martin warranty repair

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Martin is just trying to keep their heads above water.

Martin just raised prices, added a second shift at the factory to ramp production, and still face unprecedented demand with a 2 year back log. By the CFOs own reports, Martin's business has been booming. They either need to invest in their warranty repair center to show they stand behind their product or just stop offering a warranty and close doors on their repair shop. It's not fair to their customers or to their legacy to half-way it. Especially when they've got $$ coming out their ears right now.

[FLRon]

Originally Posted by fretfile100

I saw Ken Blount a few weeks and he is still in the repair business. He has been an authorized Martin Repair person for many years. I haven’t used Seven C music, but that’s where I would take my Taylor.

Good to know Ken is still doing repair work. A couple of people have recommended him to me but I’ve not been able to track him down since his website is down.

[Mak2525]

Originally Posted by FLRon

Good to know Ken is still doing repair work. A couple of people have recommended him to me but I’ve not been able to track him down since his website is down.

FLRon: In the link I posted above, there is a phone number listed for Ken - maybe that will work?

[valleyguy]

I have a 2014 D18 where the bindings at all four spots on the waist came off. my understanding is that in 2014 Martin changed the glue and they are having a LOT of binding separations. Problem was fixed a couple of years later.

I called all authorized repair centers n L.A. (four) all but one said they are not doing that repair, the one accepting the work had a 10 month wait list.

I finally found a service center in Oceanside that would take the guitar. The repair guy said Martin requires a bunch of measurements of the guitar top, neck, etc. to see that the guitar was taken care of. He did the measurements and said he expected Martin would cover the repair. Other wise, they charge $120 per separation, or $480 to repair. I costs that much as the binding shrinks and they have to take some out at the neck, glue and refinish the repair. You can't just reglue it. Martin came back and rejected the warranty repair, saying the guitar was over humidified. This guitar has NEVER been humidified, it hangs on my wall in Los Angeles, where humidity is NEVER over 50% and usually in the 30-40% range.

So, I will be paying for the repair....

[Fret-O'File]

Originally Posted by valleyguy

I have a 2014 D18 where the bindings at all four spots on the waist came off. my understanding is that in 2014 Martin changed the glue and they are having a LOT of binding separations. Problem was fixed a couple of years later.

I called all authorized repair centers n L.A. (four) all but one said they are not doing that repair, the one accepting the work had a 10 month wait list.

I finally found a service center in Oceanside that would take the guitar. The repair guy said Martin requires a bunch of measurements of the guitar top, neck, etc. to see that the guitar was taken care of. He did the measurements and said he expected Martin would cover the repair. Other wise, they charge $120 per separation, or $480 to repair. I costs that much as the binding shrinks and they have to take some out at the neck, glue and refinish the repair. You can't just reglue it. Martin came back and rejected the warranty repair, saying the guitar was over humidified. This guitar has NEVER been humidified, it hangs on my wall in Los Angeles, where humidity is NEVER over 50% and usually in the 30-40% range.

So, I will be paying for the repair....

That seems so wrong. You pay top dollar for a Martin and expect a guitar that is worth what you paid. This is a well known issue and yet they have balls to blame the customer. Unbelievable. Sorry you are being treated like that.

[FingahPickah]

I would fight this all the way... Martin binding issues are known ... This is ONLY ONE of many discussions on this known issue.

https://umgf.com/martin-binding-prob...8004-s100.html

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by valleyguy

I have a 2014 D18 where the bindings at all four spots on the waist came off. my understanding is that in 2014 Martin changed the glue and they are having a LOT of binding separations. Problem was fixed a couple of years later.

I called all authorized repair centers n L.A. (four) all but one said they are not doing that repair, the one accepting the work had a 10 month wait list.

I finally found a service center in Oceanside that would take the guitar. The repair guy said Martin requires a bunch of measurements of the guitar top, neck, etc. to see that the guitar was taken care of. He did the measurements and said he expected Martin would cover the repair. Other wise, they charge $120 per separation, or $480 to repair. I costs that much as the binding shrinks and they have to take some out at the neck, glue and refinish the repair. You can't just reglue it. Martin came back and rejected the warranty repair, saying the guitar was over humidified. This guitar has NEVER been humidified, it hangs on my wall in Los Angeles, where humidity is NEVER over 50% and usually in the 30-40% range.

So, I will be paying for the repair....

