Wow. I love Martin guitars and have owned/played them for 30 years. I know even the best manufacturing processes can result in an occasional “lemon,” but it’s shocking to me that a brand new Martin D-28 could have that many QC issues. Further shocked that their authorized warranty repair shop cold miss that stuff as well. Crazy.
Wanted to say thank you for your videos on fixing the JCM 900 4500 model amps. 2 years ago the bias capacitor had blew out and i was able to fix it with your videos talking about upgrading this cap. Then a few weeks ago I ordered all the power handling caps and replaced those as well as fixing the missing grid resistors these shipping from Marshall with. The amp sounds fantastic now and i just wanted to say a big thank you for all you with these videos!
Thank you for the nice comment. Man, do I take a beating from the marshall guys. :) Infact, since there has been so many, mis-informed authorities schooling me on how wrong I am.... Especially about the safety cap, I have decided to present a video solely dedicated to the bias circuit in these amps. I can't wait to hear from the ones that will be upset for not even seeing or hearing a real amp in the video.
Yeah, apparently they have mistaken me for someone who cares about their comments.. I have decided just to mess with them for my own amusement. Thanks again for following the channel.
Glad you found it of use. I always try to point out a few things that I feel is common knowledge, or something that I do so regularly and take for granted, and that it is common knowledge. Yet surprisingly not. Thanks for the positive comment. I get a lot of others. In fact the next one I am handling is telling me how I do not do videos like other channels, and I do not show enough.
Great video. Now a question: Any idea why Martin guitars start life with such a shallow saddle? I have 30 year old D35 that came out of the factory with virtually no height left for action adjustment. This one looks to be similar My Gibsons all have nice tall saddles for decades of future adjustments
Thanks for checking out the channel. I don't have a definitive answer for this one, but I will try to offer my view. Many companies have a defined saddle height they shoot for to provide adequate down pressure to drive the top without excessive break angle that causes a high rate of string breakage. In Martin's case approximately 30 degrees. This height is usually somewhere around an minimum of an 1/8th of an inch. The problem here is as the instrument ages and compressions, and top deflection occurs due to string pressure, the relation between the neck angle and bridge change. This is why neck resets are sometimes necessary. As a side note I have seen many Gibson bridges that are physically too thin requiring a taller saddle than usual. Now, that being said, I believe many guitars come out of the factory with underset neck angles, resulting in the low saddle you mentioned. Some even use slotted string ramps in the bridges. I have heard a very disturbing quality control issue recently involving a particular company's neck sets and their poor solution for it during manufacturing. But I prefer not to get into that here. In the case of your Martin, lay a straight edge down the center of your fingerboard (preferably in playing position) to the bridge. It should lay on the top of the bridge, not hit below the top of the bridge between the guitar top. This is especially important if your action is high with a low saddle. Also of note, check neck relief. The older guitars did not have truss rods and the necks bow. There should only be about .005 relief in the neck. There are several Martin videos on this channel dealing with such issues. Thanks again, hope this helps a bit.
@@guitarc.p.r.9675 thanks for the great, detailed reply. My D35 is just about 30 years old, and has only been worked on by an authorized Martin luthier. He hasn’t needed to shave the saddle much yet, but that day will come, as will a neck reset at some point. I’ve done the straight edge thing a few times, it doesn’t quite clear the bra, but it’s close. Still a great playing and sounding guitar, I’d just sleep a little better knowing the saddle was a little taller. Thanks again!!
Actually, what I was telling you was, yes, the guitar was shipped that way, returned, supposedly resolved, then return shipped to the customer. Issue was still not resolved and conversation took place informing that if the guitar was sent back a second time the buyer would be responsible for shipping both ways. Then the suggestion of taking it to an Authorized Service Center was made, removing the retailer from responsibility The owner did just that and was told there were no Warranty related issues after several hours drive both ways. Then I was brought into the mix, and the problems were rectified. As to your question of why? Good question, and I hear it a lot. Facts are I expect to do a little setup work on any new guitar. Martin for example builds their guitars in Pennsylvania. You cannot perfectly set up a guitar at the factory not knowing what part of this country or other country and climate it may end up in. Another factor is not knowing what string gauge, playing style, technique, or lack there of, tuning variations, and action requirements the individual owner may have. That being said.... minor setup issues aside, much of what this owner had to deal with is unacceptable. Especially the customer service of both the retailer's service department and the authorized service center. These days I feel customer service is a rumor in many cases. As a longtime customer and friend pointed out to me in my shop recently, "Frankly, people just aren't very good at their jobs anymore." I found that to be an interesting statement. Thanks for checking out the channel.
