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THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MARTIN GUITAR COMPANY • VOLUME 2 • JANUARY 1997
C. F. Martin & Co. is proud to announce a major collaboration with
one of the most significant recording artists and songwriters of our time,
Paul Simon. The OM-42 Paul Simon Limited Edition Guitar will be
introduced at the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, and will
begin to appear in stores in mid–1997.
The OM-42PS guitar was designed to meet Paul Simon’s exacting
requirements for tone, size, and action. Paul personally participated in the
development of the prototypes which led to the final OM-42PS
specifications. He preferred the smaller “OM” body size combined with
the long (25.4”) scale length which proved to be particularly applicable to
his fingerstyle technique and his desire for a strong yet balanced tone.
The OM-42PS is tastefully appointed with tortoise colored bindings
throughout. Hand-crafted entirely with solid woods, the sides and back are
constructed from select grade East Indian rosewood, and the top is
bookmatched from quartersawn Sitka spruce.
PAUL SIMON COLLABORATES WITHMARTIN IN DEVELOPMENT OF OM-42LIMITED EDITION SIGNATURE MODEL
™
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 6)
1997 marks the 40th Anniversary
of the founding of The Kingston Trio,
one of America’s most beloved and
enduring musical groups
To commemorate The Kingston
Trio’s lasting contribution to folk and
acoustic music, and in gratitude for
their unswerving loyalty to Martin
instruments throughout the years, C. F.
Martin & Co. is proud to offer a special
Kingston Trio Limited Edition consisting
of 40 sets of three instruments each.
Each set includes a special
Kingston Trio D-28 guitar, a custom 0-
18T Tenor guitar, and a Vega long neck
banjo—the instrumentation used by the
Trio.
In addition, an extended edition of
the Kingston Trio D-28s will be offered
after all 40 Limited Edition sets are
ordered by the dealers.
Each instrument in the Kingston
Trio Limited Edition Set features special
mother-of-pearl inlays of “The Kingston
Trio” located between the 11th and the
14th frets, plus the anniversary
C. F. MARTIN HONORS THE KINGSTON TRIO WITH40TH ANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION INSTRUMENTS
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 9)
Bob Shane, Dave Guard, and Nick Reynolds of the original Kingston Trio in 1957.
®
TheSoundingBoard
CHRIS’S COMMENTSCHRIS’S COMMENTS
Dear Martin Enthusiast,
Welcome to the second issue of our newsletter. I
want to thank you for your enthusiastic response to the first
issue. “The Sounding Board” is available from any
authorized Martin dealer. Let your dealer know that you
wish to be notified when new issues are published.
It’s NAMM Show time again and we are introducing
several new models. Our collaborations with Paul Simon
and The Kingston Trio acknowledge the incredible effect
that these performers have had on music and the acoustic
guitar business.
Two other new models that my co-workers and I are
proud to introduce are the CEO-1 and the Martin Stauffer
steel string 00-12 fret.
The CEO-1 is a fancy, affordable solid wood limited
edition Dreadnought. It features scalloped braces and our
patented “A-frame” neck block. Cosmetically, it is enhanced
with a pearl rosette, herringbone top trim, and one of my
personal favorites... hexagon outline inlays on the
fingerboard and bridge wings.
The Stauffer is reminiscent of the original guitars built by
my great, great, great, grandfather during the 1830’s in New
York City. Our 1997 version is designed to function using
steel strings and is a modern version of a very historically
significant style.
There is always so much going on around here, I never
have enough time to explain it all. Remember to come and
visit us and take a tour of our shop. We are very proud of
what we do and we would love for you to see what we do
first hand.
C. F. Martin IVChairman & CEO
Martin Guitar Company
The Sounding Board™
VOLUME TWO • JANUARY 1997
P U B L I S H E D B Y
THE MARTIN GUITAR COMPANY
P. O. Box 329, Nazareth, PA 18064-0329
Phone: (610) 759-2837
Fax: (610) 759-5757
E-mail: [email protected]
E D I T O R I A L
Dick Boak
C O N T R I B U T O R S
C. F. Martin IV
Diane Ponzio
Ric Forero
S P E C I A L T H A N K S T O
Paul Simon
Mark Silag
Vaughn Hazell
Roger Sadowsky
The Kingston Trio
Bill Bush
Robert Estell
David M. Pierce
Ruth Rowe
Stan Kita
P R I N T I N G
The Martin Print Shop
© 1997 C.F. Martin & Co., Inc., Nazareth, PA 18064 USA. All rights reserved. PRINTED IN U.S.A.
2
100% Recycled
100% De-InkedPaper
Christian “Chris” Frederick Martin IV
Chairman and CEO, Martin Guitar Company.
®
LETTERSLETTERSDear Mr. Martin,
Thank you for creating the
excellent and affordable DM.
In the mid-1970’s, I purchased a D-
35 for $750. Unfortunately my D-35
and I parted company in 1979 when I
extricated myself from a cult that I had
gotten involved with. I left with only
what I was wearing at the time. That
guitar is the only possession that I
regret leaving behind and I have pined
after it for years.
A late friend gave me another
brand guitar and thanks to his
generosity, I have at least had a guitar
to play over the ensuing years, but I
never forgot the feel and sound of that
Martin.
Re-establishing myself took time.
The price of a good used D-35 (let
alone a new one) had climbed out of
my reach and I assumed that, owing to
the expenses of my adult respons-
ibilities, a Martin guitar would remain
unattainable for years to come.
