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Location: PA | I just decided to post this since it's been irritating me for awhile now. About four months ago my good friend and band mate bought a beautiful Martin HD-28. Top of line, sweet guitar. However soon after (a few months)the finish on the back of the neck started to bubble from underneith the neck, within about a week the bubbles started to crack. We took the guitar to a Martin Auth. repair shop, and were told that this was considered normal wear and tear and would not be covered under warrenty. I think the guy just didn't want the business really, but whatever. Got in touch with a Martin Rep through the dealer where he bought it and found out that in this case it would be covered under warrenty and if he would send it back to the factory they would repair it and send it back to him in 9 MONTHS TO A YEAR! (remeber this guitar is four months old)That really sounds like a raw deal to me, anyone considering buying a Martin should know exactally how Martin treats its customers and what kind of turn around time they have for repairs. Hopefully Ovation is still a little better than that. But there you go folks thats my 2 cents. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | This sounds excessive. I've got a 2000 D-42K that needed a neck angle tweek. It went back to Martin and it was 10 weeks to get it back. Still a long time but about normal for the industry if not on the short side. I had to call and chase after it and they knew who I was so maybe that helped (hey, play all the angles, right?). |
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Location: NJ | Finish repairs take the longest to complete. it also depends how much they have in their repair show or how many are working there etc.
One thing I can tell you is that their repair work is excellent. I had a 1924 mando repaired at the factory 15 years ago and it was reparied expertly.
If it were me I would call and complain that the even though the warranty is in effect that it was only a few months and it is unacceptable and you want another guitar. They may do that or tell them you want a loaner for the 9 months since it is an excessive amount of time for a repair on such a new guitar. Talk to the service manager talk to the p r people. Talk to dick boak he is a nice guy although I forgot what his official title is these days.
Or you can throw in you know cwk2 apparently they jump thru hoops for him. |
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Posts: 52
Location: PA | Yeah I'm sure being in the biz helps a bit here and there! We tried to get it swapped for a new one, the place he bought it had another in stock and was willing to do the deal, but Martin said no because he had already sent in his warrenty card. Since we don't live far from the factory I thought maybe if we brought it up there they'd show some mercy, but 9 mos to a year was the best they could do. One guy made a recommendation of a luthier who was with Martin but is now private. He's auth'd so now he's got it...should be done in three short months. I offered to fill in the bubble cracks with some bond-o and sand it down with my belt sander, but it went to the luthier instead...go figure! |
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Location: Philadelphia, PA 19107 | Hi guys.
Welcome back Al.
Hi Bill.
I too have a Martin D-42 (it's sold actually), and several times I have contacted Martin for literature, advise, info, etc.
Are you aware that Martin DOES NOT accept any guitars for repairs anymore?
I was told that by both Martin, and Martin authorized dealers and service/repair people. It's over. From now on even if your new Martin guitar needs repair, this will be done (even under warranty) by a Martin authorized repair person.
The guitar WON'T be sent back to Martin but get fixed locally!
I am (was) pretty pleased with my Martin guitar(s) though [D-42, 000-28, 12 fret, Golden Era that sold too], as well as the way Martin replied by e-mail, mail, or phone to all my inquiries.
Martin makes great guitars, great products.
The only think I strongly dislike (not only with Martin, but with other makers too) is the huge amount of Special Edition guitars issued every year. I think that Martin over-did it. It's like the Special edition guitars, and the signature guitars are more than the standard Martin production. whenever I visit our local music stores I cannot find a standard martin model. Instead, you will find in abundance special Edition martins and signature models.
I don't like that. But this is me. |
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Location: NJ | Elias
I cannot understand how a company with the reputation of martin would abandon it's service department. but stranger things have happened. If true I have to admit that my opinion of Martin guitars has diminished. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Consider this from a different angle.
The factory's first priority is to get product out the door to fill the orders. Unfortunately service comes second. Martin has been around for a long time and any really good luthier knows how to work on them. By selecting a network of these guys around the country the company can offer quicker and sometimes better (many of these guys take guitar building VERY seriously, it's not just a job to them) responce to a repair. There are so many Martins out there they would probably need a mini factory just to deal with them all. This way saves the expence of having to do that.
Now in terms of amount of limiteds I would agree Martin is well over the top. |
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Posts: 119
Location: Philadelphia, PA 19107 | Bill thank's for the thorough report! This is exactly my understanding for Martin's reasoning to quit with repair-work.
The demand is so high that their only priority to make to product and send it out ASAP!
Eventually they may need to expand, hire more people, produce more, etc., etc.
Yet, I don't think they 'll do it.
