# Martin specs anyone???



## Johnny Canso (Feb 28, 2007)

Just wondering if anyone has any specs for set-up on a Martin D-16RGT acoustic? My action is a bit high...:confused-smiley-010


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## mandocaster (Jan 11, 2007)

The specs are yours! Take it to a repairman capable of dressing the nut grooves and adjusting the bridge saddle, and have it set up to your liking. The most common setup problem, with guitars off the hanger, is the nut...the strings are too high at the first couple of frets, which is both uncomfortable to play, and also causes the strings to be stretched, making the instrument play out of tune on the lower frets.


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## dermot (May 3, 2006)

*my set-up's*

I have two basic set-up's.. i mainly play fingerstyle in drop tunings like DADGAD, and use a national med thumbpick & acrylic nails..i have worked with the same luither for 30 years now, and he knows my settings, and my playing style, and as i change is always play a bit for him (what ever is currently on my plate and is a hard as i would ever drive a guitar) so he knows where i'm at....

On my modern guitars i use John Peirce slack key strings (med set with light middle strings) ;
I use a compensated nut set as low as it can go... and at the 12th fret -> 2/32 high D, 3/32 low D, 0 relief, i prefer jumbo frets, and play with a very light touch on the fingerboard.. always use slotted bridge & solid pins if the guitar does not have that standard, i think your D16R does have a slotted bridge...

My older guitars i leave in standard tuning and i use Ej19's (bluegrass set, light tops + med bottoms).. these guitars are old enough (and one of them even has a ebony truss rod - a war time Martin) that relief is not adjustable without pulling the frets and planning the fingerboard.. OY!

I also have earvana compensated nuts on these. Again we strive for minimal clearance on the first three frets, and a bit higher than the newer guitars at the 12th fret... perhaps 3/32 high E, 4/32 Low E, again i use very little force with my left hand, just floating on the strings with a lose wrist...

My right hand is more likely to get me into trouble... i love the sound when i'm not pushing the guitar too hard.. there's a sweet spot on all of them, and except for an older D18 that spot is well below the volume celling.. on the 54' D18 i have yet to hear the volume celling.. i think we'd blow the roof of the house off first....

Generaly speaking - on mahog guitars i prefer a tusk saddle, on rosewood a bone saddle seems more to my likeing.. none of my guitars have a single piece of ivory on them anymore, but i have all the orignal elephant parts in baggies still... hopefully the day will come when these things can be safely made avb again, but for nowthere's waaayy to much bad karma atttached to elephany ivory.. and i don' want that on any of my guitars 

Hope this has beeen a bit helpfull

Ta,

d.


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## gpower (May 12, 2006)

Martins are set up a little high from the factory. You can get original specs from the Martin website. I'd go with mandocasters's suggestion and take it to a reputable luthier.


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