Does this guitar need a neck reset?
 

Hi all, Sorry I am not well versed in all the measurements for the neck/string relationship/ Thinking about buying this and am worried about it needing a reset soon or now. it is a martin from the 70s.

Also on a related note, I read here that the 70s Martins had a bridge placement issue. does that affect all or just the dreads

thanks for any help

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0rzl6bo4if...gyoic.jpg?dl=0

Looks like mighty high action to me. I've never owned a Martin (one can dream!) but I've read the 70's models were not their best. Anyone else??

A pic of the saddle would help. But, if you can't lower the saddle any further, and the action is that high, then yes you are likely due for a neck reset.

You could also have the bridge shaved to buy some more time, which would be cheaper in the short run, but more expensive in the long run, and could compromise the tone.

I'm not sure if it's just dreads or all models that had the intonation problems.

You could probably google the intonation issue and get a decent answer if you don't feel like waiting for one of the Martin gurus to get in here.

What fret are u measuring at? It should be 12th. Also that fret looks super flat compared to others, may need to be refretted too. As others said you really need to look at how much saddle is left, as well as how much relief is in the neck

Yes, try to use a ruler that starts measurements from it's actual end and stand it on the 12th fret behind the string like this;

https://i.imgur.com/SUovHt8l.jpg

Here I read my action as slightly higher than 2.0 mm but under 2.5 mm.

The pics are from the ad not from me. Yes the ruler not starting at zero is part of what I was struggling with.

Based on what I am reading it might be double. the normal height

I think you might be right!
If the string height is that high and the saddle is very low then it does suggest a neck re-set might be needed.

in that picture, the ruler does not look on top of that fret, rather, the ruler is sitting on the outside edge of that fret, plus the ruler is tilted slightly towards the headstock.

get the buyer to send you a picture as shown in the below article, of an at least 24" ruler laid lengthwise to see where it contacts the bridge. that tells a lot quickly. if he will do that, notice the saddle height and bridge thickness(to see if either appears lower than they should.

here you go, an excellent article with pictures
http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musi...neckangle.html

The intonation problem was on dreadnaughts and was caused by a misaligned bridge placement template.

Yep. Depending on how far off , it’s an easy and inexpensive fix most of the time. Mine was 1/16th off and it cost me less than 100 dollars. That being said , the issues with the 70s Martins is usually overstated. They can be very good guitars. I have a 72 D35 that is a great example of a Martin.

One of the ... no - the very finest Martin I ever owed was a 1973 Martin D35 ..and I'm fussy!

Guitars are individuals. Yes, the '70s wasn't the best era for Martin (and others) but it doesn't mean you should disregard every guitar they made.

Regarding action, old folks like me in the UK and Americans mostly measure in Imperial so I would say that the most common action at the 12th fret from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string should be about 3/32" on the bass and 2/32 (1/16") on the treble.

There is no way you can say what the neck angle is with that photo....but any old Martin needs to be evaluated by someone knowledgeable because resets are commonly required on them.

The action is high, if it's a guitar you are considering buying the neck will absolutely need to be reset. Given the picture you were shown, the person selling the guitar is not going to be to helpful as they don't know what or how to measure. Buy a vintage Martin you can visually inspect and play yourself.

Took the words out of my mouth. The seller is using the wrong ruler in the (slightly) wrong place, and hasn't provided the crucial picture of saddle height. There's really no way to tell from these data whether the guitar needs a reset.

The OP states that the prospective buyer is not "well versed in the measurements of the string/neck relationship." That's a problem, because the seller is also not well versed in how to measure action height. Given that neither party in this transaction is up to speed in determining whether a neck reset is necessary, I'd advise against this transaction going further. Either that, or figure the price of the guitar as if a neck reset is necessary.