Any idea what this is on fretboard

sunshinewelly · June 2020

On my new martin after the honeymoon is over notice a couple of minor flaws. Woukd not mind on a cheap guitar etc but there appears to be a substance on the ebony fretboard on one fret. Tried wipeing it but it's slightly raised and you can feel it etc

Guitar plays lovely and the sound is great but just a bit disappointed with these tiny flaws

http://imgur.com/a/VEZvWeo

Fuengi · June 2020

Adhesive from the frets?

Winny_Pooh · June 2020

Glue, take a razor blade and scrape it off then apply lemon oil or "nose oil" (double bass players swear by it)

fishfingers · June 2020

Send the pic to the shop before you start doing surgery on a brand new guitar!

sunshinewelly · June 2020

Yep I have sent the photo off

fandango · June 2020

Maybe you need get the sander out

Andy79 · June 2020

You should mention those shitty red marks in the binding while your at it

im sorry

sunshinewelly · June 2020

Andy79 said:

You should mention those shitty red marks in the binding while your at it

im sorry

i deserve it.

peach suggested the following

you’ll probably find that some 0000 wire wool is enough to clean it off which is what I’d recommend to clean the fingerboard on that anyway, finished off with a good oil and even some instrument food should leave it feeling lovely. If it’s a little more stubborn some fine grit sandpaper (800-1000grit) followed by the wire wool all following the grain of the wood, would certainly sort it and take all of about 2 mins.

i am not sure what instrument food is?

i do have a pack of wet/dry sanding paper in various grit sizes.

prlgmnr · June 2020

sunshinewelly said:

i am not sure what instrument food is?

Just leave a few different options in the case overnight and see what it eats, lettuce, grains, maybe a few fresh flowers from the garden, that sort of thing

LastMantra · June 2020

Unless it's effecting playability I'd just leave it. It'll probably disappear with time and use.

danishbacon · June 2020

prlgmnr said:

sunshinewelly said:

i am not sure what instrument food is?

Just leave a few different options in the case overnight and see what it eats, lettuce, grains, maybe a few fresh flowers from the garden, that sort of thing

You could flip the idea on its head:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG-lH0uo3-Q

Jokes aside @sunshinewelly , I have found myself playing the Martin loads more than my Santa Cruz and I swear it's sounding better than when I got it, or my ears have become accustomed to it. The neck is feeling even better.

Andy79 · June 2020

Before getting the abrasives out I would try playing it and bending/rubbing the D string over it. Probably find it just vanishes as LastMantra says

sunshinewelly · June 2020

cheers everyone

terada · June 2020

Seems like you've had a few things disappoint you with the guitar. I may be totally wrong but for the honeymoon period to have ended after only a few days perhaps the guitar might not be for you?

It's a hell of a lot of cash for something you're not 100% on, and at that price you really have lots of options!

prlgmnr · June 2020

That's what I was starting to think - I only really notice flaws on guitars that I already don't like, unless it's something absolutely glaring.

digitalkettle · June 2020

sunshinewelly said:
i am not sure what instrument food is?

Could be this: https://www.montysguitars.com/products/montys-instrument-food-guitar-wax

fishfingers · June 2020

Post-putchase cognitive dissonance is unwelcome, that's for sure!

beed84 · June 2020

Is the fingerboard listed as ebonized? It could be a finish imperfection if so.

TTony · June 2020

If you’re looking for perfection, you’ll always be unhappy.

If you’re looking for happiness, it’s easy to find.

You have a guitar that many - most? - guitarists would covet. And rightly so. You have it. Play it. Enjoy it. Be happy.

[edit]

FWIW, that looks like a bit of glue spill. Probably shouldn’t be there in an ideal (perfect) world, but the best guitars are made by humans, to be played by humans, and neither the makers nor the players are perfect.

FelineGuitars · June 2020

I'd agree that it is a tiny bit of glue spill, and judging by how zoomed in your pics are it loos quite small

I would say that a single edged razor blade will remove it

You may want to put a bit of Scotch magic tape on the bits of the blade you don't want to touch the wood - go look at Dan Erlewine tips on this in Stew Mac's trade secrets on doing drop fills on guitars

Revolting1 · June 2020

Nuts, Walnut,Brazil ect

Wazmeister · June 2020

Reading the couple of posts you have made about this Martin, it seems like buyers remorse has set in. Youve spent a huge wedge of money, and maybe the law of diminishing returms is rearing its head.

The cheaper acoustics dont seem so far away now sound wise ?

Its ok. Many of us have been there. Maybe you like the Martin, but dont love it.

You do have the 14 days option to return for a full refund ? Imho, you shouldnt be getting stanley blades and wire wool out on any guitar, let alone a Martin.

Feeling your pain mate...

boogieman · June 2020

beed84 said:

Is the fingerboard listed as ebonized? It could be a finish imperfection if so.

The board is actually ebony on these. I agree, it look like it’s just glue and should come off pretty easily with a razor or Stanley knife blade.

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Any idea what this is on fretboard

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