Paging FretShack - Vintage Guitar Repair

I probably put half of those scratches there in my teens

But you're right. I didnt even think of it like that.

I don't like to fix anything that doesn't affect playability or sound.

The older and more valuable the guitar, the more that is true.

Now, with a really nice, high end vintage guitar if an expert told me, "Spend $X and you'll triple your repair money" and I was going to sell it, I would consider it. But even then, if it was a nice looking, playable example, I think you get a better value unrestored because:

1. You don't risk your restoration money (or damage during restoration), and

2. You don't know what folks want - you might turn off the guy looking to buy it - you could end up losing value depending on the market.


So, for a personal, heirloom guitar, I super duper don't want to futz around with repairing cosmetic things because that's the fingerprint of the guitar.

A 1957 Martin won't have an adjustable truss rod. It has an internal T-bar for reinforcement.

Any neck hokeys will need to be addressed via a saddle/bridge modification, fingerboard releveling/reradiusing as part of a refret, a neck reset, or a combination of all three.

Before you put money into cosmetic repairs, be prepared for potentially a sizeable $$$ investment in structural integrity and playability things first.

Google my handle and you'll find the phone number to my shop.

Lucky guy. Treasure it and your memories w him.

Like others have said, I wouldn’t touch a thing. And post a pic if you get a chance.

From what I see, (can't tell much about the action or neck straightness from your photos), I wouldn't touch anything. Why do you want to remove the mic? Does it sound bad? It's already been installed and the hole for the jack has already been drilled out larger, may as well leave it and use it.
If you decide you want to trade it for a couple of goats or some chickens or something, let me know.
That's really a great guitar, congratulations

please don't do any more than you absolutely have to, to this guitar.

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I want someone to look it over for potential truss rod issues.

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Just wait till he finds out how much a neck set will be And he will wish it was a truss rod issue

From what I understand all old martins will eventually need a neck set

All old acoustic guitars in general will need a neck reset at some point in their lives. Simple physics ... you have a hollow box of thin wood, with a stick coming out of it, and stretched between the box and the stick are 140+ pounds of tension via tuned strings, 24/7, day in and day out, year after year after year. How they last as long as they do without succumbing to that is pretty amazing if you think about it.

That being said, not all old acoustics need neck resets if their action is high and they have no truss rod ... some may have never been properly set up in the first place, or still have areas where playability can be addressed. Case in point ... look at the excessive height of the saddle in the third picture. A saddle protruding that much from a bridge on even a brand new acoustic typically spells higher than desirable action.

That one photo tells me we can probably make incredible progress without any more intrusiveness than what would be typically considered routine set-up TLC. Fingers crossed.