Bummed my 2014 Martin may need a neck reset!

[sbpark]

craigslist.com

I'm really sorry to hear about this. It's too bad when an old tried-and-true name in acoustic guitars produces a bitter taste in one's mouth. I have the same for Larrivee, unfortunately. I think they probably still make great guitars, but I had a really bad experience with them back around 2003 or so when they were still based in Canada. Terrible customer service; terrible refinish job after fixing a neck that was separated from the body slightly and that had then been broken at the heel in shipment (I think when I shipped it to them). The guitar sounds fantastic, but the neck has been repaired, and the spray finish job is just plain bad in places. I guess if you ask enough people, you might get similar stories about just about any company.

Best wishes in getting this worked out to your liking. Even if it doesn't work out with this guitar, maybe you'll find something else down the road that can make amends a bit. I sure hope so.

Appreciate the reply. Seems like some people take what I said personally, like they own the company or something. truth is some people have favorable experiences, others don't. They still make great guitars I'm sure, just no longer a company I'm going to roll the dice with on something new, and because of this experience I'd rather not continue buying anything with their name. I love how others get so offended when someone has a less than favorable experience and they feel the need to run out and defend said company or why they personally like a particular brand. We all have choices. Personally I've never been the biggest Martin fan anyway. I really like the sound of that little 000-15M, but the HD-28 was given to me in a trade, and although it's great, just not my style, so that's more reason to get rid of it and either put the money in the back, or get something from another manufacturer. Thanks again for the reply.

 

[Radioking]

When you said the repairman told you the neck joints feel different, that's because they are. Anything under a 18 series after the mid 90's either has a M&T joint or "simple dovetail" depending on the year. I think they went to simple dovetail around 2012 in the 000-15m. The 18 and above still use a dovetail joint that is fitted by hand.

http://onemanz.com/guitar/articles-2/martins-simple-dovetail/

 

[christhee68]

I'm one of those who would still love to have a Martin, but I know if may Taylor ever needs a neck reset, it will take about 10 minutes and not cost an arm and a leg.

 

[theprofessor]

Appreciate the reply. Seems like some people take what I said personally, like they own the company or something. truth is some people have favorable experiences, others don't. They still make great guitars I'm sure, just no longer a company I'm going to roll the dice with on something new, and because of this experience I'd rather not continue buying anything with their name. I love how others get so offended when someone has a less than favorable experience and they feel the need to run out and defend said company or why they personally like a particular brand. We all have choices. Personally I've never been the biggest Martin fan anyway. I really like the sound of that little 000-15M, but the HD-28 was given to me in a trade, and although it's great, just not my style, so that's more reason to get rid of it and either put the money in the back, or get something from another manufacturer. Thanks again for the reply.

Yeah, I know some of how you feel, and I sympathize. I worked all summer sweeping factory floors after my senior year in high school to save up for my first nice guitar--my Larrivee L-09. I drove 3 hours away to find it. I spent about $1500 on it, and it was my prized possession. My first "real" guitar. So to have it get dinged up and to have such a bad experience with Larrivee kind of produced some bad feelings around the whole thing, and it made me want to avoid them in the future. But there are lots of other great guitars out there. Maybe you'll find one!

 

[Chester Burnett]

I took the Martin factory tour a couple of times back in the late eighties and again more recently and there is a pretty big difference in how they are doing things. After making guitars one way for so long I can see how there would be issues switching over to some more modern methods, as opposed to say Taylor, which was modern CNC, sustainable woods and ease of repair from the get go. It's perfectly understandable that they have some problems and they are still producing many guitars that people are happy with.

How they stand by the products and treat the end users that do have issues is important though. If not out of respect for the heritage of the brand at least in the interest of protecting the company in the age where bad news travels fast. Just a whiff of neck reset issues is enough to steer me away.

 

[Obsessed]

Bummer all the way around. Seems like the bridge replacement is just a warranty cost savings solution, but I'm surprised unless this is happening to quite a few. I'm bummed out for you man. It is good that you posted this as a point of reference.

 

[MilwMark]

Not cool.


But, this is why you should NEVER consider paying 70-90% of the new cost when a guitar is used, even though some buffoons might think their guitar is worth that. Buying a new guitar means you have the warranty and although the huge majority of time you'll be fine...you're still dealing with a hunk of wood.

Now, you've got the warranty and if they give you flak just make a fuss on social media. If that doesn't help you can up the game which I had to do one time myself. Most, if not all, States have laws against moving defective products which come with fines etc...