What a shame that Martin’s QC is apparently nonexistent and equally shameful that the store wanted to charge him shipping. It’s probably for the best because it got Powerized.
Just a bad situation all around. The store did pay the shipping on the first return when the pickup was supposedly changed. When they were contacted the second time about it not sounding very good, then the shipping charges were mentioned. Then the referral to a service center. And then it began.....
Maybe I'm a curmudgeonly old fogey (which I am), but when I see new guitars, and a Martin, no less, being sold with all the problems this one appeared to have, I get even more curmudgeonly.
Sorry, but I really do not have one. I will say, scalloped braces done correctly can be a wonderful thing. I also repair a lot of older, lightly braced guitars with small thin bridgeplates. Heavier bracing and larger bridge plates evolved for resistance to stress failure. They are more stiff, possibly not as loud. But certainly do not deflect and distort as badly from string tension.
I don't understand why you didn't show the actual work and then PLAY the guitar in the end. I watch many guitar repair videos and it is a standard to show/play before, then show the repair, then show/play after. Odd.
Hello there, and good evening to you sir. First comment simple, I cannot work and video at the same time. The premise of this channel is not a "how to" but what can be done in a busy shop. I put priority on doing the job first, If I happen to share it in a video there is a reason. Also any tip, trick or knowledge it is freebie to you. Second comment.... I spend a lot of hours a day doing my job, I do not have time to watch other videos, so I do not know what the standard is... nor do I care. Third ... I do not play much... some here and there on videos. Not that I can't I just choose not to. Most people's hands would not be able to hold a pencil or fork after what mine goes through every day. Plus why should I worry about a sound clip that is going to be played on a cell phone, and someone is just going to complain about anyway? And...I like being odd.
Wow. I love Martin guitars and have owned/played them for 30 years. I know even the best manufacturing processes can result in an occasional “lemon,” but it’s shocking to me that a brand new Martin D-28 could have that many QC issues. Further shocked that their authorized warranty repair shop cold miss that stuff as well. Crazy.
I see such things a lot.
The MASTER at work once again. Great job Charlie
Thanks, apparently opinions vary.... :)
Wanted to say thank you for your videos on fixing the JCM 900 4500 model amps. 2 years ago the bias capacitor had blew out and i was able to fix it with your videos talking about upgrading this cap. Then a few weeks ago I ordered all the power handling caps and replaced those as well as fixing the missing grid resistors these shipping from Marshall with.
The amp sounds fantastic now and i just wanted to say a big thank you for all you with these videos!
Thank you for the nice comment. Man, do I take a beating from the marshall guys. :) Infact, since there has been so many, mis-informed authorities schooling me on how wrong I am.... Especially about the safety cap, I have decided to present a video solely dedicated to the bias circuit in these amps. I can't wait to hear from the ones that will be upset for not even seeing or hearing a real amp in the video.
@@guitarc.p.r.9675 There are always going to be haters. Thanks for all you do!
Yeah, apparently they have mistaken me for someone who cares about their comments.. I have decided just to mess with them for my own amusement. Thanks again for following the channel.
Excellent work as always 😎
Thank you!
Great lessons!!! Thank you.
Glad you found it of use. I always try to point out a few things that I feel is common knowledge, or something that I do so regularly and take for granted, and that it is common knowledge. Yet surprisingly not. Thanks for the positive comment. I get a lot of others. In fact the next one I am handling is telling me how I do not do videos like other channels, and I do not show enough.
Great video.
Now a question:
Any idea why Martin guitars start life with such a shallow saddle?
I have 30 year old D35 that came out of the factory with virtually no height left for action adjustment. This one looks to be similar
My Gibsons all have nice tall saddles for decades of future adjustments
Thanks for checking out the channel. I don't have a definitive answer for this one, but I will try to offer my view. Many companies have a defined saddle height they shoot for to provide adequate down pressure to drive the top without excessive break angle that causes a high rate of string breakage. In Martin's case approximately 30 degrees. This height is usually somewhere around an minimum of an 1/8th of an inch. The problem here is as the instrument ages and compressions, and top deflection occurs due to string pressure, the relation between the neck angle and bridge change. This is why neck resets are sometimes necessary. As a side note I have seen many Gibson bridges that are physically too thin requiring a taller saddle than usual. Now, that being said, I believe many guitars come out of the factory with underset neck angles, resulting in the low saddle you mentioned. Some even use slotted string ramps in the bridges. I have heard a very disturbing quality control issue recently involving a particular company's neck sets and their poor solution for it during manufacturing. But I prefer not to get into that here. In the case of your Martin, lay a straight edge down the center of your fingerboard (preferably in playing position) to the bridge. It should lay on the top of the bridge, not hit below the top of the bridge between the guitar top. This is especially important if your action is high with a low saddle. Also of note, check neck relief. The older guitars did not have truss rods and the necks bow. There should only be about .005 relief in the neck. There are several Martin videos on this channel dealing with such issues. Thanks again, hope this helps a bit.
