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I got twenty bucks that says it's just a crack in the finish. An inside corner like that is a classic spot for finish to crack when it shrinks. If that's the case, it's only a problem if it bothers you.
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
This is pretty common for tight neck pockets. It is nothing major or structural.
Clip the end off your guitars players high e string and if you can insert it, there is a crack in the wood. If not probably structurally sound. Regardless that crack would anoy the hell out of me if I didn't know it was there before purchasing.
Turnaround
Commercial User
Turnaround is correct.
It's easy to stabilize the cracked finish now. Once the finish flakes off it becomes a much larger (pun intended) problem.
Right now it's a small CA drop fill. Maybe add some color. When the finish flakes off it's color matching, a large drop fill, and a lot more time. Time is money.
Find someone (qualified) to take care of it for you.
If you're extremely handy, search "drop fill" in this forum.
If you're extremely handy but haven't done this sort of thing, practice on scrap.
Of course, if you're extremely handy you already know that.
It's easy to stabilize the cracked finish now. Once the finish flakes off it becomes a much larger (pun intended) problem.
Right now it's a small CA drop fill. Maybe add some color. When the finish flakes off it's color matching, a large drop fill, and a lot more time. Time is money.
Find someone (qualified) to take care of it for you.
If you're extremely handy, search "drop fill" in this forum.
If you're extremely handy but haven't done this sort of thing, practice on scrap.
Of course, if you're extremely handy you already know that.
Thanks for all the answers everybody.
I’ll try with a guitar string like @Slidlow suggested.
@202dy of course I’m not handy enough...because I didn’t know that.
I’m handy enough to do a few set up adjustments by myself in the last couple of years, and it’s what I just did. “Unfortunately” the neck was in shape and I didn’t need to take off the neck to adjust the truss rod. So I missed the opportunity to check the pocket from the inside...
I’ll try with a guitar string like @Slidlow suggested.
@202dy of course I’m not handy enough...because I didn’t know that.
I’m handy enough to do a few set up adjustments by myself in the last couple of years, and it’s what I just did. “Unfortunately” the neck was in shape and I didn’t need to take off the neck to adjust the truss rod. So I missed the opportunity to check the pocket from the inside...
Oh yes! That's a Mexican Fender. Soon, chunks of the finish will be falling off in that area like it never adhered to the surface.
Here is my ‘07 MIM Jazz. As you can see, I had a similar issue. This bass has had four different necks on it, some didn’t go as smoothly as planned.
Ah ok, cool. Good to know....
Anyway I have ‘91 Mexican Jazz in perfect conditions. But it has the truss rod access at the headstock...could it be that? [edit] I mean maybe it’s been the take off and on the neck in these 12 years that cause the crack.
Ah ok, cool. Good to know....
Anyway I have ‘91 Mexican Jazz in perfect conditions. But it has the truss rod access at the headstock...could it be that? [edit] I mean maybe it’s been the take off and on the neck in these 12 years that cause the crack.
No. It has nothing to do with the truss rod access. It has to do with how the paint was applied. I've had several that don't crack like that at all even after taking the neck off several times. I've had others that crack without taking the neck off at all. depends on the year, color, and how the plant workers were feeling that day. Once the crack, or chip happens, though, it's pretty much a given that a lot more of the paint will chip off quite easily if it isn't stabilized.
I've seen much worse! That actually isn't too bad by comparison.
I can’t even imagine...But, there you go, likely just the finish. I can’t imagine the pressure being enough to launch wood upwards like that, at all.
Probably thick paint on the inside of the neck pocket, right after the ledge. You get a finish tear in these basses, it will crack like we are seeing here. Not a flexible paint by any means.
Anyway, I, personally, wouldn’t drop fill a thing. No point in fixing it, unless you’re anal about a perfect finish.
Turnaround
Commercial User
There certainly is a point to fixing it. Left alone it will get worse. It may not be a whole lot worse, but do you want to gamble on how much worse it will get?
