How well will the Martin Authentic Series Hold their Value

[bryarblue72]

Folks, I'd like to thank everyone so much for the wisdom you've imparted. I haven't purchased a new guitar in a while. I already have an HD-28 and a D-28 Marquis and couldn't part with either. I probably don't really need a new guitar but after reading about the new Martin authentics and hearing a few online, I'd like to have one. I was trying to help justify it by telling myself it would be a good investment. My wife of 32 years passed away right after Christmas. Over the years, she let me buy the two Martins I have now (although the 2nd one she fussed over a bit before saying yes). Somehow, I think she'd be ok with me getting a new one, considering the circumstances.

Regards,
Roger

[JohnW63]

but it may need a neck reset fairly soon, so that's why it's priced so low!

This would be of concern, for a guitar made in 2013. Has Martin gone too far in the light build design on these ?

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by JohnW63

This would be of concern, for a guitar made in 2013. Has Martin gone too far in the light build design on these ?

I've seen at least one used one for sale so far announcing that a neck reset needs to be sooner rather than later. It may be a guitar we're better off buying new with the warranty than used without it.

[vintageom]

The test of time will tell. There is no way for anyone to know yet. Kind of like investing in the future value of anything, hoping for a huge appreciation is speculation.

I'd buy for enjoyment and take care of it. Serendipity is good; so is playing a guitar you love for many years.

[BGS]

Originally Posted by JohnW63

This would be of concern, for a guitar made in 2013. Has Martin gone too far in the light build design on these ?

I've had three of them, and the other two were fine. This one is still very playable and has enough saddle remaining to get it to 6/64", but after that it would need a reset.

[blindboyjimi]

Originally Posted by bryarblue72

.... My wife of 32 years passed away right after Christmas...

I'm very sorry. You are in my thoughts tonight. You have another PM with more details.

Basically, a new Martin can be had for 60% of retail and an excellent used Martin at 50% of retail so the warranty costs 10% of retail or about $850. All lightly built guitars are made of wood and the lighter build gives the best tone and the closer they are to the line of movement the better they are. If you want to guarantee no failures, you'll need a very heavily built guitar and sonically it will suffer. The price of the Authentics is high because it has a failure repair rate built in. But realistically that is maybe 2%? Maybe less. But 2% is a real number so for every happy 98 customers there will be 2 with some issue - not necessarily a reset. I happily buy new or used as I figure the worst repair will be a reset and a needed refret to adjust it so about $500. I'll be ahead if I buy used and if I buy new I only spent $300 more if I need a worst case early reset and I'll still be covered for the rest of my life.

I've had many new and used Martin's over the years. The only Authentic has been rock solid in the neck but needed a bridge reglue and that was about $200. Martin actually replaced the bridge and saddle as I switched to jumbo frets so I got a different bridge and new saddle. I paid for the refret - Dunlop 6155. The key is the failure rate of a super lightly built hide glue guitar is no different for any small builder or Martin and is very low.

Good luck Roger. Be sure to post some pics of your new guitar.

[JohnW63]

The idea that they built in a higher failure rate into the price doesn't make me feel better. This one thread has 2 guitars that were either already sent in for repair, or will need to soon.

[blindboyjimi]

Originally Posted by JohnW63

The idea that they built in a higher failure rate into the price doesn't make me feel better. This one thread has 2 guitars that were either already sent in for repair, or will need to soon.

Once you play one, you'll realize that the reason that the 30's Martins are so revered is because of how lightly they were built and therefore how much they vibrate. These Authentics are the real deal. My 1937 000-18 was reset, refretted, the nut shimmed, and 3 cracks glued. $800 work in 2015 dollars over 79 years. That's easy math...about $10 a year. I bought it indirectly off the 89 year old man who got it when he was 12. Technically, it was still under warranty, but I was happy to pay for it. Play one and then ask yourself if you'd rather Martin put in some thicker braces so 0% will fail. All guitars will need a reset eventually. I wouldn't want one that was built to avoid moving under 175lbs of tension. But that's why they build regular series guitars....and they are cheaper too.

[JohnW63]

Will the modern Authentics last 79 years? A neck reset is not something I would expect in just 3 years. Perhaps ten times that. Just how busy is Martin going to be in 10 years, if they need to have lots of Authentic model guitars in for expected service?

