THE MARTIN GUITAR COMPANY

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2 CHRISTIAN FREDERICK MARTIN, SR Founder, C. F. Martin & Co., Inc. THE MARTIN GUITAR COMPANY The Martin name has been held in high esteem as a symbol of enduring craftsmanship and quality through six generations of family members that have owned the company. C. F. Martin & Co. has had to adapt to widely varying economic, political, and cultural changes. Events such as the Civil War, the Industrial Revolution, the Spanish American conflict, the Great Depression, and two World Wars challenged the Company s ability to survive and thrive. C. F. Martin & Co. stands alone as the oldest maker of guitars in the world. D-45 C. F. Martin & Company remains the oldest surviving maker of guitars in the world. Six generations of the Martin family are pictured, each dedicated to the Company s primary product, its superbly wellcrafted acoustic guitars. Shown on cover, from left to right: D-45V, D-41 Special and the OMC Aura. CHRISTIAN FREDERICK MARTIN, JR Son of Christian Frederick Martin, Sr.

3 Martin s success over the years has stemmed in large part from a remarkable ability to innovate and adapt. It is this ability to change when necessary and still produce high quality instruments that has made the Company so successful for such a long period of time. Guitars evolved from fan-bracing to X-bracing, from gut to steel strings, and from small parlor size guitars to large bodied Dreadnoughts. Mandolins and ukuleles also enjoyed periods of great popularity, and the Company shifted its production to meet the changing demands. Today Martin continues to evolve because our customers needs continue to change, and we are challenged to move forward with many more new ideas. The product line, known for its simplicity in the 1970s and 80s, has evolved into a dynamic presentation as the Company has aggressively moved to fill voids in the marketplace. Since 1990, the Company has introduced many new products, ranging from the popular 1, Road, 15, and 16 Series to the more recent X Series. All Martin s high-quality guitars offer exceptional value. At the other end of the market, we reintroduced many of our most sought-after pre-war guitar designs as part of our Vintage Series. In such a dynamic environment, Martin will not lose sight of what makes its guitars great: a number of ingredients are important delicate hand-craftsmanship, tasteful ornamentation, meticulous attention to detail, quality and the reputation established by such a long history and tradition. Guitarists have come to expect all of these qualities when buying a Martin. The Martin guitar of today still stands heads above the rest because of its tone. Martin guitars are revered for their distinct power and balance, for deep, resonant basses and crisp clear trebles. More than any other attribute, the Martin sound is still uniquely our own. The skilled craftspeople at Martin take extreme pride in the guitars they produce. They open their doors every workday at 1:00 p.m. for public tours of the factory. You have the opportunity to see how deeply they are committed to building the finest musical instruments in the world. You are personally invited to visit us and see why Martin guitars are still the finest guitars in the world. CHRISTIAN FREDERICK MARTIN IV Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer Sixth Generation Martin to Lead the Company FRANK HENRY MARTIN Son of Christian Frederick Martin, Jr. HERBERT KELLER MARTIN Brother to Christian Frederick Martin III CHRISTIAN FREDERICK MARTIN III Son of Frank Henry Martin FRANK HERBERT MARTIN Son of Christian Frederick Martin III 2

4 FRET INSERTION GOLDEN ERA & MARQUIS The Golden Era and the Marquis Series both feature pre-war appointments: Adirondack Red Spruce top, forward-shifted Adirondack Red Spruce braces, cloth strips along the sides, 1930s style belly bridge, and fossilized ivory nut, saddle, endpins and bridge pins. Golden Era models are crafted in a style that gives a great deal of authenticity for collectors and boasts the quality craftsmanship for which the Martin Company is well known. The Marquis models are crafted with select East Indian rosewood for the sides, back, and headplate to make the D-28 Marquis guitars affordable masterpieces. After all, if you want to know what its like to be a music legend, you have to play one.

5 GOLDEN ERA MARQUIS D-28 Marquis OM-18 Golden Era D-28 Marquis Sunburst D-18 Golden Era Sunburst A unique almost magical blend of well-chosen materials, optimized design and quality construction. 4

6 BACK SANDING SPECIAL EDITION Special Editions really are unique guitars that encompass a wide range of creative designs. The one theme that links our entire line of Special Edition guitars together is people. Many of our Special Edition guitars are inspired by great artists and important people. Still others are the creative extension and technical knowledge of the people at Martin. This leads to a joining of like minds: When you purchase a Martin Special Edition, you form the creative link with people who have inspired you to become someone special.

