2022 Martin Binding Issues? Yes!

[Russ C]

Originally Posted by RoscoeGumar

What about guitars with wood binding and “protein glue’? Just got a d18 modern deluxe and I’m going to be bummed if it ends up with binding issues.

A whole different scenario - shrinkage and bonding issues are not there.

[BluesKing777]

Originally Posted by Luckymud

Ouch -- that's ROUGH. 3 guitars! I feel your pain.

Not to pile on, but per above, I have two going back to Martin for binding, and ANOTHER ONE (my custom Ceo-7) that has some neck finishing issues straight out of the box (including what looks like a tooling mark that spans 2.5 frets on the side of the neck). I absolutely love the feel and sound of each of these guitars, but this is kind of absurd.

I lost my mind around 2014 >>>>after giving up smoking! I broke all my own rules in my no nicotine frenzy and bought some NEW guitars, including the ones with binding dramas...I don’t like new guitars and now after bits falling off here and there, I am convinced!

I had abused acoustics I bought from the pawn shop and had repaired but with all their foibles, none have shed any binding. And looking at my golden treasure find, my 1993 Lowden S35 - that binding is never, ever gonna move!

BluesKing777.

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by 6L6

Happy to say my 2017 000-18, and 2023 D-35 have had no issues whatsoever.

It can take quite some time to occur, Bill. My 2012 D-18 was fine for nine years until binding separation began in 2021.

Fingers crossed your guitars escape this issue.

[jmhill]

I think one of the old timer blue grassers (Maybe Norman Blake) said something like: "No belly. No tone", when referencing the hump behind the bridge.

I feel something similar can be said about Martin binding: "If it ain't coming off, is it really a Martin?"

All jokes of course.
I don't think I've owned a Martin that hasn't had this issues at some point it its life.

[Pender]

I once had a Santa Cruz H koa with this very same issue!

[brancher]

Unfortunately, my 2017 D-18 had the same issue within 18 mos. of purchase. First Martin suggested that I was not humidifying (I have a humidified music room with three other guitars that are very happy), then they sent me to a Luthier 2 hours away from my home (he refused to do the work, cited Martin's policies toward their certified repair folks), then finally accepted it for repair. Took 6 months to get it back. Since then I have looked at two other Martins to purchase, both had binding separation issues.

I do love my 18, great sound and mojo, but as someone else posted, this is sort of absurd. The good news is, there are many other guitars out there that cost less, sound great, and don't come apart.


As usual, ymmv.

[ALBD]

Just wow on all these Martin sloppy construction threads.

I own a 1954 00-17 (no issues) and I understand the love. It’s a beautifully constructed instrument that has stood the test of time. And time does matter in every regard. I’m sorry but based on the modern martins I’ve played compared to the modern “copies” I own or have owned by the likes of Merrill, PWGC, Franklin, etc. (that are truly “hand made in a little corner) I can’t understand why anyone would buy a top shelf modern Martin. Find a solid vintage one if you love the tone.

[budglo]

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

It can take quite some time to occur, Bill. My 2012 D-18 was fine for nine years until binding separation began in 2021.

Fingers crossed your guitars escape this issue.

Same here . It took 10 years for my 2013 D18 binding issues to present themselves.

[Mind Flayer]

Martin’s qc has really become a sad joke. I took my D-28 in for a new nut because the current one has the issue with the high E slot being too close to the edge of the fretboard, causing the string to slip when I do pulloffs. The repair guy, who has been working on Martins and other guitars for decades, told me that the amount of repairs he does on issues coming from the Martin factory is unbelievable — and he works at a store that’s a big Martin dealer! I have also been trying out a bunch of other D-28s and D-18s in stores in my area; I have probably played about 10 different ones, and all but one of them have this same issue.

The really sad part is that Martin obviously knows about these issues, which have been persistent for several years now. They read forums, they get complaints from customers. And yet they apparently simply choose not to do anything about it. To me, that indicates a lack of pride in their product; they are just coasting on the reputation built up by generations of owners and workers who came before them.

The good news is these issues can be remedied. And I love my D-28 aside from the nut issue I’m having corrected, but these seem like such easy things for Martin to fix (the nut issue in particular; the manufacturers of cheap budget acoustics seem to have no problem properly aligning nut slots).

[massimo]

What is beyond me is why don't Martin make them all with wood binding, which by the way looks much better than white or black plastic.

[RoscoeGumar]

Originally Posted by Russ C

A whole different scenario - shrinkage and bonding issues are not there.

Good to hear. I was somewhat on the fence about a straight d-18 vs the modern deluxe so, maybe I bought myself a bit of extra piece of mind with my purchase

[Hogs150]

My 0-18 that is a 2023 model has a couple of faint white lines starting on the back around the binding. I had to have my 00L-17 binding reglued a couple of years ago guess it will happen to this guitar as well. I still love the tone and playability though.

[nitram]

Those of us who own Gibsons took a lot of grief about QC issues for years from the Martin camp. As Dylan sang, "How does it feel...?"

[abn556]

I don’t hear reports of other builders having this issue. Its hard to believe that a company wouldn’t do a root cause/corrective action review on all these return for repair claims and address their issues. This has to be costing them a lot of money.

[davidd]

Originally Posted by abn556

I don’t hear reports of other builders having this issue. Its hard to believe that a company wouldn’t do a root cause/corrective action review on all these return for repair claims and address their issues. This has to be costing them a lot of money.

It is obvious that they believe by obfuscating the issue they can ride it out and not incur the huge financial hit they would take by acknowledging they were at fault.

What many don't realize is that in states like California where I live the lemon laws apply to most consumer goods including instruments. A general recall would affect guitars bought both new and used.

Martin management are slime IMO.