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  #16  
Old 03-02-2019, 08:06 AM
harpspitfire harpspitfire is offline
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really, the guitar shop may even be at fault and damaged the truss rod, actually a good excuse if they did saying its from a pawn shop- who knows the real story?- i do find some super buys at a pawn shop, but, over 90% of the gear has some kind of damage to it- i really think the repair shop should of looked over the guitar better and give a truer estimate then a bad news added $ tab
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  #17  
Old 03-02-2019, 11:16 AM
lar lar is offline
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The lesson learned (for me) is to have the guitar checked out by a luthier first, before purchasing it. If the pawn shop disagrees with that, they probably know something is wrong with it. If they don't agree to a pre-purchase independent inspection, walk away.

In your case, that's water under the bridge unfortunately. But as others have said, if you like the guitar just play it and don't worry about it. However, if you want to verify (2nd opinion) the truss rod is actually 'broken' I don't think a shop would charge that much just to check the truss rod. Just make it clear you don't want a full setup, just a truss rod check. Doesn't hurt to ask anyway.

One thing that occurred to me reading this thread: Others have said that the neck on that guitar is extremely rigid. Maybe the luthier didn't know about this. IOW - he may have turned the rod and expected a certain change in the neck bow and when he didn't get it - assumed a broken rod. Instead, maybe he didn't get his expected bow because the neck is more rigid than he thought, and outside of his level of experience with other guitars.
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  #18  
Old 03-02-2019, 12:02 PM
zmf zmf is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by welshr View Post
zmf,
Sarcasm? Ouch . . .
My bad. That was a cheap shot.

I went with the first thing that came to mind, which was: Hmm. That's not exactly a true-life version of the Guy Clark song.

Enjoy the guitar.
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  #19  
Old 03-02-2019, 12:42 PM
Edgar Poe Edgar Poe is offline
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Before the luthier did your set up he should have checked the truss rod.
It almost seems like maybe He broke the truss rod.

Ed
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  #20  
Old 03-02-2019, 12:49 PM
bluesfreek bluesfreek is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Edgar Poe View Post
Before the luthier did your set up he should have checked the truss rod.
It almost seems like maybe He broke the truss rod.

Ed
I believe this too. I personally have worked on and setup dozens of guitars both electric and acoustic and as soon as I get the old strings off a "used" guitar for a setup I check to see if the truss rod works first before even continuing. First order of business is loosening the truss rod not trying to tighten it. If the truss rod moves at all I continue with the setup.
Indeed on some guitars I have had to use a little penetrating oil to loosen up the truss rod but not many.

Personally I'd be questioning the guitar tech.
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  #21  
Old 03-02-2019, 02:50 PM
welshr welshr is offline
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Default Broken truss rod Martin DXK2

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Originally Posted by Steadfastly View Post
Why is the neck going to fail if you replace the truss rod?
Not going to replace the truss rod, I already have too much money into it. "Fail" is not quite the right word. Right now the neck is pretty straight and true (only a very slight dip right where it joins the body) and it plays and sounds fine. But he said that, without the reinforcement of the truss rod, over time it will go out of true, and at that point the only fix will be a new truss rod. (Not sure if I explained that very well. I am not a luthier.)
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  #22  
Old 03-02-2019, 02:55 PM
welshr welshr is offline
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Default Broken truss rod Martin DXK2

Quote:
Originally Posted by Edgar Poe View Post
Before the luthier did your set up he should have checked the truss rod.
It almost seems like maybe He broke the truss rod.

Ed
Yes, that occurred to me too. This guy seems to know his stuff and he seems pretty straightforward, but I'm just getting to know him, so who knows? Going to pick it up later today and I will ask him a few questions. This will be really awkward, to say the least.
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  #23  
Old 03-02-2019, 02:56 PM
welshr welshr is offline
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Default Broken truss rod Martin DXK2

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Originally Posted by bluesfreek View Post
I believe this too. I personally have worked on and setup dozens of guitars both electric and acoustic and as soon as I get the old strings off a "used" guitar for a setup I check to see if the truss rod works first before even continuing. First order of business is loosening the truss rod not trying to tighten it. If the truss rod moves at all I continue with the setup.
Indeed on some guitars I have had to use a little penetrating oil to loosen up the truss rod but not many.

