Members Glenn F Posted November 19, 2007 Members Posted November 19, 2007 Hi all, So I went to my favourite shop again today to try out Lakewoods (which I didn't care for) and tried two of the Martin Micarta fingerboard gits, the D-16RGT, and the D-16GT. I was impressed enough with both to think about buying one or the other. I asked the guy to put new strings on, which he did, and the action on the 16RGT was pretty low, right in my comfort area, but with a slight buzz at the 11th/12th fret on the 1st string. The neck seemed to be lower than the bridge, and when I asked the guy about it, he said that was normal for Martins. Really??? Also, there didn't seem to be much in the way of neck relief, so that could cause the buzzing there, right? This guitar isn't bad at all, really, except for the Micarta, which doesn't enthrall me. The 16GT also had decent action, good tone, though the strings were dead. Maybe I'll ask him to put new ones on tomorrow. Maybe he'll throw me out of the store, finally.... On another note, I called up the owner of the other shop who wanted to sell me the D-15 without its case, and asked him what happened to it....He was evasive, told me he had other cases, gave me a price with case that was higher than the standard price with the Martin case and when I pointed that out, he suggested I buy elsewhere. Thus endeth this chapter in the 'Quest For Martin Bliss!':blah: Cheers, Glenn
Members Freeman Keller Posted November 19, 2007 Members Posted November 19, 2007 with a slight buzz at the 11th/12th fret on the 1st string. The neck seemed to be lower than the bridge, and when I asked the guy about it, he said that was normal for Martins. Really??? Also, there didn't seem to be much in the way of neck relief, so that could cause the buzzing there, right? The continuing saga... Actually, just the opposit. Normally if it has too much relief and a low action it will buzz in the upper frets (you are pulling the strings down into a valley and they are hitting the walls). Flat necks tend to buzz at the first few frets.
Members Glenn F Posted November 19, 2007 Author Members Posted November 19, 2007 What about the neck being lower than the bridge? That Micarta bridge seems pretty high, though. And he did say that they had problems with low humidity. Jeez, I wish this was easier... Cheers, Glenn
Members Freeman Keller Posted November 19, 2007 Members Posted November 19, 2007 What about the neck being lower than the bridge? That Micarta bridge seems pretty high, though.And he did say that they had problems with low humidity.Jeez, I wish this was easier...Cheers,Glenn I don't understand that statement. By definition the neck is lower that the bridge - the top of the neck is flat with the top of the guitar. The common thickness of a fretboard is 15/64, and a bridge is usually 11/32 (22/64). The crown of fretwire is 0.040 to 0.045, or about 3/64. However, as you know, the neck is installed at a slight angle to the body such that the plane of the top of frets exends to just a hair over the top of the bridge. The saddle stick out of the bridge another 1/8 or more. So, from my perspective, the neck is always lower than the top of the bridge. If he is talking about the upper bout being sunk due to low humidity run as fast as you can from both the guitar and the dealer. That is a crime to do that to a good guitar.
Members Glenn F Posted November 19, 2007 Author Members Posted November 19, 2007 Thanks, that's what I meant. I should probably take a ruler with me to check the angle. I am not sure what the extent of any low humidity problems are there, probably no worse than any large shop with no climate control in their main room. They do have a special climate control room, and the Martins were in there up until a couple of weeks ago. They basically only put their best guitars in this room. I'll check further tomorrow, but my heart is telling me to try a 15 one more time. Cheers, and thanks! Glenn
Members Freeman Keller Posted November 19, 2007 Members Posted November 19, 2007 Well, (1) a new guitar should never have a neck angle (or humidity) problem, and (2) the rule of thumb is that if the action is acceptable and there is at least 1/8 inch of saddle sticking out then the neck angle is OK. I would alway take the straightedge when shopping for a used guitar, however.
Members Glenn F Posted November 19, 2007 Author Members Posted November 19, 2007 Well, When does new become used? To me, a guitar that has been hanging up on a wall in a showroom for a year or two qualifies as 'used' in my book. Can't tell the shop that, though. I am pretty sure that the saddle has already been adjusted on this guitar, because there is only a little more than 1/8th" on the saddle. In contrast, the saddle on the last 000-15 that was here was probably closer to 3/16th" sticking out. Cheers, Glenn
Members Glenn F Posted November 21, 2007 Author Members Posted November 21, 2007 Update 3,145.... I've ordered a D-15 from the same place I got the 000-15s. They've played square with me, notwithstanding their negligence in inspecting the two guitars I've already tried from them, but the only real alternative is a 3 hour train ride, each way, and I don't particularly feel up to that at the moment. I am NOT going to buy the D-16 RGT or 16 GT from the local shop. I really don't like the Micarta, so, and I prefer the solid mahogany of the 15s anyways. Stay tuned..... Cheers, Glenn
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