Serial number 49621 was stamped on January 5, 1932 and cleared final inspection on July 3 that year.
The tuners are Grover G-97 clipped plate machines with seamed metal butterbean buttons.
Style 21 features:
Back and sides: Brazilian rosewood
Top: Red spruce (Adirondack)
Purfling: Lines
Binding: Celluloid
Back stripe: Herringbone
Other period features:
Scalloped X-bracing
Ebony fingerboard
Ebony belly bridge
Ebony neck neck reinforcement
1-7/8″ neck width at nut
24.9” scale length
Tortoiseshell celluloid pick guard
Slotted square fingerboard inlays
C. F. Martin stamp on back of headstock
Style stamp
This guitar was before the introduction of the Martin logo that became so prominent on the headstock. Evidently this started on Martin guitars just a few years later, maybe two, in the future. Has the company ever stated the reason for this addition and the drop of the engraved stamp? I believe 1934-5 were the years both were on opposite side of the headstock. Were they copying the other manufacturers like Gibson, who had been doing that for a number of years, or were there other reasons? This must have been a big decision as they had resisted doing it for so long. Please explain.