Gallery

An all-original Martin from the finest era in the company’s history, this 0-18 is unsurpassed for Martin 12-fret Adirondack spruce over Mahogany tone. What can you add about a 1930 Martin, that is 100% original, down to the original bridge pins, and original ivory saddle This example is from the time when Martin had just started using belly bridges, and the ebony belly bridge on this guitar still has its original ivory saddle. And this guitar is 100% crack-free. Period. The instrument features the original bridge (full height), original tuners, original ivory saddle, original nut, and original maple bridge plate (the bridge plate shows almost no wear from ball ends–almost unheard of in a prewar Martin). All original finish– everywhere. Some honest playwear and various minor nicks and dings give the wonderfully aged and naturally honey-hued Adirondack top character. The top shows perfect form, with no bellying behind the bridge, etc. One of the things that makes Martin’s from these year so great-sounding: Martin was still using a thin ebony rod inside the neck, not a metal bar. So the instrument is more free to resonate, from tuners, right down to the bridge. And resonate this one does, with a strong bass especially that puts many many large size guitars to shame. 1-7/8 inch nut. The neck has just been set, by us, retaining the original Bar frets

1963 and 1964 were the best years for the legendary early 60's Gibson SG. And 63-64 saw the transition from the Les Paul model to the "Solid Guitar" or SG. Only in 63 and 64 did Gibson use a particularly wide neck on the SG, and that's why players love SG's from these two seminal years. This '64 SG is something of a transition model from the last of the double cutaway Les Paul/SG's to the SG Standard-it carries the Les Paul truss rod cover (original to the guitar), and it features the great lyre vibrola (nickel). This 1964 SG, with all original finish, and original parts (including Patent # humbuckers), is a wonderful instrument with the right amount of honest wear to make it fit like a glove, and play like a dream in your left hand with that wonderful ample neck.

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).

One of the first Martin 3K Ukeleles ever made. This is possibly a prototype, one of the first, all hand-made Martin 3K Ukeleles, made probably before the official introduction of the model by Martin in 1919-1920. It has many signs that it was the one of the first ones:

• Ebony fretboard is hand-cut
• Fretboard inlays are hand-cut
• There is an "A" on the back of headstock... could be a marking by the Martin craftsmen in-house to indicate a prototype.

So it dates from about 1918– when Martin first developed the style "3K" before its launch in 1920. The "K" of course, stands for Koa (wood). It has:

• Several cracks on back (repaired)
• Two cracks on top (repaired)
• There is one missing brace, a back brace, inside. Since ukeleles are so small, that brace has no real structural importance, so we decided not to replace it
• The sound hole was at some point enlarged slightly, either at the factory, or later. Probably later– so we’ll call it the Tony Rice model… this modification does add loudness
• The finish is all original.
• Original striped nut
• 3 lines inlaid down center of fingerboard.
• 7 ply side binding
• Celluloid ornament on top, behind bridge (known as the "parend").
• Small pearl paired-diamond inlays at fret 5, 7, 9– hand-cut. With the “bowtie” at the 7th fret
• Kite-shaped celluloid ornament on front of headstock
• Original friction pegs
• Ebony fretboard
• C.F. Martin & Co. stamp on back of headstock.

The tone is absolutely superb– loud, clear, bright glassy tone that only Koa gives– and this one is as light as a feather… the best tone we've heard from any ukelele. With original case.

A chance to own a great sounding, great playing Brazilian Rosewood D-28, at a fraction of the cost of an all-original example. This D-28 has had some work, and a few issues, but it’s all repaired and ready to play. And the tone is incredible– tone you won’t find in any other mid-50’s D-28. This guitar, has just been gone over head to end pin, repaired, restored, and set up, by two of the top luthiers/repairmen in Texas, and it’s good to go for decades. The bridge is perfect. Saddle is perfect height. Action is great– low but no buzzing. It won’t need a thing. Ready to play. The tone: the scalloped braces add roundness and clarity to the basses (A and D string in particular) and a bit more “ring” to the trebles. Don’t try this at home– a scalloped braced mid 50’s D-28, but the result, set up by two of this country’s top luthiers, is a great sounding brazilian Martin dread, whose tone you won’t find in any Martin north of 1944– certainly not at this price. Here’s the report:

• sometime decades ago, the top braces were scalloped
• probably as a result of a minor impact at the end pin (guitar dropped), there were cracks in the sides, and a slight crack to the neck block. So a previous luthier, long before we acquired the guitar, put in 4 small wood dowels, through the sides–near the heel, into the block (see photos). All is stable. Not the prettiest solution, but it works well.
• Small crack in heel, repaired and stable
• Original finish, on Sitka Spruce top; Oversprayed back, sides, and neck (but back of neck finish has worn, giving a natural, comfortable feel)
• A bit of damage to one corner of the headstock. But there are no cracks in headstock.
• Pickup jack installed years ago at end pin; no pickup inside; Also, an old pickup jack on bass side of guitar, filled.
• Some pickwear loss, bottom edge of soundhole
• Top of guitar has no serious cracks. No "B string" pickguard crack. Tiny crack along the treble edge of the pick guard. A couple more finish type of cracks that do not go through the wood to inside.
• Several side cracks, all addressed.
• Back of guitar has no cracks through the wood. A couple of finish cracks.

The good news: recently, the following work was done on the guitar, making it 100% stable, and ready to play:

• neck set, by John Allison
• Refret, by John Allison
• New, 100% period correct, ebony bridge, made and installed by John Allison. Bridge is made to the exact specs, footprint, etc, of an original 1956 Martin bridge. A small area of finish around an older oversized bridge was addressed by John (you can see this in the photos).
• New, period correct Maple bridge plate, installed by Tony Nobles
• Old pickup jack on bass side of guitar, filled by Tony Nobles.
• The wonderful, original gold-plated Kluson waffle-back tuners, are original, and work perfectly.
• Original pickguard
• Original Martin logo on headstock