| Author | Message | ||
| sfnic
Intermediate Member Username: sfnic Post Number: 153 Registered: 3-2005 |
My friend's '76 Alembic 6-string "Big Red" is still for sale, for the lowered price of $3500. The complete description can be found in this message from the archives. nic | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 3748 Registered: 5-2002 |
Hi Nic!!! | ||
| sfnic
Intermediate Member Username: sfnic Post Number: 154 Registered: 3-2005 |
Hi, Dave! :-) | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1259 Registered: 7-2004 |
Nic: Hey buddy, long time no hear! I might have been interested in Big Red 2 at the new price, but I bought a 1976 Series 1 off of eBay in February. See it here: http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/25115.html?1140134440 On another subject, I just picked up a 1953 Martin D-28 that needs some TLC. Can you recommend a good luthier who really knows their way around old Martins? Bill, tgo | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 3750 Registered: 5-2002 |
That's a great looking guitar; and the price seems to be reasonable. | ||
| olieoliver
Advanced Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 300 Registered: 2-2006 |
I'd like to know of a good MArtin man myself. I have a 52 D-28 that my grandmother bought new. It was sold to a freind of hers that sent it to a butcher to refinish. I now have it back (along with her 64 D-35)and would love to have it redone right! | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 3754 Registered: 5-2002 |
So Olie; tell us about your grandmother that collected Martins. | ||
| olieoliver
Advanced Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 301 Registered: 2-2006 |
She wasn't a collector she was an entertainer(singer guitar player....) She died in 1969 at the age of 49 and left both guitars to my mother who was also an entertainer (singer guitar player). My mother died 10 years ago at the age of 54 and left them to me, also an entertainer (bass {first}, guitar, drums and singer second). When I die I will leave them to my daughter who plays guitar too. I'll take some photos of the guitars and post them. | ||
| u14steelgtr
Junior Username: u14steelgtr Post Number: 18 Registered: 7-2003 |
Bill & Olie; tell us a little more about what type of work you want to have done to your Martins. Without knowing exactly what you want to have done we can not find you "the" person. Different Luthiers & repair people have their specialties (IMO). -E | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1260 Registered: 7-2004 |
I'm looking for someone local (San Francisco Bay Area). Mine needs a pick guard and a "Martin" logo replaced on the headstock for starters. It has a few cracks in the top that have been attended to in the past and I want to make sure it was done right, as well a one small unrepaired crack. Then there may be other problems lurking of which I am presently unaware. If time and distance were no object, I'd be taking it to Wayne Henderson in Virgina, but I don't want this baby out of my hands long. It looks like hell and plays like heaven. Bill, tgo | ||
| valvil
Moderator Username: valvil Post Number: 884 Registered: 7-2002 |
Hello Bill, I do know someone who is good with cosmetic repairs, he lives in Novato. Has worked for both Gibson & Fender, back in Leo's days. Builds ukeleles too. His name is Dave Anderson, let me know if you want his number. Valentino | ||
| olieoliver
Advanced Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 302 Registered: 2-2006 |
The 52 D-18 has been refinished and its a lousey job. I would like to have it refinished and refretted. I don't think I want to touch the D-35. Its all original and is in pretty good shape. | ||
| olieoliver
Advanced Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 303 Registered: 2-2006 |
Here are some pictures. There are some cracks too I would love to have repaired.   (Message edited by olieoliver on May 03, 2006) | ||
| olieoliver
Advanced Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 304 Registered: 2-2006 |
Her is the back  | ||
| sfnic
Intermediate Member Username: sfnic Post Number: 155 Registered: 3-2005 |
Bill tgo - On the Martin, I'd recommend my partner, Matt Hayden. He's very good, and more importantly, knows when to back away from something that's out of his depth. The pickguard shold be pretty straightforward; it's a matter of steaming off the old one (if necessary) and putting on a new one. The logo would be a bit more problematic; cleaning off the old one of necessity goes through the finish, and replacing it depends on availability from a Martin shop (see below). Then it'd need a touch-up finish job on the headstock. Matt could do that, but probably not quite to Martin spec, as we're not shooting finishes very often. The cracks can definitely be looked at. If they've been botched, they can generally be re-done. Matt can definitely handle that level of work, but in combination with the headstock stuff, it may be better to take it to an authorized shop. Overall, the absolute best Martin shop I know of, bar none, is Gryphon, over in Palo Alto. Frank Ford over there is essentially the local god of Martin repairs. (Plus, they're an authorized shop, and can do the work to absolute spec.) When we need work done on our own Martins, that we can't handle ourselves, we go to Frank. If you want, feel free to contact me offline sf-nic@dm.net and I can hook you up with Matt and/or Frank. And on Val's suggestion: I've seen some of Dave's work; he's quite brilliant and knows his stuff. Olie - I don't know from Martin guys in Texas, but the Martin website lists "Charley's Guitar Shop" in Dallas, at 972-243-4187. From Charley's website, the guy you'd want to talk to is Bryant "Pablo" Russell. Elsewhere in Texas, there's Mark Erlewine over in Austin. IIRC, Mark is Dan Erlewine's brother; Dan is the master luthier up at Stewart-MacDonald on Atens, Ohio. Mark writes the occasional repair article in Vintage Guitar magazine, and seems to know his stuff, as well. | ||
| olieoliver
Advanced Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 316 Registered: 2-2006 |
I haven't been in Charleys in years. I may go by and talk to Bryant but it'll have to wait till I get back from vacation. I be funnin' in the sun the next couple weeks. Thanks for the info Nic. | ||
| bob
Senior Member Username: bob Post Number: 642 Registered: 11-2002 |
Bill - on the off chance that you've never been there, Gryphon is worth a visit, for your acoustic side. Just leave your checkbook at home. | ||
| slammer
New Username: slammer Post Number: 8 Registered: 3-2006 |
Hi, How noisy are the pickups? Jim | ||
| sfnic
Intermediate Member Username: sfnic Post Number: 156 Registered: 3-2005 |
Hi, Slammer. Hmmm. I haven't played her recently, so I can't answer directly. Last time I _did_ play her electrically was about 2 years ago and I don't recall any intrusive noise from the electronics. But that was a while back, and it was at fairly low volume (not stage volume). With a '76, there'd be two "noisy pickup" issues to worry about: microphonics (or any other degradation from the pickup manufacturing process) or the "Series I Upgrade" kind of noise, where the relatively ancient electronics weren't designed to deal with the rigors of our modern electromagnetic environment. Big Red has an original PF-6 card, and has never had an upgrade. I'll see if I can get up to Santa Rosa in the next few days and check that out. nic |
