Brand New 000-28 Total Disappointment

[scotchnspeed]

Originally Posted by Whatsisface

I've seen nut slots on new Martins that put the treble E too close to the fretboard edge.

I find this the norm for both Martin and Taylor. Not a fault, just design.

[RichAlan]

Thought I'd update my one and only thread on this forum regarding my Martin debacle. Honestly I just want to vent as I'm aggravated and I appreciate responses from other users. So here it is.

Martin ended up replacing that 000-28 as they said it was built with a bad nut, the tuners were rough, and the wrong thickness bridge. Told me the replacement was hand picked for me and it would be perfect. What I received was an instrument that would not stay in tune. Fretting first position chords all we're off. Tuners on the treble side quickly became rough feeling and continuously checking G and B on a strobe proved they were slipping.

Whomever did the grain fill process on it, certainly didn't do a complete job as over the next month of the lacquer still curing the pores all over the back and sides really opened up and became very noticeable. Tip of the pick guard started to peel back. Frustrated stuck in the case and never touched it for about a month.

Finally wrote them an email with what was going on. Two weeks later after no response, I picked up the phone and called their customer service. They sent me a UPS tag to send guitar #2 back.

Received a repair order a week later. The nut was again deemed incorrect. Wrong break angle, nut slots not deep enough. Waverly tuners are being installed, but to do so the back of headstock is being refinished as the Waverly tuner footprint is smaller than the original Grovers. Guitar body being refinished and polished. They are definitely doing this as a priority as they know my experience has not been acceptable.

Separately, during the time I was waiting the first time I picked up a new Eastman E6D for $875 shipped. Gotta say Eastman's quality is so far beyond that of Martin. Completely thrilled with it. I'm thinking now I'll buy two Eastman's... perhaps an E20-0M and AC330e12...

[baw3]

I have bought several Eastmans from Sun Valley Guitars, having never played one of them in person. I have been happy with every one of them. I think you would really like the E20 series.

[jimmy bookout]

Originally Posted by gfspencer

I agree . . . but I've bought some of my best guitars on line through My Favorite Guitars, Maury's, and Elderly. I trusted them and they didn't let me down. I hate it that Jon at MFG decided to retire.

On the other hand, I doubt that I will buy from Reverb again. Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me.

The OP did NOT buy through Reverb. He stated he found the dealer through Reverb but then bought the guitar from the dealer directly in post #20. So, to save some money, he bypassed Reverb (which the dealer should not have done) and now has no Reverb protection.

This entire thread is starting to make me go hmmmmm....

[SalFromChatham]

The nut being cut slightly favoring the treble side is a common problem. I think in some recent production, someone didn’t measure twice and cut once on the plek? It happened to me with a D28.

If you love the sound of your guitar, take it and have a new nut cut. Life is too short to get stressed. You shouldn’t have to deal with this of course, but if you love the sound? $120 bucks well spent.

Eastmans are nice! And inexpensive relatively. But the finish is not nitro, they smell like glue, and they are not quite Martins, Gibsons, or even the Taylors they try to emulate.

That’s my opinion. I did not want to ship mine back, and look for another, etc. $120 bucks and good to go.

[scotchnspeed]

Originally Posted by jimmy bookout

The OP did NOT buy through Reverb. He stated he found the dealer through Reverb but then bought the guitar from the dealer directly in post #20. So, to save some money, he bypassed Reverb (which the dealer should not have done) and now has no Reverb protection.

This entire thread is starting to make me go hmmmmm....

I fail to understand how *Reverb Protection* even matters. Taking the things the OP says at face value, these are warranty/QC issues. Plus, is there something insinuating as wrong with contacting dealers directly?

[egordon99]

Three bad guitars in a row? Two sent by this "dealer" and one directly from Martin?

I am highly suspect of this story.

[eyesore]

I bought an OM28 a few years ago and noticed the same thing with the high E string. I kept pushing it off the fret board. I guess I got used to it, but I have never bonded with this guitar. I should have taken it back but didn't . You should send it back.

[Pdubs76]

Originally Posted by eyesore

I bought an OM28 a few years ago and noticed the same thing with the high E string. I kept pushing it off the fret board. I guess I got used to it, but I have never bonded with this guitar. I should have taken it back but didn't . You should send it back.

Same thing with my HD28. Can’t keep the high E on the fretboard. Forget it in DADGAD. Hopefully a new nut will solve the problem.

[Playguitar]

I tried a New Martin 000-18 at GC last weekend and the action was extremely high, the string height at the 12th was about 3/16" (5mm) and the truss rod adjustment was so far off there was a gap of about 3/64" (1mm) at the 7th fret. It was almost unplayable.

[Malcolm Kindnes]

Quality control on Martin guitars is not what it used to be.

[SalFromChatham]

I’ll say it again. New nut fixes this easily. Buzzy at Lark Street Music fixed mine.

While I was not happy that the guitar had this issue… it is extremely common for pandemic era Martin standard series guitars. You could get a new nut, and love your Martin, or buy a knockoff copy with the correct nut spacing, but that sounds… charitably… not like the Martin sound you sought.

Get a new nut made, yell at the windshield on the drive home, and then be happy afterwards you have the Martin.

Obviously this in my opinion.

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by RichAlan

Nut slots cut off center resulting in the treble E string positioned .5mm from the edge of the fret. Any pressure or vibrato would push the string off the neck

Truss rod fully loose and not enough neck relief. Possibly needs a neck reset from new.

Neck relief and need for a neck reset are not related.. As was pointed out, relief is completely adjustable via the truss rod. Some people like higher relief, but you have to set it where you like it.

But the nut issue is a bummer. In the age of cnc and plek technology, I don’t understand how this can happen so often. Guitar needs a new nut, but, contrary to the advice given, that can be done without making a mark, using a factory nut. Should be covered under warranty, but shouldn’t have to be.

To the comment about Eastman. They’re great guitars, but don’t let your small sample skew things. My anecdote is the one Eastman I ordered had major finish issues, cloudy spots, weird unadhered areas, and the burst was laughable, to put it mildly. I won’t judge the whole company on that one guitar, but no factory is perfect.

[ALBD]

Originally Posted by egordon99

Three bad guitars in a row? Two sent by this "dealer" and one directly from Martin?

I am highly suspect of this story.

I would be too if it wasn’t Martin. Where there is smoke there’s fire and lawdy Martin puts out a lot of smoke. Of course it’s just based on what I read here and elsewhere. I suppose it’s possible there are just a lot of liars out there that are bent on hurting Martin’s rep.

[Malcolm Kindnes]

A couple of years ago I bought a new old stock Martin Ditson 111 and it's a great guitar, but I had to have a new nut and saddle made because both were faulty. It was unrealistic to send it back because I am in Ireland, but at this price point we should be able to expect better quality control.