Here is a rare early Martin terz guitar. Terz means “third” in German and refers to the fact that these guitars were tuned three half tones higher than normal. This guitar has a scale length of only 22-1/4″. A short scale length is a feature of all terz guitars. Sadly, this guitar has seen a […]
This guitar was made in May 1839 and may well be the last guitar made by C. F. Martin Sr. in New York. The guitar contains a type 5 Martin label AND a Ludecus & Wolter label. Martin used the type 5 label in two periods, from April 1837 to April 1838 and again from […]
Several other entries for pre-1840 Martins have been posted on this website but this guitar is certainly very interesting from a historical perspective and provides a number of clues about C. F. Martin’s early days in the Cherry Hill PA area. The most important clue is that the guitar contains TWO labels: a Martin & […]
C. F. Martin Sr. formed a business agreement with John B. Coupa in early 1840 that gave Coupa the sale agency for New York City. The Martin & Coupa label was only applied to guitars sold from the depot at 385 Broadway. An examination of about 50 Martin & Coupa period guitars shows that 50% […]
This guitar has a rarely seen Type 4 label, I have been able to confirm only one other example. The type 4 label was only used from about September 1836 to the end of March 1837 (the type 5 label came into use on April 1, 1837). The label in this guitar has no serial […]
An early Martin ledger book contains an entry for an “Amadill” guitar sold on August 8, 1836. I have not been able to find any reference to explain the term amadill. However, I am quite confident that this instrument is the amadill guitar from the ledger, as will be explained. The cittern shape of the […]
C. F. Martin Sr. and Henry Schatz had been employed together at Stauffer in Vienna in the 1820s. Schatz left for America a few years before Martin and opened a musical import business in Philadelphia. From early 1835 until about September 1836 the two luthiers formed a partnership under the name Martin & Schatz. The […]
A completely unknown style of early Martin guitar came to light in 2017. Even in a period when C. F. Martin Sr. was continually experimenting with the design of his guitars, this guitar illustrates a number of unique features. The most obvious feature is the shape of the guitar. Rather than the more familiar Stauffer […]