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Considered by many to be most charming, intimate, 19th century Martin parlor guitar, the Martin 3-17 features Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, Adirondack spruce top, and Jerome tuners. This particular instrument, with an unbelievably beautiful, lyrical voice, was made in the early 1850’s, as we can tell by several clues. It’s a lot like Mark Twain’s famous Martin 2 ½-17 (see photo). Of course, it has to have the “CF Martin New York” not “CF Martin & Co” stamps– as this one does, to make it a pre-1867 Martin. Also, according to Martin scholars, Jerome tuners seem to have faded out by the late 1850s, to be replaced with similar tuners with a shorter plate and no name stamp. It is unusual on this guitar that the Jerome tuners are German silver, as most of the style 17 guitars have brass tuners. With the “tulip-shaped” tuner buttons, experts date the guitar to the early 1850s. The top is fan braced. Measurements are: body length 17.25″, lower bout width 11.125″, upper bout width 8.25″, overall length 35.75″, scale length just shy of 24 inches. 12 fret cedar neck with ice cream cone heel. Note that the black paint on the back of the neck and back of headstock was removed in some previous century– that does give a nice look at the cedar that would normally be obscured by the black “ebonized” paint. The body of the guitar had some overspray, but it turned out go be one of those fortunate occasions where it was light and really just sitting on top of the original finish, so we are able to easily remove it and reveal the original finish. A couple of small hairline cracks in back, repaired. Top and sides are crack-free. Reproduction ebony bridge. Original bar frets. Original Jerome Silver tuners, with original buttons. Original bracing and bridge plate. “C.F. MARTIN / NEW YORK” hot stamped on back, inside back brace and heel block (but the back stamp is faded). A previous owner of this guitar had a custom hard shell case made– it’s a professional quality, premium case that protects the guitar quite well– it’s heavy and sturdier than most new expensive hard shell cases. Historical interest aside (pre-civil war Martin guitars are rare), this guitar plays wonderfully. It projects the sweetest, but robust, glassy trebles, and clear mids and bass notes. It’s just a joy to play, and it just floats in your hands. (Note: 19th century Martins can be fitted with: gut strings, classical guitar strings, or extra light steel strings– depending on the guitar. It’s really a case-by-case basis, determining whether a particular 19th century Martin can “hold” or “withstand” very light gauge steel strings for example. One size does not fit all. And different 19th century Martins sound better with different strings. In this case, with this particular guitar, extra light steel strings are perfect. It can hold them fine– due to the structure of the top, the bridge plate, and bridge. And it plays and sounds perfect with those strings. This guitar is real find in that regard– not for the collector’s wall but for the player who wants to experience what the original CF Martin felt when he held this instrument in his hands in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, when Abraham Lincoln had not the slightest inkling he’d be in the White House and was just forging a reputation as an outstanding lawyer and earning the nickname of ‘Honest Abe’, and the New York Times was just commencing operations, and the first oil well had just been drilled in the United States by “Colonel” Edwin Drake in Titusville, Pennsylvania– that despite being in C.F. Martin’s state was darn near the old west at the time. In a custom made, professional quality hard shell case. -
Circa 1860 parlor guitar style 1 built by well known luthier, James Ashborn of Wolcottville, CT, for William hall & son music store. Brazilian rosewood back and sides; Adirondack top; maple binding. This guitar is crack free save for a couple of minor finish cracks on back, and is 100% original, including all original finish, and down to original nut, original bridge (and saddle) that has never been off the guitar, and original bridge pins. From a just-published article in Vintage Guitar magazine: “Ashborn's design for the guitar was quite innovative for the early 19th century. Instead of making guitars fashioned after the typical parlor-style guitars, he made them in the Spanish style, by taking interior bracing cues from the Spanish while retaining the body of the English guitars. This included a fan brace pattern rather than the more common ladder pattern Ashborn guitars have a very complex dovetail V joint for attaching the head to the neck. The headstock was cut in roughly five steps, using some kind of tracing router, as suggested by the chatter marks on the inside ears of the pegbox. In addition to the complex head design, Ashborn made his own tuning machines in-house. They're made of brass, very much like contemporary machines, with worm gears, cog gears, and rollers. … Ashborn's shop was extremely advanced for its time, having a great deal of know-how and technology. Ashborn understood the need to have the technology as well as the skill, but more importantly he discovered a new way of making high-quality instruments that were affordable. He was able to create a factory environment where workers did what they were good at and, with practice, became very fast and consistent. With a new level of consistency in mass production, he created the path followed by other companies such as Martin, Gibson, and Taylor. Using designs ahead of his time, he was able to bring the sound and change to people who otherwise never would have been able to acquire an instrument of this quality.” This beautiful all-original and crack-free Ashborn guitar is one of the best-preserved examples in existence. -