7 SPECIAL EDITION D-28 Clarence White Clarence White was a highly gifted musician who owned a very special Martin. To commemorate his special talents and the special Martin guitar he played, Martin created the D-28 CW. This unique instrument has the oversized soundhole, forward-shifted braces and Adirondack spruce top that created the unique projection and tonal qualities of Clarence White s original D-28. D-28 Clarence White Norman Blake This Auditorium sized model has an Adirondack spruce soundboard, 1/4" scalloped Adirondack spruce braces, vintage style Waverly tuners and fossilized ivory pins and saddle. What makes this guitar extra special is the unique design by Norman Blake himself: A 12-fret neck on a fret body that allows the bracing to be shifted forward and frees up the bridge for enhanced sound quality Norman Blake DC Aura The sound quality and unique tone of Martin guitars is literally captured in the onboard Aura. Through Acoustic Sound Imaging, six versions of the best tonal qualities of these special guitars were captured with the highest quality studio microphones to give this guitar a studio quality sound that can then be blended with the Gold + Natural pickup. This AURA gives the musician the opportunity to create the highest quality sound on stage or at home. The OMC Aura is also available and is the perfect guitar for fingerstyle players. CF1 Sunburst This archtop guitar is the perfect mixture of quality craftsmanship and resonant tone that is the trademark of C. F. Martin & Co. 6

8 SCALLOPED BRACES VINTAGE SERIES Vintage Series instruments draw their inspiration from the elegant vintage designs and appointments of the pre-world War II era. Most Vintage Series models include old-style squared headstock, modified V-shaped neck, period fingerboard inlays, scalloped bracing, beveled tortoise colored pickguard, old-style long or through saddle, aging toner finish on the soundboard, vintage style tuning machines and a vintage Geib Style case. The D-18VE and HD-28VE models are equipped with the Ellipse Blend. Our Vintage Series guitars now have high quality electronic sound reinforcement that is practically invisible. Both models give the player the best of two worlds Vintage appointments and modern blending controls. Other important features for the Vintage Series generally include solid wood top, back and sides, pre-war appointments, gloss finished bodies, and hand-fit dovetail neck attachment.

9 VINTAGE SERIE D-45V The D-45V features scalloped forward-shifted X bracing. Other special features include a highly colorful abalone border around all the seams of the top, back and side edges. The perimeter of the fingerboard and rosette are also outlined in pearl. Traditional diamonds and snowflakes are inlaid in the bound ebony fingerboard. Grained ivoroid bindings, a Style 45 multi-colored mosaic backstrip, and vintage style gold butterbean tuners complete the appointments. HD-28V HD-28V The HD-28V incorporates the most popular pre-war features into a vintage Herringbone D-28 format. Grained ivoroid bindings, forward-shifted scalloped bracing, butterbean tuning machines, and diamond and square fingerboard inlays combine to make an exceptional pre-war herringbone replica in appearance. The HD-28VS is the 12-fret slotted head version of the HD-28V. OM-28V The OM-28V Orchestra draws its inspiration from the original historic Perry Bechtel OM-28 herringbone guitar made in The 000 body size is blended with the OM long scale to produce a balanced sound considered ideal for fingerstyle technique. D-18V The D-18V Dreadnought features a genuine ebony fingerboard and bridge, plus many simple but tasteful vintage details such as: Tortoise-colored binding, old-style abalone position dots, open-geared chrome tuners with butterbean knobs, and all of the other features that are standard to all Vintage Series models. ELLIPSE BLEND Eric Clapton A genuine ebony fingerboard features the pre-war Style 28 snowflake pattern in abalone pearl. Eric Clapton s signature is inlaid in mother-of-pearl between the 19th and 20th frets. The sides and back are constructed from solid East Indian rosewood, and the top is bookmatched from select quartersawn Sitka spruce. The rosette, as well as the perimeter of the soundboard, are inlaid with finely patterned herringbone wood marquetry. The body is bound with grained ivoroid Eric Clapton The EC Auditorium was designed in collaboration with Eric Clapton. 8

