Martin repair

[Marisab828]

So I have a Martin GPCPA4 which had a neck angle issue where the neck joint had come loose causing a gap between the heel and the body. The neck is a mortise and tenon which is still a set neck with a glue joint (although there is a bolt sometimes used in this joint as well) I took it into a authorized Martin repair tech expecting the need for a neck reset, as based on my understanding, since this guitar is technically still a set neck, when the glue joint fails, it needs reglued. Well I just picked up the guitar and was told all it needed was a bolt to be put in (there was no screw from factory) and an action adjustment. Upon inspecting the guitar, the gap is now gone but the saddle is very low. I don’t have a ruler I can use to give exact measurements but it’s LOW. I will add photos when Im able to get to a computer. The new action as reported by the Martin tech is 6.5/64” to 4.6/64”. Before I picked the guitar up I asked the tech if the neck angle was correct and all measurements were good and up to Martin spec. He told me the guitar was great and had no issues and the saddle height was good. When I got there I talked to someone else (not a tech) and he just kept telling me if there were any issues the tech and Martin would have fixed it. Well what would you do? I just don’t know if everything is actually okay and the height of the saddle just seems way too low to be considered “great with no issues”

[Slimt]

If Martin instructed the repair and the Martin Tech did the repair. You should be good to go.

[Russ C]

Those action measurements are not really low - assuming they’re under the strings at fret 12. Many prefer higher but many prefer that or even lower.

[Marisab828]

Originally Posted by Russ C

Those action measurements are not really low - assuming they’re under the strings at fret 12. Many prefer higher but many prefer that or even lower.

I agree. The action is nice and comfortable to me but I feel that the saddle is at the absolute bare minimum that it can be set to so if someone wants it lower, or if there is any movement at all with the guitar, there isn’t anything you can do.

[Russ C]

Originally Posted by Marisab828

I agree. The action is nice and comfortable to me but I feel that the saddle is at the absolute bare minimum that it can be set to so if someone wants it lower, or if there is any movement at all with the guitar, there isn’t anything you can do.

I hear you and yes, the neck angle “should” be greater to allow for movement that is likely to occur. I did miss the point you were making about “low” - saddle not action. Pay more attention Russ.

[Marisab828]

Originally Posted by Russ C

I hear you and yes, the neck angle “should” be greater to allow for movement that is likely to occur. I did miss the point you were making about “low” - saddle not action. Pay more attention Russ.

I’m sorry I tried to make it clear but I understand it may have been confusing. The point is I feel that the saddle is too low and indicates that the neck angle is not good, considering that the action is not anything exceptionally low. I feel that the guitar should have probably had a neck reset instead of just adding a bolt, especially because it’s not a bolt on neck, and the glue joint obviously failed. I feel that these issues should have been recognized and remedied by a Martin repair tech but instead I am being told it’s fine. I am wondering if I’m thinking too much into and or if I should try to do something more to fix the guitar.

[Russ C]

Originally Posted by Marisab828

I’m sorry I tried to make it clear but I understand it may have been confusing. The point is I feel that the saddle is too low and indicates that the neck angle is not good, considering that the action is not anything exceptionally low. I feel that the guitar should have probably had a neck reset instead of just adding a bolt, especially because it’s not a bolt on neck, and the glue joint obviously failed. I feel that these issues should have been recognized and remedied by a Martin repair tech but instead I am being told it’s fine. I am wondering if I’m thinking too much into and or if I should try to do something more to fix the guitar.

No, it was clear enough. I just needed to read it right.
Martin often make guitars that leave little to no adjustment at the saddle if you have a low action. They don’t seem to consider it needs a time consuming repair like a neck reset if your saddle can achieve it - for now.
So do you reset it now, or argue the case with them, or wait ‘til it does need doing?
Or will it stay put and never need attention? I understand your thinking.

I bought a D28 back in ‘74 that’s never moved. My D45v made in ‘06 and bought in ‘11 hasn’t moved since then but they’ve both been strung lightly. That said I believe most guitars strung normally will need a neck reset one day, and the timing of that can be an emotional decision as well as a financial one - pride of ownership and all that.

[stormin1155]

I've worked on a few Martins with that M/T joint, and it seems that they install a threaded insert into the neck tenon, but don't install a bolt, relying on the glue to hold the joint. On yours, the glue failed, resulting in the gap between the heel and body and the bad neck angle. Rather than removing the neck and regluing, the tech probably just installed a bolt, which pulled the neck back to where it should have been.... almost, but not quite. So to get the desired string action the saddle had to be lowered. Not ideal, but probably within factory specs, so good enough for Martin.

If the string action is too high for you, I'd take it back. If there isn't enough saddle left, the tech may have to bite the bullet and do a proper reset.

[redir]

If you measured that correctly then I would consider that to be medium action, not low, and you are right that if you sold the guitar someone very well may want to go lower.

We need to know how much saddle is protruding though. So measure that too.

Low saddles are not a problem so long as you have the action as low as you want already. It sounds like you are happy with the setup as is so as long as the guitar is a keeper then you should be good to go.

One other thing to check is the relief. If the guitar has excessive relief then you can tighten the truss rod to set the proper relief and as a byproduct of that your action will be lower. But my guess is if you took it to a MArtin tech they most certainly set the relief but it's worth checking.

[John Arnold]

How thick is the bridge? A related question: How high are the G and D strings above the top, just in front of the bridge?
Martin installs different thickness bridges, depending on the neck angle. The thinnest Martin bridge is 5/16", but they can be as much as 7/16".
Any Martin bridge can be shaved to 5/16" to gain more saddle exposure.