A rare, wonderfully-preserved, 1854 Schmidt & Maul. It’s signed and dated inside: Louis Schmidt Tompkinsville Staten Island New York 388 Broadway August 18th 1854 U. S.- Adirondack top
- Ebonized “ice cream cone” style neck
- solid brazilian rosewood back and sides
- fan braced
- marquetry Purfling around top, with Maple binding
- Maple binding, back
- Width at lower bout: 11 ½ inches
- 100% original finish. No overspray, touch-up, etc. anywhere…wonderful finish
- Not a crack on top, or sides. One small dryness crack on back, near the edge binding on treble side
- Original bridge plate, in great condition
- Reproduction, correct, Ebony bridge
- Bar frets replaced with period correct Bar frets from TJ Thompson
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This guitar is the last known guitar in existence, made by Louis Schmidt, the famous contemporary and one-time colleague to the founder of Martin Guitars, the original C.F. Martin. As such, it is a rare example of early American guitar making. And it’s signed by the maker, on the underside of the Adirondack top: Louis Schmidt Wakefield Westchester Cy NY July 9th 1859 U.S. Louis Schmidt worked side by side with CF Martin in the early years. Perhaps the most common misconception about early American guitar history is that C. F. Martin spent his first years in America earning a living as a solitary luthier in his New York workshop. Pay ledgers reveal that as early as 1834 he was paying luthiers to help him make his guitars. Two of these men, Heinrich Schatz and Louis Schmidt, left Martin's employ to make guitars on their own, and each succeeded as top builders. This instrument:- Similar features to circa 1860 Martin 17 style... but different purfling, binding, and slightly different body shape
- All original finish
- Brazilian rosewood back and sides (solid); Adirondack top
- In its original coffin case
- 11 3/8 inches wide at lower bout (a bit larger than a Martin 2 1/2)
- Body: 3 7/8 inches deep
- Original mahogany bridge plate (goes almost all the way across the width of the top, slotted under all the braces)
- Fan bracing pattern
- Plays beautifully. Good bass tone. Action is perfect.
- Ebony Bridge has been off at some point, and reglued on. With a lack of similar guitars on the market, it’s not known if this 19th century bridge on the instrument is the original bridge.
- One repaired crack on top, from bridge to bottom binding; One repaired crack on back. One small crack on top, either top edge of soundhole.
- Original Jerome tuners, reverse gear, working perfectly
- Maple and rosewood purfling/binding on top (no binding on back)
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Out of stock
Circa 1860 guitar, style 3 built by well known luthier James Ashborn of Wolcottville, CT, for William Hall & Son music store. Brazilian rosewood back and sides; Adirondack top; maple binding. Rare Brazilian rosewood veneered neck. 100% original, including all original finish, and down to original nut, original bridge (and saddle) that has never been off the guitar. From an article in Vintage Guitar magazine: "Ashborn's design for the guitar was quite innovative for the early 19th century. Instead of making guitars fashioned after the typical parlor-style guitars, he made them in the Spanish style, by taking interior bracing cues from the Spanish while retaining the body of the English guitars. This included a fan brace pattern rather than the more common ladder pattern Ashborn guitars have a very complex dovetail V joint for attaching the head to the neck. The headstock was cut in roughly five steps, using some kind of tracing router, as suggested by the chatter marks on the inside ears of the pegbox. In addition to the complex head design, Ashborn made his own tuning machines in-house. They're made of brass, very much like contemporary machines, with worm gears, cog gears, and rollers. … Ashborn's shop was extremely advanced for its time, having a great deal of know-how and technology. Ashborn understood the need to have the technology as well as the skill, but more importantly he discovered a new way of making high-quality instruments that were affordable. He was able to create a factory environment where workers did what they were good at and, with practice, became very fast and consistent. With a new level of consistency in mass production, he created the path followed by other companies such as Martin, Gibson, and Taylor. Using designs ahead of his time, he was able to bring the sound and change to people who otherwise never would have been able to acquire an instrument of this quality." -