That all changed recently when I
allowed myself to venture into a local
music store. I stood gazing wistfully at
a display of Martin guitars. Not wishing
to inflict further frustration upon
myself, I did not bother to look at the
price tags. Perhaps reading my posture
and expression, the co-owner of the
store reached into the case, handed
me a DM, and invited me to sit and
play it.
It was like playing a little piece of
heaven. It played “like butter”. Its tone
was so clear and sweet. It possessed an
excellent dynamic range and beautiful
fidelity. Like a true gourmet dish, in
which the ingredients come together in
a symphony of flavors, but each
individual flavor is still distinguishable
amidst the totality of the experience,
so it was with this guitar. Each note of
every chord rang sweet and true.
Delicious harmonies, yet distinct.
As I was admiring the precise
craftsmanship of the guitar, the store
owner spoke up and told me what he
would be willing to sell it to me for. I
Your NameAddressCity, State, ZipCountry
Dear Mr. MartinC. F. Martin & Co.P. O. Box 329Nazareth, PA 18064-0329 USA
PlaceStampHere
3
We Would Love ToHear From You!Send Your Letters To:
gulped. It was a little stretch, but I could
afford it.
A happy man, I brought that Martin
DM home and played it for my wife to
be. “Yes”, I smiled and assured her,
“we’ll still be able to take that
honeymoon in Mexico.”
Thank you for creating this
wonderful and affordable guitar while
remaining true to your lineage of
excellence.
Sincerely,
David M. PierceMagalia, California
Dear Mr. Martin,Recently, a small article appeared
in Mature Outlook Magazine about me
and my Martin guitar. In the article, I
explained that my Martin D-18
Dreadnought guitar is the best
purchase I have ever made. I bought it
for $100 in 1943 and today, it is valued
at more than $5,000. It is worth much
more than that to me though. It was my
great companion during World War II.
It opened doors for me in foreign
homes. I used it to entertain the troops,
and it helped me meet my wife. It was
even picked up and strummed by Sir
Winston Churchill at Casablanca. As a
result of that small magazine article, I
received three phone calls from fellows
who I served with in the war. I hadn’t
heard from them in 48 years! I still play
my Martin often. Thanks for many
decades of enjoyment.
Sincerely,
Robert EstellEscondido, California
Dear Mr. Martin,I wanted you to know how pleased
I was to have had my “Kentucky Guitar”
CD on Martin’s on hold music. I
received many favorable comments and
orders for my tapes and CDs. Many
people asked about what guitars I was
using on the album. Most of my songs
were recorded with my MC-28 Cutaway
which is pictured on the cover. My new
album, “Irish Guitar”, is recorded with
my J-40 Jumbo, as well as the MC-28. If
anyone else is interested in my music,
I’ve included my address.
Sincerely,
Pat KirtleyMainstring MusicP. O. Box 135Bardstown, Kentucky 40004Phone (502) 348-6360
Its a long way from Casablanca and Winston
Churchill, but Bob Estell still performs with
his harmonica and his 1943 D-18, often at
retirement homes where he can do the most
good.
Dear Mr. Martin,I just wanted to express my
gratitude and complete satisfaction
with your guitars. I own a M-38, a J-40,
and have recently purchased a D-45. I
have not yet heard a guitar that can
compare with the excellent balance
and projection of the treble and bass
tone qualities. I tend to “beat up” my
guitars over the years and they just
keep on going. I hope to have a
collection of various rare Martins some
day, but until then, I am most satisfied
with the “new” line of Martins. Keep up
the good work!
Sincerely yours,
Jason M.Houston, Texas
®
4
NEW MODELSADDED TO
POPULAR “1 SERIES”
C. F. MARTIN®
ESTABLISHES NEW“ROAD” SERIES
MARTIN® CONTINUESOFFEROFSPECIAL
SP-16 MODELGUITARS D-40 OFFERSELEGANCE & TASTEAT LOWER PRICE
Marty Stuart & Travis Tritt took a
break from their busy “Double Trouble”
touring schedule to stop in at the
Martin factory for a special tour. In
particular, Marty wanted to personally
see how the HD-40MS Limited Edition
Marty Stuart Signature guitars were
progressing.
Marty was personally responsible
for the unique fingerboard inlay designs
and for the unprecedented concept for
“herringbone pearl”, which adorns the
rosette of this model. The HD-40MS
was introduced at the Nashville
Summer NAMM Show and the edition
of 250 instruments has since sold out to
dealers.
These two country music greats
had a great time during their visit, and
after their tour they both sat down and
ordered some very special Custom
Shop Martin models that are sure to
show up on stage in the near future.
Look for the one’s that sound really
good! ❖
Although there have been many
variations of Style 40 Martin
instruments throughout the years, this
designation currently refers to the
specific appointments developed for
the newer Martin J-40 Jumbo models.
The ornamentation of these models
features a highly colorful abalone pearl
rosette, abalone hexagon fingerboard
inlays, abalone CFMartin letters in the
headstock, bound fingerboard and
headstock, and gold tuning machines.
This tasteful and ornate
combination of features was borrowed
for the successful Figured Woods
Editions which were offered in Quilted
Mahogany, Flamed Walnut, and
Quilted Maple. The D-40 Dreadnought
is the newest addition to Martin’s
Standard Series of acoustic guitars. ❖
Martin is unveiling many new
additions to the popular and affordable
“1 Series” line of acoustic guitars.
The new J-1 model of fers
“1 Series” appointments in the tight-
waisted Jumbo size. The new 0000-1
uses the Jumbo or “Grand Auditorium”
shape (formerly referred to as “M”)
with a shallow body depth, making it
perfect for stage and studio use.
