I love your meditative repair videos. I am a social worker and I watch in between sessions. Helps me ground. Thank you for some peace in a wild world 🙏
She was a lucky Lady that you could fix that fine old beast in Her time frame, was surprised that the ole Martin didn't have a truss rod, every days a school day...... Thank you Dude
I do watch quite a few instrument repair videos now and then. I do the odd wood working myself on and off and I'm a musician. Your videos are a definite favourit. And not only because you do top notch work (that you do) but a big part of it is cause you seem to be a really good person. Honest and with a humor that matches mine. And just the right amount of hints to your private life that makes it just so much more personal. Keep on beeing you!
This was a fun video to watch! Myself , I wouldnt have dared to do this within the short time limit, I would have been afraid that the bridge came off as soon as I put the strings on..., You have got som nerve boy....! Loved your daughters piano impro, and the walk on the beach!
Amateur hobbyist from Sarajevo here. Well done mate ! I love your no compromise style and precision even in time limited condition- can imagine myself banging and chiseling that bridge 🤣 Also looove the artistic video additions (walking, stone finger etc..) Keep up the good work !
Thank you for sharing, a couple weeks ago i had never heard of fish glue, now hide glue. 👍 to your daughter's contribution, hope to hear more from her in future videos.And again thank you for lowering blood pressure.
It's great to see you do traditional repair work on that absolutely beautiful instrument ! to answer your question " Ebony " string pegs grab the best ! as always great link !
Fantastic work on this gorgeous instrument. Top notch entertainment quality as well. Relaxing, and with a perfect dose of dry humor! This may just be my favorite guitar channel! Stay blessed Levon. Peace brother!
“…and said ‘are you available on whatever day, at whatever time?’ and I said ‘yeah, probably.’” This is a level of commitment I can totally get behind.
WOW! What an Epic Tale to watch while drinking the morning coffee! I must say that my heartrate increased with the suspense of lifting that 70 year old bridge off! Loved the beach scenes, captured some real Island beauty. An amazing repair in such short time, it looked so right.
What a beautiful stone beach and view! The guitar sounds like it aged really well, I'll bet when the strings mellow out a bit it's going to sound even better! Yet another nice video to watch, keep up the good work man!
That intro is better than anything the large exploitation channels do. You don’t need to watch them or give them your money or likes. You have an instinct for this Levon, and I’m all for it 🙂
I loved that zoom in scene with the music and iron so much thay i forgot i was pouring my soda stream water and overfilled the glass all over the place.
Great job! Sounds amazing. Loved the editing. I also like how you’re extra gentle with the clients guitars but extra (care-free) with your own instruments lol
I like to shoot a SMALL amount of steam under the bridge to loosen it and cut out some sandpaper in the shape of the bridge to clean the soundboard surface. Both work nicely.
I'm sure many others told you that your tool at 11:12 was a 'putty knife', readily available in the UK, from Sheffield (and other towns). But a very useful tool for all sorts of similar situations. Loving your 'work', your calling.
As a fellow musician and cabinetmaker with 3 fractures in my right foot. I lost out on my dancing for now. Your wonderful slow-tv saves my day as a bedridden bored overactive brain seeks for meaning. Thanks for a detailed fun half hour🧑🦽➡️
The bandcamp says Nova Scotia ...I don't know why but I assumed this channel was based in like the Pacific Northwest in like BC Canada haha Im in NY so that seemed so far away and tepid haha . Nova Scotia is super cool though - I have Crosby family there and have visited twice . Sweet guitar and video plus a speedy turn around ! Aaand he STILL managed to feed his offspring! way to go ! Thanks for the content !
FYI: Old Martins did have truss rods (pre-30s had ebony, starting in the 30s a steel t--bar), they just weren't adjustable until 85! I would love to come across a pre-64 Martin that needed a LOT of TLC. I've kicked myself for a long time for not getting one in the 70s
I don’t have any vintage guitars. Out of about six only one of mine is ‘nice’, but I’ve never been too precious about dings and scratches. The scars tell a story. These are tools for me, not art pieces. Bring out all the scars I say.
