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Old 02-02-2018, 07:48 PM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Twin Cities
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I am no expert, but do have one experience to call on.

My 1917 Martin 0-18 needed a neck reset when I first got it. Really, it wasn't too bad, just on the verge of needing one. So I went ahead and got it done. I am glad that I did, because it plays very nicely now. The 0-18 is a small, very comfortable guitar with a short scale. Back in 1917 and earlier, the scale was 24 3/4". Later, I think in the late 1920s, Martin lengthened to 24.9", which is still short scale, and I think that is still how they build them. This is the only Martin guitar I have, so my experience on this is limited, and I don't know if the aspects of earlier Martin guitars (whatever those aspects might be...) that resulted in needing neck resets, are still how they build them today.

As for materials, Martins were built very light back then for gut strings. They didn't start making steel string guitars until much later in the 1920s or 1930s. As for materials, back then they still made these 0-18s with Brazilian rosewood back and sides, later switching to mahogany.

I really don't know what would make a Martin more or less susceptible to needing a neck reset, but I do know that Martin is the brand that I most hear about needing a neck reset sometime during an instrument's life. From what I have been told by the luthier who did my guitar's neck reset, they are typically good for 20 - 30 years.

Tony
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