@@guitarc.p.r.9675 thanks for the great, detailed reply. My D35 is just about 30 years old, and has only been worked on by an authorized Martin luthier. He hasn’t needed to shave the saddle much yet, but that day will come, as will a neck reset at some point. I’ve done the straight edge thing a few times, it doesn’t quite clear the bra, but it’s close. Still a great playing and sounding guitar, I’d just sleep a little better knowing the saddle was a little taller. Thanks again!!
You are welcome. Sometimes there is just not a short answer. :)
What this tech is telling us is it was an apparently it was shipped that? Why?
Actually, what I was telling you was, yes, the guitar was shipped that way, returned, supposedly resolved, then return shipped to the customer. Issue was still not resolved and conversation took place informing that if the guitar was sent back a second time the buyer would be responsible for shipping both ways. Then the suggestion of taking it to an Authorized Service Center was made, removing the retailer from responsibility The owner did just that and was told there were no Warranty related issues after several hours drive both ways. Then I was brought into the mix, and the problems were rectified.
As to your question of why? Good question, and I hear it a lot. Facts are I expect to do a little setup work on any new guitar. Martin for example builds their guitars in Pennsylvania. You cannot perfectly set up a guitar at the factory not knowing what part of this country or other country and climate it may end up in. Another factor is not knowing what string gauge, playing style, technique, or lack there of, tuning variations, and action requirements the individual owner may have.
That being said.... minor setup issues aside, much of what this owner had to deal with is unacceptable. Especially the customer service of both the retailer's service department and the authorized service center. These days I feel customer service is a rumor in many cases. As a longtime customer and friend pointed out to me in my shop recently, "Frankly, people just aren't very good at their jobs anymore." I found that to be an interesting statement.
Thanks for checking out the channel.
What a shame that Martin’s QC is apparently nonexistent and equally shameful that the store wanted to charge him shipping. It’s probably for the best because it got Powerized.
Just a bad situation all around. The store did pay the shipping on the first return when the pickup was supposedly changed. When they were contacted the second time about it not sounding very good, then the shipping charges were mentioned. Then the referral to a service center. And then it began.....
Maybe I'm a curmudgeonly old fogey (which I am), but when I see new guitars, and a Martin, no less, being sold with all the problems this one appeared to have, I get even more curmudgeonly.
I feel your pain. Imagine how I feel about this stuff.
What’s your opinion on guitars without scalloped bracing such as this one?
Sorry, but I really do not have one. I will say, scalloped braces done correctly can be a wonderful thing. I also repair a lot of older, lightly braced guitars with small thin bridgeplates. Heavier bracing and larger bridge plates evolved for resistance to stress failure. They are more stiff, possibly not as loud. But certainly do not deflect and distort as badly from string tension.
I don't understand why you didn't show the actual work and then PLAY the guitar in the end. I watch many guitar repair videos and it is a standard to show/play before, then show the repair, then show/play after. Odd.
Hello there, and good evening to you sir. First comment simple, I cannot work and video at the same time. The premise of this channel is not a "how to" but what can be done in a busy shop. I put priority on doing the job first, If I happen to share it in a video there is a reason. Also any tip, trick or knowledge it is freebie to you. Second comment.... I spend a lot of hours a day doing my job, I do not have time to watch other videos, so I do not know what the standard is... nor do I care. Third ... I do not play much... some here and there on videos. Not that I can't I just choose not to. Most people's hands would not be able to hold a pencil or fork after what mine goes through every day. Plus why should I worry about a sound clip that is going to be played on a cell phone, and someone is just going to complain about anyway? And...I like being odd.
You don’t charge enough!
Opinions vary on that one! :) Usually the customers that get it feel the way you do. Others not so much. Thanks for the nice comment.
@@guitarc.p.r.9675 weed out the ones that won’t listen to you