Trouble in paradise!

@TheHorse (219167)
Walnut Creek, California
November 24, 2017 2:26pm CST
I noticed on Thanksgiving Day morning that the binding is separating ever so slightly from the "bottom side" of my new Martin D-18 acoustic guitar. This is an excellent guitar that retails for about $3,000, so I was surprised that there would be workmanship issues on any part of the guitar. I emailed Martin last night and will probably get an "authorization number" next week to get the ting fixed. Fortunately, it's just a matter of adding some glue and (gently) clamping it down for a day or two. The Guitar Center where I bought it is an authorized service center for Martin guitars, so I hope not to be without it for too long. Wish me luck! Have you had any minor disappointments lately?
13 people like this
13 responses
WorDazza
@WorDazza (15830)
• Manchester, England
24 Nov 17
Maybe the guitar ate too much on thanksgiving and is busting at the seams. Good luck with getting it repaired.
2 people like this
WorDazza
@WorDazza (15830)
• Manchester, England
25 Nov 17
@TheHorse Let me know if you need some glue and clamps!
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (219167)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Nov 17
@WorDazza I will. Why am I still eating?
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (219167)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Nov 17
I'd better check my own binding.
2 people like this
Val
@valmnz (17097)
• New Zealand
24 Nov 17
Good that it will be quickly repaired.
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (219167)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Nov 17
I'm relieved about that. But I'll be nervous when I take it in.
2 people like this
Val
@valmnz (17097)
• New Zealand
24 Nov 17
@TheHorse sounds a bit like going to the dentist!!!
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (219167)
• Walnut Creek, California
26 Nov 17
@valmnz That's kind of the way I feel.
1 person likes this
celticeagle
@celticeagle (167227)
• Boise, Idaho
24 Nov 17
Hope you get this taken care of in a timely manner. A product is only as good as the manufacturer.
1 person likes this
celticeagle
@celticeagle (167227)
• Boise, Idaho
26 Nov 17
@TheHorse ......Hope so.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (219167)
• Walnut Creek, California
26 Nov 17
@celticeagle I'll provide a full report.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (219167)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Nov 17
Martin is among the best. I have faith everything will be taken care of promptly.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (471636)
• Switzerland
25 Nov 17
I wish you luck and I understand your disappointment, things are not more made as they were did in the past.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (471636)
• Switzerland
25 Nov 17
@TheHorse This is very possible, even if I have the feeling that the modern glues are not as good as they pretend.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (219167)
• Walnut Creek, California
26 Nov 17
@LadyDuck I'm not sure. I do think that regular wood glue is water-soluble. I'm not sure about hyde glue. which is seen as more "elite."
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (219167)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Nov 17
Martin guitars are usually still really good, and this one sounds great and is beautiful to look at. The back has quilted mahogany, which is rare. Maybe it just got in some intense heat when it was shipped or something.
1 person likes this
Alfredo Rossi
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
24 Nov 17
so sorry and now to get it fixed.No I have not.
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (219167)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Nov 17
Hopefully it will be done next week.
Kharla Jolly
@kobesbuddy (78873)
• East Tawas, Michigan
24 Nov 17
I sent my Bach trumpet in for a professional cleaning, a recommendation of our first chair trumpet player. Mona was sending hers in also, so just included mine, also. A week later, she called to let me know I could pick my trumpet up. When I got home, I was terribly disappointed. The entire trumpet had been cleaned with a wire brush, leaving spiral scratches everywhere! Mona never said a word about it and I chose rather to call it. a very bad experience.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (219167)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Nov 17
Whoa, that would make me very mad. Is there a finer grit SOMETHING you can use to remove the swirly scratches?
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (219167)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Nov 17
@kobesbuddy There ARE some threads out there about removing scratches from brass, But things got complicated as I read on. I would ask any experts you might have handy. Did you PAY for this atrocity? Can you tell how deep the scratches are? I use Meguiar's #7 Show Car Glaze for removing relatively fine scratches on wooden instruments, like guitars and mandolins.
1 person likes this
Kharla Jolly
@kobesbuddy (78873)
• East Tawas, Michigan
24 Nov 17
@TheHorse I'm not sure what could be done, but it really upset me!
1 person likes this
KrauseHome
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
26 Nov 17
This would be disappointing. Lucky for me, most things have been really Good lately.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (219167)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Nov 17
It will be fixed. All will be well. I can still play the instrument. I played it today before class.
Jabo
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
24 Nov 17
So it's just a cosmetic issue? As you say, you wouldn't expect something like that in such an expensive guitar.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (219167)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Nov 17
Agree. And yes, it's just a cosmetic issue.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340618)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 17
That's a shame. Is the fix part of a guarantee or will you have to pay for it?
The Horse
@TheHorse (219167)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Nov 17
Oh, it's a part of the Warranty. Binding is not supposed to separate from the side. It sometimes happens after 25 years, but even then the guitar would be covered.
Angie
@andriaperry (116936)
• Anniston, Alabama
25 Nov 17
No disappointments like that. ..... after a moment of thought I do not see many life events as disappointing.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (219167)
• Walnut Creek, California
26 Nov 17
As do I.
Scott Ganschow
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
25 Nov 17
No, not lately. Hope they can make it like new.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (219167)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Nov 17
I'm confident they will.
1 person likes this
Hanni Harel
@Hannihar (130213)
• Israel
3 May 18
@TheHorse So since this is an old post how did it go in fixing the guitar? I have lots of disappointments in my life.
Jim Bauer
@porwest (91695)
• United States
29 Apr 18
Ugh. That bites for sure. I had a really nice Martin a while back that disappointed me a bit, although it was a cheaper $500 one. It was mostly my fault. I got lazy and tuned it to an open C tuning from standard and it caused the bridge to pull away. Never did fix it and wound up eventually selling it at a rummage for cheap. These days I keep several guitars and most are tuned to certain tunings I prefer such as down a half step and open C and E.