Martin D-1 R bridge

[Lee Gendvilas]

Hello everyone. I would like to identify what species of wood is on this Martin D-1 R. In the pics is the bridge and some East Indian rosewood and some African rosewood. Neither of them seem to be close to match the bridge. My research finds that the bridge is to be East Indian rosewood. The owner wants the saddle moved to correct intonation issues (fretted notes going sharp).

Thanks again for your replys!
Lee

[Mark McLean]

Lee

Martin says that these are EIR bridges, and I guess the species can have quite a lot of variation.  But I was wondering about exactly the same thing last weekend when I was looking at my Son's 000-15.  It has the same kind of milk-coffee coloured EIR bridge as the one in your picture.  My guess is that they use the paler ones for the cheaper models and keep the dark-chocolate ones for the more expensive instruments?

Just wondering, why would you prefer to replace the bridge for this problem?  My solution would have been to keep the current bridge in-situ, fill the saddle slot with some EIR and then cut a new slot.  It will need to be a little further towards the bridge pins but there seems to be plenty of room.  But I am not a professional, and I have never done such a job - so I am asking out of hypothetical interest, not speaking from any actual expertise. 

Mark

[Len Biglin]

I would be checking the setup and string quality , nut height etc . If the bridge is at fault , consider mark's suggestion , or possibly buy an oversized bridge from stewmac etc , which might allow you to use the same footprint . I dont see the value in making a martin bridge when they are generic .

[Andrew]

Mark and Len's comments seconded here.

[Guitar Fixer]

Hi Lee,

This appears to be Pau Ferro aka Morado. You can purchase small pieces at Rockler.

Skip

[Frank Ford]

Scrape the top of the bridge around where you'll be working before make your wood selection.  That, and a good well lighted view of the inside of the current saddle slot may give you a good idea of how much the color of the bridge has faded with oxidation and UV exposure.  There's no benefit in going nutz trying to match species.  Trying for a modest color match should be enough.  

This thing ain't the Mona Lisa, so as long as you use a nice bit of hardwood, keep the color mismatch within bounds, things will be just fine.  Playing in tune is the issue, so keep the focus on that and inform the owner that the repair will be visible. . .

[Lee Gendvilas]

Hello Frank. Than -you for replying. I went to Rocker and found a small piece of Pau Ferro that comes close. What would be the glue to use for this? Also I read your article about calculating intonation correction and from where the low E string sits now it's 15 cents sharp. Using the formula I arrived at .213. That seems a lot to move the saddle back. Does it appear my calculation is correct?

[Hesh Breakstone]

It's Indian rosewood......

Is the neck Jesus.... bolt loose?  That's common on these and shortens the scale length and that impacts intonation.  It would be highly unusual for Martin to have the saddle slot in the wrong position if this is not an early 70's Martin when that did happen.  Instead you may be chasing symptoms and not the core issue(s).

You received some excellent advise from the other guys too, they deserve some thanks IMO.  Checking intonation should only be done when all other variables are eliminated such as a loose glued mortice and tenon joint..., high nut slots, incorrect relief, high action, etc.  The guys mentioned this and are correct IME.

[Hesh Breakstone]

Also there is a tremendous amount of variation in IRW with some of it pushed and plantation grown in record time... and other examples more naturally produced.  I've seen it sandy gold in color to deep purple.  

[Lee Gendvilas]

Hello again. I would like to sincerely thank Mark, Len, Andrew, Skip, Frank and Hesh for your replies and advice!!!

I have removed the neck bolt plate and was barely able to turn it. The original saddle was replaced due to when I received it the saddle was leaning a lot towards the soundhole. I also made a nut, the slots didn't match the strings. The string height at the 12th fret for low E is 3/32 and the high E 1/16. String height at the bridge is 1/2 inch. Saddle protrusion is 4/32. With the Stewmac bridge saddle locator the soundhole edge of the saddle is where it should be. While checking the neck for relief at the 7th fret the low E side has .010 and the high E side has .004. The low E side makes a gentle curve from the nut to the body while the high E side is nearly straight with a rise at the body.

So am I thinking correctly, the fingerboard needs to be flattened (adjust neck as flat as possible, remove frets, sand the board, replace frets, recheck saddle/nut/ relief) then check intonation? As the guitar is now the low E stills frets sharper than any of the other strings.

Thank-you all again for helping me!

Lee

[Len Biglin]

How is the low E at 1st fret ? Common to see it sharp due to hi nut , which leaves it sharp for succesive frets , hold it down after 2nd fret and see how well it clears the 1st fret , it should be all-but touching 1st fret and play an F in tune .

[Hesh Breakstone]

Exactly!

At the risk of offending the snake oil world.... nut compensation schemes IME are unnecessary when one learns to cut the nut slots low and properly.

That all but touching the 1st fret is what I rely on hearing a "tink" noise since I can't actually see this small a gap.  No tink and I may be filling that slot...:)

[Hesh Breakstone]

Thanks Lee and thanks for checking the neck bolt too.  That's a known known....:) with these guitars in that the glued mortice and tenon comes unglued making that single bolt pretty important.

Your proposed solution, refretting the thing sounds like over kill to me in a very big way.  The D-1s are not expensive instruments and as such can have some flaws.  I would be interested to be setting it up as best as I can with new, appropriate strings and then checking the intonation and adjusting as needed at the saddle only.

The relief being off from side to side should not be the cause of intonation issues in so much as the neck can be flattened to check intonation.  It's pretty common for guitars to have more relief on the treble side... than the bass side when what we want is it the other way around.

You mentioned that you made the nut.  Are we sure that the strings are launching into space at the nut face and not on a hump in the nut slot back from the nut face?  That could be the intonation issue right there if this is the case.