The small bodied 000C-1 features a
The extreme success of Martin’s
new DM model, which was initially part
of the “1 Series” line of guitars, has
prompted the introduction of a new
and separate series of instruments
called the Martin “Road Series.”
In addition to the original DM
model, this new series includes the new
DCM Dreadnought cutaway, the DM-
12 Dreadnought 12-String, and the
small-bodied 000M.
The “Road Series” guitars now
represent the lowest priced Martin
models on the market with suggested
retail prices beginning at $899. ❖
Travis Tritt, Marty Stuart, C. F. “Chris” Martin IV and Martin Artist Relations Manager, Dick
Boak, on tour at the Martin factory. Marty visited to check out the progress of his HD-40MS
Marty Stuart signature model.
C. F. Martin has announced the
continuation of its limited “Special 16
Series” acoustic guitars. A maximum of
2,500 mixed “SP” models will be
of fered during 1997. These
instruments combine enhanced
aesthetics with the use of solid woods
on the top, back, and sides. Many of
the unique technological advances
developed in Martin’s innovative and
patented “1 Series” guitars are
incorporated in the “16 Series” line of
guitars. Enhanced visual appointments
include a highly colorful abalone pearl
rosette, style 45 back strip, modified
snowflake fingerboard inlays, 4-point
snowflake bridge inlays, polished gloss
lacquer body, and gold plated tuning
machines.
Among the “SP” models offered
are the SPD-16T and SP000-16T which
feature solid mahogany back and sides
The SPD-16TR, SP000-16TR, SPDC-
rounded Venetian cutaway. This model
is also offered as a 000C-1E dedicated
acoustic electric model, which features
an onboard preamp with slider EQ. The
acoustic electric option is also offered
with the new DC-1E Dreadnought
cutaway model.
The Martin acoustic bass has
resurfaced in the form of the new
Jumbo shaped B-1 model. ❖
MARTY STUART ANDTRAVIS TRITT VISITMARTIN FACTORY
New
New
5
CLAPTON 000-28ECGETS RAVE REVIEWSAND BIG DEMAND
The Eric Clapton 000-28EC
Signature Model Martin Guitar,
introduced as a stock model at the
Nashville Summer NAMM Show in July
of 1996, has been immensely popular
with both dealers and players. More
than 1000 of these special Vintage
Series guitars have been ordered in a
short six month period, with no sign of
tapering demand. In addition, three
major magazines, Guitar World, Guitar
Player, and Acoustic Musician, have
given this model extremely high ratings,
with Acoustic Musician giving an
unprecedented perfect score in all
categories.
The reason for the popularity? The
000-28EC certainly looks great, but
perhaps Eric Clapton hit it on the
button when he said, “This is the best
sounding acoustic guitar I’ve ever
played!” ❖
Eric Clapton said it best: The 000-28-EC is
simply “the best sounding acoustic guitar I’ve
ever played!”
SP000C-16TR
Martin Style 15 guitars were first
introduced in 1935. These instruments
appeared after the depression with
very simple appointments. They were
intended to appeal to musicians that
wanted the tone and quality
construction of a Martin instrument,
without the higher cost associated with
decorative bindings, herringbone,
abalone pearl, or other fancy trim.
C. F. “Chris” Martin IV, CEO of
Martin, has had a long standing affinity
for the old Style 15 instruments, which
has culminated with the introduction of
the mahogany topped D-15. At press
time, the retail price was not
established, but we anticipate this
model to become the lowest priced
guitar in the Martin lineup. ❖
14 DAY WAIT YIELDSGREAT PLAYING LOW
ACTION GUITARSWe want to remind everyone that
after final inspection and stringing,
each Martin guitar is put on the shelf
(like a fine bottle of wine) for a 14 day
waiting period. This allows each
instrument to settle in under string
tension. After this period, the guitar is
reinspected and adjusted to insure that
every new Martin guitar plays “like
butter.” This process is producing
instruments that are consistently
outperforming all other brands! ❖
16TR cutaway and SP000C-16TR
cutaway models feature East Indian
rosewood back and sides. All of the “16
Series” models incorporate Martin’s
new extra low profile neck, designed
for easy playability, player comfort, and
fast action.
The “16 Series” models were
conceived to provide high quality all
solid wood guitars at affordable prices.
❖
ALL SOLID WOODSFOR NEW D-15
MAHOGANY TOP
New
6
PAUL SIMON OM-42(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)
The perimeter of the pearl rosetted soundboard has been
painstakingly inlaid with highly colored Style 42 abalone
pearl top inlay. At Paul Simon’s specific request, the
adjustable neck is sleek and low with a comfortable
111⁄16” neck width at the nut, but with the
slightly wider “OM” neck width as
you move up toward the twelfth
fret. A Style 45 pearl inlaid C. F.
Martin headstock is bound in
tortoise and fitted with the
highest quality vintage style
ivoroid button Waverly® nickel-
plated open-geared tuning machines.
A genuine ebony tortoise bound fingerboard
features the original Style 42 snowflake pattern in abalone
pearl, with Paul Simon’s signature delicately inlaid in
mother of pearl between the 19th and 20th frets. A
deluxe five-ply vintage series Geib® style hardshell
case has been designed to house this special guitar.
The edition will be limited to 500 guitars for sale
worldwide. The edition size of “500” was taken from
“Suite 500”, Simon’s office address within the classic
“Brill” building on Broadway in Manhattan. The
interior label of each instrument will be numbered in
sequence (i.e. 1 of 500, 2 of 500, etc.) and will be
personally signed by Paul Simon and C. F. Martin IV,
Martin’s Chairman and CEO, and the 6th generation of
Martin family members to manage the esteemed guitar
firm.
