A new OM about to be born

[John Parchem]

I have no lacquer experience. As I read it it I thought wood cracks from low humidity, but wondered after reading about cracks in the headstock. Somehow it must be lacquer related.

[Carl Dickinson]

Sorry to hear about that, Kevin. Here's a StewMac/Erlewine video that deals with lacquer checks. The transcription has the mixture of thinner, retarder and lacquer mixture to use. I'm going to try it on my old Gibson Gospel after I replace the deteriorating cellulose binding (and doing a neck reset while I'm at it)...someday. https://www.stewmac.com/video-and-ideas ... ash-coats/. Frank Ford has some stuff about that too on frets.com.

[Kevin in California]

Yeah John these multiple cracks surely appear to be the lacquer cracking.
Thanks Carl. That is what I will attempt...the flash coats. If it doesn't work I'll sand the cracked surfaces to bare wood and respray those. Have to wait a couple months for warmer temps.

[Herman]

That is a bummer Kevin.
I had this once. After I made photo's outside just above freezing temperature and took the guitar inside where the heater was on.
The day after the laquer was cracked, like yours, all over the place.
I don't recall how I fixed it. Probably sanded it down and resprayed it.
Good luck on this one mate.
Herman

[Herman]

Or leave it Kevin. Murphy lab charges a lot of money to create cracks on Gibson guitars for an aging effect:

[Kevin in California]

Hmmmm
Only the back and sides are not cracked
I think I must fix it.

[Kevin in California]

UPDATE
I've been waiting for some warmer weather to test out repairing this cracked finish problem and I'm VERY HAPPY to report that this weekend I fixed the problem on the neck.
I mixed up a 8 to 1 thinner to lacquer with a little bit of retarded. Put it in a Preval sprayer and sat on a stool in the sun and sprayed this over the cracked areas multiple times, always holding the area horizontal, and repeated until it looked like the lacquer melted into the cracks.
That was Saturday afternoon. This morning I dry sanded with 800 grit all areas; headstock front and back and the heel and about half way up the neck shaft. It took very little sanding to get flat and NO CRACKS!!!!

So I'm hyped about it. And hopeful that I can accomplish on the top also. It is really cracked.
Looking to remark the bridge and neck area again tomorrow and spray the magic potion on Wednesday.
I'll approach it the same way but use my HVLP sprayer for the job.

I'll try and show a before and after of the top.
Wish me luck!!!!