It might take a while but I'm betting soon your guitar will be good as new.

Hmm, interesting math and use of "buffoon".

-New 000-15m $1500 ($1459 but this helps me keep the math easy).

-Used at 70% $1050 ($450 savings).

-Neck reset: $200-400. I.e., even if I need a neck reset, I'm ahead of the game on the expensive side of a reset.

Guess I'll stay a buffoon, as I own exactly zero new factory guitars. @blowtorch has an interesting thread on this.

 

[deytookerjaabs]

Hmm, interesting math and use of "buffoon".

-New 000-15m $1500 ($1459 but this helps me keep the math easy).

-Used at 70% $1050 ($450 savings).

-Neck reset: $200-400. I.e., even if I need a neck reset, I'm ahead of the game on the expensive side of a reset.

Guess I'll stay a buffoon, as I own exactly zero new factory guitars. @blowtorch has an interesting thread on this.

$200-$400 for a Martin Neck Reset?

You do know they pull a fret and steam the heel don't you? You know what happens when you steam wood? That reset, to get the guitar back to dead straight and new condition you better add a few dollars there for working the fretboard back to deal level & a re-fret..then everything that comes with the refret. It's pretty rare and even more expensive to do a reset where the owner wants no additional work done to keep the guitar "original." Some guitars might come apart like butter, but one should never expect that.

I buy used almost exclusively too but I have the added bonus of being able to do most jobs myself if something goes wrong. Obviously the more expensive an instrument the more you save but I don't think it's worth paying too close to cost and then losing the warranty...especially considering "cost" towards the end of the year when they really start trying to move the instruments.

 

[Radioking]

Hmm, interesting math and use of "buffoon".

-New 000-15m $1500 ($1459 but this helps me keep the math easy).

-Used at 70% $1050 ($450 savings).

-Neck reset: $200-400. I.e., even if I need a neck reset, I'm ahead of the game on the expensive side of a reset.

Guess I'll stay a buffoon, as I own exactly zero new factory guitars. @blowtorch has an interesting thread on this.

You can easily get a new 15 series for under $1200 if you shop around. I think Martin's are generally overpriced on the used market. You can get 35-40% off the list price at pretty much every online dealer.

 

[ac15]

$200-$400 for a Martin Neck Reset?

You do know they pull a fret and steam the heel don't you? You know what happens when you steam wood? That reset, to get the guitar back to dead straight and new condition you better add a few dollars there for working the fretboard back to deal level & a re-fret..then everything that comes with the refret. It's pretty rare and even more expensive to do a reset where the owner wants no additional work done to keep the guitar "original." Some guitars might come apart like butter, but one should never expect that.

I buy used almost exclusively too but I have the added bonus of being able to do most jobs myself if something goes wrong. Obviously the more expensive an instrument the more you save but I don't think it's worth paying too close to cost and then losing the warranty...especially considering "cost" towards the end of the year when they really start trying to move the instruments.

$200 for a neck reset is a great deal!

Had a neck reset on my 1959 Gibson es-225, and it was $900.

 

[MilwMark]

Maybe we have some reasonable shops here. They do great work. I paid $200 for a reset on an old Harmony and an old unnamed all maple acoustic. Both happened to have neck joints like vintage Martins, if I recall. The budget was $200-400 going in, for each.

 

[ac15]

Maybe we have some reasonable shops here. They do great work. I paid $200 for a reset on an old Harmony and an old unnamed all maple acoustic. Both happened to have neck joints like vintage Martins, if I recall. The budget was $200-400 going in, for each.

That's great.

Maybe mine was more because it's a 50's hollow body electric, so binding was involved, some repainting where the neck joint is etc.

Still that $200 is cheap when you consider you also need a refret.

 

[deytookerjaabs]

Maybe we have some reasonable shops here. They do great work. I paid $200 for a reset on an old Harmony and an old unnamed all maple acoustic. Both happened to have neck joints like vintage Martins, if I recall. The budget was $200-400 going in, for each.

That's a heck of deal.


If it's acoustics & archtops it's not just neck resets. Tops, sides & back can bow/cave, seams split etc... Lots of people who buy high end stuff treat it like a princess but if you're putting that thing in the van, or taking it on the plane, day in & out through all sorts of climates the warranty is peace of mind, not just for the first repair either, most good domestic builders still do "lifetime." There's plenty of guys who've had 2+ repairs on their Martin/Guild/Gibson. Wood moves, no one can change that.

