Grateful Dead Music Forum

Hi all. First post!

I found this board a few months ago and have been lurking. Started playing guitar somewhat seriously again, returning to Jerry to re-learn and improve, seek a better tone, etc. This board has already been an invaluable resource. Hopefully I'll get to a point where I can contribute something useful someday.

But for now I have a problem...I have a 1972 Martin D-18 that sounds great, but the playability is horrible. 11/64 action at the 12th fret and rotten intonation, just to give you taste. I'm thinking it's time for a neck reset (but let me know if you think otherwise). Anyway, I live in Fairfield, CT and seeing that some of you seem to be in NE I was wondering if anyone could suggest a reliable (and fairly priced!) luthier, hopefully within driving distance, to do the job. Any suggestions? Also, any idea how much I should expect to pay for this kind of job?

I'd like to get back to making Bird Song sound decent on this machine...

Thanks,

Vince

Yes find a good luthier. Someone should be able to direct you to a good one here.
You using heavy strings?

Is that action too high for you? I'm no expert, I'm just thinking that 11/64th seems a little high? But not too bad. No?

Using light strings now and will after the fix for sure, but I have to admit to being an idiot -- when I pulled the guitar out of storage, it probably had mediums and I never loosened them, apparently. I could kick myself because I'm pretty sure it used to play much nicer than this several years back.

Re: the 11/64 action -- yeah, a little tough to get used to!

Yeah strings just get tighter and tighter in storage. I hope you took temperature and humidity into consideration when storing it. How long was it stored up? Over 6 mons?
Get it to a luthier. I'm sure it just needs an adjustment. Truss rod. The intonation being out means the neck got a little stressed. Don't let the thing get all dried out over the Winter.

Highballin - stored for a couple of years. But in the house so it could have been worse from a weather damage perspective, I guess. Unfortunately, my understanding is there is no truss rod in Martins this old, so a lot more work is likely needed...no fun

Really 1972? Fixed truss rod? In otherwords non-adjustable. I thought by the 70's they were, but I'm just guessing. Because it has a truss rod. All guitars do. Some are non-adjustable though. The old ones.
Yeah a few years in storage will do it. Gotta watch that humidity. Anything below the 40% mark isn't good. Obviously anything above 60% isn't so good either. But leaving those strings on really didn't help I think.
In any case, you gotta get her looked at. That's a nice guitar.

There's a couple of luthiers on this site. They'll chime in. These guys are good.

Yes Lunasparks you are correct. Martin didn't start using adjustable truss rods until 1985.

Highballin' wrote:Yeah a few years in storage will do it. Gotta watch that humidity. Anything below the 40% mark isn't good. Obviously anything above 60% isn't so good either. But leaving those strings on really didn't help I think.

Speaking of which -what is the best way to store a guitar (acoustic and electric) for years +?

Are you the original owner?.It's been my understanding that Martins come with a lifetime warranty.A friend recently brought his 1976 D-18 to Matt Umanov's in NYC.(They're an authorized Martin repair shop.)He had neck and fret issues.He came out with, by his estimate, $1000 worth of repairs and a guitar better than ever.

NashvilleMike wrote:

Highballin' wrote:Yeah a few years in storage will do it. Gotta watch that humidity. Anything below the 40% mark isn't good. Obviously anything above 60% isn't so good either. But leaving those strings on really didn't help I think.

Speaking of which -what is the best way to store a guitar (acoustic and electric) for years +?

I hope some others will add to this. I believe it is good to take the strings off. Clean it off real good. Remove any batteries that may be in it. Keep it in a case- a case designed for guitars. Don't want the guitar touching any old surface for an extended period of time-like plastics, or dyed fabrics etc. This could mess up the finish. Obviously keep it some place where the temperature is pretty steady.
And use a humidifier if you have to. A little case humidifier, or soundhole humidifier. If it's needed. That wood starts drying out it can cause all kinds of trouble. Same with too much humidity. Joints come undone, glue gets loose. Joints swell etc.
My house gets bone dry in the winter. I keep a little damp sponge in my cases. Redampen them every week or so.
That's all I know...I'd like to hear more.

Fuzheng - Not the original owner, so probably no help on that front. But it sounds like you gave me an option: I work in NYC so I'll look up the name you mentioned.

And now that it's been mentioned, I'd likewise be interested in hearing about long-term storage best ideas. I hope I never again end up taking such a long time off from playing, but I guess you never know...

Thanks,

Vince

I don't know, but It seems everything would stay in place better with the strings left on, maybe not full tension but some?