In general, both Paul Simon and C. F. Martin &
Co. steer clear of product endorsements. As a
result, both wished to develop a special guitar
that would help fund a charity of particular
interest to Paul Simon. Paul is the co-founder
of The Children’s Health Fund, the nation’s
largest health care program for homeless
children, so choosing a charity was easy.
Paul Simon is acknowledged to be one of
this century’s finest singer/songwriters and
performers. While other musicians crank
out quantity, Paul Simon has labored with
the highest standard of perfection in the
details of his writings and recordings,
which stretch from the late 1950’s to the
present. And it shows. His lyrics are
nothing short of poetic, and his
compositions are meticulously layered
without the feeling of being over-
produced. Of course, he is widely known
for the legendary partnership of Simon &
Garfunkel, but after their breakup in the early 1970’s, it was
Paul’s talent that emerged in album after album of award
winning and memorable material. From his first solo release
in 1972 titled simply “Paul Simon” to his 1990 release of
“Rhythm Of The Saints”, Simon’s work has
bridged the gaps between poetry,
music, and art. Perhaps Paul’s
most interesting endeavor was
his controversial Grammy
award winning release
”Graceland”, a project that
influenced and inspired the
“World Music” movement, and set
the stage for dozens of new musical genres.
After an initial New York meeting to discuss limited
edition possibilities with Martin’s artist relations
manager Dick Boak, Paul Simon traveled to Nazareth
with his son Harper (also a great guitarist) to try out
the complete array of Martin guitar sizes, shapes, and
styles. After several hours of playing, Paul zeroed in
on two sizes: the “M” (Grand Auditorium) and “OM”
(Orchestra Model). Martin built four initial
prototypes for Paul to try: two “OM” models and
two “M” models. For his particular playing style and
touch, Paul loved the clarity and balance of the
“OM” size. He paid particular attention to the feel of
the neck, opting for a custom variation of the
typically wider “OM” neck width. In respect to
appointments, Paul felt that as a limited edition or
collectable, the model should be ornate but tasteful,
easy to amplify, and perfect for use on stage
and in the studio. Two final OM-42PS
prototypes were built for Paul’s approval
prior to unveiling at the NAMM Show.
Paul has been writing the score
for the Broadway musical entitled “The
Capeman”, due to open in New York in
the fall of 1997. As with all of his projects,
he has focused an intense creative energy
on the score. The word around
Broadway is that the music is
extraordinary, setting a new
standard by which musicals will be
judged. It is interesting to note that
the two acoustic guitars being
used in the show are the initial
prototypes from the limited
edition. ❖
“Paul Simon has labored with the
highest standard of perfection in the
details of his writings and recordings.”
“...the model should be ornate but
tasteful, easy to amplify, and perfect
for use on stage and in the studio.”
1997
Paul
Simon
OM-42PS
Signature
Model
7
MARTIN GUITAR SERIAL NUMBERSYEAR LAST#1898 83481899 87161900 91281901 93101902 95281903 98101904 99881905 101201906 103291907 107271908 108831909 110181910 112031911 114131912 115651913 118211914 120471915 122091916 123901917 129881918 134501919 145121920 158481921 167581922 178391923 198911924 220081925 241161926 286891927 344351928 375681929 408431930 45317
1931 495891932 525901933 550841934 586791935 619471936 651761937 688651938 718661939 740611940 767341941 800131942 831071943 867241944 901491945 936231946 981581947 1034681948 1082691949 1129611950 1179611951 1227991952 1284361953 1345011954 1413451955 1473281956 1532251957 1590611958 1655761959 1710471960 1756891961 1812971962 1873841963 1933271964 199626
1965 2070301966 2172151967 2300951968 2419251969 2560031970 2716331971 2942701972 3133021973 3338731974 3533871975 3718281976 3888001977 3996251978 4078001979 4199001980 4303001981 4364741982 4396271983 4461011984 4533001985 4605751986 4681751987 4762161988 4839521989 4932791990 5033091991 5124871992 5226551993 5352231994 5516961995 5704341996 pending
Frequently AskedQuestions, Part I:
Q: Can you tell me what year my
Martin guitar was made?
A: Yes! That’s the most frequently
asked question that we hear. Clip the
card below on the dotted lines. The last
guitar serial number for each year is
listed from 1898, when Martin serial
numbers were first initiated, through
1995. Prior to 1898, we can closely
estimate that 8000 Martin instruments
were made. By the way, we update this
card annually. ❖
C. F. MARTIN IVOFFERS FIRST
“CEO’S CHOICE”
2 NEW STAUFFERCOMMEMORATIVELIMITED EDITIONS
C. F. Martin & Company is pleased
to announce the introduction of two
Martin “Stauffer” Limited Edition
guitars for 1997. These are the first
“Stauffer” models to be made since the
mid 1800s, when C. F. Martin Sr.
developed the now legendary Martin
“square” headstock shape. The Martin
“Stauffer” Limited Edition 00-40 and
the 00-45 models pay tribute to the 12-
fret guitars made by C.F. Martin Sr.
during the early years of the company.
These graceful guitars had an unusual
shaped headstock with all tuning keys
on one side. This feature was borrowed
from Johann Stauffer of Vienna, for
whom Mr. Martin had worked for a
time as a shop foreman.
The 00-45 is appointed with highly
colorful abalone pearl inlay around the
perimeter of the top, sides, back,
rosette, and “tongue” of the finger-
board. The headstock bears the Martin
decal logo, delicately inlaid in genuine
mother-of-pearl.
