UK guitar luthier

Subject: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 12 Aug 25 - 11:50 AM

So, my Martin D-18 developed a buzz on the A string.

I looked at many Luthier options and went with Stuart Palmer in Doncaster.

Boy that's one cluttered workshop and there was nearly an accident as I almost went headfirst down the steep stairs when leaving!

He said it will be ready for collection next week, so I'll update then with how I rate his work.

Cheers
-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 12 Aug 25 - 12:44 PM

Tidy he ain’t! But he’s a decent guy and I’m sure he’ll do a good job.

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 12 Aug 25 - 12:56 PM

Get him to tell you about baking powder/soda and superglue!

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 12 Aug 25 - 02:12 PM

Fingers crossed, BWM.

Ray, I hope there'll be none of that going on lol. If the nut slots are too low, I want a new bone nut cut.

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 12 Aug 25 - 03:48 PM

A real “nut job” then!

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 12 Aug 25 - 05:04 PM

Aye lad :)

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 13 Aug 25 - 05:06 AM

Stuart Palmer can be a bit tricky to find.

Finding Copley Road is easy but, if you look for Electro Music, you won't find it 'cos it no longer exists.

Find Copley Road then call him on 07775 230837 and he'll guide you in. He starts work at 10:30am.

Boy, you better watch those stairs when leaving!

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 13 Aug 25 - 10:53 AM

A bit tight and steep, aren’t they? I understand he’s due to move to new, much better premises, but there’s some kind of hold-up.

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 13 Aug 25 - 11:21 AM

BWM,

His intention is to move to the town's Arts Centre. I think the move is on, although he doesn't seem to have a date yet.

Likeable chap and very talkative - had a job to get away!

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 14 Aug 25 - 11:07 AM

I've asked that a new bone nut should be fitted if any of the slots on the existing nut are too low - and, if any saddle work is planned, fit a new bone one, leaving the existing saddle as is.

I'm hoping for a wazzo setup, the voice of a nightingale!

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 14 Aug 25 - 12:35 PM

Just pop this in here for any guitarists in the Cambridge area or who can get there.

In late November 2023, Chris Andrews was working at PRS Guitars in the city.

This is a fantastic tech, trained by Taylor Guitars to Gold level. If he's still there, you couldn't take your guitar to a better tech.

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 14 Aug 25 - 02:44 PM

There's an email linked to him:

[e-mail]

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 16 Aug 25 - 01:31 PM

Let me throw this at you and, hopefully, you'll tell me not to worry lol.

So you know where my D-18 is but, when I mentioned that I'd put a set of strings in the case, he asked why.

Seemed a bit strange to me. Wouldn't a setup be done with a new set of strings? I'd have thought so.

So what's YOUR ten penn'orth?

Thanks in advance
Fred

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 16 Aug 25 - 01:40 PM

Not necessarily. When I do my own set-ups or other adjustments/alterations to my guitars, I do them with the existing strings on so that I can easily detect any resulting tonal changes and, if there are any, I know it’s due to the work I’ve done and not the new strings.

And he is inclined to have the occasional ‘leg-pull’ when you’re talking to him - personally I wouldn’t be disturbed by it. ;-)

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 16 Aug 25 - 02:03 PM

BWM,

I didn't get concerned. If I had, I wouldn't have left my D-18 there.

But I can see now why he may not want to use new strings...

In any event, I'll submit a full report here when I get the D-18 back, so stay tuned ;)

-F





-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 18 Aug 25 - 07:29 AM

Nothing yet.

But just in case Stuart Palmer doesn't get my D-18 singing like it did, I've got a Plan B:

A guy I lost track of but managed to find again. This guy is as good as it gets and only charges £50 for a setup.

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 19 Aug 25 - 06:56 AM

Collecting my D-18 on 22 Aug, so I'll let you know over the weekend what I think of Stuart’s work.

To be honest, I'm expecting my D-18 to play like butter and sound like a choir of angels ;)

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 19 Aug 25 - 07:44 AM

I’ll be very surprised if you’re not a happy bunny!

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 19 Aug 25 - 09:10 AM

BWM,

Stuart is someone whose work I don't know 'cos it's the first job he's done for me, so there's bound to be some "Did I do the right thing?" going on.

There still is, and there WILL be until I have the D-18 in my hands and try it.

If my arthritis will let me, I'll do    Dylan's It's All Over Now Baby Blue for him ;)

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 19 Aug 25 - 12:25 PM

Hope it doesn’t sound like a “choir of angels”. If it were mine, I’d want it to sound like a D18. Are you confusing it with a Taylor?

