NEW GUITAR NECK PROFILE.

[donagh]

Hi Folks, first time on the forum, so please be gentle with me! Greetings to all from Northern Ireland.
The point of my post is as mentioned in the subject; the profile on the neck of my new dream guitar.
Last week, after waiting for 9 months, I received my dreanm guitar, a Martin 000-28 EC in Sunburst. :cheer: The guitar was worth the wait, it is just stunning! The finish and colouring are beautiful and as for the sound, it is super. Yes, you are right, there is an "However" coming.
However the profile of the neck is what Martin call the Modified "V" This is the first I have encountered this shape and it has been more than a little bit disconcerting. Not what I have been used to at all.
Has anyone else had a similar experience? Will I get used to the neck profile? Or will the dream fall apart before my very eyes?
Any advice welcome.
PS Please dont be harsh on this old man!

Regards donagh

[tom18]

Hi donagh and welcome to TG! I'm not sure if this helps much but I bought a Martin 000-18 a little over a year ago. I just checked their website and it says my model is also equipped with the modified V neck. I never really thought much about it because it's only the second guitar I've ever owned. My instructor has played it a few times and he loves it. He principally plays a high-end Washburn but he owns several others and has played lot's of different guitars over the years. Incidentally I've thoroughly enjoyed it since I bought it and I suspect you'll love yours as well. Enjoy it!
Tom

[haoli25]

Hello Donagh. Glad to have you with us at TG.

As for the Martin "modified V neck", in the reviews that I have read, as with most things about guitars, some love it and some hate it. For guitar players with smaller hands seem to have the most trouble with it...some to the point they have had a luthier change the neck. Other players swear it is the most comfortable neck they have ever played.
You will have to decide if it works for you or not. Personally, as a fellow old guy, I wouldn't buy a guitar with that neck style.


Bill

[donagh]

:cheer:
Bill and Tom thanks for your input re the guitar neck. I have just spent a couple of hours playing, and already feeling more at home. Just hope its not me trying to convince myself of that. :unsure:
Anyway thanks again.
donagh :laugh:

[sws626]

Hi Donagh,

First off, congratulations on owning this beautiful guitar. I bought mine only a few weeks ago and am loving every moment with it.

Although Martin calls this neck a "modified V," I was actually expected something much more pronounced. Now it has been almost 30 years since I'd even picked up a guitar and I have such large hands that only my thumb ever touches it, but I really didn't notice anything unusual about the neck.

I'd be very interested to hear about what you find disconcerting about it. I'd be very surprised if you didn't grow to love it in time.

- Stuart

[BigBear]

Donagh- Huge welcome to you from the Colonies, Oregon more precisely! We're really glad to have you with us and I think you are the first Irishman to grace our presence! If you get a moment, could you go to the Please Introduce Yourself thread and tell us a little more about you like where you live in Northern Ireland, how old you are, your musical tastes and what you hope to gain from this incredible TARGET program.

You've got a good start with post but we're a tight knit community and really enjoy getting to know each other. You'll be amazed at the camraderie. And not to worry, we won't be too hard on you. Remember the Irish invented music right? lol!

Congratulations on your new guitar!! What a beauty. I'm a Taylor/Larrivee guy so I'm no Martin expert but from what I understand your guitar is modelled closely on a wonderful 70+ year old model D-18.

Like you, not everyone loves the neck. You will get used to it but should you have to? I bought my first Taylor because I loved the neck profile so much. You paid a lot of money for that instrument. It would seem to be a shame to have to compromise on it.

Here's an article I saw about your guitar. It gets very high praise except for the neck profile:

http://www.maurysmusic.com/martin_d_18g ... d_s_review

Good luck resolving this and let us know how it turns out for you!

Again welcome and cheers! :cheer:

[donagh]

Stuart, thanks for the reply. I suppose disconcerting wasnt the proper way to describe how I feel about the neck profile. Perhaps I have a bit of uneasiness toward it as its the first time I have held let alone played a guitar with the modified v neck profile.
Where I live we wouldnt have access to have a hands on experience to that many guitars, so a lot of the shopping is done via the web. Not ideal I know but its the simple truth.
Have been playing for a while today and hopefully getting more used to the neck. I love the sound and the sunburst finish is fantastic. Even the smell is great!
Hope you continue to enjoy your EC
Kind Regards from Northern Ireland.

[donagh]

BB, thanks for the warm welcome. Not sure if this is repeating myself as I seem to have lost a previous post.
Anyway I will get round to visiting the Intro page soon. I have been playing the Martin again today and I think I am coming round to it. Part of the problem is my previous guitars have all had very ordinary neck profiles, so it came as a bit of a shock. I wasnt able to get hands on to a Martin 000-28 EC in Northern Ireland so had to do my shopping via the web.
I think the guitar is worth keeping for the smell of the wood alone!!!

Regards Martin