Poll – Has your Martin had binding problems?

[colins]

Threads about problems with binding on Martin guitars built since 2010 come up regularly. The latest thread is here, and it raises the question: “what proportion of Martin guitars have this problem?”. Let’s see if we can find out.

Most of the Martin binding failures discussed on the AGF seem to be on guitars built within the period 2010 – 2020. Prior to that Martin seemed to be able to use plastic/celluloid binding without this problem, and more recent guitars may not have reached the point where a binding problem shows up. The issue seems to be focused on plastic/celluloid binding.

I’ve only ever bought pre-2010 Martins, but for those of you with plastic or celluloid-bound Martins built between 2010 and 2020, have you had binding issues? Just a yes or no for the poll is fine, as I don’t want to take discussion away from the other thread.

[jacot23]

No

I currently have one D-28 in that specific time frame; though I have owned 3 or 4, none of which had binding issues.

You still won’t know in any reliable way as a VAST majority of Martin owners are not on any forum.

[sinistral]

I’m not sure if your poll was intentionally flawed, or if you don’t understand how to write a poll. If I have, say, 10 Martin guitars with plastic binding made in the subject period and only one has had a problem, that’s 10%. Your poll won’t capture that.

[colins]

Originally Posted by sinistral

I’m not sure if your poll was intentionally flawed, or if you don’t understand how to write a poll. If I have, say, 10 Martin guitars with plastic binding made in the subject period and only one has had a problem, that’s 10%. Your poll won’t capture that.

Happy to learn of your solution to that and either let you start a new poll or me redo this one. It was the naysayers to your comment about 10-20% of guitars having binding issues that made me think a poll would be useful.

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by colins

Happy to learn of your solution to that and either let you start a new poll or me redo this one. It was the naysayers to your comment about 10-20% of guitars having binding issues that made me think a poll would be useful.

I’m not sure if the forum’s poll features would allow one to construct an accurate poll. It would need to capture the number of guitars a member owned, and how many of them had the problem. So if one member has three guitars and all three had a problem, and another member has seven guitars and only one had a problem, that’s 40%. Under this poll, both members would select the second option, but it’s understandable that the member who has had 100% of his or her guitars fail would be more upset than the member who has had one of seven fail.

[Slimt]

Bought 4 ,all 4 had problems .all 4 were authentics. I got rid of all 4 . No plans of buying another. Besides vintage pieces with issues I can live with. But not new guitars a month out of the shipping boxes

I look at it this way. My first 41 d28 madi authentic was 8700 cdn. My second was 37 d28 madi authentic was almost 10g cdn I bought 2 39 000-42 madi authentics at 14000 each cdn. Beautiful guitars ,heartbreaking to put that much into guitars to see those fail so quickly.

Then Martin has the nerve to make worn out versions. So its hard to say if failure would be part of the process.

[colins]

Originally Posted by sinistral

I’m not sure if the forum’s poll features would allow one to construct an accurate poll. It would need to capture the number of guitars a member owned, and how many of them had the problem. So if one member has three guitars and all three had a problem, and another member has seven guitars and only one had a problem, that’s 40%. Under this poll, both members would select the second option, but it’s understandable that the member who has had 100% of his or her guitars fail would be more upset than the member who has had one of seven fail.

That's what I thought too. Having used complex statistical analyses as a part of my masters in engineering, I'm happy to agree that this poll ain't perfect!. Rather, my intention with the poll is simply to get a better idea of the frequency of the problem than either "10 to 20%" or "the same dozen or so members pile onto every thread".

[Dogma]

Originally Posted by Slimt

Bought 4 ,all 4 had problems .all 4 were authentics. I got rid of all 4 . No plans of buying another. Besides vintage pieces with issues I can live with. But not new guitars a month out of the shipping boxes

I look at it this way. My first 41 d28 madi authentic was 8700 cdn. My second was 37 d28 madi authentic was almost 10g cdn I bought 2 39 000-42 madi authentics at 14000 each cdn. Beautiful guitars ,heartbreaking to put that much into guitars to see those fail so quickly.

Then Martin has the nerve to make worn out versions. So its hard to say if failure would be part of the process.

Wow, heartbreaking is putting it mildly. I feel for you.

[soups]

Have two from that era - a custom
Shop and an authentic. No issues at all.

[jontewright]

No
I sold them once I realised it really was a thing....my 2 were right in the sweet spot age wise and being an overseas customer, well we may as well not exist as far as Martin are concerned.

[kizz]

I really don't see what the purpose of this poll is, if there are 12 or 17 people on this forum who have had the problem during that period, what difference does it make? But if it helps anyone, I've never experienced it on my Martin's.

[JKA]

It's interesting to note this problem must go back quite a way. Vintage & Rare, a shop in Bath have an 86 and a 91 Martin 00045 for sale and both have binding separation issues.

[JayBee1404]

I guess I’m one of ‘The Usual Suspects’ who chimes in when binding-separation issues are discussed. So, for the record, here’s my Martin binding experience so far…

D-35 (2003-ish) - bought new in UK, no binding issues (but I only had it for a few months, so who knows what’s become of it since then?).

J-40 (2004) - bought new n UK, no issues (sold to a friend, so I’m aware of its history).

OM-28 Marquis (2007) - bought new in USA, no problems. Like the J-40, sold on to a friend so I know it’s history.

HD-28V (2010) bought new in USA, still owned by me - no binding concerns.

D-18 (2012) bought new in USA, still owned by me - fine for the first 9 years, then binding separated at one place (rear waist, treble side). Neither CFM nor their UK distributor would honour the warranty (hence my ire), therefore repaired by a local tech at my own cost - less than the GBP equivalent of 50 USD.

So in reality, one guitar out of five with binding-separation issues, four guitars unaffected. I would advise those who are celebrating the fact that their comparatively-recent Martins (e.g. less than six years old) are showing no signs of binding-separation not to count their chickens - it took nine years for my one affected guitar to show the first signs of separation.

[abn556]

I voted no because none of my guitars had problems, but I did have a buddy’s OM-45 here after he passed away and it had some binding separation on the headstock and a bridge coming loose. The guitar was a 80s OM-45 in Ambertone. Really awesome guitar. This guitar was left in a house with no AC in Austin, TX in middle of summer. My buddy had died and his family had the power to the house cut off before we could get up there and rescue the guitars. They sat out on stands in a house that was stiflingly hot for 8 days with no AC. So yes the guitar had a binding issue, but due to the circumstances I didn’t blame Martin, I just got it fixed.

[TheGITM]

My only Martin is a 2012 000-28EC. It's been in the Midwest it's entire adult life, in a well-maintained environment, and I've had no issues with it.

However, the bridge on my 2003 Guild D55 starting lifting a few years back and I had to remove it and re-glue... that was a surprise.

My 4 other guitars are vintage Alvarez-Yairi and I have had no issues with those.