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 19 Aug 25 - 02:11 PM

Ray,

"Choir of angels" was a bit tongue-in-cheek, as was "Play like butter". I often read such things on forums "Neck straight as an arrow, no buzzing, plays like butter!" :)

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 19 Aug 25 - 05:16 PM

‘Grand Piano-like’ is the nonsense that boils my p**s. Along with the ‘Choir of angels’ BS.

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 21 Aug 25 - 05:26 AM

Another is 'Rings for days'. I bet!.

Called Stuart today. My D-18 is ready to collect, so I'll be heading to Doncaster tomorrow.

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 22 Aug 25 - 09:09 AM

So, I have my Martin D-18 home.

A quick tune to pitch and the test.
Chords and single notes sound good. There's less relief and slightly less saddle, sounds livelier.

All that gets a ? from me.

Intonation is spot-on, though it was before to be fair, but it's still as good and that's the point.

Stuart Palmer has definitely improved what was a very good D-18 when I handed it to him, and I'll certainly use him again.



Stuart Palmer (Luthier),
Doncaster
07775 230837

I have no hesitation in recommending him.

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 22 Aug 25 - 09:12 AM

That ? started life as a tick lol.

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 22 Aug 25 - 11:11 AM

Good to hear, Fred, although I never doubted you’d be happy!

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 22 Aug 25 - 12:05 PM

Good to hear Fred. The only way to alter the relief on my D18 is to plane the fingerboard and re-fret the neck. Not a job for the inexperienced as pressing the new frets in is, in itself, likely to reduce the neck relief. (A once-in-a-lifetime change from medium strings to light several years ago, made no noticeable difference.)

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 22 Aug 25 - 12:46 PM

What Stuart DOES do though, if he does a restring, is lock them off at the headstock. That'll have you cursing when you want 'em off!





-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 22 Aug 25 - 02:06 PM

Ray,

A tricky job for sure, though some in the UK could tackle it. Any ideas where to go? I've got a suggestion but it's a heck of a road trip for you.

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 22 Aug 25 - 04:35 PM

Try this place, Ray:

CCGX
020 89731441

If you can't get there, they can arrange collection and delivery. I've used 'em for years.

Don't know if they would do the relief work on your Martin but wouldn't hurt to call 'em.

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Chris_S
Date: 22 Aug 25 - 05:10 PM

Steve Kendall did a fabulous job on my new Alvarez guitar. Beautiful to play after his attention which was badly needed for a great sounding guitar but poorly set up and with some sharp fret ends. Totally sorted for a really modest price. He has a website, can really recommend if you are near Abingdon/Wantage area of UK.

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 22 Aug 25 - 05:27 PM

Not saying I need it done Fred, had it sorted by a, now retired, luthier friend of mine some years ago - the neck was twisted not just warped.

Yes, why do people use the “string locking” technique? Don’t tell me that it stops them slipping. I’ve been changing strings for 50+ years and never had a problem.

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 22 Aug 25 - 06:24 PM

Ray,

When stringing up, all I do at the headstock is thread through, put two fingers under the string between nut and first fret to get a little slack, wind to pitch and snip off the excess.

Never had a string slip.

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 23 Aug 25 - 03:22 AM

Fred, try winding round the post a couple of times, under tension, before poking the end through the hole and turning the knob to bring the string up to pitch. It’s a lot quicker and I find I shed a lot less blood when re-stringing a mandolin this way.

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 23 Aug 25 - 05:14 AM

Never done it like that, Ray, but no harm in giving it a go, cheers.

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 23 Aug 25 - 08:51 AM

I install strings with a Z bend. Fast and easy and it works for me.

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 23 Aug 25 - 09:27 AM

Here’s how I’ve done it for the past umpteen years. No knots, no ‘locks’, no blood-letting, neat and tidy, quick, and rock-solid tuning.

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 23 Aug 25 - 12:23 PM

Each to their own way. The Taylor “cut-em first”method is probably fine for hex-core strings but try that with round cores and you’re likely to hit trouble.

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 23 Aug 25 - 02:20 PM

Correct Ray. On the occasions I use round-cores (usually Newtones) I don’t cut until they’re tuned up. But for hex-cores, I find the ‘Taylor’ method quick, easy, and reliable. I’m a comparatively recent convert to the ‘Taylor’ method, for most of the 64 years I’ve been playing I’ve used either the ‘one over, the rest under’ method, or the method that employs a ‘lock’ by wrapping the free end under and around the captive part of the string.

As you say, each to their own way, but I’ve never found an easier method than the Taylor method.

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 23 Aug 25 - 02:23 PM

Ray, if your D-18 doesn’t have an adjustable truss rod, it must be dated Pre-1985? I’d love to see and hear it!

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 23 Aug 25 - 02:31 PM

1973 - £190 new - bought it from a chap called Ivor Mairantz, who you might have heard of! Lives in £80 worth of Calton case but doesn’t get played that often nowadays.

