#1
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repairs to a Martin 000-18GE
I bought a Martin 000-18GE in late 2015 from a forum member. It was listed as having cosmetic issues. I already had a 12 fret version which I love but to which i didn't want to add electronics. I had my eye out for another at a good price to buy for that purpose. So I took the bait...The seller wrote the issue was just a finish problem on the top and that his luthier had checked it all out. But it was much more than that. These guitars are great and the repairs have resulted in an almost like new and in some ways better than new (thinner finish and 8 years old) guitar.
So here are the details of damage and repairs: Someone along the line replaced the tuners and damaged the headstock veneer in the process, replaced the nut but not well. Cannot understand replacing what would have been a fossilized ivory original! They pulled the bridge melting the finish in the process but worse yet, did not replace it in the correct position resulting in the holes in the top and bridge plate becoming sloppy ovals causing bowing of the top and poor fit of strings with bridge pins. Then the back and sides were all scratched up by careless handling. And the pick guard had been replaced with a dreadnought sized one. Other than the problem with the bridge placement, the rest were easily visible to anyone familiar with guitars. My work was done by an authorized Martin repairman, Jake Tuel of Burning River Guitars in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, who regularly works on vintage restorations. I am glad I had it fixed up, and this is an endorsement of his work if you ever need a skilled and friendly luthier. What started as, "I can live with the cosmetics except that clown smily face around the bridge so refinish the top" turned into let's fix this thing right. It was as if someone had taken this guitar and used it to practice their "luthier skills" on it. Terrible waste of a good instrument. The irony is, looking at the fretboard suggested it really had little play time. so...top to bottom, repair the headstock veneer, replace the nut with a well made fossilized ivory one, refinish the entire guitar, that of course meant the neck came off and got a reset, pull the bridge to repair the top and bridge plate for correct alignment, flatten the top, make a new ivory saddle, place a correct size pick guard, and install the electronics which started the whole process to begin with. Yep, it's like a new guitar. And guess what? It even sounds better. I am not kidding. Whether it is the finish or the proper bridge installation or sum of all the parts... it is very nice. Looking forward to my first venture with it this evening at worship team practice. Maybe a few before and after pictures to follow if anyone is interested. I didn't take many before, only of the top really, and the new ones look like...a new 000-18GE! |
#2
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Quite a story. And I agree - how could such a nice top shelf guitar get treated so badly? But this also should serve as a good warning for anyone looking to buy a used guitar. There is no 'safe haven' where you can buy with confidence , not Ebay, Craigslist, not even on forums like this. the old adage ' Caveat Emptor' ALWAYS rings true. If you aren't completely sure that what you are buying is what you think you're buying, it probably isn't.
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______________ ---Tom H --- |
#3
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Agree!
I wholeheartedly agree and share this cautionary tale to forum members buying but also as a plea for honesty in descriptions. I faced the dilemma of either fixing and keeping it or selling but with full disclosure of the needed repairs that were beyond cosmetic.
I might still have bought it but would like to have known the extent of the damage and paid accordingly. We should not be afraid to sell something that needs work. This guitar is worth repairing, 000-18GE, a modern Martin classic. Now I have a very nice guitar that I don't plan on babying. It is going to get played...a lot! |