I'm baffled, I was sure I had posted to this thread before. I've owned a single-ought 0-18 for nearly twenty years, a 1973 model which was incorrectly represented to me as a '77 that had been in the store for a couple of years. I think it's been back to the factory for a warranty reset once--no great shakes of a job, but they made no fuss about doing it. Quite a few competent repairpeople had a go at fixing its problematic neck and intonation, there should be a new thread regarding "who is the repairperson you would drive 200 miles to entrust your guitar to?"; in my case it's Rufus Stewart, but I believe he's in Vancouver now. He sorted it out and reset the saddle.

Art, you must have stored up an unbelievable amount of good karma. SMASHED your 000-18 and then won a highly collectable D-76 on a $3 ticket? Sheesh.

Rick F mentioned Bruce Dowd as the repair guru in Toronto; I've had good work done by him on my 1928 Gibson LO in the distant past. Martins are overpriced, except for the new economy models; this wasn't always the case or most of us wouldn't own one today. Mine cost $515 Cdn in 1980.

The smaller O size models, even old ones in good shape, are affordable, compared to the vintage dreads anyway. See Mandolin Brothers vintage acoustic guitar listings for entertaining descriptions of instruments that you might consider swapping your house for.

Someday I'm gonna own a nice dreadnaught. Don't know that it'll be a Martin though.

Bill