Martin Guitars

1930 Martin OM-28, Serial Number 43670

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Serial number 43670 is a 1930 “small” pick guard OM-28 guitar. It was stamped on August 19, 1930 and cleared final inspection on October 15 that year. The small pick guard was used until replaced by the “large” pick guard in March 1931. The Pages banjo tuners appear to be replacements since as far as […]

Martin Guitars

1936 Martin 000-28, Serial number 63489

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Serial number 63489 was stamped on June 9, 1936 and cleared final inspection on October 8, that year. As an earlier 14-fret 000-28 this guitar has advance-X bracing, distinctive herringbone purfling around the top and a zig-zag backstripe. The tuners are Grover G-98 pointed plate machines with smooth-edged butterbean buttons. Back and sides: Brazilian rosewood […]

Martin Guitars

1935 Martin D-28, Serial Number 59395

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Serial number 59395 was stamped on March 19, 1935 and cleared final inspection on August 15 that year. Being an early D-28 it has advanced X-bracing and an 1-3/4″ wide neck (string specing at the bridge is 2-5/16″). Like all pre-war D-28 guitars, it has herringbone purfling around the top of the guitar and the […]

Martin Guitars

1944 Martin D-18, Serial Number 88780

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Seial number 88780 was stamped on August 22, 1944 and cleared final inspection on November 18 that year. This guitar retains the scalloped braces that define pre-war Martins (the transition to straight braces occurred in December 1944). The tuners are probably Kluson 502 machines. It will be noted the bushings are missing from the front […]

Martin Guitars

1945 Martin 000-21, Serial Number 93211

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Serial number 93211 was stamped on November 23, 1945 and cleared final inspection on February 11, 1946. The tuners are probably Kluson 502 machines (this is still a little up in the air because the celluloid buttons come in either white or black) and document the reappearance of bushings on the front of the headstock. […]

Martin Guitars

1888 Martin 2-1/2-40, Dated May 1888

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This guitar is a great example of an early high-grade Martin guitar. Styles 40 and 42 were the two fanciest grades of Martin at the time with style 40 being slightly commoner than style 42. The main difference between stlye 40 and 42 is that on style 42 the abalone purfling extended around the fingerboard […]

Martin Guitars

1892 Martin 2-20, Dated March 1892

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This guitar made before serial numbers were instituted but “3/92”, for March 1892, is written in pencil on the underside of the top near the soundhole. The guitar has three-strut fan bracing typical of the less expensive models Martin offered during this period. All Martin guitars from the period have back and sides of Brazialian […]

Martin Guitars

1957 Martin D-18, Serial Number 156914

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Serial number 156914 was stamped on August 21, 1957 and cleared final inspection onĀ  December 2 that year. The guitar has a Sitka spruce top and the mahogany back and sides expected with style 18 guitars. The machines are Kluson K-324 tuners. The MADE IN USA stamp indicates the guitar was exported, almost certainly to […]