Returning my Martin.

[Verence]

 

I love the sound, but the fretboard and the frets just aren't up to snuff. Breaks my heart...

 

I think I'll try one of the independent guitar shops around for my next acoustic.

[Treborklow]

In what way?

[Verence]

The frets are ways too small for my liking, and quite rough. The fretboard, too. I feel like I'm going to get a splinter from it sometimes.

 

I could sand it down, but to be completely happy with it I'd need to get it re-fretted.

[jd-drafter]

was this the one you were going to have reworked? the neck reshaped- etc...?

 

my little parlor has the v shaped 'baseball bat" neck and i love it...

 

i hope you find what you are after- 8^)

[Stackabones]

It's because that's not the original one you wanted.

[Verence]

I think people might be thinking of someone else.

 

I didn't have any other guitar in mind, I just picked up this one from guitar center because of the sound. I should've actually played it more before I left the store.

 

Oh well, lesson learned. Sound is not the only part of a guitar, it has to play well, too.

[Stackabones]

Isn't this the one where you played it, got excited, posted about it, but didn't put that one on hold at GC?

 

And when you went back the next day, the one you loved had been sold and it had been replaced by the imposter you have now?

[Verence]

Lol, oh I see now.

 

Possibly, those GC employees are dastardly.

 

That's why I'm going to a small local shop next. I'll just feel better about buying from them (if I find something I like).

[Hudman]

Do yourself a huge favor and check out 03 Series Larrivee guitars.

 

The fret work and over-all build quality is very high. The frets are fairly large and the fretboards are ebony.

[Tony Burns]

Im a big Martin fan , but what your going threw is understandable -Martins dont have the reputation for being the easiest guitars in the world to play ( thou they are ten times better than they use to be ) check out those Gibson Advanced jumbos at GC ,you might like one of those puppies - Im also a big fan of Larrivee ( but you already know that ) The 50 and 60 series OM's are my favorites. Godd luck and may the force be with you !

[EvilTwin]

 

If the fingerboard is too rough, condition it with mineral oil.

If the frets are rough, you can have someone level and polish them as part of a regular guitar set-up.

(If the frets are ragged on the edges of the fingerboard, that is NOT a construction issue usually. It's a humidity issue.)

[dwerlin]

what model Martin is this?

[greeny1]

I'm an electric player, and on the lookout for an Acoustic, but don't know much about acoustics really.

 

Anyway yesterday I tried a Martin, not sure of the model it was a Dreadnought and would have been an entry level I assume (

[iago]

You have a lower end Martin but your conclusion is you need to try an independent luthier instead?

[Sparhawk]

If the fingerboard is too rough, condition it with mineral oil. If the frets are rough, you can have someone level and polish them as part of a regular guitar set-up. (If the frets are ragged on the edges of the fingerboard, that is NOT a construction issue usually. It's a humidity issue.)

 

+1

 

Had a guit with this exact issue. Fixed with a good setup as you mentioned. It was indeed due to a humidity (or rather a lack of).

[Verence]

Would a level and a polish make the frets bigger?

 

As I said, there were some problems that I COULD have fixed, had I decided it was worth it, but some problems would've required major work.

 

And the fact that I'm returning the guitar had nothing to do with the fact that I'm going to an independent guitar shop next. Just a side note.

 

Thanks for the guitar suggestions I'll check those out.

[EvilTwin]

Would a level and a polish make the frets bigger?

 

You mentioned that the frets and fingerboard were "rough."

 

Those things can be easily fixed. Levelling and polishing the frets will not make them bigger, but would certainly make them smoother, thus easier to bend on.

 

But you've made your decision, so happy hunting for a new instrument.

[Raj]

 

I'm an electric player, and on the lookout for an Acoustic, but don't know much about acoustics really.   Anyway yesterday I tried a Martin, not sure of the model it was a Dreadnought and would have been an entry level I assume (

[Freeman Keller]

Would a level and a polish make the frets bigger? As I said, there were some problems that I COULD have fixed, had I decided it was worth it, but some problems would've required major work. And the fact that I'm returning the guitar had nothing to do with the fact that I'm going to an independent guitar shop next. Just a side note. Thanks for the guitar suggestions I'll check those out.

 

Martin's frets are considered "medium" by acoustic guitar standards, altho some players seem to feel that they are too small (the guy with the OM-21 apparently had his all jerked out and replaced). I've never experienced a rough Martin fretboard or one that would give a splinter, but it is totally possible, I guess. I spend a fair amount of time polishing and leveling frets when I do a setup and I work the fretboard over pretty good with 0000 steel wool, but obviously it won't fix the too small frets. Doesn't seem to bother a lot of Martin players, however.

 

As for Tony's comments, one of the big advantages of Martins is that they have four different neck profiles as well as different fretboard widths and scale lenghts. Most people can find a shape they can live with in all those permutations. However, they do use the same sized fretwire on about everything they build.

 

When you say you are going to an independent shop do you mean to have a custom instrument built? If so keep us posted, I always like to follow threads like that. And your comment about "should have played it more" really hits home - I think any new guitar should be played and A/B'ed and really thought about before you buy.