2023 M-36 with no pore filler on neck and head stock overlay

[abn556]

What is going on at Martin? A M-36, which is not a cheap guitar, with no pore filler on the head stock overlay or on the back of the neck?? Also two M-36s - one with a dyed ebony board and one without?

Watch the video:

https://youtu.be/oT-zOk2_e3I?si=etHlq1PMjLxlfUH2

[dnf777]

I have been a long time fan of Martin, in fact, I own 7 currently. Unfortunately, two of them are coming un-glued at the waist. (binding issue)

Until something is definitively done, I have lost confidence in Martin guitars. Not because of two issues. Not because of a few unhappy posts on the AGF. But by a consistent pattern of QC lapses in Nazareth. I may be accused of being over-critical, but when I spend my hard-earned money on a discretionary item (yeah, that's debatable, I know!) I darn well expect QUALITY. And for over 100 years, they delivered. As do other comparably priced guitarmakers.

[abn556]

Originally Posted by dnf777

I have been a long time fan of Martin, in fact, I own 7 currently. Unfortunately, two of them are coming un-glued at the waist. (binding issue)

Until something is definitively done, I have lost confidence in Martin guitars. Not because of two issues. Not because of a few unhappy posts on the AGF. But by a consistent pattern of QC lapses in Nazareth. I may be accused of being over-critical, but when I spend my hard-earned money on a discretionary item (yeah, that's debatable, I know!) I darn well expect QUALITY. And for over 100 years, they delivered. As do other comparably priced guitarmakers.

Unfortunately I agree with you. I cannot figure out what their management team is doing. Root cause and corrective action is a staple of any management review of failures. Martin seems unwilling to go through this basic process to stop the issues. This is something I did regularly throughout a 35 year career in business post military. You cannot just go to your clients and say you have a problem, but have no solution. That’s a good way to get fired.

[Sir strumalot]

Originally Posted by abn556

What is going on at Martin? A M-36, which is not a cheap guitar, with no pore filler on the head stock overlay or on the back of the neck?? Also two M-36s - one with a dyed ebony board and one without?

Watch the video:

https://youtu.be/oT-zOk2_e3I?si=etHlq1PMjLxlfUH2

I thought it was a pretty silly review. Open pore vs. filled makes no practical difference to the guitar, and like undyed ebony, it's really a matter of taste which you prefer. I preferred the look of the undyed board myself, and IME an open pore finish on the neck is less likely to be sticky than gloss. So I don't really see any quality issues there, but some Martin fans seem to be buying an imaginary idea of what a guitar should be, rather than judging on its merits as a music making tool.

[Sadie-f]

Originally Posted by Sir strumalot

I thought it was a pretty silly review. Open pore vs. filled makes no practical difference to the guitar, and like undyed ebony, it's really a matter of taste which you prefer. I preferred the look of the undyed board myself, and IME an open pore finish on the neck is less likely to be sticky than gloss. So I don't really see any quality issues there, but some Martin fans seem to be buying an imaginary idea of what a guitar should be, rather than judging on its merits as a music making tool.

This.

And what's with complaining here about a picayune YT review? OMG the action is different! ... my Martin OM-28 was 9 months between being finished and arriving at the LGS. That's a long time in the factory warehouse, of course the action isn't nthe same on every guitar when purchased.

[jimmy bookout]

Originally Posted by Sir strumalot

I thought it was a pretty silly review. Open pore vs. filled makes no practical difference to the guitar, and like undyed ebony, it's really a matter of taste which you prefer. I preferred the look of the undyed board myself, and IME an open pore finish on the neck is less likely to be sticky than gloss. So I don't really see any quality issues there, but some Martin fans seem to be buying an imaginary idea of what a guitar should be, rather than judging on its merits as a music making tool.

Gloss finish and pore filled are not the point here. I agree with Aaron that necks should be pore filled (which neither Martin was), regardless of whether they will be satin finished or gloss finished. Open pores on a neck, which gets the MOST contact on a guitar? Playing a gig outdoors with sweating hands on an open pore neck? I don't know how much money that can possibly save Martin (not pore filling) but I would never buy a guitar with an open pore neck.

As far as the tone of the 2 guitars, I thought Aaron was very generous/gentle in his assessment. The guitar with the more yellow top (and more saddle showing) was head and shoulders above the other guitar tonally IMO.

PS. What guitar (s) do you own with an open pore neck?

[RJVB]

AFAIK open pore doesn't mean unfinished pores?!

[Rogerblair]

My guess is that somehow the guitar snuck out the door undetected. I would bet that Martin would be willing to take it back and put a new, properly finished neck on an instrument of that level. I agree that Martin is slipping badly in the quality arena, which is why I won’t buy one with plastic bindings on it.

I would be pretty upset over it too. It’s not a matter of whether open pore finishes are good or bad, it’s about how that guitar is supposed to be finished, and that isn’t it.

Roger

[SRL]

Yes, it's quite clear that Martin isn't doing (or isn't successfully doing) the basic QA checklisting of each guitar that other builders do.

Heck, some of my guitars have come with the checklist included and a signature on it.

The big question is why they aren't pulling off this very basic procedure and whether anything will change.

[Rogerblair]

That’s it, SRL. Will it change?

They seem pretty cavalier about the bindings issue, so perhaps they’re not worried. I read that one forum member mentioned the bindings thing to a guide on a factory tour and the guide acted like he was unaware of any issue.

They’d have to pay me a lot of money for acting lessons to pull that off in front of people.

Rb

[jimmy bookout]

Originally Posted by RJVB

AFAIK open pore doesn't mean unfinished pores?!

Open pore means the pores were not filled, AFAIK

[Teherie]

My advice is to choose wisely. I have 6 nice guitars, all purchased new between 1977 and 2021 including 3 Martins (D35, OM35 and a custom 000) and 3 Larrivees (parlor, LV03 12 string and LSV03).

All 6 guitars have been top quality and my most recent Martin purchase was the custom 000 in 2015 (pre COVID). The most recent Larrivee was ordered in 2021 in anticipation of my planned retirement in early 2022.

If I was looking for another guitar (who isn’t?), I would have no reservations about buying either brand as long as it had an acceptable return policy.

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by jimmy bookout

Open pore means the pores were not filled, AFAIK

It was somewhat of a rhetorical question, but yes, "open pore" means there was no filler applied to get a smooth surface. One has to assume that the inside of the pores isn't open to the elements because of the finish that should at least cover them.

[Kh1967]

Prices going up and quality going down is more common these days than ever before. Yes, there are exceptions, but you have to look harder for them.

Many big companies have (and for the sake of this post will put Martin, Taylor, and Gibson in that camp), are driven by profitability and with that, generally comes the choice to drive down costs in manufacturing, labor, etc. When that happens there is often a shift in quality.

My guess is we will see more of this as time rolls on, unless there is some big shift in the definition of a ‘successful company.’

[mawmow]

I was a Taylor guy and slipped toward Martin…
Two recent acoustics with binding issue at the waist could make me regret the move.