So here's a true story.

I picked up my brand new Martin custom at the factory a few years ago. During that visit, I bumped into a friendly and overly-curious senior employee who asked to see the guitar. He did not realize I'd just picked it up new and thought it was a guitar I had brought back for Chris Martin's factory tour meet-and-greet that was going on. He looked it over and offered compliments. But then he held the guitar up to the light at a certain angle and said, "wow, you've really over-humidified this guitar. That voids the warranty, you know..." Brand new. Hadn’t even left the factory yet. I didn't even engage him; just shook my head.

Martin looks for every tiny way to wiggle out of covering warranty repairs, it's infuriating. Do you think they were acting like that in the 30s? The 50s? The 70s? No way. Leaving it out in the rain is one thing, but failing to keep refreshing desiccant packets throughout the summer is another entirely. The warranty is truly worthless in the sense that I would never pay an extra dollar for it.

[ataylor]

I clicked on this link expecting it to be about binding failure on a recent 18 or 21 style standard series Martin.

Yup.

It's really too bad, because these guitars are otherwise fantastic. I don't expect a flawless guitar — I can and do live with imperfections — but something as fundamental as binding shouldn't be failing as soon and as often as it is now. Pretty embarrassing.

[fretfile100]

Try 863-835-1257 for Ken

[Scott of the Sa]

Just because the shop is a Martin "Authorized" service center does not make them good. I brought my Martin in for a neck reset. The guitar came back with a shaved bridge. Totally unplayable and horrible. It looked like the guy took a belt sander to the bridge.
I took the guitar to an expert who does not do warranty work and she glued a new bridge on. Sometimes it pays to just get it done right regardless of if you have to pay. Martin did reimburse me the money I had paid to the first guy, but not the real repair. I felt I got out of that pretty good.
I sometimes install hot water tanks. The real difference between the 6 year warranty tank and the 10 year warranty tank is the warranty. And after a few years it will not be worth anything.

[FLRon]

The first thing I look for when seeking repair work is what kind of recommendations does the person have, because word of mouth nearly always trumps a framed certificate. A lot of mechanics have various certifications but that doesn’t always translate into them being the person I want to work on my vehicles. It helps, but it’s just one criteria I look for.

[89bruin]

Originally Posted by Scott of the Sa

Just because the shop is a Martin "Authorized" service center does not make them good.

This is true. Unfortunately, I know this from personal experience. Then again, Martin’s factory service wasn’t much better. In my book Martin’s warranty is worthless. I like my Martins but since their incompetent handling of my warranty issue I haven’t had any desire to pick up their product even though I’ve purchased several guitars since then.

[Rad]

Originally Posted by rstaight

Amazing, another reason not to buy Martin. Shows they do not stand behind their product.

An authorized service center should not refuse it. Kind of like your new car having a leaking valve cover gasket and the dealer refuses t repair it when the car is still under warranty. Because they don't get paid enough to do the repair.

I had the exact problem with Taylor, the Taylor dealer said Taylor did not pay enough for warranty work.

[Wade Hampton]

After I wrote that Martin was just trying to keep its head above water, zoopeda wrote:

Originally Posted by zoopeda

Martin just raised prices, added a second shift at the factory to ramp production, and still face unprecedented demand with a 2 year back log. By the CFOs own reports, Martin's business has been booming. They either need to invest in their warranty repair center to show they stand behind their product or just stop offering a warranty and close doors on their repair shop. It's not fair to their customers or to their legacy to half-way it. Especially when they've got $$ coming out their ears right now.

Zoopeda, what I meant by my comment is that Martin is just trying to keep warranty work timely rather than take forever with it. I didn’t mean to imply that they’re close to shutting the doors and going out of business.


whm

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

After I wrote that Martin was just trying to keep its head above water, zoopeda wrote:



Zoopeda, what I meant by my comment is that Martin is just trying to keep warranty work timely rather than take forever with it. I didn’t mean to imply that they’re close to shutting the doors and going out of business.


whm

I’m with you. I just meant that if Martin truly wants to “keep their heads above water,” they either ought to invest all these big recent profits in their warranty repair program or shut it down entirely. It’s wrong to post record profits on the front side while rejecting legitimate binding repair claims on the backside.

In its present state, the Martin warranty isn’t worth a nickel, which is a big reason why the used Martin market (by Chris Martin’s own admission) remains their toughest competition.