Dave Staudte (rhymms with "Howdy") NB Guitar Repair (New Braunfels, TX)
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This book covers any and all Martin repairs. This process is detailed in the book.
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Waterslide Decals | Buy online from Rothko and Frost
I know there are others, but I’ve had some custom stuff made here from Rothko & Frost. I’ve also used some of their other pre-made stuff with much success.
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Not cheap but you’ll probably never have to buy another. Hakko. We used this brand in a solder certification class I took. I had one at Taylor for at least 15-18 years, never gave me an issue. (and I remember leaving it on overnight on several occasions…) But on a side note, I always have the Weller gun model 8200 for heating frets and ground wires on the back of pots or any other messy work, steaming dents etc. The Hakko would be for fine precision soldering only.
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You can actually spray butyl directly on Nitro. I often do this to “wake up” old finish before applying more. If anything you will be improving adhesion by adding butyl but it will take a bit longer to cure before you can sand and buff. If I’m adding butyl to avoid blushing during high humidity events (or low for that matter) I only add about 15%-25% to my lacquer. But, like I said it will take longer to cure (gas off).
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Hey, what ever it takes! Not rocket science and no one will ever know.
Glad you got it sorted out!
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Kinda looks like a failed transverse brace / fingerboard brace issue.
I’ve replaced 4-5 of these with an increased radius to not only raise the whole upper bout but it does also help with the neck angle.
That one photo looks like the brace has 50% of the meat removed for the truss rod access. Also, on the left side of the photo it looks like there is some standoff between the brace and the top?
I’ve beefed up these braces using carbon fiber as well. It’s not a fun job getting it out, and you still need to get the ends supported by the kerfing.
A folded up piece of paper towel wetted pretty good with water sitting on the brace overnight will start the process of removal, might take a couple wetting sessions.
Sucks you have that Spanish heel, but if it was on my bench I would replace the brace…
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That would probably work.
You actually have the “better” of the 2 inserts they used over the years. There was an earlier one that clearly had thread that was too shallow. But thousands of guitars were built with them, and they hold just fine.
What probably happened here was the builder over tightened the top bolt in an effort to “raise” the neck angle enough to get it through inspection. Yes, you can add a little more torque to the top bolt and achieve this. Over tightening the bottom bolt does nothing really as the heel is so thin there everything just flexes…
I spent 3 years in Final Assembly building these guitars, 4 a day. The builder should have taken 10-20 minutes to remove both bolts and floss sandpaper to raise the neck angle, instead they took a short cut. Or maybe, the neck angle was fine to get out the door and the builder knew he pulled the insert and just didn’t say anything, seen that more times than I would like to admit…
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Done this probably close to a hundred time in the 19 years I spent in Tayor’s Repair Dept. Drill out for 1/2″ maple dowel and epoxy in. To prep for reinstallation, start with smaller bits like 1/4″, then 3/8″ working your way up to 27/64″ bit. It’s to wonky to drill it in one shot. You’ll need fashion up something like this to screw the insert in. You could also just tighten 2 nuts together on a bolt. You and either use epoxy or thick CA when threading in the insert.
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Holes need to be drilled 1/2″ outside center line.
Buy Pat DiBurro’s book and you’ll never look back, everthing you need to know. Some of the super cheap Mexican Martin’s wer glued up with super glue as well, they will come apart with heat and patience.
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How about a sunburst! Almost perfect color match for the Tobacco Brown around the edge. I’ve sprayed a few myself, let me know if youhave any questions.
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Yes! This is valuable information! I was going to ask for the serial #, thanks for the photo!
I’ve done several Red Label and Brown Label, found dowels in one Epiphone made overseas. But these old Yamaha’s can sound amazing, so we need to know what to expect with resets over the different eras of production. Thanks again, this will help all of us someday!