I don't want to kink shame you by asking about the latex glove while tuning and playing...so we'll just skip that question and move on. Lovely job. No truss rod really surprised me. Nice otters and tune at the end. Cheers from Dunedin.
Nice work! 26:14 I mean, it didn't sound THAT blown out but I absolutely laughed out loud at that cutaway. That bridge looks 1000 times better, too, killer job on those plugs.
hide glue is made from animal stuff , boiled down / refined collagen . its natural , and can be "un-done" which is why they preferred it . there is liquid or wet hide glue and then hot hide glue . its the real deal stuff , but i am no expert . i was talking about hide glue yesterday and i said to my wife i am not sure why its called that , i guessed that it is not hide as in hide and seek but animal hide . watching this guy work you see how calm he is . thats one common thing i have noted when i watch guys work . if you are hyper , frustrated , emotional it wont end well . the best technicians are not in a hurry . this stuff takes time , kowledge and experience is helpful but any project worth its salt is going to present unique challenges. this is one thing that some people dont get .good work takes patience and time . if you have a boss or foreman who is rushing you , find another job , that will not end well . its not necessarily working slowly as it is being mindful and understanding there can be consequences to rushing which , thats really bad .hard work is great but some jobs do not call for hard work as much as careful mindfulness. people tend to not be able to wrap their heads around this concept and think unless you are breaking a sweat you arent doing it right , but its the other way around . its part of the difference between a hack and a craftsman . work should not be a vehicle for creating profanity , work is what tempers your soul . its sacred and where we evolve into our better selves . the profanity thing is a tip off , if you see someone working and they cant stop cursing you need to run .
I'm pretty sure all D-28's come with high action from the factory. Martin is extremely afraid of fret buzz. Also, you can remove hide glue with ethanol. Of course, if you use too much of it, you'll also dissolve the varnish on the guitar.
Great work on this! I always enjoy your content. But I do have a price of constructive criticism. Your reamer for the bridge pin holes has the wrong taper. You are using a handy man’s reamer and they have a pretty wide angle. You should invest in a couple bridge pin reamers, they come in 3 and 5 degrees.
I have two I purchased from guitar supply companies, of which this is one. I did recently also purchase a violin peg reamer which is an even smaller taper. I will investigate further, I’m not opposed to getting more.
The violin peg reamer will be the one to use. It will be the closest, they are about 2 degrees. If you can match the taper of the peg there will be less chance of it popping out.
I really enjoy hanging out for 30 minutes and watching you work. Is there a reason why the extra screw holes were left alone? Collectability, time, karma?
Just time. I didn’t think I’d be able to hide the plugs to a high standard in the time slotted and didn’t want to risk delving into finish touch ups. All of the holes were through braces, and so there is little risk they will cause/develop into cracks.
@@Notaluthier ugh yeah, exhausting having to explain to a younger person how his content is manipulative. I’ve really been enjoying your videos, btw. Almost watched all you have uploaded and it inspired me to start repairing this old Mexican guitar I have. I plan on attempting on converting it to a short-scale fretless bass. I pulled the frets already and they came up really easy, they’re brass, idk if that’s weird. I’m going to try a cigar box uke next if this first project goes well. Thanks for the videos. 🙂
Just saying. You did beatifully by this vintage guitar, while as you pointed out the previous repairman butchered the bridge. The state of fingerboard also reminded me of a prominent "luthier" who decided to carve even MORE holes in the fingerboard of a 1960 Gibson ES guitar (and for that reason should probably never be allowed to touch anything more valuable than a Harley Benton for life). For these reasons, why you're still insistent on not considering yourself a luthier is beyond me. When you do quality work, you're up there with the greats in my book.
@@Notaluthier That's also true, but I feel like it depends on the project. While it's true that a driftwood guitar wouldn't benefit from a pristine bridge repair, I'd say it's less about not subscribing to traditional methods and more about your usual designs not needing them. I doubt you'd consider Tim Sway a poor luthier just because he uses reclaimed materials or likes a pickup with rusty nails from time to time, and by the same account I'd say you're at the very least a luthier who occasionally does things by the book 😄
Not a volute. That's part of how the headstock is made and attached to the guitar. The birds beak/bridle joint is how it's constructed. The headstock is made separate from the neck and gets attached through the complex joint that uses that birds beak.
