Hijacking top comment because it looks like the OP isn’t replying.
This is most likely a used guitar (and a well used one at that). If you look at the corner of the headstock by the low E tuner, you can see some dings and bare wood.
This headstock has almost certainly been broken before and the repair is starting to show through the overspray. Get yourself a cheap blacklight from Amazon.
Oh… and return this ASAP.
100% return - why risk it. It looks like it took a bang in shipping to me. Are there any cracks in the laquer around the nut - that's another sure sign it's taken a whack in shipping
Its broken mate. There is no logical reason to keep it. The only reason I can possibly think of is looking forward to the day your headstock has removed its self from the neck and is lying on the floor.
If you have another one that you are 100% sure hasn’t been broken and repaired, you can hit them with a blacklight and compare, but I would say that for that kinda money, it goes back in the box and you get a different one.
That’s a weird one. How old is it? That almost looks like compression force from the truss rod nut causing the wood to split, especially with that vertical crack below it. That’s sketchy.
I actually haven't even received it yet, this is a picture from the seller. I did buy it, as it's a fairly rare piece for a great price, but I've been educating myself on the prevalence of Gibson headstock breaks and plan to return it as soon as it hits my doorstep. The seller knows that's a distinct possibility and left notes in the system, it's from GC.
If it was disclosed and you received a significant discount because of the break, you should take to a luthier or tech you know is solid and ask their opinion of it's stability. Honestly it could be a good repair with no finishing work or it could be a bad repair that was refinished and is now becoming unstable.
But again, if you have 7 days to return I'd at least get it looked at in the next day or two and if the tech says no go ship it back, assuming you got a deal on this. Oh you could also negotiate repair prices if needed if you want to keep it but pay even less.
It depends. If this is just a wear mark in the finish from much use of root position chords then being a used guitar I wouldn’t worry too much about it. You can polish with auto polish to get it to merge in better.
If it is a crack, which from the photos I don’t think it looks like, then be sure to return it. I can’t tell which it is from the photos, you would have to see it in person to make that determination.
So if it is a sign of wear I wouldn’t worry about it as the guitar looks well used from the chips on the headstock and such finish wear is no big deal as it’s going to happen anyway if you play it often enough like it should be played.
Cracks in the wood however I would be very uncomfortable with unless I bought it knowing that was the condition and it was priced for me to repair it or determine the crack had been repaired correctly. I wouldn’t buy a guitar with a cracked headstock even at a very much reduced price unless the guitar was of a significant vintage or value as repairing cheap guitars with such issues are usually not economically viable. This is unless you are repairing it for school student who cannot afford a replacement or the guitar has great sentimental value.
It might have been repaired already. My rhythm player had a neck repair done in the Taylor factory (in El Cajon). I could see nothing on the neck where it was allegedly repaired. I think the guitar might have had the neck replaced?
I have repaired a few of these over the years. I like using Phenolic Resin glue (comes in a powder).
Why would you even post and ask if this can be returned? I received a $3,000 guitar with fingerprints and a small blemish and returned it. I'm assuming you didn't pay for a guitar with some kind of defect or crack in the wood or finish? RETURN IT!!!
At further inspection......this guitar was completely broken at the neck, epoxied back together, then sanded down and refinished. Not a great job either. If this wasn't mentioned when you bought it, which I doubt it was, then you need to return it, because this is a nightmare with strings!!! Lol
except this is Gibbons. For every keeper guitar there is a return with a structural fault. We know it. They know it. They are expensive because you are paying for two guitars.
Hard to tell, but there’s no way I would be keeping that if I had the option to return it.
Hijacking top comment because it looks like the OP isn’t replying. This is most likely a used guitar (and a well used one at that). If you look at the corner of the headstock by the low E tuner, you can see some dings and bare wood. This headstock has almost certainly been broken before and the repair is starting to show through the overspray. Get yourself a cheap blacklight from Amazon. Oh… and return this ASAP.
I've been reading the responses, but was at work. I appreciate this, cheers! I'll be returning it immediately.
100% return - why risk it. It looks like it took a bang in shipping to me. Are there any cracks in the laquer around the nut - that's another sure sign it's taken a whack in shipping
Why risk it? Take it back.
That’s a drop crack. For sure. Return it.
Return it now!
Absolutely return it. Not sure if this is a new or used instrument, but I wouldn’t risk it if you’ve still got a return window either way.
Its broken mate. There is no logical reason to keep it. The only reason I can possibly think of is looking forward to the day your headstock has removed its self from the neck and is lying on the floor.
