Members epi56ebony Posted April 20, 2018 Members Share Posted April 20, 2018 [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","data-attachmentid":32208312}[/ATTACH] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members epi56ebony Posted April 20, 2018 Author Members Share Posted April 20, 2018 [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none"' date='"data-size":"full","data-attachmentid":32208312}[/ATTACH'] Ok so I just bought this from a guy off Craigslist and he converted a left handed Martin Custom X into a righty? That is so rare, he wanted $350 and I offered him $200 and he took it! It was such a novelty to me I thought for $200 I'd take it. Not only that but he gave me a practically brand new Road Runner gig bag and I looked inside the sound hole and apparently it's also electric. My friend has a small amp in his office and I'm going to check it out in a few hours. Even with no electric it was still a great deal for me. In the pouch of the bag I saw Eric's Guitar Repair bumper sticker. If Eric in Van Nuys did the work, he's really good. He said a friend gave it to him when he left the country so paying for the conversion wasn't adding on to the cost of the guitar. I When I googled Guitars converted from left to right nothing came up only righty to lefty. I'll give it a once over at home but I pretty happy with the deal. I love the oddity of where the pickguard is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FretFiend. Posted April 20, 2018 Members Share Posted April 20, 2018 Lefty pickguard, lefty bridge (with lefty intonation I see), lefty framing inside. How does it sound??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t_e_l_e Posted April 20, 2018 Members Share Posted April 20, 2018 the pickguard is usually easy removed and replaced, some furniture polish helps with some sticky glue left overs... at least when i did hendrix my righty accoustic for lefty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted April 20, 2018 Members Share Posted April 20, 2018 Ok so I just bought this from a guy off Craigslist and he converted a left handed Martin Custom X into a right?. Did he do the conversion or was it purchased from Martin as a lefty? Several of the X series are available as left handed models. I would guess that if the tone bars are flipped it was done that way at the factory - it is very unlikely that someone would go through all that trouble on an inexpensive guitar like an X. If you are thinking about converting it back to righty you'll need to replace the bridge (available from Martin or aftermarket), make a new nut and saddle, put marker dots on the other side of the fretboard (unless they were there from the original conversion). If the braces are bass-ackwards just leave them, you probably won't notice the difference. A little heat will take the pick guard off but you'll probably have a tan line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted April 21, 2018 Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 I'm confused. You said he converted from lefty to righty, but that's a left handed guitar in the pic. Are you referring to lefty as the neck pointing to the left when playing or fretting with the right hand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members epi56ebony Posted April 21, 2018 Author Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 Lefty pickguard, lefty bridge (with lefty intonation I see), lefty framing inside. How does it sound??? Luthier reversed the bridge and nut and set it up as a righty. sounds good. these HPL Martins kind of have a sound all of their own, but better than the DXM I used to have Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members epi56ebony Posted April 21, 2018 Author Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 Did he do the conversion or was it purchased from Martin as a lefty? Several of the X series are available as left handed models. I would guess that if the tone bars are flipped it was done that way at the factory - it is very unlikely that someone would go through all that trouble on an inexpensive guitar like an X. If you are thinking about converting it back to righty you'll need to replace the bridge (available from Martin or aftermarket), make a new nut and saddle, put marker dots on the other side of the fretboard (unless they were there from the original conversion). If the braces are bass-ackwards just leave them, you probably won't notice the difference. A little heat will take the pick guard off but you'll probably have a tan line. This guitar was originally a left handed guitar and converted to right handed. Yes it's weird and probably why he wasn't getting that much interest in it. Usually people convert right handed guitars to left handed. I liked the price and the novelty of it. I asked him and said why go through all that trouble there are way more right handed guitars made. He told me his roommate moved back to his country and gave him the guitar and he was left handed. Since the he didn't pay for the guitar it was a small investment to make it right handed. I like that the pickguard is reversed. The whole guitar is a novelty to me and given the price that's why i bought it. It actually does sound very nice for an HPL guitar with a solid top. this a rare conversion. I think he was moving so wanted to get rid of stuff. It was a great deal for me, the electronics worked too and nice bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members epi56ebony Posted April 21, 2018 Author Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 I'm confused. You said he converted from lefty to righty, but that's a left handed guitar in the pic. Are you referring to lefty as the neck pointing to the left when playing or fretting with the right hand? This was bought as a left handed guitar. The guy who received the guitar from his left handed friend had Eric Guitars's do the major stuff to convert to right handed but didn't want to remove the pickguard and move it for a right handed guitar because it didn't affect playability.. Look at the picture closely and you'll see the bass strings left to right to the treble strings. Again bought as a left handed Martin Custom X that a luthier converted to a right handed guitar but no change on the pickguard. Inside the braces are still for a left handed guitar. Sound is deeper, more bass don't know if that's because the braces still remain the same for a left handed guitar. Crazy I know but it's cool to me. I knew this guitar would cause confusion, I'm sure people looking at it on Craigslist also were confused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members epi56ebony Posted April 21, 2018 Author Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 I play this guitar right handed. I'm right handed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FretFiend. Posted April 21, 2018 Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 The nut has likely been replaced, and the strings have been installed in right-handed fashion, but that's all that has been done to that guitar. The saddle is supposed to be closest to the bridge pins at the sixth string and closest to the edge of the bridge at the first string. This is true regardless of whether the guitar is a righty or a lefty. Look at any other guitar and see. Look closely at the orientation of the saddle on the bridge in the pictures. That is a left handed bridge. It has not been changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted April 21, 2018 Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 The nut has likely been replaced, and the strings have been installed in right-handed fashion, but that's all that has been done to that guitar. The saddle is supposed to be closest to the bridge pins at the sixth string and closest to the edge of the bridge at the first string. This is true regardless