Posted on 02/19/2008 5:45:13 AM PST by Dr. Scarpetta
In the past 175 years, C.F. Martin & Co. defined the shape, construction and sound of the acoustic guitar.
And the company still eyes each detail. Employees sweat the big things, like dwindling supplies of rare tone woods. They sweat the small stuff, like the exact orientation of each pick guard.
The company is taking the year to celebrate C.F. Martin Sr.'s arrival in New York City in 1833 where he set up his first shop on Hudson Street at what is now the mouth of the Holland Tunnel.
CEO Christian F. Martin IV said the anniversary is remarkable and has been possible because of C.F. Martin Sr.'s vision of building the best guitar possible. Martin said that spirit is one reason the company remains at the pinnacle of the industry his ancestor helped forge.
"I have so much respect for (C.F. Martin Sr.'s) goal to make the perfect guitar," Martin said. "He set the standard."
The company has planned a symphony of events, special models, books, albums and even horticulture and confections.
"We're going to plant a stand of Sitka spruce trees in Alaska," director of artist relations Dick Boak said.
Boak's plans for dreadnought-shaped Peeps made by Just Born didn't work out.
"Apparently it's not that easy to make a guitar-shaped Peep," he said.
Boak said the company spent a year developing the anniversary celebration. It wasn't easy.
"A lot of companies are better at marketing than they are at making instruments," Boak said. "We're better at making instruments, so it's a little difficult for us to figure out how to do this efficiently."
The celebration kicked off with an acoustic performance by Martin artist John Mayer at the National Association of Music Merchants annual trade show in January and winds down around October when the company plans to auction a collection of rare guitars at Christie's in New York to benefit the Martin Foundation.
Martin said the gem of the anniversary celebration would be if one of the presidential candidates accepted an invitation to visit the factory.
He said he hopes Sens. John McCain, Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama can stop by and see how one of the country's oldest manufacturing operations has managed to remain in America in the same family.
"That's pretty amazing that the company has always been in the family," said Acoustic Guitar magazine senior editor Teja Gerken, who owns a custom OM Martin guitar. "They've really kept the tradition and history alive by doing that."
Martin said keeping the company in the family is something he's thought a lot about. His 3-year-old daughter, Claire Frances Martin, could be the next generation to lead the firm.
"Where will we be in life at our 200th (anniversary)? Will I be coming back from Florida? We're not immortal," Martin said.
"Hopefully she'll say, 'This company is a very precious thing,'" Martin said.
Martin said the company has aged well, and one thing is certain, the product his ancestor perfected is in demand.
"I was here for the 150th anniversary," Martin said. "Business is much better today."
Gerken said there has never been a time when Martin wasn't considered among the best. He added that build quality, high-end materials and attention to detail are the hallmarks of a Martin.
C.F. Martin Sr. had a motto: Non Multa Sed Multum. Not many but great. And it holds true 17 decades later, even on items as forgettable as the plastic pick guard.
"That one's close but not quite right," Boak said as he circled the company's museum.
Then he found it, a dark brown, unadorned, 4-string tenor guitar built in 1931. He opened the glass case and grabbed the instrument. Boak walked to the factory, tuning the little guitar along the way and sampling the Kingston Trio's "Tom Dooley."
Boak presented the guitar to the factory's quality team, pointing to the exact, upright orientation of its pick guard. He said the pick guards, hand placed, have been a little off center for some time. The team, led by director of quality Vince Gentilcore, fashioned a jig that they hope fool-proofs future assembly.
"They've always been able to take a step back and always look to improve what they have," Gerken said. "That's the kind of effort that will result in great guitars."
Reporter JD Malone can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at jdmalone@express-times.com.
Didn’t Elvis also have a Martin with a leather sound board??
That would be a “leather-covered” sound board.
You know, I once pulled into Nazareth, and I was feeling about half past dead...
Bookmarking for later...
It clearly is. Elvis was more identified playing Gibson acoustics than Martins.
I see now. If you look further down in the page it describes the J-200. The text doesn’t apply to the picture. That’s a cool web page (bookmark). I’m getting a 1965 Rickenbacker 365 fireglo for the collection tomorrow.
Walmart has a classic Rickenbacker department now?
Who knew? ;-)
>> what I’d expect from a third-rate entertainer and very poor guitarist <<
I can’t comment on Willie Nelson’s guitar playing. Never paid it any attention.
But gotta disagree with your calling him a “third-rate entertainer.” I’d say “extremely inconsistent entertainer” would be more accurate.
Of course, many of his performances have been dreadful, especially during the last 25 years. But earlier, his singing could be magnificent.
My favorites are his performances in the Western Swing genre, for example, his renditions of “San Antonio Rose” and “My Window Faces the South.” His phrasing, elocution and pitch on those recordings rank with the great jazz singers, almost as good — dare I say — as Sinatra.
Moreover, he ranks among the giants as a songwriter, maybe the only Nashvillian besides Christofferson who has contributed to the canon of the “Great American Songbook.”
My belief is that if Nelson had never written anything other than “Crazy,” his reputation would be secure. That composition — which some deem the greatest “country” song of all time — has more harmonic complexity than any other C & W hit I can recall. I tried to count the separate chords, but I gave up after ten. That number surely breaks the Nashville record!
(Moreover, “Crazy” even has a key change. Shades of Cole Porter! If you know of another country hit that uses this device, please let me know because I can’t think of any.)
So sure, Willie stinks on many scores — maybe even literally for all I know. But I’ll bet that 50 or 75 years from now, long after his other accomplishments and his misadventures have been forgotten, people will still be humming the melodies of “Hello Walls,” “Night Life,” “How Time Slips Away,” and above all, “Crazy.”
I’m surprised that Martin didn’t include Chet Atkins in that list. Although “Mister Guitar” is more commonly associated with Gibson and Gretsch instruments, he definitely owned and played a number of Martin acoustics.
True. He sure isn't a Bruce Springsteen. Bruce can play many chords now, but it wasn't easy.
1955 O-15
Took grandson to factory ‘05.
I have had the 910 for over ten years and the price has gone down whereas a Martin of the same vintage is twice the value.
Willie’s a great guitar player. His improvisations are incredibly melodic, and he plays with unmatched feel.
I’d love to find an original Martin N-20 (Willie’s “Trigger”), but they’re very rare. Martin made an exact copy of “Trigger” (with Brazilian rosewood back and sides and all) about 10 years ago for a short run, but it was a bit too pricey — around $7000, IIRC.
For dreadnoughts (especially playing bluegrass) I far prefer Martins to any other acoustic. For rock and roll and blues I prefer Gibsons. ...like the J-45 or Hummingbird. For smaller bodied accoustics and fingerpicking sytle I prefer Taylors or Santa Cruz guitars.
My son got my old one, and he's enjoying that one as well.
You ain't a kidding! I have a Martin DSR (solid spruce/solid rosewood) that is modeled from the Martin D-28 that Hank Williams Sr used. Best frikin' guitar I ever made love to! Thumping base and just beautiful!
CONGRATULARIONS MARTIN ON YOUR 175th! You done good!
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