Originally Posted by JohnW63

The idea that they built in a higher failure rate into the price doesn't make me feel better. This one thread has 2 guitars that were either already sent in for repair, or will need to soon.

That's something that has haunted the Authentic line, especially forums where more recent information isn't readily available to clarify the current situation. Chris Martin did make statements to that effect when the Authentic line was introduced in 2005. However, by 2013 they found that they were not experiencing an excessive failure rate and lowered the price of Authentics across the board, excluding the Style 45's.

I've personally owned 6 Authentics and currently own two of the earliest. At nearly 11 years old they are pretty much trouble free, only a little finish and fret wear. Both of those issues are my fault and my pleasure.

That said, any Martin guitar, or guitar of similar design, can need an early neck reset. Sometimes the wood moves more than expected early on. It happens, but I do not believe it is a chronic issue based on my casual observation.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by JohnW63

The idea that they built in a higher failure rate into the price doesn't make me feel better. This one thread has 2 guitars that were either already sent in for repair, or will need to soon.

No guitar is exempt from possibly needing a neck reset down the road, regardless of who built it. I have had guitars built from prominent luthiers (not small boutique builders, but actual world renowned luthiers) that have needed a neck reset in 2-3 years, and I have owned factory guitars for more than a decade that didn't need one. Also, it's not like a neck reset is the end of the world or the kiss of death for a guitar anymore. Nothing is wrong or ruined with the instrument, it's just a matter of something settling in and moving enough so the neck angle has slightly changed. It doesn't take much to throw a guitar out of wack, since they are organic items which are made by the hands of man. Just a few degrees of tilt forward of the neck, or maybe a slight rise in the bridge area of a top can change things up enough to need one. This isn't 1950 where people are shaving down bridges or doing California neck slips for resets (or heavens forbid even worse things!) to get them to play right again. Any luthier or repair man worth his wait in salt can do the work and leave no signs behind that he even DID the work, and a neck reset doesn't cost thousands of dollars to do (most of the time they would be covered by warranty anyways, unless the cost of shipping would be more than getting it done locally). IMHO, this "concern" about Authentics has been blown WAY out of proportion by a paranoid few, or maybe it was by people competing against the Authentic line looking for a way to sling mud at them? Regardless, I think some people are making much ado about nothing.

[Old9600]

I bought a new D28 Authentic that had the same list price but bought it for roughly 5600. With taxes I was around 6000. No complaints. The instrument keeps opening up very nicely. I will say I've seen used ones on Mandolin Cafe for just over 5k....whatever you do, you'll love the instrument

[StringMeUp]

Originally Posted by MikeD

No guitar is exempt from possibly needing a neck reset down the road, regardless of who built it. I have had guitars built from prominent luthiers (not small boutique builders, but actual world renowned luthiers) that have needed a neck reset in 2-3 years, and I have owned factory guitars for more than a decade that didn't need one. Also, it's not like a neck reset is the end of the world or the kiss of death for a guitar anymore. Nothing is wrong or ruined with the instrument, it's just a matter of something settling in and moving enough so the neck angle has slightly changed. It doesn't take much to throw a guitar out of wack, since they are organic items which are made by the hands of man. Just a few degrees of tilt forward of the neck, or maybe a slight rise in the bridge area of a top can change things up enough to need one.

I totally agree.

[BrunoBlack]

There are many opinions about "vintage" and "innovations" available on the wide world of the Internet. It seems that there are many stories about neck resets and how the old istruments were built. Honestly, many of them seem to be uninformed opinions of forumites. I respect the opinions of John Greven and offer this link for consideration, not to stir the pot, but with hope it will add to the discussion.
http://www.grevenguitars.com/pdfs/MartinMyths.pdf

[JohnW63]

it's not like a neck reset is the end of the world or the kiss of death for a guitar anymore.

No, but if you are not the original purchaser, it's an expensive repair, and a time consuming one, if you send it to Martin. A good $500 is what I have read, pretty much at any good shop. How often will a person need to do that ?

In most cases, when people ask what to look for, when inspecting a used instrument, the big issue that you want to look out for is poor neck angle, indicating a reset is needed. That seems to be a universally accepted thing.

It just seems to me that in 2016, you should be able to get a great sounding guitar that doesn't need frequent repairs. Perhaps I am wrong.