I use Newtones on one of my OMs as it needs ball end strings and I need to order custom sets.

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 23 Aug 25 - 03:20 PM

One issue I DO have with Stuart is that he removed material from the bottom of the original saddle, rather than leave it as is and make a new one like I asked.

Slightly p*ssed off about that.

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 23 Aug 25 - 04:18 PM

@Ray - I do remember Ivor Mairants, and I bought a guitar a year ago from his old shop, now Mak’s Guitars.

@Fred - does it really matter? If your action needed lowering, and you used a new saddle, the (unadjusted) old one would be too tall, so pretty much useless. Saddles are pretty much regarded as consumables and are easily replaceable. I took the original saddle out of my D-18 and replaced it with a new, much better one from Bob Colosi about 12 years ago. The new one is still in the guitar, the original one is somewhere in my ‘stuff’ drawer, I haven’t seen it for years. If there’s ever a need to replace the ‘new’ saddle, I’ll just get another ‘new’ one.

But I don’t get emotional about guitars, and I don’t worry about keeping things ‘original’, it needs to do what I want it to do, and if I want to change something, I just do it - so my D-18 has Waverly Tuners which replaced the Gotohs it came with, and which I gave away, the bridge-pin holes are reamed and slotted, and the plastic slotted pins replaced with solid (unslotted) ebony pins, I put a strap-button in the neck-heel, and installed a K&K pickup.

But that’s just me, and I realise my way isn’t everyone else’s way - to each their own, just as it should be.

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 24 Aug 25 - 03:51 AM

Backwoodsman - not just the shop but the man himself. I think he died back in the 80s. It still has the original plastic bridge pins. The 70s are thought by some to be their worst decade.

Fred - I wouldn’t worry about it - it’s only a bit of bone (or plastic) and nobody but you will know.

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 24 Aug 25 - 07:40 AM

In a modern D-18 it’s bone Ray.

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 24 Aug 25 - 09:05 AM

BWM & Ray,

I get all that BUT, me being me, I like to keep the original saddle (nut too) as is, so that I can always go back.

The original action and relief was perfect for me. The relief was 0.010" at the 7th but at the 12th fret I didn't measure the action.

"Does it matter?" To me, yes. The setup Stuart did is good in itself, I'm not faulting that, but what I AM saying is that if you go to him for a setup, he doesn't work with numbers, he does it by feel. That "feel"   may or may not suit YOU.

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 24 Aug 25 - 09:18 AM

The D-18 is now booked in at CCGX for a new nut, new saddle and a Plek setup.

Again, I'll review the work done and if I find a fault I WILL tell you as I want to be honest.

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 24 Aug 25 - 11:23 AM

”Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred - PM

So, I have my Martin D-18 home.

A quick tune to pitch and the test.
Chords and single notes sound good. There's less relief and slightly less saddle, sounds livelier.

All that gets a ? from me.

Intonation is spot-on, though it was before to be fair, but it's still as good and that's the point.

Stuart Palmer has definitely improved what was a very good D-18 when I handed it to him, and I'll certainly use him again.”

”Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred - PM
Date: 24 Aug 25 - 09:18 AM

The D-18 is now booked in at CCGX for a new nut, new saddle and a Plek setup.

Again, I'll review the work done and if I find a fault I WILL tell you as I want to be honest.”

You’re losing me, Fred! If you were happy with the guitar after SP had set it up (apart from him adjusting the original saddle and not installing a replacement - a complete non-issue AFAIC, but it’s your guitar, not mine!), I’m wondering why, two days later, you’ve decided to take it elsewhere for another setup, a new nut and saddle, and a Plek - that sounds an expensive exercise.

As I said, your guitar (and your money!) not mine, and you’re absolutely free to do as you wish, but I’m wondering what your reasoning is? You don’t have to explain if you don’t wish to, but I’m just a little perplexed…

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 24 Aug 25 - 11:50 AM

BWM,

OK, here goes:

I didn't want the saddle touched. However, it has been, so keeping it now isn't as important to me as it once was. Can you see that?

Second, although Stuart's setup is good, the more I play it the more I realise that it doesn't suit ME.

But if you go there, tell him what you want and ask him to consult you before makes any changes, you should be ok. I didn't do that and maybe I should have.

-F

Subject: RE: UK guitar luthier
From: Fred
Date: 24 Aug 25 - 12:07 PM

Yes, it is expensive. A Plek setup alone is £170, then there's a new bone nut, saddle and shopping.

But I love this D-18. Anything that it needs it's going to get.

Why Charlie Chandler's Guitar Experience (CCGX)? Well, I've used em for years and only one minor issue - and that was as my fault! :)

-F