The 00-40 features abalone pearl
inlay around the rosette. The headstock
bears a small old style decal logo.
Features common to both models
include grained ivoroid bindings, Style
45 snowflake fingerboard inlays, “ice
cream cone” shaped neck heel, black
ebonized neck finish, a unique
As part of C. F. Martin’s 1997
Limited Edition offering, Martin CEO
and Chairman Of The Board, C. F.
“Chris” Martin IV has selected
specifications and appointments for
two special CEO’s Choice Limited
Edition guitars. It was Chris’s intent to
create instruments that would deliver
great tone, tasteful but elegant orna-
mentation, and perhaps most
importantly, provide an excellent value
to the customer.
To meet Chris’s high tonal
expectations, solid woods have been
chosen for both models. The CEO-1
utilizes solid genuine mahogany for
the back and sides, which delivers a
strong clean treble response with a
clear powerful bass. The CEO-1R
utilizes solid East Indian rosewood,
which produces a richly resonant and
warm bass response.
Features common to both models
include an abalone pearl rosette, fine
pattern herringbone top trim,
scalloped bracing, style 45 back inlay
strip, genuine ebony fingerboard and
bridge both inlaid with hollow
“hexagon outline” inlays, gold
enclosed tuners with ebony buttons,
N-20 style black bindings with black
white side inlay, tortoise color
pickguard, C. F. Martin IV’s signature in
pearl above the last fret, an interior
label signed by C. F. Martin IV, and a
vintage “Tweed” hardshell case. ❖
“pointed” belly bridge with pyramid
wings, vintage top toner, fossilized ivory
bridge pins, nut and saddle, and unique
gold plated tuning machines with
variable length posts to accommodate
the special headstock shape.
A specially made replica of the
original wooden “coffin” case will be
supplied with each of these special
instruments.
The edition will be limited to 100
instruments total: 25 will be constructed
with rare pre-CITES Brazilian rosewood
and designated as 00-45 Stauffers, and
75 will be constructed of East Indian
rosewood and designated as 00-40
Stauffers. Each guitar will bear an
internal edition label individually
numbered in sequence and signed by C.
F. Martin IV, the sixth generation of
Martin family members to manage the
company. ❖
The original Stauffer headstock shape, shown
here, provided inspiration for this year’s
special Martin/Stauffer editions.
✁
NewNew
8
MARTIN MANDOLIN SERIAL NUMBERS1925 125201926 133591927 138331928 141701929 146301930 148921931 152901932 154761933 155281934 157291935 158871936 161561937 164371938 165801939 167471940 169571941 172631942 174051957 229851958 231111959 232621960 235121961 236631962 239381963 241391964 243391965 244391966 245641967 246391968 248391969 24989
1970 250391971 251391972 252891973 253391974 256791975 258951976 26045
#259996-260020 are 1976 also
1977 261011978 261011979 261121980 261561981 262151982 262251983 262471984 262541985 262631986 262731987 262791988 262811989 262811990 262911991 262971991* 509122
After 1991see guitar #’s
for all mandolins.
YEAR LAST#1895 231896 1121897 1551898 3591899 5771900 8001901 8811902 11711903 13481904 15071905 16691906 20261907 23571908 25101909 27861910 30981911 34311912 38471913 41621914 44621915 47671916 50071917 57521918 63701919 72371920 87611921 96271922 101961923 110201924 11809
Frequently AskedQuestions, Part II:
Q: Can you tell me what year my
Martin mandolin was constructed?
A: Yes! Clip the card below on the
dotted lines. The last serial number for
each year is listed for mandolin
production until 1991. After 1991,
mandolins are included with guitar
serial numbers on this card’s flip side.
C. F. Martin & Co., in conjunction with Kief
Music Company of Surrey, British Columbia,
co-sponsors The Canadian Country Music
Association’s annual Humanitarian Award.
This year’s award was presented to Joan
Kennedy (above), who has done significant
charitable work for The Children’s Wish
Foundation of Canada.
ALTERNATE TUNINGS
Nazareth PikeWords & Music by
Dr. Russell J. Rentler, M.D.
I was going through Pennsylvania one day
When I met an old man who had these words to say:
Take the Nazareth Pike boy, and you will see
The place where dreams are made, it’s where you want to be.
So I took this man’s advice, and started walking forth
The Martin Guitar factory, it was just a few miles north
My backpack it felt heavy, but I just didn’t care
I kept on walkin’ up the road to who knows where
Chorus:
Take the Nazareth Pike boy and you will see
It will always take you to where you’d rather be.
Then I stumbled into a postcard kind of town
With little kids a playin’ and flowers on the ground
And on the outskirts of this little town there stood that factory
The birthplace of the most beautiful guitars you would ever see.
(Repeat Chorus)
I dreamed that I could get a job building the Martin Guitar
But another fate did own me, I guess I’d gone too far
That’s how the story ends my friend, they call me an M.D.
But that place on Nazareth Pike is where my heart would rather be.
(Repeat Chorus)
© 1996 DR. RUSSEL J. RENTLER, M.D.
There are dozens of ways to tune
the guitar. The most popular alternate
tunings are called “open tunings”,
where the strings are tuned to an open
chord such as D Major (D-A-D-F#-a-d)
or G Major (D-G-D-G-b-d).
Another interesting tuning,
generally referred to as “High Strung”
or “Nashville” tuning, is often utilized in
recording studios to achieve an
extremely clean treble or high end
sound. This sound, similar in some ways
to a twelve string guitar, tends to
balance out the often overpowering
bass response in guitar recordings.
