Martin Factory Setup

[Mr. Jelly]

I have a Santa Cruz with the low E string .018 above the first fret and one at .022 above the first fret. I like the .018 feel the best. My Martin Dread is at .035 above the first fret. Dosn't that seem a little high even for a dread?

[ChalkLitIScream]

That's extremely hig! Even hlf that amount and I could lower it still!
Apart from a more difficult time fretting, your F note is going to be way way sharp. How hard do you play on that 0.022 action guitar? If its similar, bring it down 0.01 and go from therr

[drew b]

Martin ships lots of guitars-especially compared to Santa Cruz. I have found that you can't completely count on a "standard" set-up from Martin. I'm not brand-bashing (my favorite guitars are made by Martin), they just use more of an "acceptable range." You really have to rely on your favorite guitar tech from there.

Drew

Martin factory setups have gotten better, more consistent, with introduction of the PLEK, but I can usually make them a little better. This is especially true for the nut.

That said, measuring first fret action height in isolation can lead to some errant conclusions. Read Frank Ford's direction on setting action at the nut and you'll never have to measure first fret height again...and the nut will right when you're done.

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musi...nutaction.html

[Mr. Jelly]

Martin should put a warning on their guitars stating that additional work may need done upon purchase. I never hear this subject come up in conjunction to Taylor guitars.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

Martin should put a warning on their guitars stating that additional work may need done upon purchase. I never hear this subject come up in conjunction to Taylor guitars.

I used to do repairs for one of the local music stores who, at the time, was also a Taylor dealer. They asked me to ensure that every guitar that they put up for sale was setup well. Most of the Taylor guitars benefitted from some minor adjustment.

With the exception of an instrument made for you, most new guitars benefit from adjusting them to the individual preferences of their owners. That includes well-known brands, such as Martin, Taylor, Gibson, Guild... The need for adjustment is not limited to Martins.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

Martin should put a warning on their guitars stating that additional work may need done upon purchase. I never hear this subject come up in conjunction to Taylor guitars.

I think a reasonable disclaimer with an explanation would be appropriate.

As far as Taylor's go, I have to agree. I never played a new one that needed any adjustment. My grandson's lowly 114e played like butter right out of the box.
in fact, it plays as good as all of my guitars, each of which had professional set ups done on them.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

Martin should put a warning on their guitars stating that additional work may need done upon purchase. I never hear this subject come up in conjunction to Taylor guitars.

Why? Have you ever bought a suit, for example, which needed the pant legs lengthening or sleeves shortening? I don't believe I ever came across a guitar in 50 years that didn't need a little tweak to my preference. We humans are not all built the same, and we can't expect a guitar with a generic factory setup to suit everyone, which is why factory actions are deliberately set on the high side to allow for adjustment. Your car seat is adjustable for the same reason...you wouldn't expect a 6' 4" guy to feel comfortable in a seat adjusted for a 5' 2" woman...

[brianmay]

Both of my current guitars are Standard Series, one is a D-28 and the other 000-28.

Both have had the action lowered to my 'taste' despite the factory set up. [The edit: Both were bought new]

The D-28 surprises me not in the least as it seems to come to be played with a pick.

The 000-28 did surprise me as it's deemed to be a finger-picker's guitar. Action was too high for my taste. When set up of course, they're both brilliant.

I'm not fixated by temperature and relative humidity as in UK we tend not to have the extremes you endure in USA and Canada. So one sits on a stand in the lounge and the other on a stand in my bedroom. Both tend to be played every day.

Both are shod with Elixir Nanos.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

Why? Have you ever bought a suit, for example, which needed the pant legs lengthening or sleeves shortening? I don't believe I ever came across a guitar in 50 years that didn't need a little tweak to my preference. We humans are not all built the same, and we can't expect a guitar with a generic factory setup to suit everyone, which is why factory actions are deliberately set on the high side to allow for adjustment. Your car seat is adjustable for the same reason...you wouldn't expect a 6' 4" guy to feel comfortable in a seat adjusted for a 5' 2" woman...

"We" understand this but not everyone is us. Don't you believe that a prospective unknowing guitar buyer is affected by this?
I know for a fact it does. That's one of the reasons my grandson liked the 114e so much.
That is why I think a disclaimer and explanation would be a nice gesture.

A little card that states:

This Martin instrument was preset at the factory to allow for lowering the action to suit individual tastes. The action can be easily adjusted by a professional technician. Consult with your Martin salesperson who can recommend a technician if desirable.

[llew]

I find that 3/32" on the bass E and 2/32" on the high e work the best for me. But I have the luxury of a really good tech/luthier who is a friend of mine and lives maybe three miles away.

In all fairness to Martin some setups have been better than others?

[guitargabor]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

I think a reasonable disclaimer with an explanation would be appropriate.

As far as Taylor's go, I have to agree. I never played a new one that needed any adjustment. My grandson's lowly 114e played like butter right out of the box.
in fact, it plays as good as all of my guitars, each of which had professional set ups done on them.

I really think this is one of the reason's that Taylor sells more guitars.
The relative novice will choose the easier playing new guitar.

I have bought a lot of new Martins the past 12 years and each one of them had high action.Several of those had to have fairly major modifications at the nut as first positions chords were challenging.And I do possess good strength in my fretting hand.

As a bona fide Martin enthusiast, I truly wish the company would address this issue of high action factory set up.

[Greg Ballantyne]

It's pretty generally accepted in the acoustic guitar playing community that the Taylor neck system produces a well set up guitar at the sales point. I am fairly sure they don't spend extra time on each guitar to achieve this like other makers might have to, it's an outcome of their manufacturing process.

It's also true that most first or second time buyers aren't really aware of all this, but it must be a fairly significant factor in their satisfaction, if they bought a Taylor.

[smurph1]

One thing we forget which has been mentioned repeatedly is that Martins receive a "bluegrass setup" The D-28 is the gold standard for flatpickers. Most of their dreadnaughts are used in bluegrass music a lot and need high action due to vigorous picking. My 2 cents

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

I have a Santa Cruz with the low E string .018 above the first fret and one at .022 above the first fret. I like the .018 feel the best. My Martin Dread is at .035 above the first fret. Dosn't that seem a little high even for a dread?

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

Martin should put a warning on their guitars stating that additional work may need done upon purchase. I never hear this subject come up in conjunction to Taylor guitars.

Always nice to get a custom setup/adjustment after the guitar has acclimated to your home, and you have acclimated to the guitar. This is true with all guitars, and it doesn't mean there is anything wrong with the factory setup.