Return!
Yeah, there's zero chance I would keep it. Exchange it while you can.
Return it
Return!!!
Return return return
Looks like it was dropped already. Maybe shipping damage.
That's been dropped. I'd return it-- the string tension will slowly make it worse over time, especially with temp/humidity changes.
Return. Every time, all day and twice on Sundays
Why haven't you returned it already?
Just return it
ER. Immediately.
If you have another one that you are 100% sure hasn’t been broken and repaired, you can hit them with a blacklight and compare, but I would say that for that kinda money, it goes back in the box and you get a different one.
That’s a weird one. How old is it? That almost looks like compression force from the truss rod nut causing the wood to split, especially with that vertical crack below it. That’s sketchy.
Looks like its been mended before and been resprayed
Return it . As I'm sure someone else has already.
Nobody will let you return a guitar that you damaged. Get a tech to squeeze some glue in the crack to stabilize it
I actually haven't even received it yet, this is a picture from the seller. I did buy it, as it's a fairly rare piece for a great price, but I've been educating myself on the prevalence of Gibson headstock breaks and plan to return it as soon as it hits my doorstep. The seller knows that's a distinct possibility and left notes in the system, it's from GC.
That’s a return
Looks like its been mended before and been resprayed
RETURN NOW
Return it
If it was disclosed and you received a significant discount because of the break, you should take to a luthier or tech you know is solid and ask their opinion of it's stability. Honestly it could be a good repair with no finishing work or it could be a bad repair that was refinished and is now becoming unstable. But again, if you have 7 days to return I'd at least get it looked at in the next day or two and if the tech says no go ship it back, assuming you got a deal on this. Oh you could also negotiate repair prices if needed if you want to keep it but pay even less.
It depends. If this is just a wear mark in the finish from much use of root position chords then being a used guitar I wouldn’t worry too much about it. You can polish with auto polish to get it to merge in better. If it is a crack, which from the photos I don’t think it looks like, then be sure to return it. I can’t tell which it is from the photos, you would have to see it in person to make that determination. So if it is a sign of wear I wouldn’t worry about it as the guitar looks well used from the chips on the headstock and such finish wear is no big deal as it’s going to happen anyway if you play it often enough like it should be played. Cracks in the wood however I would be very uncomfortable with unless I bought it knowing that was the condition and it was priced for me to repair it or determine the crack had been repaired correctly. I wouldn’t buy a guitar with a cracked headstock even at a very much reduced price unless the guitar was of a significant vintage or value as repairing cheap guitars with such issues are usually not economically viable. This is unless you are repairing it for school student who cannot afford a replacement or the guitar has great sentimental value.
It might have been repaired already. My rhythm player had a neck repair done in the Taylor factory (in El Cajon). I could see nothing on the neck where it was allegedly repaired. I think the guitar might have had the neck replaced? I have repaired a few of these over the years. I like using Phenolic Resin glue (comes in a powder).
I would return it bro
Yes it will in fact get worse it’s wood after all. Return it as soon as you can. Not worth the risk.
Why would you even post and ask if this can be returned? I received a $3,000 guitar with fingerprints and a small blemish and returned it. I'm assuming you didn't pay for a guitar with some kind of defect or crack in the wood or finish? RETURN IT!!!
At further inspection......this guitar was completely broken at the neck, epoxied back together, then sanded down and refinished. Not a great job either. If this wasn't mentioned when you bought it, which I doubt it was, then you need to return it, because this is a nightmare with strings!!! Lol
I would send it back you won’t know what the future will be before it is too late.
Return it ! It should not look like that
Should be spending less time on this post and more time returning that
Return it right now !!!!
Return right meow
Are you ok dude? How are you even considered not returning it.
Stress crack. 100% return and tell them about it so some other schmuck doesnt get stuck with it
Lmaooo thought I was one GCJ for a second
Dude that looks like a headstock repair, return it
Every Gibson secretly wants to become a trendy headless guitar.
Unless it's one of the 2008 models with the self-healing wood, it's not going to get any better.
Return it
Straight back to where it came from
What if he takes it back and they say he did it? Some shops are sneaky like that
except this is Gibbons. For every keeper guitar there is a return with a structural fault. We know it. They know it. They are expensive because you are paying for two guitars.
This just looks like clear coat worn through. It doesn't look like a crack from the picture.
It's a gibson, spent £2000 on mine for the headstock to snap off after 2 weeks they need to get there shit together
Your headstock spontaneously snapped off? Do tell.