Martin 00-21 cracks

[Mike Frantz]

I have a beautiful 1969 00-21 which I bought new and love. I'll never sell it. But it has always had top issues: it's been back to Martin twice (or three times? it's been a long time) for bulging behind the bridge, and to an authorized repairman here to fix cracks three years ago. But the cracks have opened up again: three of them extending from the bridge to the back end and one alongside the neck.

 

For now I don't really care; It sounds great and I hate sending it off for extended periods. But am I risking worse damage by not getting it repaired? I want to do right by this beauty. I figure it will really need a new top...

And: somebody suggested that if I do get a new top I should put on adirondack spruce which will increase the value. Yes? 

I've always tried to humidify it...you know how that goes. I really think this top has issues besides dryness.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Mike

[Tim Mace]

I'd let it alone if it plays well...see how far it will go..think of Willie's hole! The guitar became what it is..faulty grain?Why waste $$$ on repairs gone awry?Maybe you should have returned it way back when.Was it ever tuned too high for extended periods,climate extremes?Don't know how to increase the value.......since you'll never sell it, do as your like.A new top might

just do it for ya! Let's see it!!What does authorized mean when whoever won't do whatever?Send it to the factory at their expense!Get your money back from the "auhtorized one".Was '69 a bad year for Martin? I forget.

 

[Kerry Krishna]

You say you've tried to keep it humidified? A several thousand dollar guitar, and you just tried. Well.... That explains that. If you go to your local drug store , they sell digital humidity readers for about 20 bucks. Go buy one, and if you have been living in the same place for last 4 years, you will find out pretty quick what you've been putting the guitar through.  My 1000sf shop were all my axes are is at 47% humidity all winter long.This is also the humidity level that most guitars made in USA are made at.   If you have a forced air furnace, and no humidifier attachment on it, it could be as low as 20% humidity. Many forums talk about what the absolute minimum humidity should be, several threads I have read have said at 37% and below, you are asking for serious trouble. The bellying of your guitar, I can't speak too. Maybe Frank can, as to wether it could also be lack of humidity related, I don't know enough. People, don't you owe it to your instruments to spend the amount of 3 packs of strings to know what your humidity is????  And as too putting another top on, well if you are planning on nipping this humidity problem in the bud, then it will probably work.  Sorry that all this sounds harsh, it just erks me in this day and age that things like 'KNOWING not guessing' your humidity is so incredibly easy, but it's easier yet to hope that nothing happens.

[Mike Frantz]

Maybe I should have been clearer...I do know my humity (around 42%), and I use those sponge thingies as well. Since I get cracks I naturally wonder if I haven't been vigilant enough...but I've owned maybe ten other guitars which have tolerated my conditions with no cracks, so it makes me just as suspicious of the top as of my practices.

 

Sorry to have irked you, Kerry.

 

My question was whether there is any downside to not repairing the cracks anytime soon.

 

Tim, thanks for your sound advice. Willie's ax is a good thing for me to be thinking about...

 

Mike

[Kerry Krishna]

Mike, I have a friend in  Morris Manitoba who has a 2k Larrivee small body O. His place has never had any humidity control at all, and a forced air furnace. In the 4 years before he got the house, the guitar got steadily dryer and dryer at the place he was at. Now after 8 years in this 22% humidity house, there is still not a single crack in the top, but the guitar is unplayable because of shrunken side to side fretboard . The top of the guitar also looks like a total washboard too, but it amazes me that the guitar has never had a crack.I would imagine that your other guitars are hardened as my buddies guitar is. What do you think? Also, the cracks on your guitar can only get  longer.

[Kerry Krishna]

Have a look at this Mike..... http://www.acguitar.com/article/default.aspx?articleid=25565&pa...

[Mike Frantz]

Kerry,

   That's exactly the information I need...thanks! I'm even tempted to try the project myself, but I know better. I think I'll do some research on old 00-21's before deciding what to do.

   No, my other guitars have never shown signs of drying out.

 

Much appreciated-

 

Mike

[Phil Keener]

Mike,

There is an excellent article about replacing the top on a 10 year old Martin D-42 in the Guitarmaker Journal  # 74 (Winter 2010). It should be an interesting read for you.

Good Luck,

Phil

[Ned Knepp]

I don't think I would leave open cracks since, as has already been pointed out, they can only get bigger but it seems to me that a complete top replacement may be overkill. If the only issue is cracking, and the top is otherwise in good shape, I think I would fill the cracks with strips of spruce and touch up the finish. The cracks probably would be hidden but it would be better than open crack.

 

Ned