Idk how many decades ago Martin stopped building that way…maybe a century at this point. It may not be a volute, but it certainly is not a birds beak either.
They always say those Martin D28's are so good. Then why didn't they glue the bridge the way it should be done? Or does glue get brittle, slowly but surely?
I love your meditative repair videos. I am a social worker and I watch in between sessions. Helps me ground. Thank you for some peace in a wild world 🙏
I’m honoured! Thank you
She was a lucky Lady that you could fix that fine old beast in Her time frame, was surprised that the ole Martin didn't have a truss rod, every days a school day...... Thank you Dude
Thanks!
I do watch quite a few instrument repair videos now and then. I do the odd wood working myself on and off and I'm a musician.
Your videos are a definite favourit. And not only because you do top notch work (that you do) but a big part of it is cause you seem to be a really good person. Honest and with a humor that matches mine. And just the right amount of hints to your private life that makes it just so much more personal.
Keep on beeing you!
Thanks so much!
“A broken bridge and a ferry to catch” could be a Tom Waits song...
What a gem of a Martin, you treated it with the utmost of care even given the ridiculous timeline (hope the owner realizes what they have
They do realize…but also bought just bought an earlier 0-18 and will be selling this.
This was a fun video to watch! Myself , I wouldnt have dared to do this within the short time limit, I would have been afraid that the bridge came off as soon as I put the strings on..., You have got som nerve boy....! Loved your daughters piano impro, and the walk on the beach!
Thanks very much
Awesome work bro. You make it look so easy, which it is not. If I wasn't on the opposite side of the world, you would have my business for sure.
I appreciate that!
Amateur hobbyist from Sarajevo here. Well done mate ! I love your no compromise style and precision even in time limited condition- can imagine myself banging and chiseling that bridge 🤣 Also looove the artistic video additions (walking, stone finger etc..) Keep up the good work !
Thanks a lot!
Thank you for sharing, a couple weeks ago i had never heard of fish glue, now hide glue. 👍 to your daughter's contribution, hope to hear more from her in future videos.And again thank you for lowering blood pressure.
Thanks! My daughter is thrilled. Hopefully she’ll want to record more music! Daddy daughter band!
Thanks for taking us on another thoroughly enjoyable journey.
🎉
It's great to see you do traditional repair work on that absolutely beautiful instrument ! to answer your question " Ebony " string pegs grab the best ! as always great link !
Fantastic work on this gorgeous instrument. Top notch entertainment quality as well. Relaxing, and with a perfect dose of dry humor!
This may just be my favorite guitar channel! Stay blessed Levon. Peace brother!
Thanks!
Your quality of work and the love you put into these instruments is pretty cool to watch. Love it!
Thank you very much!
I'm not a Luthier either . I love working on My many guitars and those of my more trusting friends! Love your channel !
This channel should be more popular!
NO! Then you get the fools of this world watching and typing their stipud typo's, here. NO!
I watched this episode backwards to hear the secret message... Another fine job fixing that guitar!✌️😊
“…and said ‘are you available on whatever day, at whatever time?’ and I said ‘yeah, probably.’”
This is a level of commitment I can totally get behind.
Incredible work, and a beautiful sounding old guitar. That's gotta be one happy customer! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you kindly!
WOW! What an Epic Tale to watch while drinking the morning coffee! I must say that my heartrate increased with the suspense of lifting that 70 year old bridge off! Loved the beach scenes, captured some real Island beauty. An amazing repair in such short time, it looked so right.
Thank you thank you thank you🤘
What a beautiful stone beach and view!
The guitar sounds like it aged really well, I'll bet when the strings mellow out a bit it's going to sound even better!
Yet another nice video to watch, keep up the good work man!
Nice work there chap. Not bad for a not luthier. Cheers.
Bold repair and vid...you even captured a sea monster unknowingly on your walk.
That intro is better than anything the large exploitation channels do. You don’t need to watch them or give them your money or likes. You have an instinct for this Levon, and I’m all for it 🙂
💋
Great work! Super cool shot of reaming the pins from the inside!
