New Martin D-10E with issues, looking for advice

[dnf777]

Mr Tauber gave you the best and only advice you should follow: take it to someone who is knowledgable. Every thing you do on your own is just giving GC an excuse not to take it back.

And contrary to popular belief, the truss rod is not a magic cure-all to be turned a few times this way or that way to magically correct neck set angle, fret level, bridge height, top bow, nut slot depth, etc. it does NONE of that. It only adjusts neck relief.

[Jeremy]

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

Given the four points above, taken together, in my opinion, your best bet is to return it. Buying a new guitar should be fun, stress-free and no-hassle. It shouldn't come with a lot of unanswered questions: it should just work.

This is what I would do. A new guitar purchase shouldn't be this much of a hassle.

Issues like this are why I purchase my instruments from smaller, independent shops like Heartbreaker Guitars who setup each instrument before it ships, or my local shop who offers a free setup with each instrument purchase.

[spiralout]

Thanks for all the advice.
Darn, I had the guitar in my cart on Sweetwater last night, and now today it is out of stock. Maybe I will see how things go with a few more day of humidity and then a luthier or guitar tech this weekend for an assessment. Thanks again for the help, all

[phavriluk]

OP: After you do whatever you do, you'll STILL need to bring the guitar to a professional for adjustments. On your dime. Listen to Mr Tauber!

We don't accept new cars with dents and flat tires. I think there's way too much overthinking.

[spiralout]

Originally Posted by phavriluk

OP: After you do whatever you do, you'll STILL need to bring the guitar to a professional for adjustments. On your dime. Listen to Mr Tauber!

We don't accept new cars with dents and flat tires. I think there's way too much overthinking.

I understand, I'm just bummed now that after buying a Martin I had to return it only to find out there are no more in stock, then to upgrade to a more expensive model, having to return it, and then now finding out that this one too is out of stock. Just sucks. I guess I'll just take my money back and wait until later this year when they get restocked, unless something else catches my eye between now and then. Just sucks, I really liked these Martins and now I'm going to be left with nothing for a while. I guess I will see what a luthier says this weekend, maybe there is still hope.. but either way, like you said, I "bought a new car [with issues]"... twice. And now there are no more of those cars left in stock.

[spiralout]

Just wanted to update everyone here:

I had already tried turning the truss rod counter-clockwise from some people's suggestions, and this was before Charles had advised against it, but it is basically probably 1/4 turn. It was seeming to help slightly, but not sure. I don't plan on touching it again, as advised here, unless maybe just trying to "put it back" where it started as I mentioned earlier

That said, we have had about 70-80% humidity the last few days, so I opened all the windows in my 3 season room and let the guitar sit in that room with the doors closed and the humidifier spunges in the hole, an to my surprise, today the belly behind the bridge actually appears to be raising up a bit. Instead of being barely 1mm it now looks like it is a proper 2mm almost, and is more distinct.

Between the truss and hydration, the guitar doesn't buzz nearly as much, and I have to work to get it to buzz. Action seems higher as well. Interesting.

Just thought I'd share. I will still be bringing it in to someone to look at it tomorrow.

[LeDave]

Glad you are figuring things out! Keep at it. I have a Road Series too but my seller would never sell me a guitar that's not "proper" or so to say it before shipping it to me

[SalFromChatham]

I’d return it. Often when a guitar is really dried out bad, you don’t know how the braces fared underneath the top.

That said... I bout a used J45 TV a few years ago from a forum gent. The truss had been adjusted to compensate for a saddle that was off, and nut slots that were too high. I tried to tinker for all of five minutes, but concluded I’d rather take it and have it done right.

Brothers Music had it for three weeks... new saddle, humidified, neck returned to the proper state, nuts slots... I spent a lot for this setup. And it was worth every penny. The guitar is gold.

[spiralout]

Originally Posted by LeDave

Glad you are figuring things out! Keep at it. I have a Road Series too but my seller would never sell me a guitar that's not "proper" or so to say it before shipping it to me

Thanks! How do you like the road series? Now that I can HEAR my strings the sound is opening up a lot, and it is sounding more like my D1XAE that I had, but even better.

Originally Posted by SalFromChatham

I’d return it. Often when a guitar is really dried out bad, you don’t know how the braces fared underneath the top.

That said... I bout a used J45 TV a few years ago from a forum gent. The truss had been adjusted to compensate for a saddle that was off, and nut slots that were too high. I tried to tinker for all of five minutes, but concluded I’d rather take it and have it done right.

Brothers Music had it for three weeks... new saddle, humidified, neck returned to the proper state, nuts slots... I spent a lot for this setup. And it was worth every penny. The guitar is gold.

Tough call. I'll see if I can find a luthier tomorrow to assess. Now that I have this dialed in better, this baby sings. Wow, I love it. Not as chimey or angelic on the mids/highs as a Taylor, but man this has depth and beautiful layers in the sound. It is out of stock everywhere, so if I return it I may have to wait all year (some of these Martins are backordered until Nov 21-Feb-22). But I definitely don't want to be putting bandaids on a broken guitar, either.

[ddown]

Don't sweat it the new sc martins can be setup easily with shims take it to a Martin authorized facility and they can install new shim and make it right on no time. Don't make any hasty adjustments. Take it and have it made right from the start.

[Bluenose]

I've rehydrated guitars in a couple of days. I loosened the strings in order to slip a damp not wet large sponge into the interior and put the guitar in the case. Check it in a couple of days and if it was indeed dried out, the sponge will be bone dry and that should solve the buzzing. If you don't have fret sprout now, don't worry about the neck. If all else fails take it back and try to find one that's not dried out to bring home.

[Jim Owen]

Y’all are giving advice on a thread from 2021. I hope the OP has solved the issue by now.

[gurroz]

Originally Posted by lowrider

If you want to keep your same deal with GC, take it back and get a different one. Inspect it well in the store and if it's just as bad return that one also. Then try someone else.

That's your answer, @lowrider nailed it!