10 PEARL INLAY STANDARD SERIES Martin launched the Standard Series line nearly a century ago, and these models set the standard for all modern acoustic guitars. For the most part, Martin is credited with inventing these styles and shapes, and guitar makers in general have adopted Martin s size designations. The Standard Series began with the Dreadnought, a shape that Martin first built in 1916 to provide a bigger, richer guitar sound at a time when there was no amplification. Dreadnoughts provided the perfect accompaniment for singers in larger settings and auditoriums, and thus started the golden age of the guitar. These instruments constitute the historic core of Martin and represent the majority of sizes and styles that have evolved during this century. The Standard Series models are known for resonant warmth of tone, tastefully restrained styling and high quality craftsmanship. Features for the Standard Series include solid wood top, back, and sides, polished gloss finish, and a hand-fit dovetail neck attachment.

11 STANDARD SERIES D-35 The D-35 incorporates Martin s visually striking threepiece back and produces a strong bass that is ideal for rhythm playing. To accentuate the treble, Martin uses lighter 1 4" top braces. Bindings with extra side inlays and a bound ebony fingerboard add to the distinctiveness of this model. The HD-35 is the herringbone version of the D-35. Its trademark three-piece back is pictured to the right. D-28 Since its introduction in 1931, the Martin D-28 has remained the standard by which all large bodied, steelstring acoustic guitars are measured. The D-28 utilizes solid East Indian rosewood for the back and sides. Genuine ebony is used for the fingerboard and bridge. The D12-28 is the 12-string version of the D-28 and the is the smaller bodied 000 or Auditorium sized version of the famous Martin D-28 Dreadnought. HD-35 Back HD-28 The HD-28 is the herringbone version of the D-28 that has vintage features that include herringbone top trim, a traditional zig-zag backstrip, and Martin s famous scalloped X-bracing. The HD-28 is pictured below. D-18 Traditional Style 18 features on the D-18 include a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, black binding and pickguard, and chrome enclosed tuning machines. Solid mahogany back and sides combine with the large Dreadnought size to produce a loud, clear treble and a warm, moderate bass. The D-18 is pictured to the right. D-18 HD-28 The HD-28 represents a recreation of Martin s legendary herringbone D-28 style guitars. 10

12 STANDARD SERIES D-45 The D-45 is the most ornately appointed guitar in the Martin line. Large C. F. Martin abalone letters adorn the headstock, and abalone hexagon inlays are used as position markers on the bound ebony fingerboard. The D-45 is pictured below. D-41 The D-41 offers the extra ornamentation and premium selection of woods that typify Martin s prestigious 40 s Series. With its tasteful elegance and a moderate price, the D-41 is among Martin s best values in topof-the-line guitars. It is shown on the next page. D-42 The D-42, which is on the next page, draws its inspiration from the pre-war period with vintage features such as forward-shifted scalloped bracing, traditional Style 45 snowflake fingerboard inlays, grained ivoroid bindings, and gold tuning gears with butterbean knobs. D-41 Special Our D-41 Special features forward-shifted scalloped bracing that creates incredible tone. The bound fingerboard, gold tuners and abalone snowflakes enhance the beauty of this special guitar. Unlike many other Standard Series guitars, the D-41 Special has a more vintage styled Modified V neck. Also available in the Jumbo sized J-41 Special that sports many of the same features. D-40 The D-40 features rosewood back and sides, scalloped bracing and abalone pearl rosette. A bound ebony fingerboard displays abalone hexagon position markers. The bound headstock with Style 45 C. F. Martin features abalone pearl letters and gold enclosed tuning machines. J-40 With valuable input from both dealers and players, C. F. Martin IV designed the J-40 Jumbo model, prized for its elegant yet tasteful appointments. The J-40 is pictured to the far right.

13 STANDAR SERIES D-42 J-40 D-41 D-45 Martin selects the finest tonewoods available to build each D

14 PRE-FINISH 16 SERIES The well-established and innovative 16 Series was originally conceived and developed as an experiment to deliver better sound without higher cost. Martin succeeded by using a combination of our proprietary bracing systems called hybrid X bracing on a solid wood instrument. Now this series of guitars has become a longtime Martin favorite. The new 16 Series Premium models include Fishman Premium electronics that are state of the art in sound reinforcement. Features for the 16 Series generally include solid wood top, back and sides, patented neck mortise, and hybrid X bracing. In addition to the gloss top models, many full gloss 16 Series models are available.

