JN Soundboard Crack

When the bentside hitchpinrail fails, the gap between it and the inside face of the bentside is clearly visible. The depth of the gap can be determined by careful insertion of a piece of plastic film strip or even a thin metal ruler. If such a gauge can be inserted to below the level of the soundboard, the failure is more serious and it is obvious that the liner has also pulled away from the bentside.

Sometimes the sudden shock caused by a drop in transit can break a glue bond and pop the underside supporting furniture off the soundboard. The board then can be suddenly unhinged, and have no choice but to split.

JN Soundboard Crack

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A lesser shock can cause more serious damage in an amateur-built instrument where the ends of the ribs may have been left full thickness. It is not uncommon to see a crack running close to the spine for the entire length of the board. If the ribs had been correctly scalloped, their ends can flex somewhat with the board rather than create a huge difference in rigidity right at that point.

Let's face it: Sometime during the life of an average acoustic guitar, it will likely develop at least a small crack. You are carrying around a wooden box made of exotic hardwoods measuring anywhere from about .090" to .150" in thickness. That's a pretty fragile thing in and of itself. When you factor in that the strings are applying upwards of 180 pounds of force to the top via the bridge, it's really a wonder that guitar bodies hold together at all.

Cracks vary as much as all other things guitar, but there are some commonalities that can be addressed to give us a better understanding of them and how to proceed with a repair. Since cracks most often occur in the body woods, let's first look at the body, panel by panel.

Most of the worst and hardest-to-repair cracks happen on a guitar's top. One of the most common instances is actually not a crack at all, but a center-seam separation. This usually happens when the guitar is allowed to dry out, causing the two halves of the top to come unglued at the center seam. It most often occurs in the area from the bridge to the end block.

With all top cracks, timing of the repair is critical. The longer you wait to fix the crack, the less likely it can be done invisibly. Also, try and resist the temptation to run your finger over the crack to feel it. This puts oils and dirt from your hand into the crack, which makes it hard to re-glue and can leave a dark line that can't be removed.

If you know that you're not looking at a finish crack and the top is indeed cracked, remove the string tension and get the guitar to a good repairperson as soon as possible. Center-seam separations or other lengthy top cracks can be made stable (if not invisible) without removing the bridge and "overspraying" the top. Overspraying (spraying over the existing finish) is an option if you just can't live with the cosmetic imperfection of a crack, but it should be avoided on any vintage guitar.

Don't try this at home, but with cracks caused by low humidity, we always start by putting a trash bag over the entire body and adding humidity inside the bag for a couple of weeks. This will close up the crack dramatically before we proceed with the repair. We use thin Super Glue for most of the crack-sealing operations.

If the crack has been open for years, the humidity method with the trash bag won't work as well, and a splint may be needed to close the crack. Top cracks are tricky because that's where the most stress is applied, but also because the light color of spruces and cedars most often used for tops makes for a much harder, cosmetic repair.

Since the guitar sides are usually the thinnest woods on the body, and since they are in just the right position to get whacked on something (often while playing), they sometimes get cracked. Even if the sides of a body are braced, a crack can still run right through the brace. I've seldom seen a case where a brace stopped a crack on a guitar.

The sides are the most likely place for a crack to occur when shipping an instrument. Always make sure that your guitar fits in its case well (not loose) when shipping it or traveling by plane. Cracks on the sides are repaired much the same way as top cracks, but repairs will usually look better cosmetically. This is because of the darker color of most side woods and the grain and grain fillers have a bit more going on to catch the eye and mask a crack than a top does.

The backs of guitars probably finish third in terms of frequency of cracks. The backs are usually a little thicker than either the top or sides, therefore a bit tougher. Matters of improper humidity usually don't affect the thicker, harder woods on the back as much. The repair procedure is much the same as the top and sides, but the person doing the repair should be diligent on the interior cleanup of the guitar since the work could be visible through the soundhole.

When it comes down to it, I personally feel that you should enjoy and play your guitar, live with the little cracks and dings that inevitably happen, and not make yourself miserable about cosmetics. If you have a repair that needs to be made, just be sure to get a qualified person to do a good job. Until next time, keep on pickin'!