Personally I'd be questioning the guitar tech.
Yes, that occurred to me too. This guy seems to know his stuff and he seems pretty straightforward, but I'm just getting to know him, so who knows? Going to pick it up later today and I will ask him a few questions. This will be really awkward, to say the least.
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  #24  
Old 03-02-2019, 04:46 PM
Dreadfulnaught Dreadfulnaught is offline
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I hate broken and (more common) stripped truss rods. There is no real reason for them. It’s idjit damage. They don’t damage themselves, it’s usually done by a kid who does not know what truss rod adjustment is for and overcranks it. I have a friend like that. They generally break where the adjustment nut is, not in the middle of the neck or something.

Stew-Mac makes a tool to repair a broken/stripped rod, though I don’t know how easy it would be on a Martin with the adjustable end inside the guitar. You first chase the threads to get them good and clean, then if necessary there is a bladed tool that pockets the wood around the rod so you can put a few threads on it and then install a new nut (or reinstall the old one).

Did you verify that the rod actually is broken? If the nut goes round and round with little resistance, it may be stripped. Did the tech hand you a broken end with a nut on it? If you do this repair yourself it may yet be a bargain.
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  #25  
Old 03-02-2019, 05:03 PM
welshr welshr is offline
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Default “The Guitar Song”

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Originally Posted by bluesfreek View Post
Here's a song that'll hopefully make you feel better.

bluesfreek,
“The Guitar Song” made me laugh; it really did cheer me up. What a cool song. Thanks for that.
And here's one for you. If you like the blues, you will like this.
SmokeHouse, “Cadillac in the Swamp” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjPEuDtocOQ

Last edited by welshr; 03-02-2019 at 05:13 PM.
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  #26  
Old 03-02-2019, 05:23 PM
welshr welshr is offline
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Default Martin DXK2 broken truss rod [thanks Dreadfulnaught]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreadfulnaught View Post
I hate broken and (more common) stripped truss rods. There is no real reason for them. It’s idjit damage. They don’t damage themselves, it’s usually done by a kid who does not know what truss rod adjustment is for and overcranks it. I have a friend like that. They generally break where the adjustment nut is, not in the middle of the neck or something.

Stew-Mac makes a tool to repair a broken/stripped rod, though I don’t know how easy it would be on a Martin with the adjustable end inside the guitar. You first chase the threads to get them good and clean, then if necessary there is a bladed tool that pockets the wood around the rod so you can put a few threads on it and then install a new nut (or reinstall the old one).

Did you verify that the rod actually is broken? If the nut goes round and round with little resistance, it may be stripped. Did the tech hand you a broken end with a nut on it? If you do this repair yourself it may yet be a bargain.
Dreadfulnaught,
I really learned something from your post. This is the kind of education I was hoping to get from the forum. Going to pick up the Martin in a little while and try to find out what exactly happened, where the truss rod “broke.” After reading your post, I’m less confused over this than I was before. A stripped truss rod or a broken nut makes sense; a “broken” truss rod doesn’t. How could a steel rod break anywhere other than at the ends (as you said, stripped threads or broken nut)? So now I know the right questions to ask when I pick it up. Thanks Dreadfulnaught!
If you’re into the blues, check this out:
SmokeHouse, “Cadillac in the Swamp”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjPEuDtocOQ

Last edited by welshr; 03-02-2019 at 05:57 PM.
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  #27  
Old 03-02-2019, 05:46 PM
terken terken is offline
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The newer Martin rod is really durable, it would be tough to break unless it had a bad weld.
Maybe a second is opinion appropriate.
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  #28  
Old 03-02-2019, 05:51 PM
welshr welshr is offline
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Default Broken truss rod Martin DXK2

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Originally Posted by terken View Post
The newer Martin rod is really durable, it would be tough to break unless it had a bad weld.
Maybe a second is opinion appropriate.
You are right. A stripped truss rod or a broken nut makes sense; a “broken” truss rod doesn’t. How could a steel rod break anywhere other than at the ends (stripped threads or broken nut)?
You're right, I should have gotten a second opinion. I'm going to pick it up a little later and find out exactly what the deal was.

Last edited by welshr; 03-02-2019 at 06:08 PM.
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  #29  
Old 03-02-2019, 05:55 PM
welshr welshr is offline
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Default Guy Clark song?

Quote:
Originally Posted by zmf View Post
My bad. That was a cheap shot.

I went with the first thing that came to mind, which was: Hmm. That's not exactly a true-life version of the Guy Clark song.

Enjoy the guitar.
Thanks zmf. What Guy Clark song?
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  #30  
Old 03-02-2019, 06:20 PM
zmf zmf is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by welshr View Post
Thanks zmf. What Guy Clark song?
"The Guitar". He wrote it with Verlon Thompson.

Here's Verlon's version. Love his flatpicking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_Lkg7GsKQQ
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