Martin guitar is it new or used?

[Timothyg]

Hi everyone,
I recently had a thread about my strings buzzing and rattling on my new d35.when I opened the case I found a til key package that says 2016 on it inside the case of the guitar.That got me thinking.Is my guitar that I was told was new old?I have a serial number that says2092785.I looked it up 2018 but not find any 2018 year with any serial numbers on it.I did find 2016. Which is 2076795.2017 is 2161732.My point is these numbers go up by the year so my guitar would have been made between 2016 and 2017.I was told this was a new guitar.If someone else owned it I also will not have a warranty with it.by the way my warranty papers were not in with the guitar case.The guitar is flawless but if someone else owned it chances are could be why I am getting some strange issues with it.Or it all could be a coincidence.Anyone's thoughts on what year this guitar may be would be great.If it isn't new he has some explaining to do I really don't want to inherit some one else's problems. Thanks !

[Russ C]

From my experience a 2 yr gap between manufacture and sale is not unusual.
Re the lack of paperwork or the "issues" you mentioned .. I can't comment, but I certainly wouldn't be concerned about it's delay getting to you.
Often more expensive guitars take longer to sell.

[SprintBob]

Did you buy the guitar from a Martin dealer? If so, it could be New Old Stock which should be covered by warranty. Talk to the seller and give Martin a call and then report back with your findings. No point in getting wound up until you know.

[Kitkatjoe]

Originally Posted by SprintBob

Did you buy the guitar from a Martin dealer? If so, it could be New Old Stock which should be covered by warranty. Talk to the seller and give Martin a call and then report back with your findings. No point in getting wound up until you know.

I bought a new old stock guitar that was 11 years old. It is a fine guitar and I couldn’t be happier.

[DenverSteve]

According to Martin your guitar is a 2017. Date of manufacture doesn't matter it's whether it was purchased at an authorized Martin dealer.

[Russ C]

I'll just add to my previous post for you - I've bought 5 new Martins - the first was 2 years past manufacture date, the next was 5 years (I do live in Oz and that adds a few weeks), then 3 years, then another 5 year old.
Easily the best 2 were the oldest - and both absolutely new. I unboxed another 3 year old at the distributors before choosing the older one which is gonna stay here longer than me.

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by Timothyg

I was told this was a new guitar.If someone else owned it I also will not have a warranty with it.by the way my warranty papers were not in with the guitar case.

Have you gone on-line to register your guitar? That way you will at least find out if it's been registered by a possible earlier owner. The absence of documentation in the case doesn't tell you anything other than that someone, possibly a store-employee, has taken the paperwork out of the case and failed to put in back in there.

https://www.martinguitar.com/warranty-registration/

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

[catfish]

The Russian dealer of Martin has a D18VS that is 11 or 12 years old:
http://slami.ru/netcat/modules/catalog/CNT29530

It is about 3 or 4 months since they decreased its price by 30 per cent, I guess, but yet no buyers in sight.

I had GAS for exactly this guitar 2.5 years ago and made them an offer. I came with cash in my pocket and mentioned it. They declined, "too low". I do not want this guitar anymore. I'm even happy I did not buy it because I ended up with Gibson J-45 Standard and very glad with it!

[archerscreek]

I second the appeal to go through online registration. You'll find out immediately if the guitar was ever owned by another player.

I bought a D-18GE advertised as used from a dealer, but it looked brand new to me so I tried to register it thinking maybe the dealer just wanted to slash the price to clear inventory. Nope. Registration didn't go through. It indeed was owned by another once upon a time.

A few months later my Custom Shop HD-28 came in and its online registration was immediately accepted.

[The Bard Rocks]

Each instrument is considered "new" until sold to the first person, no matter how many years it takes.

[Mbroady]

Did you buy it through a dealer. If it was from an individual then it is not new and the warranty does not apply

If it was through a dealer did they specifically say it was old new stock (from you initial post it does not sound that way)?
Were you expecting the new reimagined D35. It so then the dealer should have clarified that is was an old-new stock. Unless you are blown away by the guitar( which it seems you are not) I would return it....ASAP

[ManyMartinMan]

A 2017 is not “new old stock”. It is simply a new guitar unless previously sold.