I noticed a surface crack on the soundboard of my older L&H Troubador today (see photo). This instrument had been sitting idle for a long period of time and I have been gradually bringing it back up to pitch. The surface crack runs from about 4G to 5B, and there is no sign of the crack inside the body. I had planned to replace all the strings soon.

I have seen this problem with a second-hand Troubadour that had arrived in perfect condition. Within a year, we were seeing cracks just like this. We thought for sure it was just the veneer, but it now has progressed to an obvious series of cracks that go straight through. Now we are getting a brace built to hold it together from the inside. Peter Wiley knows how to make these and could send you instructions, or perhaps you have a professional harp repair person near you. If you leave it too long, it will become unrepairable. Best of luck!

Thank you all for the helpful information. I spent some time checking out the soundboard and have attached a photo of the wood on the inside of the body. The wood grain looks very different. Also I measured the thickness of the soundboard by using the depth of the string hole. It is about 1/2 inch thick and sounds like there is hollow space between the layers of wood. Not sure if this is useful information but in any case I will need to think carefully about how to proceed.

Thanks Carl, that is helpful. I would like to use this instrument for teaching and will try to manage this. Do you think using gut strings would be better than nylon? My understanding is that nylon strings are a stronger material and can create more pressure on the soundboard. I am planning to re-string it using the same Bow Brand strings I use for my Style 30.

The cracks that you describe do not compromise the life of the soundboard at all. They are not an indication that the board is weakening. This type of cracking also has no effect whatsoever on the sound. It is only vertical cracks that run parellel and close to the center strip on the soundboard that are ominous signs that the soundboard may need to be replaced soon.

For over ten years, the Bradfield Piano team has rebuilt, repaired and restored Steinway and other piano soundboards with the excellent results. Our technicians are experienced in piano restoration, advanced repair techniques and piano refinishing. You can trust Bradfield Piano for your soundboard repair and replacement needs.

The soundboard amplifies the vibrations of the strings via treble and bass bridges. Vibrating strings send the waves through the bridges and into the soundboard. Without a soundboard, the music from vibrating strings would be difficult to hear.

Our technicians have first-hand knowledge of how Steinways and other pianos are manufactured. We use high quality Bolduc soundboards to mimic the original construction. A new soundboard will give your piano the right tone and ultimately extend the life of your instrument.

Nearly all pianos develop cracks in the soundboard over the course of their lives, and rarely are these cracks serious enough to cause any bother. Small cracks, especially along the seams where the wood pieces are joined together, occur after the board has had many years of vibration coupled with cyclical changes in the weather, usually accompanied by the drying of the wood and the glue used to hold the wood together. Split seams are quite common, and usually do not become a worry. The boards themselves may also crack along the grain of the wood between seams.

More serious cracks may occur when the piano has received substantial shock, as in a drop or particularly rough relocation. These cracks may be cause for concern; however, a crack only becomes a problem when the separated pieces of wood pull far enough apart to rattle or buzz against each other or against the rear bracing of the piano. Usually, the diagnosis is easy. If an instrument has a pronounced rattle or buzz when played, a deep crack may have split the soundboard into different pieces. These cracks are usually roughly the width of a penny or wider.

When the soundboard has received extensive damage, i.e. in a drop, flood, or other major incident, the only way the sound can be preserved would be to remove the plate from the piano and replace the soundboard with a newly manufactured one that closely mimics the original construction.

Good technology has always been a large part of building a Steinway & Sons piano. A hundred years ago Steinway soundboards, made of soft, vibrant spruce wood, were harvested and crafted by the hands and tools of foresters. With so much of the work being done by hand, each piano took on its own special characteristics. After the wood was cut, it was then cured for up to seven years using special racks that allowed the outdoor air to circulate around the boards. As the wood dried completely, it became extremely stable. This resulted in the legendary soundboard stability and tonal quality for which Steinway is known. 2ff7e9595c