Restore my dad's D12-20 or?

[Ray Brown]

I need to decide whether I want to have my dad's old Martin D12-20 12 string brought back to proper condition or let it rest retired and buy something new for myself. It's actually not in bad condition, needs new frets after 45 years of daily playing and could use the neck refit and new tuning machines. Gryphon says it's probably in the $800 ish range worth of work, give or take (Frank at Gryphon looked at it a year or so ago so I'm sure prices have changed)
I'm purely a recreational player for myself so I wouldn't play it much. I'd like a 12 string that can handle standard tuning and last for me the way this guitar did for my dad. There are so many brands out there for much more and much less than the cost of restoring my dad's guitar that I have no idea where to start. I'd consider the cost of repairs to be about the upper end of what I'd like to spend.
Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Ray

[Ron Frazier]

What year is it? Never mind! Fix it!! It is all right to repair but watch the refinish job. It is no good if it is unplayable and you want to play it!!

Ron

[Mike Kolb]

Absolutely.... take that Martin into Frank and get it fixed right. Then maybe start a little piggy bank and treat yourself someday to a nice 12-string in the $700-$800 range, down the road.

In any event, your dad's old Martin deserves a new lease on life and Frank's just the guy to do it.

[Ray Brown]

It's a 1967, my mom bought it for him when I was 3. It's actually still very playable considering it's a 12 string and the first several frets basically have grooves in them as deep as the thickness of the strings. the finish is 42 years old and is well played but you can still tell the quality of the instrument, whenever I tune it I have to be more aware of the sympathetic vibration of the other strings than on any other guitar I've tuned. You hit one string and harmonics want to jump to life all over it.

[Mark McLean]

If it is holding up well and it sounds that good I would definitely keep it and do whatever work is needed to make it play really well. It has a special history which you will appreciate a lot more than a new shiny instrument. Enjoy it, teach your kids to play it. Cheers Mark.

[Paul Hostetter]

I've revived quite a few of these D-12-20s, and they are completely worth the effort every time. The usual:

- reset the neck
- plane and refret
- replace the bridge with one with a better saddle angle

It was fashionable to hate the tuners, but they always seem to work fine with not too much effort, whether they're those original Klusons or the later German ones. If you can't resist replacing them use the ones that Stew Mac is selling now.

They're good quality and look fine.