Gap on neck join

[Dusty Chalk]

Hi, all. I was inspecting my beloved maple neck Custom 24, when I noticed this gap around the neck join. It doesn't affect tone (I mean, if it does, it affects it for the better, because the tone is suhWEET) or structural integrity, but I need to be told it's nothing (or not, if it isn't). Is there anything I can do as a non-woodworking muggle? How much would a good non-PRS luthier charge to fix it? Any idea on how much PTC would charge? (I will of course contact them directly to find out for myself. I did buy it used (I think -- it was from Japan/KiD, there was a lot of Google.translating going on), so I will definitely have to pay for it.

 

[Black Plaid]

I can't see the gap in these pictures, but pics be like that.

I am guessing it's superficial and just at exit. Can you fit anything in there and see how deep it might go?

 

[RC Mike]

All I see at the joint is what looks like polishing compound.

 

[Birdsofprey]

I don’t see a gap, I see a joint with two pieces being joined. You could take a q-tip with some warm water and possibly clean it up a little better. Darn camera resolution’s the more we look and magnify the more we’re going to see this applies to guitars, cars and look in the mirror us!

 

[show_a_little_faith]

Can you fit anything in there and see how deep it might go?

 

[bodia]

Yeah, I don’t think it’s anything either.

 

[rcsrich]

Looks to me also like polishing compound and perhaps the joining of two different finishes...is the neck a satin or different finish?

 

[deathworlder]

Custom 24 with a plain jane maple neck?

 

[bodia]

Custom 24 with a plain jane maple neck?

Yep…I’ve had a couple. Best thing other than roasted as far as maple necks go.

 

[deathworlder]

Yep…I’ve had a couple. Best thing other than roasted as far as maple necks go.

They were regular production?

 

[bodia]

They were regular production?

Wood Library for both of mine.

 

[JasonE]

I am not seeing anything wrong or anything to worry about.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Custom 24 with a plain jane maple neck?

...my beloved. 3 out of 4 of my favourite PRS guitars -- a pink blackburst 509, a custom-but-not-private-stock wood library purple mist singlecut hollowbody, and this one, a limited run for Japanese distributors KiD Custom 24 -- all have plain unstained maple necks with maple fretboards. This one in particular with the uncovered pickups just has a certain PRfection to it -- sounds great, right on the edge of breakup.

And thanks, everyone, I am mostly reassured. I will try to take some pics with a pick or a dime or something. There is definitely a gap, which I only noticed recently, and now that I've seen it, I'm finding it impossible to unsee. I'm just a terrible photographer, is why you can't see it in the pics.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Okay, I feel a lot more better that this is purely cosmetic, and not a real issue at all. I tried to squeeze a couple different things in the gap, and nothing fits. A pick, a dime...I don't have one of those spark plug gap tools, but if I did, I doubt most of them would fit. I even have a special ultra thin wire tool that I use to take the filters out of my hearing aids -- even that didn't fit.

And the birds more than make up for it. I mean, look at that owl.