When to reset a guitar neck?

[flamethrower]

So I took my 000-16 to a local luthier to have it set up with bone nut and saddle. He takes a look at it and says - the nut is already bone (which is a bit shocking considering I didn't think a 16 series would come with a stock bone nut), he also says that the neck should be reset.

 

This comes as another shock because as far as I know the guitar is only about 6 or 7 years old. Does this sort of thing happen a lot with relatively young Martins? Should I fork over the $200 for a neck reset?

 

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Mikeo]

 

Originally posted by flamethrower So I took my 000-16 to a local luthier to have it set up with bone nut and saddle. He takes a look at it and says - the nut is already bone (which is a bit shocking considering I didn't think a 16 series would come with a stock bone nut), he also says that the neck should be reset. This comes as another shock because as far as I know the guitar is only about 6 or 7 years old. Does this sort of thing happen a lot with relatively young Martins? Should I fork over the $200 for a neck reset? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

 

I have a Mratin MC 28 that needed a neck reset, I held out as long as I could and had it done about 5 years ago.

 

I also own 2 00016's, one is a acoustic electric.

 

Martin does a few things that I don't like. In there production line is about 3 different saddles with varrious heights. I always look for a guitar with a tall bridge and saddle. This way they can be lowered. I have never yet seen one that needs a higher bridge and saddle than what came with it.

 

It's not inlikely that you guitar could use a neck rest.

 

The MC 28 ( I was the original owner) needed one. I also had the autorized repair guy put on a higher bridge and saddle. The job came out flawless as it could, you can tell as the fret board is a bit angled now and material had to be added at the very lowerest frets. Well I can tell, but know what I'm looking for now.

 

My cost was zilch, but I bet Martin paid the repair guy about 4-5 hundred after all was said and done.

 

 

The local guy and builder in my town is awesome, he told me the guitar will eventually need a neck reset within months of me buying it, and at that time he was not autorized to do repair work on Martins.

 

My MC 28 cost about 1300 bucks brand new in 89.

 

If you are the original owner the warranty card is worth it's weight in gold.

[Tony Burns]

Flamethrower , if your the original owner - your warranty will cover that , contact your local martin dealer for more information - 6-7 years olds needing a reset doesnt sound right unles your using heavier than normal strings - check into this before you fork over 200 bucks , by the way neck resets are usually in the 300 to 400 dollar range .

[flamethrower]

 

Originally posted by Tony Burns Flamethrower , if your the original owner - your warranty will cover that , contact your local martin dealer for more information - 6-7 years olds needing a reset doesnt sound right unles your using heavier than normal strings - check into this before you fork over 200 bucks , by the way neck resets are usually in the 300 to 400 dollar range .

 

 

 

Alas I am not the original owner. I bought it off a guy on craigslist.com for about $450. I thought it was a good deal. I originally went to the luthier today to update the nut and saddle with bone. As I mentioned earlier - he claims the nut was already bone (which seems odd - but he's supposed to be the expert). He then looked at the neck and said I should have it reset. The other option was to shave the saddle down as far as possible to compensate for the string height.

 

I've never gone to this guy before - but he is a certified martin repairman. I just think that its strange (again) that the neck would be in tough shape considering the instrument's age.

[beep]

Go to Frets.com and look at the different tests for necks, especially the straight edge test. Then you'll know

[Freeman Keller]

Or check my sticky "Is My Guitar Sick" - it has a quick and dirty test using nothing more than a yardstick. And yes, it might need a reset after 6 years, but check everything first. And yes, they start at $300 and can go up if other work is needed.

[JasmineTea]

My 000-1 needed a reset after only 1 year. However, evan as alarming as that may seem, the tone improved greatly afterwards because reseting improves break angle on the saddle, more energy going into the top.

 

Martin's warranty covered it.