Thanks!
Who says you're not a luthier?!? Awesome work!
Awesome, man. That was excellent. Away from family working at the moment and you make good and funny company.
Glad to hear it!
I loved that zoom in scene with the music and iron so much thay i forgot i was pouring my soda stream water and overfilled the glass all over the place.
Wow it's beautiful inside!
Jeez...
I love your vids as they chill me out more than a meditation session 😍
Keep 'em comin' bro 🙏🏻
This is getting better and better !
Great job! Sounds amazing. Loved the editing. I also like how you’re extra gentle with the clients guitars but extra (care-free) with your own instruments lol
The ebony plugs dang near disappeared. Sharp looking bridge.
🙏🏼
😊 our beach on the Mersey delivered a dead bloated sheep and a headless porpoise 😊
I would of liked to Hear more of your playing on that guitar as well ,it sounded very nice.
Alas!
Good to see buggy make a guest appearance, jaunty hound that he is.
🐕
I've glued wood skewers in holes that are too big for the screws to hold the tuners in place. They work pretty well.
Nicely done!
Thanks!
Man that came out amazing. It was awesome to watch you do that. Thanks for sharing. Oh and man what a guitar. I love those tuners.
Yeah those waffle backs are pretty! I have a good set with gibson style “tulip” buttons that are waiting for the perfect build.
Great video as usual. Love your channel. Beautiful work on the Martin.
Thank you! Cheers!
Great videos!
Yea love this very inspirational.
Nice video - kinda relaxed - and nice work on a nice guitar. Nice. ❤
I like to shoot a SMALL amount of steam under the bridge to loosen it and cut out some sandpaper in the shape of the bridge to clean the soundboard surface. Both work nicely.
Yeah I usually use a piece of psa sandpaper on the soundboard to fit the bridge but this one didn’t need it
What a treat these vids are
All that Acadian driftwood might make a nice top for a git-tar
I collect a lot of wood from this beach for tonewood! future video for sure
Great video! Commenting for the algorithm.
Boom! Me too
I love seeing Dallas Road dog park in your vids!
It’s hard not to end up there whenever I leave the house
Brother I hear yah.
The best dog park in Canada.
I'm sure many others told you that your tool at 11:12 was a 'putty knife', readily available in the UK, from Sheffield (and other towns). But a very useful tool for all sorts of similar situations. Loving your 'work', your calling.
U got a like as soon as the intro finished 😂
As a fellow musician and cabinetmaker with 3 fractures in my right foot.
I lost out on my dancing for now. Your wonderful slow-tv saves my day as a bedridden bored overactive brain seeks for meaning.
Thanks for a detailed fun half hour🧑🦽➡️
Get well soon!
Another great video. 👍
Thanks!
That was fun! ✌️
One of those where you kind of hope that the customer forgets about it and you get a new geetar!
Nice deep metaphor;-)
The deepest and metaphoriest
FELT
Looks great
This video is art.
❤❤❤
❤️
Ok the “no beard” throwaway joke has me smiling from ear to ear lol
😷
Keep my cool and glue warm
what a magnificent eggplant
The bandcamp says Nova Scotia ...I don't know why but I assumed this channel was based in like the Pacific Northwest in like BC Canada haha Im in NY so that seemed so far away and tepid haha . Nova Scotia is super cool though - I have Crosby family there and have visited twice . Sweet guitar and video plus a speedy turn around ! Aaand he STILL managed to feed his offspring! way to go ! Thanks for the content !
Oh yeah, that bandcamp is ancient☠️. I was born in NS and lived there a bunch but now am on Vancouver island
dam nice repair! 😉
Thanks! 👍
So close to 10K subs. Congrats! Great video as always
Thanks
FYI: Old Martins did have truss rods (pre-30s had ebony, starting in the 30s a steel t--bar), they just weren't adjustable until 85! I would love to come across a pre-64 Martin that needed a LOT of TLC. I've kicked myself for a long time for not getting one in the 70s
Perhaps I am mistaken, but I guess I don’t consider non-adjustable reinforcements to be “truss rods” per se
I don’t have any vintage guitars. Out of about six only one of mine is ‘nice’, but I’ve never been too precious about dings and scratches. The scars tell a story. These are tools for me, not art pieces. Bring out all the scars I say.
