Martin Guitars

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C.F. Martin and family arrived in the United States from Germany in 1833 and began making musical instruments in New York City.

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In 1839, he moved his family to Nazareth where they enjoyed an established German population and began producing guitars there.

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The sidewalk at the entrance

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A citation for the quality of its instruments at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition

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This guitar was created as a limited edition tribute to the pearl inlay artistry that was on the 1,000,000 guitar produced by Martin.

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Good quotation from Eric Clapton

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Guitars from the early 1800s

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The highest grade of Martin guitar made at the time, the guitar on the left was made about 1845. The guitar on the right was a model 3-17. The 3 indicated the size and the 17 was the price (1859).

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Responding to the market, Martin began producing mandolins. For a while, they outsold guitars.

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This OM-45, the guitar that Eric Clapton would like to return as, was the 10th of 11 made in this series. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful and tonally superior guitars ever produced by Martin.

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Roy Rogers wore this stage shirt in many of his performances with Dale. The guitar is very similar to the OM-45 that Roy bought in 1930.

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To commemorate Eric Clapton’s “Unplugged” video and CD, he and Marin created this model of the Martin 000 guitars that Clapton has used throughout his career.

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Guitars from the 1960s

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The pearl inlay on this guitar is a tribe to Ernest Tubb, the "Texas Troubadour”.

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A replica of the Joan Baez 1929 0-45.

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To honor George Martin, the producer of The Beatles, Martin produced this guitar. Note the unique M on the head stock.

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This 5 inlay, at the fifth fret, indicated George Martin’s role as the “fifth Beatle”.

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Eric Clapton created this stunning Bellezza Bianca (beautiful white) guitar. He and a friend ordered four.

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Clapton and Martin also created a black version, Bellezza Nera.

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Stephen Stills wrote “Suite Judy Blue Eyes” on this 1930 Martin guitar for his girlfriend, Judy Collins. He then gave the guitar to Judy. She later loaned the guitar to Martin for this special display.

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In a small room at the back of the museum, Martin has a few stools and high end guitars that they invite you to play and enjoy. What a thrill.

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Into the factory for the tour. Six hundred people make about 225 guitars each day.

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Some automation is used, like the laser cutting machine. Top end guitars are still entirely hand made.

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There is still a lot of craftsmanship involved in producing all of their guitars.

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Placing the top on a ukelele.

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What a fun day.


© Russ Milam 2014