Top Crack Affect on Instrument Value

[John Ritchhart]

What is the impact on the value of an instrument with a professionally repaired top crack if the tone, volume, appearance etc. are apparently unaffected?

[jim simpson]

John, it's a good question with not an easy answer, I've bought and sold instruments with top cracks both repaired and not. It seems to affect price but not sure how to calculate. I know refinishes are a big deduction as well as neck cracks. I once solicited input on creating a table of deductions for various issues. I believe the conclusion was that there were too many variables to up with a neat table.

[Rob Roy]

It seems there's been a thread on this topic in the last year or so, or maybe it was on the AGF. As I remember, it wasn't as big of an issue as you'd think, especially on vintage instruments.

[multidon]

I think the true answer to this question is “it depends”. For example, on many a pre-war Martin, well repaired cracks are almost expected. You would be suspicious of such a guitar if it did not have those cracks. It happened to just about all of them. And they are rare and desirable enough that the value is not effected. On the other hand, if a particular make and model of instrument is not that rare, and there are commonly at least several examples for sale at any given time, why would anyone pay the same money for a cracked example as they would for one that’s minty fresh? In the end, it’s the market that decides. You can ask anything you want, but what someone’s actually willing to pay you, that’s the market value.

[NotMelloCello]

"It depends" is the exact right answer.
There is nothing hard and fast in such matters.

[HoGo]

I agree with above.
Often it depends aslo on who and how did he repair the crack. Often folks describe who did the work on instruments for sale.
Sometimes one's "stable professionally repaired crack" is botched ugly glue mess for someone else. Standards do vary WILDLY.
In upper end violins, well repaired crack is the one you cannot see without being a pro or being pointed to you. On mandolins and guitars the standars is generally lower but there's difference between restorers.

[j. condino]

Sellers will all claim it is fine and has no effect on the resale value.

Buyers will all claim is permanently broken and has a tremendous effect on the resale value.

The truth lies somewhere in between.....