Hump in top by bridge

charlie chitlin · August 20th, 2007, 07:30 PM

A friend asked me to look at her 3-4 year old Martin.
It's a budget model, but a Martin nonetheless.
About a year ago, I shaved a bit off the bridge saddle to lower the action; she said it had gotten higher, and now it has definitely gotten higher again.
If I lie a 12" straightedge across the top, parallel with the bridge, it is about 1/4" above the body at each end...considerably more than my OLD Guild or the wife's new Ami.
It is especially alarming when I push down on one side of the straightedge, and the high side see-saws up to over 1/2" from the body.
Should this guitar go back to the factory?

refin · August 20th, 2007, 07:46 PM

Loose/or broken brace----send it back.

zombywoof · August 21st, 2007, 08:19 PM

It sounds like a neck issue to me. The fact that the action was high and the problem has come back after shaving the saddle may be the result of a neck which is out of kilter. When the neck is out of whack it will pull up the top of the guitar often in the bridge area. So your friend my think about getting the neck checked out. If it needs a neck reset I would, if possible, return the guitar.

Hope it all works out for your friend.

charlie chitlin · August 21st, 2007, 09:36 PM

I spoke with Martin customer service today.
I was really surprised that the guy was not paricularly helpful, and tried to steer me toward shaving more off the bridge and humidifying the guitar.
Humidifying?!?!
This is Eastern Pennsylvania in the summer.
We grow mold on our bodies here!
I think that when he started asking me questions about neck relief,and action height and he realized that I had measured all these thing and knew the numbers, and that I knew what I was talking about, he suggested that I take it to an authorized repair center.
And I think he took it a little personally when I told him that my GUILD didn't have a hump like that!

gtrman911 · August 21st, 2007, 09:52 PM

no way to make friends!

i brought/sent 2 martins back, and they replaced them w/ a smile!

..ya get more bees w/ honey!

lifetime warranty, my friend...lifetime!

charlie chitlin · August 22nd, 2007, 08:35 AM

Yeah...the guy asked me, "Do you have a warranty?"
I said, "I thought there is a lifetime warranty."
He said, "Uh...yeah...there is."

uncletele · August 25th, 2007, 08:37 AM

Pennsylvania or not, you gotta humidify a real acoustic guitar, especially Martin. I have two, and live in central Pa. I use those Planet Waves "in the soundhole thingies" and they work great at maintaining consistency year-round. Most Guilds are heavier braced guitars, so you may not see the problem as quickly. I never humidified my old Guild D-40; it also weighed quite a bit more than my Martins.

August 20th, 2007, 07:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
charlie chitlin Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bucktown, Pa Age: 46 Posts: 2,111	Hump in top by bridge A friend asked me to look at her 3-4 year old Martin. It's a budget model, but a Martin nonetheless. About a year ago, I shaved a bit off the bridge saddle to lower the action; she said it had gotten higher, and now it has definitely gotten higher again. If I lie a 12" straightedge across the top, parallel with the bridge, it is about 1/4" above the body at each end...considerably more than my OLD Guild or the wife's new Ami. It is especially alarming when I push down on one side of the straightedge, and the high side see-saws up to over 1/2" from the body. Should this guitar go back to the factory? __________________ Nil illigitimi carborundum http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...6-bf3537901a07 Last edited by charlie chitlin : August 20th, 2007 at 10:49 PM.

August 20th, 2007, 07:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
refin Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Florida Panhandle Age: 52 Posts: 1,881	Loose/or broken brace----send it back. __________________ "For You,Lord,are good,and ready to forgive,and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You." Ps. 86:5 http://www.soundclick.com/bands/0/refin_music.htm MASTER VOLUME? WHAT'S A MASTER VOLUME?

August 21st, 2007, 08:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
zombywoof Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Back in the Heartland Posts: 2,813 17 Photos	It sounds like a neck issue to me. The fact that the action was high and the problem has come back after shaving the saddle may be the result of a neck which is out of kilter. When the neck is out of whack it will pull up the top of the guitar often in the bridge area. So your friend my think about getting the neck checked out. If it needs a neck reset I would, if possible, return the guitar. Hope it all works out for your friend. __________________ "I don't play a lot of fancy guitar. I don't want to play it. The kind of guitar I want to play is mean, mean licks." John Lee Hooker

August 21st, 2007, 09:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
charlie chitlin Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bucktown, Pa Age: 46 Posts: 2,111	I spoke with Martin customer service today. I was really surprised that the guy was not paricularly helpful, and tried to steer me toward shaving more off the bridge and humidifying the guitar. Humidifying?!?! This is Eastern Pennsylvania in the summer. We grow mold on our bodies here! I think that when he started asking me questions about neck relief,and action height and he realized that I had measured all these thing and knew the numbers, and that I knew what I was talking about, he suggested that I take it to an authorized repair center. And I think he took it a little personally when I told him that my GUILD didn't have a hump like that! __________________ Nil illigitimi carborundum http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...6-bf3537901a07

August 21st, 2007, 09:52 PM	#5 (permalink)
gtrman911 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Camelot Posts: 1,133 7 Photos	no way to make friends! i brought/sent 2 martins back, and they replaced them w/ a smile! ..ya get more bees w/ honey! lifetime warranty, my friend...lifetime! __________________ My opinion is worth what you paid for it.

August 22nd, 2007, 08:35 AM	#6 (permalink)
charlie chitlin Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bucktown, Pa Age: 46 Posts: 2,111	Yeah...the guy asked me, "Do you have a warranty?" I said, "I thought there is a lifetime warranty." He said, "Uh...yeah...there is." __________________ Nil illigitimi carborundum http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...6-bf3537901a07

August 25th, 2007, 08:37 AM	#7 (permalink)
uncletele Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: carlisle, pa Posts: 119	Pennsylvania or not, you gotta humidify a real acoustic guitar, especially Martin. I have two, and live in central Pa. I use those Planet Waves "in the soundhole thingies" and they work great at maintaining consistency year-round. Most Guilds are heavier braced guitars, so you may not see the problem as quickly. I never humidified my old Guild D-40; it also weighed quite a bit more than my Martins.