One easy way to explain
“Nashville” tuning is to imagine a set of
strings for a 12-string guitar. If you were
to select the thin or high octave string
from each pair, and put the other strings
aside, then string an instrument with
these higher strings, this would yield
standard (E-A-D-G-b-e) tuning, but the
bass strings are now tuned an octave
above standard pitch.
It is perfectly acceptable to try a
12-string set as described in the
previous paragraph, but you will no
doubt find the gauges much too light
and slinky. At Martin, we have
experimented with the gauges and have
come up with the two following options
for what we would refer to as a Light
Gauge “Nashville” Tuning Set. Note
that only the .024 string is wound and
that the G string can either be an
octave above pitch (.008) or at standard
pitch with an unwound string (.019).
Light Gauge “Nashville” Tuning
E .024w .024w
A .017 .017
D .013 .013
G .008 or .019
B .012 .012
e .010 .010
Paul Simon uses this tuning often,
most notably on the title cut from his
album, Graceland. Listen to this track
carefully. It will surprise you.
For you Backpacker owners out
there, “Nashville” tuning really sounds
great on small instruments. ❖
9
years “1957-1997” inlaid above the
last fret. The letter style of these inlays
is reminiscent of 1950’s “pop art.”
The Kingston Trio D-28
Dreadnought guitar features a solid
square tapered headstock with a
Brazilian rosewood headplate and
Martin’s “old style” scroll decal logo.
The back and sides of the body are
constructed of select, bookmatched
East Indian rosewood. Grained ivoroid
is utilized for the bindings and trim. The
solid spruce soundboard utilizes 5⁄16”
height scalloped X-bracing, shifted
forward to a position approximately 1”
from the soundhole. Both the bridge
and the fingerboard are hand-crafted
from genuine ebony. Fingerboard
position markers are 1950’s-era Style
28 mother-of-pearl dots. The bridge is
fitted with a long (or “through”) saddle
fashioned from genuine bone, as is the
hand-cut nut. Tuning machines are
Martin’s vintage style open-geared
variety, finished in gold, with gold
“butterbean” knobs. Bridge and
endpins are white, inlaid with tortoise
colored “redeye” dots. A hand-beveled
and polished tortoise colored
pickguard is used to simulate the old,
under-the-finish application.
The custom 0-18T Tenor features
back and sides of genuine mahogany,
select Sitka spruce soundboard with
Style 18 rosette, tortoise bindings,
beveled pickguard, gold vintage tuners
with “butterbean” knobs, and mother-
of-pearl Kingston Trio anniversary
inlays. One interesting custom touch is
that genuine ebony is utilized for the
fingerboard and bridge.
The Vega® Long-Neck Folk Model
banjo is specially made and warranted
for this commemorative issue by the
Deering Banjo Company of Lemon
Grove, California. The extra long 25-fret
neck, which facilitates easy key
changes to suit the vocalist, was
originally suggested to Vega by Pete
Seeger. It was later popularized by
Dave Guard and John Stewart of The
Kingston Trio and soon became the
“workhorse banjo” of virtually every
major folk group.
Specifications for the Kingston Trio
Limited Edition Vega® Long Neck Banjo
are similar to the original Fairbanks No.
2 Tu-Ba-Phone XL models made by
Vega of Boston. Metal parts are nickel
plated. The fingerboard is ebony, bound
in white, and inlaid with mother-of-pearl
dots. The Vega “star” is inlaid at the 5th
fret and scaled down “The Kingston
Trio” and “1957-1997” inlays are
utilized to match the D-28 and the 0-
18T models of the commemorative set.
(It is interesting to note that C. F.
Martin & Co. once owned the Vega
Banjo Company in the 1970’s and
produced Vega banjos here in our
Nazareth facility along side our guitar
production. Martin sold the brand in
the early 1980’s, and it was
subsequently acquired by Deering, the
current owner.)
Each instrument in the Kingston
Trio Limited Edition Set is individually
numbered in sequence (i.e. #1 of 40,
#2 of 40, etc.) and each set
instrument’s label will be personally
signed by Bob Shane, Nick Reynolds,
and George Grove, as well as former
member John Stewart. C. F. Martin IV,
Martin’s chairman and CEO, will also
sign each label.
The Dreadnought and Tenor guitars
are offered with a Geib™ style deluxe
Vintage hardshell case. The Vega Long
Neck Banjo comes with Deering’s high
quality hardshell case.
Extended OfferingWhen all 40 Kingston Trio Limited
Edition Sets have been ordered by
dealers, an extended edition of
Kingston Trio D-28 guitars will be made.
These guitars will be limited to orders
taken prior to October 30, 1997.
Specifications for these guitars will be
identical to the Kingston Trio D-28
model offered as part of the set except
that the interior labels will be
individually numbered without total (i.e.
#1, #2, #3, etc.) and each instrument
will be personally signed by Kingston
Trio founder Bob Shane and C. F.
Martin IV.
KINGSTON TRIO(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)
“They were the catalyst to an entire social and culturalphenomenon that affected
our musical tastes, our social conscience, even how we dressed
and talked.”
The Kingston Trio:
Biography SynopsisThe original Kingston Trio was
formed in 1957 by Bob Shane, Nick
Reynolds, and Dave Guard while the
three were attending college in the San
Francisco area. Using only acoustic
guitars and banjos, they literally
revolutionized popular music,
reawakening America to its own rich
heritage, paving the way for a broader
acceptance of bluegrass, blues, country
and other indigenous American musics.
But the trio did more than that.