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We’ve been using the Foam Cutters, you can find them on Amazon for $15-$20. The hole size is much less intrusive at about .080″ so the fret usually covers everything. Unless you are good at fixing the blushing on lacquer from steam I would ditch the huge StewMac probe and get 2 of these: (I hope the link works)
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Very cool! I’m a big fan of the Dampit. Usually run at least 3 of the big ones to re-humidify. This thing would make those obsolete! (plus, they are way overpriced for what you get) Thanks for sharing!
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Wow! Thanks for sharing your very thorough investigation! This is great!
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I’ve replaced many a truss rod on Taylor’s. Same neck bolt design with glued on fingerboard. Only difference is the adjustment is at the peg head. But they can be dug out at the heel and slid out. I think you have a good chance, just need to figure out what you’ll replace it with.
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J. Roadman has a resin printer, not sure which one but it makes some really defined parts. Kinda stinky, sticky and messy. He would be able to give you some insight…
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Yeah, I don’t know. I would start by calling Customer Service. They will either direct you to a warranty operation for verification or if they let you send the pics, they might just issue a Return Authorization over the phone.
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Wow! That’s ugh, interesting.
If he’s the original owner, I would strongly suggest getting those photos to Martin Customer Service. Looks like a defective top to me…
It looks like the bulges start right where the scallops start under the top. Maybe it got top stripped at the factory and it’s too thin?
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Sounds like a question for Jeff Jewitt?
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We use to tell people to put a few cups of dry rice in a sock while leaving the guitar in the case before the advent of Boveda Humidipaks. I just saw Boveda came out with some specifically for de-humidifying in high humidity areas. Looks like they are being sold by D’Addario and they’re called Absorb.
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I’ve fixed many a loose rattling truss rod. If you wrap your knuckles on the back of the neck you can usually hear it. (or maybe you have the felt head hammer for resonance testing?)
If there are fingerboard markers you can remove them 7th and 9th usually, or drill through fret slots around the same area. I use flowable windshield silicone. You can buy at any auto parts store. With 2 holes drilled down until you hit the rod start injecting with a metal tipped syringe. Work the truss rod nut back and forth and you’ll usually see it come up the other hole. Sometimes I thin the silicone down with Naptha. I’ve done this dozens of times during my 19 years in the Taylor Repair Department without issue.
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I use the Makita 7.2 screwdriver. It has 2 speeds. Kinda pricey around $200+. It’s the only one they use at Taylor Guitars.
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Gotta rig up something like this. Been using that clamp for years. Just got the Jaws II a couple weeks ago.
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Yes, that one. I clamp a board from under the heel block area that extends up the neck to about the 9th fret with a stack of blocks and neck caul. (hopefully that makes sense)
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That’s where the Jaws I bar clamp style comes into play. You’re right here in New Braunfels I think. If you want to swing by and borrow it let me know.
Dave Staudte, NB Guitar Repair
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Those are good pictures; it looks like it’s not the cedar separating from itself scenario. But you’ll find out. Pull and reglue.
That fret wear is needing a partial re-fret in my opinion. And everyone wears frets differently. I have a friend who gets no fret wear at all because of his light touch and I’ve seen other players that need partial re-frets and sometimes whole re-frets on an annual basis… Usually not the fret materials fault. Although some wire is better than others.
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Very nice Scott, you should add a pic of the label and possibly serial number so we can start building a timeline of FG’s that can actually be reset. Sometimes there’s a stamp on the FB brace or block or maybe under the top of the serial and sometimes date.
Good job, this info is valuable. Especially the measurements for the drill holes.
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I just looked up this model you referred to. It supposedly has a solid cedar top. These can have issues as sometimes the bridge isn’t lifting it’s more the cedar is coming apart from itself. Especially if the guitar has been dried out excessively or gone back and forth between humid and dry conditions. Again, gotta get it on the bench first and go from there…
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I have a nice selection of these little blocks but when I get a printer I’m going to print perfect size blocks for this application.