of whether the guitar is a righty or a lefty. Look at any other guitar and see. Look closely at the orientation of the saddle on the bridge in the pictures. That is a left handed bridge. It has not been changed. FretFiend is exactly right. That is a left handed bridge - as you look at the picture it has more compensation on the right side than the left. Its hard to tell if the B string (second from right) has the characteristic little notch. You may or may not be correct about whether the braces are flipped, I'm going to guess that they are if it was built as a lefty. If it plays in tune to your ear that is all that matters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members epi56ebony Posted April 21, 2018 Author Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 The nut has likely been replaced, and the strings have been installed in right-handed fashion, but that's all that has been done to that guitar. The saddle is supposed to be closest to the bridge pins at the sixth string and closest to the edge of the bridge at the first string. This is true regardless of whether the guitar is a righty or a lefty. Look at any other guitar and see. Look closely at the orientation of the saddle on the bridge in the pictures. That is a left handed bridge. It has not been changed. I take you at your word, I'm not that technical when it comes to guitars but there's no buzz and the guitar has good action and is easy to play. Thanks for your input. If only the nut changed then the guy was trying to spend the least amount of money possible and Eric of Eric's guitars probably told him that he would only need a new nut and set up. That's probably about $125. Eric I think charges around $75 for a set up. Edit: you're right FretFriend the bridge was not reversed but I guess Eric made it work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members epi56ebony Posted April 21, 2018 Author Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 FretFiend is exactly right. That is a left handed bridge - as you look at the picture it has more compensation on the right side than the left. Its hard to tell if the B string (second from right) has the characteristic little notch. You may or may not be correct about whether the braces are flipped, I'm going to guess that they are if it was built as a lefty. If it plays in tune to your ear that is all that matters. nothing was changed on the braces, I think the guy went the cheapest route as possible. Still sounds good and no fret buzz I'm sure the guy who sold it to me knew this was a low end Martin and wanted to spend the least amount as possible. Eric is a great luthier so I'm sure he told him I can make this playable and you only have to change the nut and get a set up. Eric is really good, I know from experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FretFiend. Posted April 21, 2018 Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 The intonation would be all screwed up. Probably not to obvious unless you play up the finger board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted April 21, 2018 Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 Happy New Guitar Day. As long as you only play first position "cowboy chords" you should be okay but ideally the bridge should be replaced so the guitar will intonate properly. A second pickguard wouldn't hurt if you play with a pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted April 21, 2018 Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 Do a little experiment for me (and yourself). Tune the guitar to pitch, then play a 12th string harmonic on the high E and low E string. Check with your tuner that these are in tune at E5 and E3. Now fret each string at the 12th fret and play the E5 and E3 - are they perfectly in tune with the harmonics? I'm not questioning the abilities of your luthier - anyone who builds guitars should understand this perfectly. Martin says that the X series use their A frame bracing which has one angled tone bar - the angle is intended to open up the bass side of the lower bout more than the treble. In theory they should flip that to make a lefty - I frankly don't think it makes all that much difference. The X series guitars with the HPL tops have their own "bracing" - some sort of plastic structure. By the way, HPL tops have a high failure rate of the bridge to top joint - I just repaired one last week and had to ask on a lutherie forum which glue to use (gel CA) - the discussion was that these often fail. Your spruce top should be better. I've built a couple of left handed guitars, converted a couple more. Some years ago we did a forum "caper" where I made a left handed guitar for a young lady who had lost her mother in a fire. I've never converted a lefty to right but the important thing for your luthier would be switching the bridge (or filling the slot and re-routing). But as I said before, if you think it plays in tune then go for it., Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members epi56ebony Posted April 21, 2018 Author Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 The intonation would be all screwed up. Probably not to obvious unless you play up the finger board. I played some barre chords up the neck and didn't sound too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members epi56ebony Posted April 21, 2018 Author Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 Happy New Guitar Day. As long as you only play first position "cowboy chords" you should be okay but ideally the bridge should be replaced so the guitar will intonate properly. A second pickguard wouldn't hurt if you play with a pick. I play with a pick and I'm fine with any "relicing" I only paid $200 for it so I don't want to put any more money into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted April 21, 2018 Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 Thats all that counts. During the '70's Martin built some guitars with the bridges in the wrong place (they forgot to put the basic 1/16 or so compensation in) - many people don't notice the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted April 21, 2018 Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 Oh, I get it. Yeah, the bridge is still lefty, so at the 12th fret the low E string will be sharp and the high E will be flat. Bridge replacement would sort that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted April 21, 2018 Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 I play with a pick and I'm fine with any "relicing" I only paid $200 for it so I don't want to put any more money into it. For 4 bucks you could put a righty pick guard on it and avoid the relicing. I don't put pick guards on guitars I build (unless a customer requests it) but I don't play with a pick either. http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/All_Hardware_and_Parts_by_Instrument/Acoustic_Guitar_Parts/Acoustic_Guitar_Pickguards/Acoustic_Guitar_Pickguard.html And as far as the intonation goes, audiologists tell us that most people can't discern less than 4 or 5 cents difference in two notes - if you can't hear it its not a problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members epi56ebony Posted April 21, 2018 Author Members Share Posted April 21, 2018 Thanks everyone for the great info! regarding the intonation well didn't Hendrix say "Only cowboys stay in tune" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members epi56ebony Posted February 3, 2019 Author Members Share Posted February 3, 2019 I just had my favorite Mom and Pop store [Grayson's Tune Town in Montrose, CA] put new 80/20 12 gauge Elixir's on. Sounds great after having the guitar for a while, the action is a little high but doesn't bother me I just use a capo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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