Martin D35 3 piece back question/martin tuner to grover question

[Mrbirdog]

Really love my D16RGT ! have had it for about 9 months and it has opened up and sounds great. I have done the following to it, Luthier (Martin appproved) adjusted action some time back , replaced saddle with bone, and is currently and luthier getting 18:1 Grover tuners and black pickguard (beveled) that the Luthier ordered from Martin as an authorized repairman. As far as the richlite it plays the same to me as ebony....Played a D35 after dinner at Guitar Center, it sounds slightly basier than my D16RGT. All around the D16 RGT is a fantastic guitar I will be keeping. My next guitar buy will be 000-18 Hog with Addy top, played one several times but have not bot yet...What a guitar !!! It was a custom order from another shop near me (I have 4 shops within 10 miles of my location ). Hope that helps.....Keep on Pickin !!!
Mrbirdog

Originally Posted by AveEscapeArtist

Mrbirdog, how do you like your D16rgt? Does the richlite bother you at all? And upon inspection can you tell it's not ebony? How's the guitar sound? If I wouldn't have found such a good deal on my D35, it would've either been the rgt, or the mmv/dsr. I actually really really like the dsr's but I fear the the satin finish on a Sitka top, or just that guitar particularly would pick up a lot of dirt and eventually end up looking bad. I've played mmv's that have sounded much better than some d28's. Very strange to me. I did hear that a d28/d35/standard Martin brand new out of the box would sometimes not sound as good as say a mmv or rgt, but that in the long run the standards tend to sound better. Aging better/ opening up more than the slightly lower priced models... Anyone want to chime in? Would love to hear some opinions

[IM4Nats]

The D 35 Martin was brought into the market when stocks of Brazilian Rosewood were declining and a 3 piece back would make use of smaller sized back pieces. It would make no sense to saw a large piece of Indian Rosewood into 3 pieces and your back has different grain pattern in the center piece. They are definitely not from the same piece of wood but match up very nicely.
As far as swapping your tuners for Grovers, I have to assume you are talking of the "Rotomatics". To use the over-sized tuners you will have to increase the size of the holes in the headstock as the overbuilt Rotomatics require a larger hole. I strongly recommend a more lightweight tuner that will allow your guitar to maintain a balance in weight. Rotomatics also are not condusive to tranmitting sound down through the neck due to their sound absorbing mass and their too tall shafts. Better options would be open back tuners from Grover and they will be cheaper, have shorter shafts for better break angle over the nut, and be lighter weight for less mass.
http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_...d3_Tuners.html

[AZLiberty]

Originally Posted by Mrbirdog

off topic but why are you hidin that d35 from that nice horse ??? Does he play ????
Mrbirdog

Ezra is an Off the Track Thoroughbred. He only plays fast in one direction.

Seriously, ex racehorse. You know the phrase "eats like a horse" well he eats like two. Also, he's a giant love puppy who like to nuzzle.

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by AveEscapeArtist

Well I guess I'm just assuming that the Martin tuners are inferior to the grovers. I could definitely be persuaded otherwise. I've noticed that the new standard series Martin's are all equipped with grovers and the more entry level Martin's usually have the Martin tuners. I guess in the earlier 2000's even the standards had the Martin tuners.

In 2001 the Martin tuners were most likely to have been made by Gotoh, and frankly, Gotoh tuners are generally better than Grovers. So you face the possibility of spending money to replace good tuners with fairly mediocre ones.

I recommend you just leave it alone. Grovers would not be an upgrade over Gotohs. If you want better tuner accuracy, you can replace the existing Martin/Gotoh gears with 2014 Gotohs - the Gotoh company has improved their product line significantly over the past twenty years or so, and I have replaced 2001 Gotohs with more recent ones and felt I'd made the right choice.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[bjstewa]

I am a sucker for the 3-piece back. I ordered my Martin with a Mahogany wedge.

[woodstock64]

Originally Posted by bjstewa

I am a sucker for the 3-piece back. I ordered my Martin with a Mahogany wedge.

I really dig that mahogany wedge!