Rant on Martins

[unclrob]

For the newbies they understand:I've been a repairperson for over 50 years and on this forum since 2002 so please no stone throwing with out a head start.

OK here goes,I have had a bunch of Martins coming thru with binding issue at the waste and would like to know of the Martin owners here if they have notice it most are from the last 15 years.Right now I have  CEO on my bench that has waste issue not just on the top and bottom waste but also on the back top and bottom waste.So I'm just try to see if anyone else has had this issue.My count is 15 in the last year.\


Keep smiilin and keep dancin   

[Queequeg]

Well, damnit. I just pulled my CEO out of the case (for the first time in a few/6 months) and sure enough- binding at the waist is separating.
🤬

[StringPicker6]

A few years ago I had a Martin 00L-17 with a lovely satin black finish and ivoroid pickguard and binding.  Sure enough, top binding separated at the waist.  Traded it in at a guitarcenter, and the employee didn't notice.  So, to answer your question: YES! Happened to me, too! Probably a 2017 model. 

[teh]

I purchased my last new Martin in 2015 from the custom shop, a new OM35 in 2007 and a new D35 in 1977.

The only guitar that had binding issues was my D35 about 30 years ago on both the lower bout and the neck binding. This guitar has had warranty work done three times in 46 years including 1) a neck reset, 2) the binding repair and 3) reglue the bridge. In all three instances, all repairs were fully covered by the lifetime warranty with zero hassles from customer service. This guitar has been my workhorse over the years but I have had zero defects in my 7 year old custom or 16 year old OM.

Having said that, I have heard numerous complaints about binding issues with Martins and I would be curious to know when those 15 guitars uncle rob has seen and worked on were built. During the pandemic, Pennsylvania mandated and monitored business shutdowns and many manufacturing companies experienced labor shortages and lack of skilled workers. I worked for a service company and spent my last two years before retirement working remotely from home and know we had staffing issues too.

I have three Larrivees built in 2004, 2006 and 2021 respectively and have had no issues with any of them nor have I ever had to ask for warranty work.

[unclrob]

teh I looked up the guitars 3 D18 from 2001,Clapton RW from 2009,78 D18,2 84 D18,2 D28 2020,,2019 OM35,2021 00028,D16 from 2006,CEO not sure of the and a couple I passed.So all know I don't do rebinds any more due to the major PITA,I referred all the binding jobs to Martin.
I wish that I saw other guitars but seem to be Martins.

Keep smilin and keep dancin 

[StringPicker6]

Plastic binding.... I prefer a nice larrivee maple binding every time!!! 

[Silence Dogood]

Plastic binding.... I prefer a nice larrivee maple binding every time!!! 

My Larrivee has plastic binding, but it's never come loose. 

[rbpicker]

My 2018 OM28 was starting to show creases in the finish at the binding when I traded it in (at a Martin dealer).  Big issue with Martin, and such a shame.
Rb

[StringPicker6]

Is the reason due to a shrinking top?

[unclrob]

I'm going with crappy glue work and not applied correctly.

[Queequeg]

Is the reason due to a shrinking top?

Definitely not in my case.
The binding is at the back and sides and I maintain proper humidity levels on my guitars.
I'm going with Rob's explanation:

I'm going with crappy glue work and not applied correctly.

[Strings4Him]

I have two I am picking up on Friday after some binding repair and one going in then.  Fixable but very disappointing considering the cost of the guitars.

[rbpicker]

I've heard it said that it is due to the U.S. restrictions on the types of glue they're allowed to use.  However, Guild, Gibson, Taylor, Collings, and Breedlove and the small shops seem to have figured it out.  Very disappointing.

Rb

[unclrob]

I have two I am picking up on Friday after some binding repair and one going in then.  Fixable but very disappointing considering the cost of the guitars.

Pay close attention to the repair as it may come back.


Keep smilin and keep dancin   

[Strings4Him]

Will do Rob.  Thanks.  The repair work was very well done.  He said the amount of liability for this binding issue is huge.  He is an authorized Martin repair tech.

[ducktrapper]

Here's a rant. I LOVE MY MARTIN.

[C-10-4-me]

My C-10 had the binding come loose on the fretboard extension a few years ago. A little dab of glue(per Larrivee instructions) and that took care of it. Yes, it's wood vs the plastic on some Martin's, but it happens.

[GA-ME]

My C-10 had the binding come loose on the fretboard extension a few years ago. A little dab of glue(per Larrivee instructions) and that took care of it. Yes, it's wood vs the plastic on some Martin's, but it happens.

My 000-60 binding is popping off along the fretboard extension as well. It's likely because I leave it out on a guitar stand pretty much all the time and I imagine the fret board probably shrunk a bit too much from drying out . The next time I change the strings I'll probably fix it .

[Mikeymac]

This issue has been discussed quite a bit on the Martin ("UMGF") forum. It's interesting to see Rob's list of the guitars' ages that he has worked on, because they're all over the map.  It seems like Martin changed adhesives somewhere around 2015 or so (environmental rules), and the new adhesive wasn't working, so there are quite a few guitars from around 2015 - 2017/18 with have this.

I've been through quite a few Martins in the past 7-8 years (starting around 2015) and haven't had this issue on any of mine - but they're out there. None of my current Martins seem to be having any issues with this.

Oh - and it's "waist". "Waste" is the stuff I put out at the curb every Tuesday.

[unclrob]

Rev I did mean waste.A change of glue!!!!! Nobody at Martin tested the new stuff first.When I did do binding I used modal glue as its water base clean up.Glueing  bindindind  means a cleaning of all the old crap from the now  seperated area including the binding,each time you lift the binding away opens new seperation.