I kid you not there's about 8-10 used acoustics on the Nashville guitar center wall right now that need resets. When I did my apprenticeship it was the first question I asked "can I watch and learn how to do some resets?"

I understand where ac15 is coming from! Heck, my '58 es125 could USE a reset to be optimal but I swear there's a little bit of touch-up around the heel which worries me.

 

[sbpark]

Interesting day. I visited a few shops today, including on that is pretty darn well known, somewhat famous for having a very well respected repair shop and are an authorized Martin repair shop. I talked to them about my guitar and they said that the number of newer Martins that have come in for neck resets has been ridiculous, and basically as of last December Martin basically stopped offering neck resets for warranty repairs. This is a shop the carries a ton of new Martins and they were pretty blunt about this definitely being an issue with Martin. They one salesman told me, "Don't even bring this up with (tech's name), it's been a very sore subject around here." So these guys know there's an issue and agreed that Martin's way of handling it is completely weak. I'm not going to name the shop because I don't want to bring them any flack, but they were very forthcoming and honest about the fact that there have been A LOT of Martins, and not old Martins, coming in for the same issue as mine. Only a couple years old, action starts creeping up, ran out of saddle, meets criteria for a new reset, but Martin refuses to authorize the reset, customer is furious, puts shop in a bad position.

I know I said it before, but I'm finished with Martin. I already put my HD-28 up for sale (no desire to own guitars from a company who won't stand behind their products), and will be selling my 000-15M at a pretty decent price once i get it back. I dig the way that 000-15M sounds, but will be pissed at how Martin won't stand behind their products overtime I look at it or play it. There are PLENTY of other guitar makers out there that I'd rathe give my money to than Martin. Plus after I sell the two I have I will have a decent little chunk of cash to go out and buy something different.

 

[soulman969]

Think about a Taylor next time.

 

[soulman969]

Sorry to hear this. But there is enough info out there that should have diswaded a new Martin purchase in the first place.

Is that dissuaded (correct sp. for us Yankees) as in to convinced against it or were you referring to being Kelton Diswaded as in it's a fake. I'm a bit confused.

 

[deytookerjaabs]

Interesting day. I visited a few shops today, including on that is pretty darn well known, somewhat famous for having a very well respected repair shop and are an authorized Martin repair shop. I talked to them about my guitar and they said that the number of newer Martins that have come in for neck resets has been ridiculous, and basically as of last December Martin basically stopped offering neck resets for warranty repairs. This is a shop the carries a ton of new Martins and they were pretty blunt about this definitely being an issue with Martin. They one salesman told me, "Don't even bring this up with (tech's name), it's been a very sore subject around here." So these guys know there's an issue and agreed that Martin's way of handling it is completely weak. I'm not going to name the shop because I don't want to bring them any flack, but they were very forthcoming and honest about the fact that there have been A LOT of Martins, and not old Martins, coming in for the same issue as mine. Only a couple years old, action starts creeping up, ran out of saddle, meets criteria for a new reset, but Martin refuses to authorize the reset, customer is furious, puts shop in a bad position.

I know I said it before, but I'm finished with Martin. I already put my HD-28 up for sale (no desire to own guitars from a company who won't stand behind their products), and will be selling my 000-15M at a pretty decent price once i get it back. I dig the way that 000-15M sounds, but will be pissed at how Martin won't stand behind their products overtime I look at it or play it. There are PLENTY of other guitar makers out there that I'd rathe give my money to than Martin. Plus after I sell the two I have I will have a decent little chunk of cash to go out and buy something different.

Holy ****.

I'm shocked. They used to let you walk with a 5 decade old flattop & a receipt then take care of it no questions asked.

Wow, that's really upsetting. If you can, you should get on a few forums and be laid back but honest about it. Pics/document what was said, etc. Every USA Martin should be warrantied for all major issues for the lifetime of the original owner.

They won't change unless people make a stink about it. That's a very upsetting development.

I wouldn't give a damn about the shop if they're more than happy to move $2,000-$5,000 guitars with a next to useless warranty.

 

[deytookerjaabs]

Look at it this way, if this happened to what they refer to as "Joe Somebody" that neck would be reset IMO. Unacceptable.

 

[Radioking]

This thread dissuaded me from buying a Martin 00-15M and I picked up a Guild M-20 today. I was ever so slightly leaning towards the Martin, but I didn't like the sound of this. I'm even more convinced I made the right decision after hearing what your shop said today.

 

[sbpark]

Think about a Taylor next time.

Nah. Not into the "WWJP" scene.