[Ben Schmaus Bench Zen]

Hey Daniel.

Here are a couple more photos. The neck alignment looks unremarkable (i.e., fine) to me. I have the string height set right around .04″ straight across from bass to treble and it plays smoothly up and down the neck. (The neck is a Warmoth boatneck profile with a 10-16″ compound radius.)

[Ben Schmaus Bench Zen]

Thanks @gerryhayes

Appreciate you sharing that. Aesthetics notwithstanding, the guitar plays well and sounds fine to me. So I’m going to go with it as is and keep the recommendation for a blade pickup in the bridge in mind.

[Ben Schmaus Bench Zen]

Well, after much fiddling around I finally got a 4mm wrench to grip the nut. I guess I just needed to give it more time. Really makes you appreciate headstock accessible truss rods…

[Ben Schmaus Bench Zen]

Alright, so the truss rod access isn’t obscured (see pic) but I can’t for the life of me get a wrench to grip the nut. I know a lot of Martin’s use 5mm and I read that the Modern Deluxe series – along with a couple of others – https://www.martinguitar.com/gear-accessories/tools/18TOOL15.html – use 4mm. I’ve tried 4mm and 5mm and 9/64 and am having no luck. I know it can take some fiddling to get the wrench in the nut but I’ve never had a problem with any other Martin.

martinguitar.com

4mm Allen Truss Rod Wrench | Martin Guitar

Shop 4mm Allen Truss Rod Wrench and other Martin Guitar apparel, accessories, and guitar straps!

[Ben Schmaus Bench Zen]

Thanks, @ianhatesguitars – appreciate the pointers.

[Ben Schmaus Bench Zen]

Thanks for the tip. Appreciate you sharing that!

[Ben Schmaus Bench Zen]

Well, guess I answered my own question. I got a rag, carefully sprayed some contact cleaner on the pot shafts, worked the wiper back and forth and it cleared up the scratches.

[Ben Schmaus Bench Zen]

Hey @danieltrohr – thanks for chiming in here. Any updates on that neck?

[Ben Schmaus Bench Zen]

Thanks, Brian. Appreciate you sharing an alternate approach. I might give it a try.

[Ben Schmaus Bench Zen]

Yup, looks like laminate with cross-crossing grains.

[Ben Schmaus Bench Zen]

If I understand the question, the bridge might be cut in a bit but it didn’t seem to be recessed before I removed it.

Here are a couple photos from before the bridge was removed. The glue was lifting everywhere except for the side where the wood lifted with the bridge.

The guitar is a Japanese acoustic from the 70s.