19th century Martin parlor guitar. This lovely sounding Martin 2 1/2-17 features solid Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, Adirondack spruce top, and original Jerome tuners. This particular instrument has a beautiful, lyrical voice. It was made probably circa 1867-1870. There are several clues to establish that: the original coffin case with the guitar has attributes of an earlier case: the small brass handle, and the label inside the case has font and other attributes of late a 1860s case. Also, the particular style of the original Jerome Tuners. Kerfing inside is also indicative of an 1860’s Martin. And, the best clue of all: the 1 ¾ inch nut width. Of course, it’s post-1867, because of the “CF Martin & Co” stamps inside. The top is fan braced, typical of this style. Measurements are: body length 17 7/8", lower bout width 11 5/8", overall length 36 1/2"; scale length 24 ½ inches. 4 inch body depth at end pin; 3 3/8 inch boy depth at neck joint. 1 ¾ inch nut width– may have been a custom order, or just a slightly narrower nut width (from the 1 7/8 more common later) from the factory. 12 fret cedar neck/ebonized, with ice cream cone heel. All original finish, everywhere. A fair-to-low amount of playwear (see photos). Original bar frets in fine condition. Several small hairline cracks in back, repaired. Top and sides also have a couple or repaired cracks. Reproduction ebony bridge– just made by Dick Dubois.. Original bar frets. Original bracing. "C.F. MARTIN &CO/ NEW YORK" hot stamped on back strip inside, and heel block. CF Martin New York stamped on back, by heel joint. Original Jerome tuners, with original buttons– note, one of the sun gears (on the G string tuner) has been replaced, with a different 19th century Martin sun gear (see photo). Historical interest aside (these just-post-civil war Martin guitars are more rare than the 1870’s/1880’s/1890’s examples), this guitar plays wonderfully. It projects glassy brazilian trebles, and clear mids and bass notes. It’s just a joy to play, and it just floats in your hands (due to its very light weight). Action is good, and it plays in tune even on the higher frets. (Note: 19th century Martins can be fitted with: gut strings, classical guitar strings, or sometimes silk and steel/tuned down–depending on the guitar. It’s really a case-by-case basis. One size does not fit all. And different 19th century Martins sound better with different strings. In this case, with this particular guitar, our favorite strings if you want a “classical” style string but more brightness and volume than nylon classical strings: Savarez Alliance composite High Tension strings (note, “high tension” by classical standards– fine for this instrument). This instruments sounds wonderful with those strings. In is original coffin case (and case has all the original hardware, as well as its original cloth interior lining). -
Another all-original pre-war Martin… but you have to go back a few more wars on this one- to just after the Civil War. This guitar even has its original coffin case–necessary in the days when Martin guitars were shipped out by railroad or wagon train. The figured Brazilian rosewood back and sides are unusual– in these decades of the 19th century (and through the middle of the 20th) Martin usually did not use this kind of figured, lovely Brazilian (they preferred the more straight-grained variety). On this guitar, for the sake of originality, we’ve kept its original saddle intact. The original ivory saddle is worn through at the strings, but still functions nicely.- Fan braced
- Adirondack top
- Ebonized “ice cream cone” style neck
- Solid Brazilian rosewood back and sides
- 100% original finish…. No overspray, touch-up, etc. anywhere…wonderful finish
- Original ebony bridge, and bridge plate
- Two cracks in spruce top; one is bridge to bottom of top; the other is from near bridge to soundhole; first one described is beneath an internal brace; second is 2mm adjacent to a different brace. Neither need attention and are left alone to preserve originality.
- Characteristic, three Martin stamps: “CF Martin & Co, New York” ink stamped on neck block; “CF Martin & Co, New York” ink stamped on center strip inside; and “CF Martin New York”, stamped/pressed into brazilian rosewood back of guitar, up near the heel. (note: this guitar is not signed personally by factory foreman, etc, on underside of top…. This fact, and the other details, points to a circa 1870 date, not 1880s or 90’s).
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Signed by Martin factory foreman, underside of top: “6/1886”, this 0-28 is in stunning original condition. 1886 is the last year of the original factory in Nazareth, before Martin built the new factory addition in 1887. It is also the last year before they installed mechanized steam-run equipment to bend sides. So this wonderful 0-28, is one of the last of the totally hand-crafted Martins, built without mechanized equipment, and signed as such, 1886. Instrument is 100% original: finish, bridge, ivory nut, ivory saddle, ivory pins, bar frets, everything.- Crack-free
- repaired center seam on top
- Shows very little wear
- Scalloped braces (X-braced)
- original maple bridge plate
- original French-polish shellac finish throughout
- 13.5" wide at lower bout, and 4.25" deep at the endpin
- 24.9" scale length
- 1-7/8" wide nut
- soft-V neck profile.