They were the catalyst to an entire
social and cultural phenomenon that
affected our musical tastes, our social
conscience, even how we dressed and
talked. The Trio’s release of “Tom
Dooley” in October of 1958, marked
the beginning of the “folk music revival”
and set the stage for Bob Dylan, Joan
Baez, Peter, Paul & Mary (to mention a
few) and the entire protest music
movement of the 60s.
In 1961, after two Grammys and
numerous gold records, Dave Guard left
the group and John Stewart was
introduced, maintaining the Trio’s
enormous success until 1967 when the
Trio disbanded.
In 1972, Bob Shane reformed The
Kingston Trio with George Grove and
Roger Gambill, and for the next decade
the Trio again traveled the world playing
sold out audiences. The untimely death
of Roger Gambill in 1985 brought Bob
Haworth briefly into the group, followed
by the return of original member Nick
Reynolds.
Today, The Kingston Trio is
composed of Bob Shane, Nick
Reynolds, and George Grove. Their
trademark three-part harmony and crisp,
melodic sound keeps them touring 35
weeks a year, including concerts with
more than 20 major symphony
orchestras.
And they still do it all on Martin
guitars! ❖
D-28KT
MARTIN® STRINGS
Rory BlockPerformer
When your powerful blues drivespeople to their feet, you play stringsthat stand up to it too. Blues is gritty,powerful music. You really need to layinto the strings. The only strings thatcan stand up to the way Rory Blockplays are Martin Strings. She usesMartin mediums. In her own words,“They work wonderfully for me. I playvery hard and get the least amountof buzzing with the Martin med-iums.” When it’s time to restring yourinstrument, use Martin Marquis®,Martin Strings, Martin PhosphorBronze, or Martin Cryogenic. After all,the best string with the best!
The People Who Use Them
Martin Thinline 332 Plus™ Acoustic Pickup
The 332 Plus™ is a new pickup
system for acoustic guitars developed
by Fishman Transducers®. The
complete system includes a ceramic
under the saddle pickup (Thinline
332®) and a specially designed
miniature onboard preamp. The heart
of the system is a miniature circuit that
is housed in a slightly elongated
shielding cap on the back end of the
jack. The board uses state-of-the-art
surface mounting components. It is an
all discrete transistor circuit design.
The unit features:
• New onboard Active Jack™ preamp
• Improved ease of installation
• Low noise
• Frequency response: 20Hz - 20kHz
with THD of less than .1%
• Extremely low current consumption
for long battery life
• Warm, balanced acoustic response
without distortion
Active Jack™ Pre-amp for Martin Thinline Pickups
The Active Jack™ , developed by
Fishman Transducers®, is a new pre-
amp system for acoustic guitars that
already have Martin Thinline 332® or
other brands of ceramic pickups
installed. The heart of the Active Jack™
system is identical to the one utilized
with the above Thinline 332 Plus™ the
only difference being that this version,
intended for retrofitting, does not
include a pickup. ❖
The new Martin Thinline 332 Plus™
includes an Active Jack™, a battery mount,
and a pre-wired battery connecter. The
Active Jack™ can be purchased by itself if
you want to do an “active” upgrade to your
existing pickup.
Thinline 332 Plus™
Look for new Martin SP™ Strings
at your local music store. They’ll
turn gold into magic.
10
New
New NEW MARTIN®
ACOUSTIC PICKUPS
RUMPLESTILTSKYN SPINNING “MAGIC”
AT C. F. MARTINThis is no fairy tale! OK, so there’s
no legendary imp working here with
an ancient spinning wheel and a pile of
straw. But the exciting story is that C.F.
Martin & Company has developed a
new line of acoustic guitar strings that
are as good as gold, but you don’t
need to speculate on precious metals
to enjoy them!
The new Martin SP™ Studio/
Performance Series strings are made
from an ultra-high quality steel core
that resists breaking and corrosion
better than other strings. If you look
closely, you’ll see that the core wires
and the plain strings are plated with a
smooth, acoustic bronze finish.
Available in 80/20 Acoustic Bronze,
these new strings outperform other
brands. They stay bright, have long-
lasting, superior tonal qualities, and
look absolutely beautiful on your
favorite guitar.
Our high technology winding
operation has long since replaced
hand-operated spinning wheels and
our quality is no myth. We work hard
to put the magic in your fingers. Try a
set of the new Martin SP™ Studio/
Performance Series strings.
These strings are so new, you
might have to educate your favorite
dealer about them! Ask them to order
you a few sets today!
BACKPACKER®
GUITARSWhere Have They Been?
BACKPACKER®
QUADROPHENIAPreston Gratiot hails from
Camarillo, California. He has the
only “herringbone” Backpacker
that we know of. He dropped
the instrument while hiking and
as a result, he had the
herringbone trim custom
installed to eliminate the dent.
Preston strings his Backpacker
with “high strung” or “Nashville”
tuning (See Page 8). He does a
lot of traveling as well.
Preston was recently out
running the mining trails
between Durango, Silverton,
and Telluride when he stopped
at “Four Corners” to photo-
graph his Backpacker in Utah,
Colorado, Arizona, and New
Mexico, all at the same time.
OK, if you want to get technical,
the instrument is only in three
states, the strap is in Arizona. ❖
INLINE BACKPACKERSCOAST TO COAST !Bill McIntosh inline-skated coast to
coast across America, over four
mountains and hundreds of “large hills”,
across the Mohave desert, through
swamps in three states, and days through
barren wildernesses. He jumped in three
oceans and slept on the side of the road
in eight states. And he did it all with his
Backpacker slung across his shoulder!