 

Before sending it off for a reset, I talked to my local luthier (a very respected guy, but does'nt do Martin warranty work) he said it needed a reset, told me his price, $500. I was aprehensive about putting it on a truck and sending it off to a strange luthier for a reset, and I did'nt have $500. He suggested a quick, cheap temporary fix: Ramps.

 

Ramps can improve break angle, they don't void the warranty, and might serve as a means to put off getting a reset for a while. What ramps are is a slot, cut from the side of the bridge pin hole that angles up to the saddle, creating a sharper angle for the strings as they go from the pins to the saddle.

 

**BUT** If a luthier ever suggests shaving some wood from the top of the bridge in order to cause the saddle to sit higher, promtly grab your guitar and make for the door. Shaving wood from the bridge is asking for trouble. The saddle needs that wood in order to stand up straight.

 

I ended up sending off for a reset anyway, but before doing so I did some research in order to find a "good" Martin authorized repairman. Some of them are'nt so good.

[Bilbo]

And did this tech offer to reset it foryou for some major bucks? If you have to get it done, take it to a reputable luthier or even call Martin to see if you can get it done at the factory. If you don't know anything about this guy's work, beware.

 

One of the finest luthier's I know, Martin certified, does a neck reset for about $400 in Philadelphia.

[Mighty Coogna!]

My '72 D-18 definitely needs a reset. Th saddle is as low as it can go. It's not helped by being a non-truss model with those tiny frets.

 

I'll be doing the work myself - diving in so to speak.

 

I've replaced the truss rod on an acoustic before so this is the next step for me.

 

I'll be installing a double action rod, perhaps a new board and bridge - fresh frets etc.

 

But that won't be for awhile. I just got a new dreadnought, so the Martin is safe for awhile.

[Dave W.]

Originally posted by Mighty Coogna! My '72 D-18 definitely needs a reset. Th saddle is as low as it can go. It's not helped by being a non-truss model with those tiny frets. I'll be doing the work myself - diving in so to speak. I've replaced the truss rod on an acoustic before so this is the next step for me. I'll be installing a double action rod, perhaps a new board and bridge - fresh frets etc. But that won't be for awhile. I just got a new dreadnought, so the Martin is safe for awhile.

 

Hope it goes well, it's great to see someone who is not afraid to roll up their sleeves and tackle something serious.

[Freeman Keller]

 

Originally posted by Mighty Coogna! My '72 D-18 definitely needs a reset. Th saddle is as low as it can go. It's not helped by being a non-truss model with those tiny frets. I'll be doing the work myself - diving in so to speak. I've replaced the truss rod on an acoustic before so this is the next step for me. I'll be installing a double action rod, perhaps a new board and bridge - fresh frets etc. But that won't be for awhile. I just got a new dreadnought, so the Martin is safe for awhile.

 

 

Good luck. When both of my old Marties need resets I sent them off because I considered them valuable enough that I didn't want to screw them up. I have set the neck on my home made gits and mandolin and reset another mando - my suggestion would be to try to find some old beater with a dovetail that you can practice on. You will have to make a steam injector (from and old espresso machine) and a bunch of clamps and cauls.

 

Kimsey and Frank Ford both have good descriptions of the operation - it is not difficult but requires some care.

 

As you know, the D-18 does have a truss rod, it is just not adjustable. It has no impact on the need for a neck reset - it just adjusts relief. Putting in a new one will be a bunch of work, but it sounds like you are keen to give it a go. Keep us posted.

[nip]

Could it be that it's a twisting of words, and what he said was to adjust neck relief and used the term reseting neck?

 

Just the very first impulse I got from headline. It could be I never had a guitar before worth reseting neck on, I don't know.

[Freeman Keller]

Originally posted by nip Could it be that it's a twisting of words, and what he said was to adjust neck relief and used the term reseting neck? Just the very first impulse I got from headline. It could be I never had a guitar before worth reseting neck on, I don't know.

 

A good setup including adjusting relief should be about $35 to 50 plus parts. A reset will start at $200 or 300, so if the price was quoted that would be a really expensive truss rod tweak.

