Knot in neck - concerning or cosmetic?
I got this Epiphone IBGC 1962 ES-335 used from guitar center for $950 and it’s awesome.
Plays great, feels great, action is very good.
The only issue that I see is that there seems to be a knot in the neck wood. Treble side, around the 3rd/4th fret. The neck is smooth and completely filled in, and I don’t feel any lumps/cavings or anything weird. I actually love the look of the neck and think it looks incredible.
I took it to a local luthier I trust for a setup and he unpromptedly commented that, as a builder, it would be a flag due to the inconsistent wood density. It could be totally fine, but sometimes these lead to warped necks if the wood expands and contracts differently with humidity changes. I live in Phoenix, AZ for humidity reference. I play almost exclusively at home and try to keep temp/humidity stable (or at least monitor).
I’m still in my return window - should I return it?
Is this a total non-issue and just mineral deposits, or a potential guitar ruined in the future?
I’ve added pictures, and in the side by side it’s on the left with the small block MOP inlays and the right is my regular IBG with dot inlays, which is keep if I retuned the IBGC or sell if I kept the IBGC.
Thanks!