Damn. I'm embarrassed and ashamed to even post this. :'(
So, my job requires travel. I was messing around in my office and came upon a wall rack (???) to hang mu acoustic guitar on, like my electric guitar is on. So, I did it. Well, had to go out of town and forgot to put it up. Left, turned the gas heat way down, and came home to the nightmare. The top is cracked, 2 small cracks in the side. Fuck. What a dumb ass move. $1600 Martin cut away with electronics.
Well, I know it can be repaired, but at what cost? And, is the crack in the finish of the top, or is the actual top cracked? I can't really tell. Then, the bracing. I didn't even look at that part I felt so bad.
So, Pickmaster, my cousin, came up and I sent it home with him. There is a really good Martin shop in Homewood Al, basically Birmingham, and I wanted them to check out the damage and give me good options. I trust them, put it that way. Hope for the best.
is it like, broken? I mean, small cracks... who cares unless it's going to fall apart or sound bad?
dunno, unless it effects playability or tone, I don't see a problem. did it screw up the top so that the bridge is way out of position?
sucks when stuff like that happens, sure... but I don't see why you'd be ashamed of it. you now have a unique guitar with a story of its own, right? yeah it would have been cooler to get those cracks down at the juke joint on a friday night when your woman got caught with another man and you had to give her the gun and all that blues shit... but so it goes.
;D
How's it sound? My main acoustic is 40 years old, has a hole rubbed right through the finish where the previous owner(s) hand rested, cracks in the finish and in the wood, but sounds awesome and plays great...
Well, like I said, picks got it in Bham now. He's been working with it trying to get moisture back in the wood.
So, what we decided to do was to put a damp cloth inside the sound hole on a little plastic lid to keep the wet cloth from touching the wood. the he covered the soundhole with a dry towel and put it in the case for a day. Looked better after the first day and even stayed in tune.
After the second day, the crack in the top was almost invisible, and the sunk in top went from that to almost perfect again. Some how, the damn thing was still in tune during all this process.
He picked it up after the second day and says the thing plays perfect. Sounds incredible. Damn, how is that? By the way, the 2 small cracks in the side haven't changed. that won't change much, but the top seems like it's back to normal, with a crack. Goes from the bottom of the bridge to the bottom section of the top where it meets the bottom side.
Sounds like good news. I think I'll still have him bring it to the shop for a professional look though. In addition to the cracks, the trust rod was very loose. He had to tighten it up and adjust that as well. I just can't imagine what happened inside. I still haven't looked and Mr know it all says what difference does it make, it plays good. So, when I get it to the shop, if he ever brings it, I'll update. He loves it.
Thinking it hasn't affected the tone or play ability but Pick isn't much on sound like I am. I'm picky, he's not, to say the least.
He is kinda on the same boat as ya'll. He said, fuck it, play the shit out of it.
my best advice, never play guitar with your eyes.
Noted. Probably the best advice I've heard in a while!
ironsheep — Feb 25, 2016is it like, broken? I mean, small cracks... who cares unless it's going to fall apart or sound bad?
dunno, unless it effects playability or tone, I don't see a problem. did it screw up the top so that the bridge is way out of position?
sucks when stuff like that happens, sure... but I don't see why you'd be ashamed of it. you now have a unique guitar with a story of its own, right? yeah it would have been cooler to get those cracks down at the juke joint on a friday night when your woman got caught with another man and you had to give her the gun and all that blues shit... but so it goes.
;D
I'm not ashamed of the guitar, I'm ashamed of my dumb ass letting my guitar sit out in the cold, basically. I spent lots of time reading about, and playing many different guitars before settling on this one. It just pisses me off to have spent that much money on this guitar and not have sense enough to take care of it.
well if you're worried about that... you're doing pretty damn well in the scheme of things.
still a pisser, sure, but you know, it's just money. tell yourself you were never going to sell it anyway and there's no problem :)
Well, your kinda right again. I'm not selling it, for sure. And, it's not really a good guitar for blues stuff. I just love the tone, overall.