Official Luthiers Forum!

I guess today is the day for people to ask me about repair work. I just got another request to change out a martin top with a new master grade spruce top and add a new bridge. What would be the going rate for that and is this even something I want to mess with?   

The way I see it your loking at removing the neck, removing the top, building a new top complete with bracing and rosette, replacing perfling and binding, finsh work, new bridge, neck, fretboard reset maybe refret, setup. and buffout. Man I would have to figure you will have 20-40 hours in this one. and easy 1k job when considering the risk of the guitar its self labor and material. keep in mind that I know you have way more experiance than need for the job but someone would really need to want a new top to justify this job.

Is this one a candidate to politely refuse and keep my sanity?

I bet if you set down and figured time, material, and profit margin and handed the client the quote you would not have to turn it down

What Michael said...I believe my advice to the last guy who asked about a job like this was, "Figure time and material and add 1 meeeeeellllionnn dollars!"...

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

   I have a series of renecks going. I don't know why but 3 at one time. I do $350 for the neck $75 for the finish work and $250 for the reset.
    Tops I agree are a pain. Depends on the situation. I have a 000-18 to fix with bullet holes. I want to know that story
john hall

[QUOTE=Robbie O'Brien] Is this one a candidate to politely refuse and keep my sanity? [/QUOTE]
Well, yes--AND your dignity! Does this instrument really need a new top? If it has problems, are they repairable? $1K doesn't seem outrageous for this job, so what model Martin is this, and is it worth it?

It's okay to turn down the job, but, perhaps, to retain present and future goodwill, it might be well to discuss the reasons with the owner.

Hi Robbie,
I have replaced tops on several guitars and found it not as daunting as it
first seems. I've even replaced a top on a -- shudder, shudder -- Ovation.
The first thing I do is pull the fret at the body (12th or 14th) and remove
the fret board extension. Then I trace the body outline on a 3/4" piece of
plywood. Make a slot in the plywood to fit on either side of the fret board
a couple of inches and attach a cleat to bridge the F.B. Cut out the
plywood to use as an outside mould to hold the sides in shape when
attaching the new top. Removing the old top is easy -- just a little heat
and a thin blade of some sort to separate the bindings and top seam.
After that, it's just like putting a top on any other guitar. The Martin is
finished in lacquer, so having the new finish melt into the old isn't a
problem. Maybe hit the top with some amber or a little lighter shellac to
take the edge off a new white top. With the old top as a template, you can
reproduce the bracing exactly or modify it to suit. You probably have a
good idea how long it takes you to make and brace a top, so add a couple
of hours to remove the old top and some time to refinish plus materials.
Just my thoughts.
Craig S.

Hey Robbie;
I say "Go for it!" I've re-topped a couple of old guits including one '53 Martin which someone sat on at a drunken jam.
When I did the work, I removed the fingerboard which was pretty easy. The Martin board was slab sawn EIR & it broke in two places but it went back together really easily & you can't tell there was a problem.
I charged $600.00 plus materials & it wasn't enough... but it was well worth the effort to see the owner's face light up the first time she heard her "new" guitar.
$1,000 plus materials should cover it nicely as long as you get the owner to sign a waiver & you don't find a mess inside once you open up the instrument.
If you don't wanna do it, send it to me!