Martin 00018 GE

[Stefano Damonte]

I think I've a problem with this guitar: yesterday I was cleaning it and I saw that there is a gap between the heel and the body, I can see the light through and if i take a paper fly it goes inside for 5/6 mm.
The guitar is new, one year, the set-up has been professionally made, and I play it at home, I did only one short travel this summer and the car has air conditioned, I let it in the car for no more then 10 minutes maybe, tyo take a coffee.
At home it stays hanging to the wall, with others guitars that are all ok.
What could been happened and what could I do??
Stefano

[Tim Mace]

Martin should gladly fix this at no charge ......right,gang???!!!
Has it ever fallen off the wall?
Very hot the day you left it in the car in the bright sun??Is there a telltale bubble on your case? I've got one.
Sometimes 1 min. = 3-4 min.
Take it back....now or get lots of suggestions here.I'd take it back.

[Stefano Damonte]

The guitar has never fallen off the wall, the case is perfect, I was travelling in the morning with air cond. and I went off the car for 10 minutes, really, it was not so hot say 28 celsius more or less, it was more wet than hot.

[Tim Mace]

pictures?

[Rick Homan]

If the temperature inside the car rose from 28 Celsius (82 F) to 49 Celsius (120 F) or more, it is conceivable that the glue softened enough that the tension of the strings pulled the neck joint loose. If the car was uncomfortably hot (such that you immediately wanted air conditioning) when you got back into it), then the guitar was in danger. So, I wouldn't leap to the conclusion that there is a manufacturing defect.

Can you take it to a repairman who is certified for warranty repairs with Martin? In my (very limited) experience, they are good about sorting out what is and what is not a warranty repair.

[Ned Knepp]

I don't know if 10 minutes is long enough for the guitar in a sealed hard shell case to reach the highest temp that the car interior may have reached. If it did, I think I would expect problems with the bridge before the larger mass of the neck joint, which would take longer to reach the same temp.

I agree that finding a good warranty repairman for Martin is a good idea but I think I would approach it as a warranty situation and pretty much expect them to deal with it. I would not start paying for a repair until I was assured that Martin would not take care of it.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Ned

[Rick Homan]

Two good points, Ned!

[Christian Johnson]

How tightly does it fit in the case? I've had guitars in my shop that snapped the headstock off IN THE CASE due to poor fit and inertia. If the case fell forward and got bumped, this could happen. Les Pauls are famous for this.

[Tim Mace]

I miss Les Paul Awesome power picker Guitar God........