I don't want to kink shame you by asking about the latex glove while tuning and playing...so we'll just skip that question and move on. Lovely job. No truss rod really surprised me. Nice otters and tune at the end. Cheers from Dunedin.
Which Dunedin?
Oh and the gloves are due to my sweat being more corrosive than I’d like so on new strings ups I usually glove up for customer guitars. kinky!
@@Notaluthier New Zealand Dunedin...The Clean, The Chills, Penguins, Sea Lions etc. Do you know it?
@@Notaluthier Nice touch.
@@Notaluthier that’s very considerate
Nice work! 26:14 I mean, it didn't sound THAT blown out but I absolutely laughed out loud at that cutaway. That bridge looks 1000 times better, too, killer job on those plugs.
I turned the volume way down in edit.
Intro : I guess, we will not being chocked if you make it like a 80/90 sitcom intro -if I do not missed on years- (as handtoolsrescue do) :D
Bone pins, dyed a bit in tea to match the saddle color.
hide glue is made from animal stuff , boiled down / refined collagen . its natural , and can be "un-done" which is why they preferred it . there is liquid or wet hide glue and then hot hide glue . its the real deal stuff , but i am no expert . i was talking about hide glue yesterday and i said to my wife i am not sure why its called that , i guessed that it is not hide as in hide and seek but animal hide . watching this guy work you see how calm he is . thats one common thing i have noted when i watch guys work . if you are hyper , frustrated , emotional it wont end well . the best technicians are not in a hurry . this stuff takes time , kowledge and experience is helpful but any project worth its salt is going to present unique challenges. this is one thing that some people dont get .good work takes patience and time . if you have a boss or foreman who is rushing you , find another job , that will not end well . its not necessarily working slowly as it is being mindful and understanding there can be consequences to rushing which , thats really bad .hard work is great but some jobs do not call for hard work as much as careful mindfulness. people tend to not be able to wrap their heads around this concept and think unless you are breaking a sweat you arent doing it right , but its the other way around . its part of the difference between a hack and a craftsman . work should not be a vehicle for creating profanity , work is what tempers your soul . its sacred and where we evolve into our better selves . the profanity thing is a tip off , if you see someone working and they cant stop cursing you need to run .
I wish I were a luthier.
The music in your videos always sound like Scandinavian suicide notes.
LOL!
I'm pretty sure all D-28's come with high action from the factory. Martin is extremely afraid of fret buzz. Also, you can remove hide glue with ethanol. Of course, if you use too much of it, you'll also dissolve the varnish on the guitar.
Great work on this! I always enjoy your content. But I do have a price of constructive criticism. Your reamer for the bridge pin holes has the wrong taper. You are using a handy man’s reamer and they have a pretty wide angle. You should invest in a couple bridge pin reamers, they come in 3 and 5 degrees.
I have two I purchased from guitar supply companies, of which this is one. I did recently also purchase a violin peg reamer which is an even smaller taper. I will investigate further, I’m not opposed to getting more.
The violin peg reamer will be the one to use. It will be the closest, they are about 2 degrees. If you can match the taper of the peg there will be less chance of it popping out.
I think this guy might actually be a luthier 🤔
21:04 otter sighting!
If I don't get it fixed in time I'm going to lose the shop!
For the algo! 🎉
I cannot help but wonder what the hell the venerable Martin D needed repaired at under a decade years old.
I really enjoy hanging out for 30 minutes and watching you work. Is there a reason why the extra screw holes were left alone? Collectability, time, karma?