 

He can tell exactly what it needs from the "Sick" sticky - that is why I wrote it.

[Mighty Coogna!]

 

Originally posted by Freeman Keller Good luck. When both of my old Marties need resets I sent them off because I considered them valuable enough that I didn't want to screw them up. I have set the neck on my home made gits and mandolin and reset another mando - my suggestion would be to try to find some old beater with a dovetail that you can practice on. You will have to make a steam injector (from and old espresso machine) and a bunch of clamps and cauls. Kimsey and Frank Ford both have good descriptions of the operation - it is not difficult but requires some care. As you know, the D-18 does have a truss rod, it is just not adjustable. It has no impact on the need for a neck reset - it just adjusts relief. Putting in a new one will be a bunch of work, but it sounds like you are keen to give it a go. Keep us posted.

 

 

 

Mines pretty beat up and being a '72 not the most sought after year. I won't be doing the repairs until i have everything read and set to do it. i did know that it has square bar truss rod - actually just a neck stabilizer. I like them adjustable, the weather around here makes it necessary to best playability.

 

In other news this new Epi I've gotten has proved a decent buy - so the Martin is safe for a bit.

 

I have several other projects to get done before I'll be tackling the Martin.

[Freeman Keller]

 

Originally posted by Mighty Coogna! Mines pretty beat up and being a '72 not the most sought after year. I won't be doing the repairs until i have everything read and set to do it. i did know that it has square bar truss rod - actually just a neck stabilizer. I like them adjustable, the weather around here makes it necessary to best playability.

 

 

There are some things that can be done to really improve the "undesirable year" Martins. My '74 was a meek little thing before I had it hot rodded - frankly now it will stand up to any GE and has been played beside a real '37 - I thought it held its own. The overused term "cannon" really applies now. Before having the neck reset and other work done I figured it might be worth 700 or so, except that I couldn't sell it due to the neck. Now I have been offered 15 for it and turned it down (for some sentimental reasons too).

 

I played my brother in laws '68 D-18 this week end and was really underwhelmed - it needs a reset very badly and was almost unplayable. Simply no comparison.

 

You know what they say about opinions, but my humble one is that a '72 D-18 is not the guitar to learn to do resets or drop in a truss rod (you will be replacing the neck to make that happen - Ford has a page on doing exactly that). Installing a new neck (setting rather than resetting) is considerably more difficult than making small angle changes - trust me it almost destroyed my home built. Consider having it done right and I promise you will be happy with the results. If you want, I can PM you more specifics.

 

btw - I also had the neck reset on my old 12 string and some minor rodding - again transformed the git from one I wanted to sell to one I play daily.

[Mighty Coogna!]

 

Originally posted by Freeman Keller There are some things that can be done to really improve the "undesirable year" Martins. My '74 was a meek little thing before I had it hot rodded - frankly now it will stand up to any GE and has been played beside a real '37 - I thought it held its own. The overused term "cannon" really applies now. Before having the neck reset and other work done I figured it might be worth 700 or so, except that I couldn't sell it due to the neck. Now I have been offered 15 for it and turned it down (for some sentimental reasons too). I played my brother in laws '68 D-18 this week end and was really underwhelmed - it needs a reset very badly and was almost unplayable. Simply no comparison. You know what they say about opinions, but my humble one is that a '72 D-18 is not the guitar to learn to do resets or drop in a truss rod (you will be replacing the neck to make that happen - Ford has a page on doing exactly that). Installing a new neck (setting rather than resetting) is considerably more difficult than making small angle changes - trust me it almost destroyed my home built. Consider having it done right and I promise you will be happy with the results. If you want, I can PM you more specifics. btw - I also had the neck reset on my old 12 string and some minor rodding - again transformed the git from one I wanted to sell to one I play daily.

 

 

 

Yeah well the only way to learn is to do. Either way it's money out of pocket. I wouldn't attempt the repair if I wasn't pretty confident about pulling it off.