My 2013 D-18 needs a neck reset

[GuitarLight]

D-18 owners...read it and weep. My D-18, a 2014 model is at the Martin factory as I speak. Both sides in the middle section between the upper and lower bouts began to collapse and warp in heavy ripples and wave appearance, so heavily in fact, that the deep ripples could not only be seen, but easily felt like by touch. The music business I bought it from would not touch it and insisted it be sent back to the Martin factory for evaluation. In my view Martins quality has now collapsed as well. I don't know what the outcome will be. It would seem impossible to fix such a disaster, and I am assuming Martin will replace it, but am left in the dark waiting. ...Yes it was kept humidified..religiously monitored both inside and outside the case.

[lmacmil]

Originally Posted by zoopeda

Point remains: dovetail is a part of the Martin soup. If it was a bolt-on neck, resets would be quick and painless. But then it wouldn't be a Martin.

Yes it would, but it would be a Martin with a bolt-on neck!

I'll bet the engineers at Martin could design and bolt-on neck joint and still make it sound just like a Martin. They'd have to have a whole new line of guitars though because most Martin purists would never buy one, even if they sounded identical. They would say if it's got a bolt-on neck, it's not a real Martin!

[wade63]

Oh boy, as been noted, this has nothing to do with dovetail. Sounds like improper top bracing installation or wood strength. Sorry to hear that but thanks for posting.

[Outhouse]

Originally Posted by 00-28

So I'm guessing the heat press adressed the belly bulge issue. Glad it worked. As a side question, do you have his number so I can ask if there is a way to adapt the heat press thing on my belly bulge. ......Mike

Thompsons belly reducer is probably the only way to address this.


You heat up cauls in boiling water, then use 3 C clamps to flatten the bulge.


The process is basically heating of the bridge plate glue, so when the cauls flatten the top, it dries and cools back to its original status.


I found it easier to replace the bridge plate with a new maple one I made from stewmacs stock.

[wade63]

Originally Posted by Outhouse

Thompsons belly reducer is probably the only way to address this.


You heat up cauls in boiling water, then use 3 C clamps to flatten the bulge.


The process is basically heating of the bridge plate glue, so when the cauls flatten the top, it dries and cools back to its original status.


I found it easier to replace the bridge plate with a new maple one I made from stewmacs stock.

Huh? Are we still talking guitar I think. Wood want to rebound back to its "most comfortable" form. Have you had long term results with this?

[Outhouse]

Originally Posted by zoopeda

I can't help but wonder if this is because there are more Martins out there than pretty much any other guitar--probably the same reason you've lost count of all the Martin PRAISE threads out there as well. More neck reset threads doesn't mean anything in the face of many more guitars. Taylor necks are made of the same wood and are just as susceptible to warping, but they bolt on, which is a 30 minute repair. Seems to me, the problem isn't Martin QC.


.

It is and is not a Martin QC.

The issue IMHO arises from multiple issues. Its not QC as much as thinner wood design that is needed for the tone they achieve. This wood settles under tension requiring a neck reset.

It is not the neck warping under tension, or you would need a neck replace not a adjustment at the heel.


If you build a guitar like a tank, you end up loosing tone quality. it is a balance act, and it sounds like martins are at one end of the scale.



Now wood varies from unit to unit so yo will see some that run 50 years and never require a neck reset. But that doesn't change the fact martin runs a little on the scale towards having this issue pop up more then others.

[Outhouse]

Originally Posted by wade63

Huh? Are we still talking guitar I think. Wood want to rebound back to its "most comfortable" form. Have you had long term results with this?

I was addressing belly bulge issues, many guitars are plagued with. 00-28 had questions about just this.
And how to address said issue

[dcmey]

I have two things I want to ask:
1. Are people storing their guitars in their cases when they are not being played?
2. If Martin started using lights instead of mediums on their dreadnaughts would you see as many neck resets?

[wade63]

Originally Posted by Outhouse

I was addressing belly bulge issues, many guitars are plagued with. 00-28 had questions about just this.
And how to address said issue

Thought so, not more belly humor, but I was curious if you had tried this with long term success. I've tried slow clamping down over weeks and then installed a bridge doctor with good long term results. These are inexpensive old guitars just meant to breath new life back into. I wouldn't want to put a bridge doctor in a good Martin but would suspect long term flattening would require a new top. What has been your results?

[Judson]

Originally Posted by sbeirnes

... IMO, Martin's warranty isn't worth the paper it is printed on ...

Wow ... I couldn't disagree more.

I was extremely pleased with Martin's warranty.

My neck re-set was done by a local (Raleigh, NC) authorized Martin repair tech who was totally independent of the store I bought my new 2012 D-18 from. I never even discussed the problem with the shop.

Simply based on my owner's registration card, he took care of all the paper work and received immediate authorization from Martin based on his judgement and his relationship with Martin.

Because he's very good and therefore very popular, it was in his shop for 9 weeks. But in the end, it didn't cost me a cent and the job was done beautifully.

.

[wade63]

Originally Posted by Judson

Wow ... I couldn't disagree more.

I was extremely pleased with Martin's warranty.

My neck re-set was done by a local (Raleigh, NC) authorized Martin repair tech who was totally independent of the store I bought my new 2012 D-18 from. I never even discussed the problem with the shop.

Simply based on my owner's registration card, he took care of all the paper work and received immediate authorization from Martin based on his judgement and his relationship with Martin.

Because he's very good and therefore very popular, it was in his shop for 9 weeks. But in the end, it didn't cost me a cent and the job was done beautifully.

.

Sorry, if I read your post right I would have seen my answer, never mind

[Judson]

Originally Posted by wade63

Sorry, if I read your post right I would have seen my answer, never mind

No problem ... it is a 2012 model, and was about 16 months old at the time.

Kudos to Mark Kane, The Fret King in Cary, NC



.

Thompson's Belly Reducer works, but it is primarily meant to correct excess bellying on older guitars, usually due to poor storage conditions or other abuse. It should not be assumed that all bellying on a "flattop" guitar is a bad thing. It is not.

[Outhouse]

Originally Posted by wade63

but I was curious if you had tried this with long term success.

Again, I stated I had luck with a new bridge plate that brought the top down.

I have seen it used long term, as in how long does a top take to belly under tension.

Example, if a top belies in 5 years, you can expect another 5 years of use before repeating.


I personally used a bridge plate and changed grain direction for longer use

I've tried slow clamping down over weeks and then installed a bridge doctor with good long term results.

I heard that works for some depending on belly size.

I hated the bridge doctors tone change and it did little to the extreme belly I fixed, its why I used the thompsons belly reducer. Which did little compared to the bridge plate.


bridge dr would not flatten my 45 year old 12 string top.

[Outhouse]

Originally Posted by Todd Yates

Thompson's Belly Reducer works, but it is primarily meant to correct excess bellying on older guitars, usually due to poor storage conditions or other abuse. It should not be assumed that all bellying on a "flattop" guitar is a bad thing. It is not.

Exactly.

Severe belly on an aged guitar is its primary use.