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Signed by Martin factory foreman, underside of top: “Dec. 8, 1893”, this 0-28 is in wonderful original condition.- Instrument is 100% original: finish, bridge, ivory nut, ivory saddle, ivory bridge pins, bar frets
- Brazilian Rosewood Back and Sides
- Adirondack Spruce top
- Shows very little wear
- Scalloped braces (X-braced)
- Original maple bridge plate in perfect condition
- Original French-polish shellac finish throughout
- 13.5" wide at lower bout, and 4.25" deep at the endpin
- 24.9" scale length
- 1-7/8" wide nut
- Soft-V neck profile
- A couple small top cracks, professionally repaired and not an issue. Two finish checks/cracks, that due not go through wood, on back
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This extraordinary guitar, completed by C.T. Beitel in June of 1894, is signed and dated by him on the underside of the top. The guitar is in remarkably original condition. And it plays wonderfully. C.T. Beitel (Clemence T. Beitel, 1869-1916) was closely associated with C.F. Martin & Co. in the 1890’s. The Beitels are well known to have been closely associated with the Martin family in these years, both personally (including through marriage) and in the Martin guitar business. According to some correspondence and background research from family members obtained with this guitar, C.T. Beitel was the first American-born person to serve an apprenticeship at Martin Guitars. C.T. Beitel was a cousin to C.A. Zoebisch– who was of course the famous Martin guitar distributor and sometimes-partner of C.F. Martin & Co. in this period. Although this guitar is strikingly faithful to Martin specs, this is most likely one of C.T. Beitel’s guitars made by him to market separately from Martin. It is documented that at least one of the Beitel family had an ongoing guitar making and marketing business in the late 1890’s. Is this Beitel guitar one of the first made under the “Beitel” name? Certainly. Are there others remaining today? There are none known of by us–making this a rare and highly collectible guitar. Similar to a Martin 2-27… but not exactly. More like a cross between a 2-27, a “28” style–because of the wonderful Herringbone purfling/binding on the top– and a 30’s or higher style with its very fancy Jerome tuners.- No “Martin” stamps anywhere
- “C.T. Beitel” paper label on neck block (Martin stamp beneath the label? Uncertain)
- Signed and dated on underside of top: “C.T. Beitel, 6/94, Easton” (i.e. Easton, PA)
- X-braced top
- All original finish; no touch-ups etc
- Pearl inlay around sound hole
- Herringbone purfling around top
- Real Ivory binding, top, and back
- Bound Ivory neck
- Ebony bridge
- Ebony fretboard (bound in Ivory)
- Original Maple bridge plate
- Size: a just bit bigger at lower bout than a Martin “2” size: 12 1/4 inches
- Scale length: 24 3/4 inches
- Body length: 18 3/8 inches
- String spacing at bridge: 2 3/8 inches - Nut width: 1 7/8 inches
- Body depth at bottom of guitar: 4 inches
- Top: Adirondack Spruce
- Back and sides: solid Brazilian Rosewood
- Neck: Cedar
- Headstock: Brazilian Rosewood veneer
- Tuners: original, German-made Jerome tuners, with fancy flower engraving, and oval shaped Ivory tuner buttons. These tuners are typically found only on the highest model Martin guitars of those years
- Tuner buttons: Ivory, oval-shaped
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Exquisite, and a joy to play (… the top level, largest guitar that Martin made at the turn of the 20th century– with tone that shows off what Frank Henry Martin was proud of when he personally signed the inside of this instrument in April, 1903…) -
This fine Brazilian Rosewood 12-fret Martin is a joy to play, and it’s properly set up for steel strings. The grandson of C. F. Martin, Sr., Frank Henry Martin oversaw the Martin business from 1880 until well into twentieth century, and was responsible for the creation of the Style 0. I’m sure he loved this guitar–he personally signed the instrument, in cursive, under the top: “# 10082 Oct. 17th, 1905 F.H.M.” This 0-21 combines the exquisite tone of a 100 year old Martin, with some wonderful restoration. Guitar was refinished, probably decades ago, and it is a beautiful, French polish finish that has all the earmarks of an original finish. You can see the pores and saw marks in the Brazilian rosewood. No heavy-handed finish here, it’s a natural finish that lets the grain and color of the wood come through. And the tone, too, that sweet tone you can only get from Brazilian this old. The ebony pyramid bridge is a replacement, and features a compensated saddle, so intonation is dead on. (The bridge plate is the original small maple plate, in perfect condition.) Original tuners. Crack-free top and sides. There is only one very small crack, on the back, about 3 inches long, professionally repaired. The neck was set recently by Tony Nobles, and the original bar frets dressed. It plays, and sounds, like a late 20’s 12-fret Brazilian rosewood Martin.