Serial number 50551 was stamped on March 23, 1932 and cleared final inspection on August 5 that year. Some 0-18K guitars from the period were made for Hawaiian playing with a flat fingerboard and raised nut and saddle but this guitar was factory made for Spanish playing with a rounded fingerboard and normal nut and […]
Serial number 55754 was stamped on March 21, 1934 and cleared final inspection on May 28 that year. This guitar has the ebony neck reinforcement, bar frets and a Brazilian rosewood straight bridge. The tuners are similar to Grover G-98 clipped plate tuners but with black celluloid instead of metal buttons. These may be Grover […]
Serial number 65224 was stamped on January 7, 1937 and cleared final inspection on May 10 that year. The neck is 1-3/4″ wide at the nut with a 24.9″ scale length. The straight bridge is made of Brazilian rosewood. The tuners are Grover G-98 clipped plate machines with rounded metal buttons. This is a little […]
Here is one of the very early 1932 14-fret 0-18 “Model 32” guitars. The “Model 32” guitars received what Martin referred to as a “dark top” finish but is now commonly known as honeyburst, amberburst or shaded top. Serial number 50739 was stamped on April 13, 1932 and cleared final inspection on July 12 that […]
Most Martin tiples seen today are the relatively plain T-17 or T-18 models. But for a short time time in the 1920s a few fancy tiples were made, including this unique T-45K. The T-45K was made for William J. Smith & Co. in New York. It was William J. Smith who encouraged Martin to add […]
Serial number 199572 was stamped on December 23, 1964 and cleared final inspection on February 11, 1965. The D-21 guitars were made of Brazilian rosewood like the D-28 guitars but were characterized by plainer appointments and black binding, although the zipper backstripe was retained. The tuners are Kluson K-324 machines. Back and sides: Brazilian rosewood […]
Serial number 208095 was stamped on February 11, 1966 and cleared final inspection on May 20 that year. Martin launched the D-35 in 1965 to use up substantial stocks of smaller pieces of Brazilian rosewood by making three piece backs. At the same time Martin issued 12-string D-35 guitars based on the 12-fret Dreadnought body […]
Serial number 125297 was stamped on June 12, 1952 and cleared final inspection on September 16 that year. The tuners are Kluson 210 machines with metal buttons. Back and sides: Mahogany Top: Sitka spruce Photos courtesy of Folkway Music.
Serial number 81222 was stamped on March 30, 1942 and cleared final inspection on June 17 that year. The Martin 0-15 was the least expensive guitar model offered by Martin at the time, although Martin never made any compromise in terms of quality. As a war-time guitar this guitar has the ebony neck reinforcement rather […]
Between 1916 and 1921 Martin made a special line of guitars for Charles H. Ditson & Co. in New York. These guitars had a wide-waisted design since they were meant to played Hawaiian style and the normal narrow waist was no longer necessary. These guitars did not have a flat fingerboard or high saddle as […]