Martin Owners

Comment

Comment by Edward Sparks on January 4, 2010 at 4:00am

Good for you Charles...why pay for insurance that kicks you when you go to make a claim! Thanks, Edward

Comment by Charles Steinman on January 4, 2010 at 12:44am

Just a technicality here, I don't play professionally, but I recall being informed by an agent that instruments used to perform away from the home would not be covered. Examples given were playing "professionally or performing at a non paying affair like at church or a local jam". I think the insurance company wants to avoid the liability of an instrument away from the home.
When I had a guitar stolen from a vacation condo my agent tried (unsuccessfully I might add) to avoid paying for it. I got rid of that agent shortly thereafter.

Comment by Edward Sparks on January 1, 2010 at 9:10am

Yes, I am aware of the "instruments used professionally are not covered" rule! About half of my 25+ instruments are used on the road so Homeowners doesn't apply...however the few it does cover are big value so it's cool there too. Thanks for the followup! Edward

Comment by Terry Angelli on January 1, 2010 at 7:23am

Therapy was not covered by insurance so my wife had to bear the brunt of my sorrow. ;-)

The last photo is when Lou was fully repaired and back home. The spruce top looks different (lighter color) because the original top was, at that time, about 10 years old. The sound was much brighter too but since then the wood has aged and the sound has mellowed out almost to what she used to sound like.

And yes, GET INSURANCE if you don't have it. The only caveat on my policy is that you can't use the instrument "professionally". So if it was damaged or stolen at a paying gig I'd have no claim on the insurance.

There are companies that offer gigging musicians insurance but it is much more costly than a rider on your home insurance. Besides, I'm a part-timer and only gig out about once a month and Lou no longer makes those gigs.

Comment by Edward Sparks on January 1, 2010 at 5:55am

Hey Terry...you said you have FULL coverage, so the therapy would have been covered right!?!?!? ;-) Good Lord that was horrible...I'd have been crushed (no pun intended)!!! Don't worry about the photo real estate...your insurance warning was bolstered by them and well worth the space. Thanks for posting our story and welcome to the Group!!!
Edward
http://mysite.verizon.net/emsparks/index.htm

Comment by Charles Steinman on December 31, 2009 at 8:23pm

Terry,
The pictures of the shattered J-65M were hard to look at! I'm assuming the last photo was after it was returned from Martin? If so, it looks like they did it right.
I love my J-41S. Don't think I could stand seeing it shattered. You told us how much the guitar repair cost....how expensive was the therapy?

Comment by Terry Angelli on December 31, 2009 at 5:32pm

WOAH! Sorry about the photos taking up so much real estate. I'll figure out how to make links out of them and change the post. Mmmm that's assuming I can change it, anybody know if that's possible?

Comment by Terry Angelli on December 31, 2009 at 5:14pm

Ok, not sure if I'm doing the photos right or not but here's the story.

I used to go straight to band rehearsal from work. That meant schleping my Martin & Brian Moore in my work van. I kept both in the cargo area close to the rear doors, in the space between the shelving on both sides of the van.

I was at a car wash cleaning the truck and when I pulled out I cut the turn too sharp causing the rear wheel to jump the curb. When that happened I heard a thud in the back of the van. Uh oh.

I pulled over, opened the doors and too my horror saw the 35 Lb. TIG welder sitting on top of my Lou (her name . . . ask my wife, she started the naming thing)! Now mind you I'd recently purchased a really nice, heavy duty gig BAG for Lou and she was in it this day.

With this kind of damage Lou had to go back to Nazareth, PA for repairs since my local Martin dealer didn't want to undertake the project. The entire spruce top needed to be replaced along with new binding.

FIVE MONTHS later Lou was back and playing as beautiful as ever. The Martin factory is not in the business of repairs so I was at their mercy. Their initial repair time estimate was 8 months!

Fortunately I have a rider policy on my home insurance with FULL coverage meaning NO deductable and NO depreciation. Otherwise I would have been out $1,500.00

Some suggested finishing the job by driving over her and cashing in. First, I would never consider fraud and this guitar means too much to me. My wife gave Lou to me for my 40th birthday and it's been almost everywhere I've been since I've owned her. Too many miles, too many memories.

The moral of the story is if you don't have insurance GET IT! You never know when disaster will strike!

Lastly, when I went to pickup Lou from the shop they brought her out in the wrong case. I mentioned this and the fellow said "what does it look like". The funny part is my case was covered with decals and stickers so you couldn't miss it from a country mile away! So he goes and looks, comes back and says "I'll have to call the factory". The "wrong" case was a brand new TKL that fit better than the one I had so I had no quarrel with them and I got to start a new decal collection all over.

Enjoy the photos.

Terry

My reaction :-(

All better!

Comment by Edward Sparks on December 31, 2009 at 2:37pm

Welcome Dale and Terry...
Post some pics of your Martins ASAP!
Thanks, Edward
http://mysite.verizon.net/emsparks/index.htm

Comment by Terry Angelli on December 31, 2009 at 2:07pm

New to this group but not to the site. I am the proud owner of a J65M which is a Jumbo with Maple back and sides. I had it fitted with an LR Baggs Dual source amplification system when I used to gig with it. I now use a Taylor T5 as the Martin is just too valuable to take out to gigs. Especially after I had an accident with it. 1st chance I get I'll post some pix of the damage. Nice being here!

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