Repair And Restoration
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Martin D-18VM No truss rod?
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Martin D-18VM No truss rod?
In the process of evaluating the repairs needed on this guitar I checked to see if the truss rod was working. There is hole in the transverse brace where you would normally insert a truss rod, but all I see is the end of a metal bar with a smallish hole in the center. I tried several allen wrenches that would fit in the hole, but nothing seems to grab. Did they really eliminate the adjustable truss rod on this vintage reproduction?
Here’s a list of what I found wrong –
2 top cracks below bridge
2 top neck side cracks
1 top sound hole crack below neck extension
1 side crack upper bout bass side
1 side crack in waist treble side
top separation lower bout bass side
back separation lower bout bass side
loose binding is both waists back side
loose bridge
top scarring and glue squeeze out along bottom of bridge
neck heal separation
missing low E tuning machine bushing
missing bridge pin
glue on top behind bridge
all 4 arms of X brace loose
2 tone bars loose at both ends
front edge of bridge plate loose
#1 finger brace end loose treble side
transverse brace loose both ends
#1,#2,#3,#4 back braces loose both ends
rough finish on back of neck below 1st and 4th frets
finish bubbled on back and side of headstock, minor bubbling on top
dip in fretboard between 1st and 9th fret, max. is .005″ at 4th fret
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4 Replies
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It’s probably snapped off. Since it has heel separation I would pull off the neck, you’ll find out real quick if you’ll be replacing the truss rod…the process is detailed in Pat DiBurro’s book on Martin repair.
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I had a Mexican martin where the nut on the end of the truss rod was simply missing- it had come off. I didn’t know that until I removed the fingerboard and the truss rod. Truss rod was the square tube with threaded rod. It appeared like the end had snapped off….
I bought a regulation threaded end, on amazon.com of all places
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Truth stranger than fiction … After poking at the D-18 again, I found that the square thrust washer was jammed between the front of the nut and the transverse brace. I was able to push it aside enough to to get the truss rod nut out. After more fiddling I got the thrust washer to drop over the the truss rod end and reinstall the nut. I tightened it a bit and the truss rod seems to be working.
Thanks for your replies. I learned something new today!
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A reproduction with that much wrong?!?! Did the thing go of a cliff in the back of a car without a seat belt, get thrown, and wash up 10 miles south?
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