Restoring a Battle Axe

by Roger Alan Skipper

Originally published in American Lutherie #97, 2009



Some time ago a friend delivered to my shop, in a cardboard box, a 1972 D-28 Martin guitar; a basket would have been a more suitable container. This instrument had experienced some major trauma. From my friend’s reluctance to discuss particulars, I suspected some human trauma had occurred about the same time — that this “axe” had done genuine battle.

“This thing has been in my attic for years,” he said. “Salvage the tuners or whatever you can, and throw the rest away.”

I glanced at the splintered mess, closed the box, and filed it on a top shelf, out of the way.