CAVEAT EMPTOR!

The moment CC showed me this broken neck, I reacted with, "Oh good grief - what crap wood".

The neck belongs to an Epiphone "Les Paul".

The offending wood is called Agathis - it's found in south Asia & a very poor relation of mahogany - unbelievably fragile. If you Google the stuff you'll come across many pages of "Why guitarists loathe Agathis".

Using Agathis to make necks on a Les Paul is tantamount to criminal negligence - the stuff is dead cheap & perfectly useless, but when it's disguised with a lavish coat of black polyurethane varnish - turn it over & look for the extra...

Don't get me wrong there are some absolutely brilliant instruments coming out of China. You should blame this shameful behaviour on Epiphone - an acquisition of the ghastly Gibson which has totally lost the plot.

Caveat Emptor!