Guitar Crack?

[Hudsonbru123]

Hey guys so I got this 82 AS200 a little bit ago and I’ve been loving it. I got it at a good price and I went in buying it knowing it was a bit of a player guitar but I hadn’t seen these two cracks when I purchased it. I wanted to get an extra pair of eyes on them to let me know if they’re something I should be worried about or not. This is my current student guitar so if they’re just cosmetic then that’s fine but if they’re something that could lead to problems I’d want to know what my best options are.

[deacon Mark]

Hard to tell from the pictures. If it is just the finish or in the wood. You can easily I think figure it out to see if there is separation in the wood. If there is then the guitar might well be playable but is compromised for sure. The headstock is a bit odd does the crack go down into the neck?

[Hudsonbru123]

It mirrors it on both sides and goes up and around the top sort of and I can’t tell but it almost looks like there was some sort of repair done to it. I may be wrong though. Here’s a better look at both spots. All seem pretty hairline which may be just the finish? The hardware seems pretty tarnished as well so maybe it just wasn’t stored the best? Let me know what you think!

[Jimmy blue note]

Uh oh!
It might be cosmetic but in my experience, I think there's a greater chance that there is a problem with join integrity. That's a long neck. That's a relatively small heel/body join. I know Ibanez guitars very well and I've seen this before. Those tell tale finish cracks are bad news. Action is good otherwise? Ample room to make adjustments at the bridge?
Of course you might go on playing it for years and prove me wrong, but objectively if there ever was an Achilles heel on those guitars, it's the Ibanez heel. The poly they put on them shows every trauma. The join beneath is fragile for the load put on it.
Could I see a photo of the neck/headstock join looking from the side, immediately below the nut?
If there's any evidence of crazing or finish crack at that point, I'll say for certain that it's had a knock that caused them. May have been in case, falling hard, being banged against a doorway, anything... but on a neck that thin and knowing the 80's Fujigen 200's as I do, I wouldn't declare that a 100% reliable purchase.
My two cents.

Just looked really carefully at the photos. That guitar has seen much heavier than normal use, there's a neck lamination join at crucial points where I see finish breaches (wings off the centre section, where a screw marks a finish crack). Be aware.

[Hudsonbru123]

Uh oh!
It might be cosmetic but in my experience, I think there's a greater chance that there is a problem with join integrity. That's a long neck. That's a relatively small heel/body join. I know Ibanez guitars very well and I've seen this before. Those tell tale finish cracks are bad news. Action is good otherwise? Ample room to make adjustments at the bridge?
Of course you might go on playing it for years and prove me wrong, but objectively if there ever was an Achilles heel on those guitars, it's the Ibanez heel. The poly they put on them shows every trauma. The join beneath is fragile for the load put on it.
Could I see a photo of the neck/headstock join looking from the side, immediately below the nut?
If there's any evidence of crazing or finish crack at that point, I'll say for certain that it's had a knock that caused them. May have been in case, falling hard, being banged against a doorway, anything... but on a neck that thin and knowing the 80's Fujigen 200's as I do, I wouldn't declare that a 100% reliable purchase.
My two cents.

Just looked really carefully at the photos. That guitar has seen much heavier than normal use, there's a neck lamination join at crucial points where I see finish breaches (wings off the centre section, where a screw marks a finish crack). Be aware.

I appreciate the detailed response! Do you think it’s something that’s worth taking to a luthier to see what they can do or am I a bit doomed at this point.

[Hudsonbru123]

Here are those photos below the nut that you asked for

[Hudsonbru123]

[Gilpy]

Based on my experience with some very similar damage, it seems that the guitar suffered a fall. You imply that the guitar functions without issues at this time.
So, if it was my guitar, I would leave it as is. If the cracks get worse, which they may not, that’s the time to deal with it.

[Jimmy blue note]

I appreciate the detailed response! Do you think it’s something that’s worth taking to a luthier to see what they can do or am I a bit doomed at this point.

I'd say be aware of the possible failure, know that luck and the force of habit can hold a guitar together better than a bad glue job and if you want to keep it, play each day as if it's your last and make great music. If it fails at any point, then go to the luthier ASAP. Keep an eye out for any shifts and don't be rough on the guitar; it's seen some harder days.