Why did he do it? He is marketing
products for the inline skating industry
across the world and supporting a
number of charities in the process,
including The Foundation Enhancing
Education & Literacy which helps
underprivileged children. ❖
– In Outer Space Aboard The Space Shuttle,
– To The Summit Of Mount Everest,
– To Both The North and The South Poles,
– On A Safari In Africa,
– Coast To Coast On Inline Skates, and
Across The Continent Of AsiaOn A Bicycle.
Where Ever You’re Going, You Really Can Take A
Backpacker Along With You!
We Want To Hear Your Backpacker Story.
Mail to: “The Sounding Board”
c/o Martin Guitar Company
Box 329, Nazareth, PA 18064-0329
HAVE BACKPACKER®
WILL TRAVELScotty Stets of Fall River, MA,
traveled extensively around Europe
with his Backpacker, which he has
affectionately named “Yvette.” He
wailed for the ghosts at Warwick
Castle north of London, he yodeled at
the ruins of the Marquis de Sade’s
chateau in the foothills of the French
alps, his vocals venerated the stormy
beaches at Normandy, he crooned at
the “upside down scallops” of the
Roman aqueducts in Lisbon, and in the
photo above, he serenaded the spirit of
Hamlet at Shakespeare’s legendary
birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon. “To
strum or not to strum?” No question
here. Scotty chose to strum!
Scott’s dad, Stanley J. Stets Jr.,
loves to belt out Hank Snow tunes on
his old D-41, so it’s a family thing.
Scott is planning more excursions
and wants to know whether there are
any places that the Backpacker should
go that it hasn’t already been to? Have
any ideas? In the patriotic tradition, he
exclaims: “I have not yet begun to
Backpack!” ❖
Scotty Stets serenades the spirit of Hamlet at
Shakespeare’s legendary birthplace in
Stratford-upon-Avon.
Bill McIntosh, looking like a member of the
foreign legion, takes a rest in the middle of the
Mohave desert.
11
Pho
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Silv
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Pho
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ash
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. M
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▼
At Last, A Guitar DesignedSpecifically For Women
B Y D I A N E P O N Z I O
OUR MISSIONThe Women And
Music Program will
Successfully Educate,
Encourage,
Acknowledge, and
Promote Women’s
Involvement with
Guitar Playing Through
the Continuous
Development of
Guitar Related Projects.This Mission was adopted by
The Women & Music Committee
of the Martin Guitar Company on June 20, 1996.
Before the turn of the century,
the majority of guitar players
were women. They embraced
“Parlor Style” music, which they played
on small bodied, gut-string guitars.
Many lithographs and paintings from
the late 19th century show these
women enjoying such instruments.
Things certainly have changed. The
majority of players are now male. As a
result, lithographs featuring active,
guitar-playing women have been
replaced by ads showing passive bikini-
clad models who obviously serve
merely as virility tokens for the male
players. Images of women musicians
are rare. Was it international affairs,
styles of music, or cultural trends that
drove women fretless?
There is a case to be made that
guitar makers have neglected over 50%
of their potential market in their
advertising strategies. Ironically, though,
the movement in popular music today
is centered on the singer-songwriter,
many of whom are, in fact, women...
women GUITARISTS. In an interesting
inverse parallel trend, it is notable that
from the 1920’s until the present, guitar
bodies have gotten bigger, while the
number of women players has gotten
smaller. Perhaps it’s time for the musical
instrument industry to alter its
marketing strategies and give some
attention to ergonomics. Women can
and should be lured back to the
fingerboard.Recently, a voluntary group of
Martin employees got together to think
about these issues. The demographics
of the group were unprecedented; 80%
were women. They represented literally
every facet of the Company’s
endeavors from making strings and
bridges to headstocks and braces. I was
fortunate to participate in this exciting
group as we sought to acknowledge
women’s role in the music world today.
Our job was to develop some ongoing
programs and to try to determine what
kind of Martin guitar most women
would like to play.
Anatomically speaking, it’s rather
obvious that the Dreadnought can be a
little uncomfortable for many women.
In a survey conducted with several
hundred female Martin owners, it was
determined that a smaller-bodied, tight-
waisted guitar was more desirable. But
all of us are committed to sound. The
distinctive Martin sound, now most
common in Dreadnoughts, has
galvanized musical culture for almost
two centuries. Could we come up with
a guitar that sounded big, but played
comfortably...one with great action, a
perfect thin neck, and elegant but
simple appointments?
It’s a thrill for me to have been a
part of a group that designed an
instrument that a linebacker could love
as well as any of my peers - the “00”
Deep Body. In playing several
prototypes, we all fell in love with the
Mahogany model. The sound was
spectacular. The slotted headstock,
because of its increased downward
pressure on the nut, gives an even
bigger sound that the scalloped braces
and Dreadnought depth already insure.
And the tight waist provides wonderful
tonal balance, yielding a versatile guitar
that packs a punch!
It’s a proud moment for The Martin
Guitar Company to be among the first
companies in the instrument business to
publicly acknowledge women players
by stepping out boldly. By getting input
from women and allowing for their
ideas, Martin has designed a specific
model perfect for them. Now, that
wonderful new instrument is on the
market. And because of its enhanced
sound capabilities, it’s an instrument
that men will crave, too. This is a great
guitar for anyone to be proud of and for
everyone to love playing. ❖
Diane Ponzio, pictured above, is a New York
based singer-songwriter and guitarist. She
travels world-wide with C.F. “Chris” Martin IV
performing her songs as part of a
presentation about the Martin guitar. She has
released two CDs.
OUR MISSION
B