They'll hold on their current size, backlogged for at least a year.
Well,....after all there are other makers too.....
I went with the Goodall!
:) |
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Location: NJ | CWK2
good point but factory service and factory authorized service are two different things. when you send your guitar back to Martin to put a top on it there is a documentation and a sense of it being done right. sending it to an authorized service may be even better than the factory but it is still just another repair person.
If you run into a problem with an authorized service person you can get less satisfaction than if you call the factory and bother as many people as you can there. Sure you may get the factory to yank the authorized service center license but then who cares you have been put through a lot of grief.
let's face it there is a shortage of good repair guys and many know they can make more money than working at the factory. The flip side of the coin is that at the factory the set up guy is usually the best the finish guy is usually the best etc etc i have found few individuals that have all talents in all areas. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | All of what you say is true. It depends what needs to be done. All the minor set up and medium repair can easily be done elsewhere. The big stuff can go either way. Depends what it is.
Here's another side of it. I've got an old Martin 1932 C-2 archtop. The top was smashed in the 70's (not my fault, it was drunk out that night) and redone by Monteleone in the early 90's. He is better than the factory for this stuff, (I think it was Dick Boak who put me on to John.) It has split again and repaired, and split. I've decided to have it converted to a flat top. I've gone to a guy outside Boston who will do this better than the factory. There is a very good guy in Martin's back yard too. It's all in what you want. |
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Location: NJ | wow there are so many c-2's converted to flattops out there. I never played one that was an archtop.
Interesting how martin was never albe to get into the arched top biz or the electric biz their 60's semi hollow guitars were rather nice except for the dearmond pickups which gave them too much of a gretsch quality |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | At the end of the day most companys are pretty much single focused. Fender got lucky with guitars, amps and basses. their acoustics never made it. Gibson for their electrics but not basses or amps. Martin for acoustics, flat tops, but not much else. Ovation for the acoustics but not electrics or basses or amps. Guild got a little bit on bith acoustics and electrics but was never a heavy weight. Peavy was amps but not guitars (maybe they're better now.
This is a highly generalized statement to your post Al but it holds pretty true. |
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Location: NJ | cwk2
you are correct certain companies get stereotyped into one product and that seems to be what they are most noted for. Sure we all love the ovation electric solidbodies but we also know that there is a reason they aren;t made any more and that is sales. That does not mean they are any less of an instrument compared to what other companies produce.
what is interesting to me about martin is that they have finally got a low end model (the pressedwood tops) that sells like crazy but has horrible tone IMHO. So it looks like they finally got something low end to sell. the shanandoah (sp) series never really took off and that was basically another acoustic. their solidbody electrics were very cool guitars but let's face it you do not buy a martin for an electric.
It is amazing to me about Fender no matter what country of orgin or what quality, if it says fender some where on the item it will sell. I have had ibanez aria cort samick guitars etc that were clearly far better quality than the fender but they would not sell. some POS with the fender name sells. I think fender is probably the most recognized name in the music industry. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | The best case study for how strong a brand name is would be Gibson. We've all heard the horror stories since 1985 yet look at the growth since then. When you've got a strong brand it's pretty hard to kill it. |
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Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | id stick an aluminum frame in that martin and fill it with urelite bill. |
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Location: NJ | russ somewhere in this month's guitar player there is an acoustic guitar that uses either a plastic or aluminum bracing frame. |
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Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Al, you're referring to the Garrison guitar. The braces, kerfing, neck & tail block are a plastic, fibreglass or similar molding to which The top, back and sides are attached. I tried one a few weeks ago, very tidily made, sounded absolutely average. A Korean Crafter at a third of the price hanging beside it in the shop sounded as good as the Garrison.
Paul |
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Posts: 10581
Location: NJ | Paul you are right Garrison does ring a bell to me. I also think it was made in canada too. what are they thinking? I cannot understand messing with the braces that is what contributes to the vibration of the top. oh well maybe a few too many molsons |
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Location: NJ | It's a guitar,.......it's a snowshoe,........no wait,....it's both!!!
I saw that same ad in Acoustic Guitar.
At the time, I thought it MIGHT be an interesting concept, but after reading you and Paul, it kinda makes sense that it DOESN'T make sense. |
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Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | al, soon i'll be back in the states and i will get a years worth of guitar rags to bring back with me. interesting magazines have a way of getting "lost" in the mail here so i don't subscribe.
eventually someone will try to copy all of the cool stuff that was before it's time. getting it right is another story. |
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Location: NJ | russ glad to hear the postal system stinks in all countries |
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Considering a Martin?
