Martin's Guitars in the NY Times

Subject: Martin Guitars in the NY Times
From: Amos
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 08:00 AM

The New York Times takes a visit to Nazareth, PA and the Martin legend in today's paper. Interesting story.


A

Subject: RE: Martin's Guitars in the NY Times
From: Amos
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 09:46 AM

VISITOR INFORMATION

C. F. Martin & Co. (510 Sycamore Street, 610-759-2837; www.martinguitar.com) is in the eastern Pennsylvania town of Nazareth, about seven miles northwest of Easton. From Interstates 80 or 78, take State Route 33, then Route 191 into town.

Free small-group tours are conducted regularly from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, first come, first served. Reservations are required for groups of more than 10; these tours are given from 8 to 10:30 a.m. and cost $3 a person.

Subject: RE: Martin's Guitars in the NY Times
From: Bobert
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 10:03 AM

I haven't made the trip myself but my '66 D-18 has, via the UPS truck... But I guess that next time I need "warrenty"(!), yes warrenty work, performed will be God's way of tellin' me that it's time to take the UPS man outta the equation...

BTW, I keep my original Certificate of Ownership in the safety deposit box... It's amazing mow much warrenty work Martin has done on this geeter over the years... 5 years ago they reset the neck and "made" me a new saddle... Charge: $0...

B~

Subject: RE: Martin's Guitars in the NY Times
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 10:20 AM

It's OK for you Bobert, the guarantee doesn't apply outside the US, so if I had a problem, it's repaired at my expense.
How's the pulled muscle?

G

Subject: RE: Martin's Guitars in the NY Times
From: Bobert
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 12:08 PM

Ahhhh, sorry, G.... Maybe I could sneak it in with my Certificate...

(That's what the humbers are for, Boberdz...)

Nevermind...

The back still sucks... Doxc thinks it's a pinched nerve and so today I have begun a 6 day regimine of prednazone...

Fun...

B~

Subject: RE: Martin's Guitars in the NY Times
From: Wesley S
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 12:23 PM

My D-18 is a '67. But I bought mine used in 1969 so ne free work for me. I've had practically nothing done to it over the years. The neck is fine. Frets are still good too. At least not worn enough to replace.

Subject: RE: Martin's Guitars in the NY Times
From: PoppaGator
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 01:45 PM

(There are two of these threads, started about the same time in response to the NYT story.)

My D-18 was bought new in 1969, but I have long since lost the certificate. I got a neck reset and a new set of frets about two years ago. I forget exactly what I paid my local luthier, but it was more than zero dollars. The Martin factory probably would have gotten the job done quicker, too, even allowing for travel time back and forth. Oh well, water under the bridge ~ and my guy did do an excellent job

Subject: RE: Martin's Guitars in the NY Times
From: Amos
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 01:58 PM

Maybe a clone could combine this one with the one started just after it -- I don't care which way.


A

Subject: RE: Martin's Guitars in the NY Times
From: Stewart
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 02:32 PM

I bought my D18 new in 1956 in Los Angeles for $99. I had some minor repairs done at Hoffman's Guitars in Minneapolis in about 1980 and learned that it had a lifetime warranty for the original owner. I wrote Martin a letter, since I had no warranty papers or anything, and they paid for the repair. Then just last November the (slot-through) bridge broke. I called Martin the next day. A real person answered the phone right away and connected me with their service rep. When I explained the situation, that I had no warranty papers but had written a letter to them back about 1980, he said "no problem, just have it repaired by the certified Martin luthier and we'll pay for it." Dave Doucet in Bellingham did a beautiful job, and it looks just like the original. So how many companies give that kind of service to their customers?

Cheers, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Martin's Guitars in the NY Times
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 10:59 PM

Sounds like we could set up a D-18 users group. Mine is a '72 bought used years ago. It's always strung with medium-gauge strings, usually hangs on the wall next to the computer, travels with us sometimes, and has never had a problem. I'd love to take the factory tour in Nazareth some day.
- Phil

Subject: RE: Martin's Guitars in the NY Times
From: Rusty Dobro
Date: 23 Feb 08 - 08:52 AM

I found my D-18 at the end of a row of second-hand guitars in a country music shop. It was covered with dust, had dead strings that left no tone you could judge by, had apparently at some stage been too close to a carelessly-opened tin of beer, and had a little solidly repaired but obvious damage to the back. All of that brought it down into my price bracket (well, nearly), so I took a chance, and yes, it responded to tlc and a set of medium Newtones by becoming the star it should have been all along. The only trouble is, I can't blame my mistakes on the guitar any more.

Subject: RE: Martin's Guitars in the NY Times
From: GUEST,shayleen
Date: 15 Feb 16 - 07:55 AM

That IS good news - glad you've got it back :-)

Subject: RE: Martin's Guitars in the NY Times
From: maeve
Date: 15 Feb 16 - 08:23 AM

I believe Rusty Dobro was saying he had found a used Martin to buy... eight years ago.

Subject: RE: Martin's Guitars in the NY Times
From: Cool Beans
Date: 15 Feb 16 - 10:48 AM

I have a 1962 D-28. I have the original price tag ($225) but long ago lost the sales receipt from the original Sam Ash store in Brooklyn. When the guitar needed some work the Martin company told me to get lost.