15 16 SERIES DC-16RE Premium The DC-16RE Premium pictured below has a full gloss body with the sides and back crafted from solid East Indian rosewood. This beautiful guitar is one of Martin s entries into Dreadnought-bodied gloss cutaway guitars. The DC-16E Premium shares the same features, although its full gloss body is crafted with solid mahogany sides and back. Both versions are available in OM Orchestra size, the OMC-16RE and the OMC-16E respectively. D-16 and D16R These models represent great value because both instruments feature full-gloss bodies with Martin s patented mortise and tenon neck joint. Pictured to the right, the D-16 is crafted from solid sapele while the D-16R has a similar level of appointments though it is made with solid East Indian rosewood. Both instruments feature our modified low-oval neck that makes these high quality, sweet-sounding guitars play fast and easy. D-16 D-16GT Displaying the simple elegance of Martin styling, the D-16GT Dreadnought features a solid spruce top polished to a high gloss and solid bookmatched genuine mahogany back and sides that have an attractive and durable semi-gloss finish. The D-16RGT is the rosewood version of the D-16GT. 000C-16RGTE Premium The 000C-16RGTE Premium, pictured to the right, is the smaller bodied 000 or Auditorium-sized acousticelectric version of the D-16RGT, featuring a solid spruce top polished to a high gloss, a rounded Venetian cutaway and onboard electronics. The 000C-16GTE Premium mahogany version is also available. 000C-16RGTE Premium DC-16RE Premium The DC-16RE Premium is a Dreadnought Venetian cutaway guitar featuring onboard electronics. 14

16 FINAL ASSEMBLY 15 SERIES Our 15 Series is reminiscent of the style 15 guitars of the 1940s. This series features affordable all solid wood guitars that are available in many shapes and sizes. The 15 Series instruments feature richly stained solid mahogany or sapele top, back, and sides to give them a unique and distinctive look along with our recognizable Martin sound. These features mark them as one of Martin s most attractive values. Other features for the 15 Series generally include herringbone style rosette, satin finish, patented neck mortise, and A-frame X bracing which enhances the rich, bright sound inherent in the wood.

17 15 SERIES D-15 The D-15 pictured below is the lowest priced solid wood Martin guitar currently available. With its mahogany or sapele construction and simple appointments, the D-15 Dreadnought produces a very balanced tone The is the smaller bodied 000 or Auditoriumsized version of the D-15. The S is the 12-fret body version of the BC-15E The BC-15E Acoustic Bass is the acoustic electric bass featuring a rounded Venetian cutaway, onboard electronics, a full 34" scale bass neck combined with the comfortable Jumbo body shape and size. The BC-15E is pictured to the right S BC-15E D-15 The D-15 features solid genuine mahogany or sapele for the top, back, and sides. The soundboard is trimmed with a single-banded gold herringbone style rosette and a tortoise-colored pickguard. 16

18 BODY ASSEMBLY ROAD & 1 SERIES Martin created the Road and 1 Series for the working musician and weekend warrior. These sweet sounding, easy-playing guitars are designed to provide the unique Martin look, feel and sound at an affordable price. The Road and 1 Series guitars were a pioneering breakthrough for Martin because they were the first instruments to achieve our unique Martin sound, feel and look with wood laminates. These guitars represent an extraordinary value as well as a state-of-the-art acoustic guitar design.

