCrack/lg2topcrack.html
I've used a shortcut of newly formed small cracks by just working the glue into the crack just before a rain storm 2 clamped pieces flat plastic to stabilize top and bottom. The humidity increase swells the crack tight. I don't always use a reinforcement patch depending on length and thickness of the top.
 
Thanks spongeuke for the link. I think I will try to stabile the crack myself, before it reaches the bridge. Just wanted to whine a bit. It's just one of those things...you know it can happen, but somehow you think it won't happen to you.
 
bunny: that's a bit surprising to hear, as you live in an area that has near perfect year-round climate conditions for acoustic instruments.
 
bunny: that's a bit surprising to hear, as you live in an area that has near perfect year-round climate conditions for acoustic instruments.

I know! That's why I was quite surprised. I guess I should have not taken it for granted. Uke was in a case, in a closet, when it happened (I was away in FL, without this one). I understand we had a ton of rain while we were gone and had periods of quite cold weather. I guess a crack can just happen and cedar is pretty soft.
 
Good luck bunny, I hope you get to the bottom of this. A few years ago, the bridge snapped off of one of my ukes while in the case (in Florida), cracking the top from bottom nearly to the soundhole. The 1st attempt to fix it failed, the 2nd was a success. We never did figure out why it did that, maybe a factory defect?
 
I know! That's why I was quite surprised. I guess I should have not taken it for granted. Uke was in a case, in a closet, when it happened (I was away in FL, without this one). I understand we had a ton of rain while we were gone and had periods of quite cold weather. I guess a crack can just happen and cedar is pretty soft.

That's concerning. I also live near the coast w almost perfect year round climate conditions and keep my unplayed ukes in a case in a downstairs (cooler than upstairs main level) closet. Hmm.
 
That's concerning. I also live near the coast w almost perfect year round climate conditions and keep my unplayed ukes in a case in a downstairs (cooler than upstairs main level) closet. Hmm.

I also live between the desert and the ocean, and I was worried about the humidity and didn't want the bother of the humidifiers, etc. So all but one of my ukes are plywood; one has a solid spruce top, but I got it before my anti-solid wood decision. I even bought a cheap looking, plastic Flea (that I don't like) back then too.

I know that plywood ukes crack and split and twist, but none of mine have yet, thank God. :eek:ld:
 
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Good luck bunny, I hope you get to the bottom of this. A few years ago, the bridge snapped off of one of my ukes while in the case (in Florida), cracking the top from bottom nearly to the soundhole. The 1st attempt to fix it failed, the 2nd was a success. We never did figure out why it did that, maybe a factory defect?

Hey there Nicki! A few years ago, I had a bridge fly off in FL. Fortunately no crack and luthier put bridge back, all good. That time, I was foolish enough to leave my uke in case in super hot camper all day (what was I thinking? ?..I wasn't I guess). This time, I'm not really sure of the cause other than possibly temperature change. Uke was about 5 years old, handmade by small independent luthier. I will just repair it and continue to enjoy it. Still sounds nice and it's my beater, with serious strum marks, so cosmetics aren't hugely concerning. Don't want the crack to reach the bridge though, so I guess I should get on that repair.
 
That's concerning. I also live near the coast w almost perfect year round climate conditions and keep my unplayed ukes in a case in a downstairs (cooler than upstairs main level) closet. Hmm.

When I lived in southwest FL, interior temp and humidity was very consistent in my home (with AC set at 73 and a dehumidifier just right). Here in Pismo we usually have moderate temps and a good marine effect that keeps humidity nice but almost no one has AC and heat is rarely used. Temperatures can fluctuate quite a bit from pretty cool in morning and evening, to warm in late afternoon. As you said, downstairs can be much cooler. I will be more careful in the future. Glad my guitar is a (Taylor gs-mini) laminate.
 
Rubbish spot for a crack. Definitely try the humidity/glue trick. Cracks with the grain often grow, and the bridge is a bad place for a crack to end up, as I'm sure you know.

The being said, I had an in-grain crack in a Martin D-18, and it was glued about 20 years ago, and it's still fine. And that guitar has had a life and then some.
 
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