Just time. I didn’t think I’d be able to hide the plugs to a high standard in the time slotted and didn’t want to risk delving into finish touch ups. All of the holes were through braces, and so there is little risk they will cause/develop into cracks.
who else thought... michael jackson
2:34 those pins are making me slightly uncomfortable 😅 - 5:44 not anymore
I am not a luthier as well. 😅
ooooooooo a booger
you don’t gotta watch Mr. Beast, you already understand
😬look how real my smile is children🤡trust me
@@Notaluthier ugh yeah, exhausting having to explain to a younger person how his content is manipulative. I’ve really been enjoying your videos, btw. Almost watched all you have uploaded and it inspired me to start repairing this old Mexican guitar I have. I plan on attempting on converting it to a short-scale fretless bass. I pulled the frets already and they came up really easy, they’re brass, idk if that’s weird. I’m going to try a cigar box uke next if this first project goes well. Thanks for the videos. 🙂
🎶Ebony and ivory, you're as blind as a bat, and I can see🎶 😂
Just saying. You did beatifully by this vintage guitar, while as you pointed out the previous repairman butchered the bridge. The state of fingerboard also reminded me of a prominent "luthier" who decided to carve even MORE holes in the fingerboard of a 1960 Gibson ES guitar (and for that reason should probably never be allowed to touch anything more valuable than a Harley Benton for life). For these reasons, why you're still insistent on not considering yourself a luthier is beyond me. When you do quality work, you're up there with the greats in my book.
Too kind thank you! I think I shy away from the label simply because, in my own builds I don’t subscribe to many traditional methods or designs.
@@Notaluthier That's also true, but I feel like it depends on the project. While it's true that a driftwood guitar wouldn't benefit from a pristine bridge repair, I'd say it's less about not subscribing to traditional methods and more about your usual designs not needing them. I doubt you'd consider Tim Sway a poor luthier just because he uses reclaimed materials or likes a pickup with rusty nails from time to time, and by the same account I'd say you're at the very least a luthier who occasionally does things by the book 😄
I can't believe that the previous "luthier" put a label with his name and the date on it (looked like 1960). He should be run outta town on a rail...
Not a volute. That's part of how the headstock is made and attached to the guitar. The birds beak/bridle joint is how it's constructed. The headstock is made separate from the neck and gets attached through the complex joint that uses that birds beak.
Get a life man 😂😂😂
Idk how many decades ago Martin stopped building that way…maybe a century at this point. It may not be a volute, but it certainly is not a birds beak either.
Meh. It's nice enough, I guess, but I wouldn't pay a grand for anything without a truss rod, let alone TEN!
But, great vid as always. Cheers.
2 days????
Go for the black bridge pins..
What did you end up making on the repair? It came out very nice; good job!
Four score and seven years worth of money. Where scores are hundreds and seven=forty for some reason.
@@Notaluthier So, four score and three and a half years worth is a fun way to say 420; good to know.
Also, when can we expect the series debut of Dead Straight?
If you'd had more time, would you have filled the holes from screws in bridge on the guitar face (from the inside?)
Definitely. It wasn’t until editing the video that I noticed I hadn’t done it! No harm though, imo
@@Notaluthier That was an interesting video, thank you for shouting at me, was wondering why you didn't fill them. Now I know...
What glue do you use for the Saddle?
Just one drop of fish glue. I know these are traditionally glued in, but I saw no need to go overboard, the saddle is low and tight
@@Notaluthier thanks man. good job by the way! awesome Work.
Conservatively, how much value did a fifties Martin dreadnought have ten or fifteen years ago? My guess would be around 60% less than today.
The whole market went crazy over the last 10 years…
Any chance you could put me in touch with the owner selling (I am in Halifax NS).
She’s supposed to be in touch with me when she arrives at a price…and if she doesn’t have a buyer already lined up.
They always say those Martin D28's are so good. Then why didn't they glue the bridge the way it should be done? Or does glue get brittle, slowly but surely?
Almost every bridge let’s go at some point
@@Notaluthier Ah, then it is not my fault. I glued several bridges, secondhand guitars often got loose edges.
how does one become a member? i do not see the join button as I do on other channels?
it's there for me, right next to subsribe
You in the Halifax NS area ? Ie: is also that potential soon to be for sale Martin ?
All on the west coast now
You have clients so you totally are a luthier! Hey! This guys a phoney!
Whats with the gloves? You look like a rogue surgeon. hahaha
I have a more corrosive sweat than average, so I generally glove up for client guitars once the new strings are on.