Vela Finish Cracking or Checking

@Jimster, you're right with the colour, it's Frost Blue Metallic. The coating is nitro, which is generally more sensitive for any environmental condition. And though your other guitars are by your words supposed to be flawless, we neither know their coating (maybe more robust poly laquers) or, when coated in nitro, the actual ratio of ingredients. Nitro is perhaps not nitro. The look of the scars is spectular, because it is limited to a small part of the guitar. For me it appears like a contact reaction with a certain material (fabrics/liquid). ​

Please keep us in the loop.
 
The guitar was purchased from an authorized dealer but they are not of much help. That is why I opened PRS support ticket. There are no other issues with the guitar besides the defective finish. Its kind of an unusual metallic blue finish that I was never that thrilled with but less so now that it is checking.
 
Jimster said:
The guitar was purchased from an authorized dealer but they are not of much help. That is why I opened PRS support ticket. There are no other issues with the guitar besides the defective finish. Its kind of an unusual metallic blue finish that I was never that thrilled with but less so now that it is checking.
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Are You A Van Halen Fan? You Could Always Tape It Up And Have At It. :)
 
Hi Maertl513,

I did not suggest my other guitars are flawless. I indicated that they do not exhibit finish checking and all were stored the same way in my studio. The Vela is either hanging on a Hercules guitar stand or in its gig bag, most often in its gig bag. I didn't know the finish was nitro and I am certainly no finish expert. The only thing the guitar has been in contact with is the PRS gig bag.
 
Jimster said:
I think this particular color, Frost Blue Metallic has been discontinued. This checking issue may be one of the reasons.
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Jimster said:
Its kind of an unusual metallic blue finish that I was never that thrilled with but less so now that it is checking.
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PRS typically discontinues things because they don't sell. Theres a quote out there of Paul saying such. I doubt the finish was discontinued to an issue but more that it wasn't popular? Sure it has metallic flakes but it's still nitro like the rest.
 
I don’t have a guitar with checking but it’s the nitro clear coat, not the paint itself. I’ve not heard of a small concentrated area to check like that. I fear for you that PRS may blame it on an impact, but who knows what they’ll say. If I thought I could get a prs to check on the bulk of the guitar, I’d buy a goldtop SC 594 in a heartbeat. I love checking on metallic finishes.
 
@Jimster, I got ya.
My assumption of flawless other guitars was only about that they would be free of any damage caused by endangering storage - not by average usage.
By your words that the guitar was stored mostly in a bag or stand, I would like to exlude the stand, because of the untypical position of the crackles on top and frame.
I let a luthier build me a guitar with a nitro coating. To prevent the guitar best from impact by plasticizers he built me a special case without inner material with plasticizers. Because they do draw impact on nitro.
That being said, it could be that those traces are caused by residues of plasticizers in the fibres of the bag or even the fibers of the strap.

And your dealer is still responsible to deal with that issue - if your are first owner - in terms of warranty. He needs to fix it with PRS.
 
Hi Maertl513,

I wish I could trace this to something I did. I'd like to get to the bottom of it. I like PRS guitars and want to buy another one, but am reluctant for fear of checking. Either I did something unwittingly to cause the checking or the finish is somehow defective. I'll try again to contact PRS and will provide an update if I reach them. I'll also try the dealer again too.
 
Jimster said:
I got a hold of PRS and got someone to look at my ticket. I have to send the instrument to PRS for evaluation. I'm sure this will take a while. I'll post an update when I hear something. Thanks for everyone's help.
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Good to hear.
I can understand your trepidation regarding getting additional PRS, but you can rest assured that most all of us here have never seen an issue like this as a common or even occasional experience.
 
Moondog Wily said:
I have to agree with the problem being the wood beneath the finish. If it was from cold/heat, I would guess it would be more randomly dispersed on the guitar. This is all in a very concentrated area and not just a single crack. Did you purchase new from an authorized dealer? Hope they are able to resolve things for you!
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It really mimics wood grain, doesn't it? Kind of pronounced for mahagony though...
 
Jimster said:
PRS has evaluated my guitar and is refinishing it under warranty. They have not commented on the root cause. I will update this thread when I get more details and get the instrument back.
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Bravo!! Good for you and good for PRS.
As the owner of a Frost Blue Metallic S2 McCarty Thinline, I am very pleased with this outcome….I hope you are too. 👍
 
I had the same issue with my 2021 CU24. PRS took care of it. Took about 7 weeks. They attributed the problem to issues with the base coat.
 
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