KSdaddy.....could you comment on this "PRO" repair job????

[onewilyfool]

http://cgi.ebay.com/MARTIN-D-18-ACOUSTIC-1973-GUITAR-VERY-NICE-NO-RESERVE_W0QQitemZ280343072856QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item4145bfd058&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

[ksdaddy]

From what I can tell in the photos, it actually looks like they did a pretty neat job. I'm not sure I would throw the word "pro" around like they did.

 

Tough call. Historically correct? Absolutely not. I can't even tell what wood the back is made of but it is butt-ugly. Maybe if someone were to spray the sides and back with some dark (very dark) translucent brown and hope for the best? Or this would be a good candidate for "Gee, I always wanted a D-18 in Trans Am metallic blue!" Side note (imagine that!): In 1987 I picked up a '73 J45 that the previous owner had replaced the smashed top with an Alvarez store display top. Structurally fine, played well, sounded good, but a lot of wood filler and grossly incorrect from a historic standpoint. I masked off the binding and sprayed everything (except the headstock face) in Cadillac dark brown metallic in Duco lacquer and then clearcoated the snot out of it. It went away for the princely sum of $225 and to my knowledge, sill thrives.

 

I'm really puzzled by this. All caveats apply, I'm only going by the pics, but if the guy is talented enough to fit a new back and rebind the body (in flame maple no less) then why didn't he spend $40 on a couple slices of decent mahogany?

[zeebee]

I have doubts it was ever a Martin. Looks like they took a Martin neck and stuck it on some cheap import. Stay away.....a long way away.

[Gibson101]

The sad part is some fool bid on it!

[ksdaddy]

I have doubts it was ever a Martin. Looks like they took a Martin neck and stuck it on some cheap import. Stay away.....a long way away.

 

Excellent call. I think you're right. Martins are so generic loking it's hard for the untrained eye to pick out nuances but one thing that would be consistent is the 18 style rosette and this one is just all wrong.