calling gpcpa4 owners

gadgetfreak · #1 07-28-2014, 04:12 PM

Hello i have a gpcpa4 rosewood here and I am curious as to what your string height at the 12th fret is. I played an Ovangkol model that was setup beautiful and I was hoping that mine would come back like that one and it's not, seem's very hard to play for a martin, sure open chords sound great but the rest of the neck is lifeless.

I would appreciate it if you happen to be playing and take note of the height of Low and High E strings at the 12th fret. Thanks

ahorsewithnonam · #2 07-28-2014, 04:23 PM

Just get it set up! Or take out the saddle, sand it down, replace. 15 minute job.

gadgetfreak · #3 07-28-2014, 04:56 PM

It was just setup, everything on this guitar is mathematically perfect. I wouldn't even ask but I played another model in ovangkol that was a dream to play and that is what I wanted my action to be like and it's not.

My guy has more experience than I've been alive and I'm 41. THat's another reason I'm asking is maybe the setup is perfect and it's the guitar that isn't. I'm not going to insult this guy and cry over a couple 64th's but it does make a difference unfortunately.

ahorsewithnonam · #4 07-28-2014, 05:02 PM

Why can't he lower to action to match the other guitar?

gadgetfreak · #5 07-28-2014, 05:14 PM

Well he never seen the other guitar, Only I did at the store. I said to make it as easy to play as possible.

bld522 · #6 07-28-2014, 05:20 PM

It may not be the setup, gadgetfreak. It may be the guitar.

I recently purchased a DCPA4R. The first one I tried sounded fantastic, but I wanted to play a couple of more just to make sure there wasn't another out there that sounded better. I dropped by another store that had two of them and played them both. One of them sounded as good as the first one I played. But the second one didn't sound as good and I couldn't figure out why. It looked to be set up the same as the other two, but it just didn't have the resonance they had. So I went back, got the first one I tried, and learned a valuable lesson about trying before buying.

My recommendation is to audition another GPCPA4R if you can and see if it's your guitar rather than your setup that's the issue.

gadgetfreak · #7 07-28-2014, 06:44 PM

Think I will give the guitar some time to be fair. I was using a couple vintage dreads and obviously they are going to feel and sound different. I have been playing guitar the last couple hours and I am getting used to it more.

I agree it could be the guitar because setup wise it's perfect in the sense of every part is in harmony with the next.

I would still be curious to hear where Martin owners still have a good tone and what there string height is at 12th fret.

Will report back what I find.

Edit: One thing that is definitely a turn off are the tiny frets, they are smaller than my vintage spec frets on my strats. That is probably why the gaping space between string and fret is so much, there is hardly any fret. Does anybody know if re-fretting these with the richlite is a problem? Yes I go through frets pretty quick and I always get them dressed,crowned etc.. but there isn't much too dress on these. Nice guitar not sure if it's for me though, for what it cost even with 15% off I feel I can get a better Martin used, only problem and this is what I've been dealing with, I will have to buy sight unseen and pay for shipping because the local stores just have the same ole beat up guitars. I could take my money elsewhere but where I live it's get a great price at gc or pay over retail price at mom-n-pop shop. What a comedy of error's trying to find an acoustic electric, if I could have the 314ce with the martin sound I'd be happy