19 ROAD & 1 SERIES DM The DM Dreadnought features laminated genuine mahogany back and sides with a solid spruce top, single-banded herringbone rosette, and a durable satin finish. The DM is pictured below. The DR is the rosewood version of the DM. The DM-12 is the 12-string version of the DM and the bridge, neck width, and headstock have been modified accordingly. DCME The DCME is the acoustic-electric cutaway version of the DM with onboard electronics. 000M Pictured to the right, the 000M is the smaller bodied 000 or Auditorium-sized version of the popular DM. D-1 The D-1 Dreadnought soundboard is bookmatched from solid Sitka spruce while the back is solid genuine mahogany. The sides are crafted from laminated genuine mahogany. D-1 DC-1E The DC-1E is an acoustic-electric version of the D-1 featuring onboard electronics The is the smaller bodied 000 or Auditoriumsized version of the D-1. B-1 The B-1 is an acoustic bass version of the D M DM Since its introduction, the DM has been received with great enthusiasm. Its outstanding Martin tone and affordable price make it an ideal instrument for players at all skill levels. 18

20 NEW TECHNOLOGY X SERIES Martin Guitar has long recognized the serious nature of the earth s dwindling resources and has focused attention on alternative materials. We are also committed to designing Martin guitars that are within reach of every aspiring guitarist. Martin s breakthrough X Series guitars were designed to meet both of these needs! The X Series guitars are constructed with a combination of highly compressed wood fibers (high-pressure laminate, abbreviated as HPL) and traditional tonewoods. Martin has found HPL to be an extremely durable and workable material. We have crafted ways to build traditional Martin shapes with HPL that yield incredibly long-lasting, affordable guitars. Most importantly, we ve managed to build them so they possess the famous Martin sound and playability found in our more expensive guitars.

21 X SERIES DX1 The DX1 features a solid spruce top combined with back and sides made of mahogany-patterned high-pressure laminate (HPL). The DX1 is pictured below. The D12X1 is the 12-string version of the DX1. DCX1E Pictured on the right, the DCX1E is the acousticelectric version of the DX1 featuring a rounded Venetian cutaway and onboard electronics. DXM The DXM Dreadnought features top, back and side construction of durable high-pressure laminate (HPL) and herringbone style rosette. The DXME is the acoustic-electric version of the DXM with onboard electronics. DCX1E 000X1 The 000X1 is the smaller bodied 000 or Auditoriumsized version of the DX1 that features the same solid spruce top and HPL sides and back. This model is pictured to the right. 000X1 DX1 Our breakthrough X Series features many models that are constructed with a combination of solid spruce tonewoods, and high-pressure laminate (HPL) back and sides, like the DX1. 20

22 LITTLE MARTIN We are proud to introduce the Little Martin models. These latest additions to the Martin line are built with Martin quality and craftsmanship, with the emphasis on producing great sound in smaller guitars. All Little Martin guitars are durable and easy to play. They are the perfect pick up and play guitars that let you jam at home or on the road and are the perfect choice for students. All Little Martin models are sold with padded gig bags that have a tough exterior and backpack straps for convenience. The LXME and LX1E are equipped with Fishman Mini Q electronics. MINI Q LXM LXBlack LXK2 LX1

23 BACKPACKER & S-O UKE Our Backpacker can accompany you anywhere in the world. One neat little package gives you intonation, playability, durability, and most importantly, portability that allows Backpackers to fit conveniently into small spaces. The Backpacker is all solid wood but remains light and easy to handle. You can play your Backpacker in cars, parachuting, in canoes or at home sitting in your favorite chair. Certain Backpackers also have an optional on-board pickup. Plugged in, you would swear you were listening to a full-size guitar. Pictured below are three versions of the Backpacker: Steel String, Nylon String and Mandolin. Next time you travel, don t leave home without your Backpacker. S-O Ukulele The S-O ukulele features solid mahogany body and neck construction that boasts traditional Martin appointments and a durable satin finish. Pictured above, the S-O Uke is a very affordable package and comes complete with a padded carrying bag. Nylon Carrying Bag Mandolin Nylon-String Steel-String Guitar Classical Guitar Backpacker instruments are produced under a manufacturing license from McNally Instruments, Rockaway, NJ. 22

24 Always dreamed of owning your own special Martin? At Martin, our Custom Shop s experienced craftsmen work with you to design and build your one-of-a-kind Martin that is completely, undeniably yours. Contact your Martin dealer to discuss your own personal dream guitar C. F. Martin & Co., Inc., 510 Sycamore Street, P. O. Box 329, Nazareth, PA USA, Visit our website at martinguitar.com for the most complete product information. Printed in the USA on recycled paper MC01 Shown left to right: Art Nouveau design, Celtic design, and Cutaway option.