Lehigh Valley, PA.— Wednesday, March 23, 2022—C.F. Martin & Co. announced today that Matthew Kennedy has been elected to the company’s Board of Directors.
The nephew of Chris and Diane Martin, Kennedy has been a full-time employee of Martin for nearly a decade and has held a seat on the board of the Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation where he has served with integrity and passion since December 4, 2020.
“Matt will be assuming Diane’s position as a representative of the Martin family, along with me, on the board of our closely held family business,” said Chris Martin. “Matt shares many of the values that made Diane an incredibly kind and beloved human being to everyone who knew her. She and Matt have always shared a fair and just outlook on life and business, carrying on their duties without privilege or ego. I look forward to helping Matt learn about how to guide our precious family business into the future.”
Currently a Project Manager, Kennedy started his journey with Martin on the manufacturing floor and has held various positions throughout the organization. By working alongside coworkers in each area for extended periods, Kennedy was able to understand the unique opportunities and challenges that the employees face on a daily basis. It is through this ongoing immersive experience that he hopes to bring the voice of every employee into the board room.
“I’m truly honored to accept a position on Martin’s Board of Directors,” said Kennedy. “I hope to make my aunt proud by ensuring that her never-ending voice for inclusivity and equality continues to resound with each decision that is made on behalf of the board. I feel a deep sense of responsibility to do what I can to make sure my family’s business and all of my coworkers continue to thrive for the foreseeable future.”
Kennedy holds a BS from Bloomsburg University with a dual major in Computer Science and Philosophy. He is currently pursuing his MBA in Project Management from DeSales University.
I have long been privy to the internal speculation that Mr. Kennedy was being groomed toward possibly being the next family member to head this venerable American family-owned business. Here’s to wishing him every bit of good luck possible.
The North American Guitar, owner of Cotton Music, and Carter Vintage Guitars merge to bring the world’s finest guitars to players and collectors around the globe
The two independent guitar companies will work together to shape the future of the high-end and vintage guitar market ensuring that guitar lovers no matter their location can access the best guitars the world has to offer
NASHVILLE, TN, MARCH 3, 2022—Two of the world’s leading independent guitar stores, The North American Guitar (TNAG) and Carter Vintage Guitars (CVG), have announced they have merged.
Carter Vintage Guitars will become part of The North American Guitar and together they will pursue a shared mission to bring the world’s finest guitars and instruments to players, collectors, and enthusiasts worldwide. CVG co-founders Walter and Christie Carter will remain at the helm of the vintage instrument operations from their iconic location in Music City, Tennessee.
By combining TNAG’s expertise in luthier-built instruments and the premium guitar market, along with CVG’s extensive vintage inventory and expertise, the partnership will create an unprecedented online and in-store guitar-buying experience for discerning musicians.
“Partnering with CVG truly is an honor, but it’s also a strategic decision as we are not only bringing together two of the most respected guitar brands but two that are inherently complementary,” says TNAG’s CEO, Ben Montague.
“TNAG has worked over the last 10 years to develop the premium guitar market and to reshape how collectors and players source, play, and eventually, sell high-end instruments. Carter Vintage Guitars has the same philosophy in the vintage world and so this partnership really is about bringing together two trusted brands that will work together to build the future of our wonderful premium guitar market.”
“TNAG has set the standard for the modern guitar business in providing buyers with a friendly, personal online experience. We’ve always aimed to be Nashville’s friendliest guitar store, and TNAG will help us take that to the next level,” says CVG co-founder, Christie Carter.
The North American Guitar was founded in 2010 in London, UK, by Ben Montague and his father Robert Montage, CBE. In 2019, TNAG acquired Nashville’s longest standing music store, Cotten Music Centre. As part of the 2019 acquisition, TNAG relocated its HQ to Music City, Tennessee, to build out its mission of delivering the world’s finest guitars to players around the globe.
“I bought my son’s first guitar in 1988 from Cotten Music, the guitar shop that became TNAG in Nashville,” says CVG co-founder, Walter Carter. “History is the foundation of our business and we’re thrilled to be a part of the music store with the longest legacy in Nashville. TNAG is the perfect partner to deliver the world’s finest guitars to players and collectors everywhere.”
Joining these two guitar powerhouses will create the ultimate online destination for the world’s finest guitars and instruments.
About TNAG
TNAG is a family-founded business started by a father and son with the goal of bringing the world’s finest guitars to enthusiasts around the globe. Representing the most skilled luthiers and handmade guitar brands, TNAG is the number one destination for boutique and custom guitars for discerning players and collectors alike, both online and in their Nashville showroom.
About Carter Vintage Guitars
CVG is one of the most respected brands in the vintage instrument business. Also a family-founded company, CVG was created by a husband-and-wife duo who bring 50+ years of collective industry experience and unmatched historical knowledge of fretted instruments. Walter and Christie Carter are legendary supporters of musicians and enthusiasts of the instruments they play.
Spoon’s take on the new Custom Shop Experts program was preceded by his in-depth article on Martin’s revolutionary acoustic-electric hybrid model, the SC-13E, which appeared in vol. 11
Seven New Martin Guitars in the Modern Deluxe Series
Two 12-fret models, a mahogany 000, and a new Style 42 among the additions
At long last, I may now share with you the first glimpses of the SEVEN new Modern Deluxe Series Martin guitars, released in lieu of the canceled Winter NAMM show. These guitars blend classic Martin guitar specifications with ultramodern technological enhancements to realize twenty-first century musical instruments that are both modern and deluxe.
The new Modern Deluxe Martins include a 12-fret 0-size rosewood model in rosewood Style 28, the 012-28 Modern Deluxe. A 12-fret 00 and 14-fret 00 join it, the 0012-28 Modern Deluxe and 00-28 Modern Deluxe.
Yes, that is a new naming convention for 12-fret Martin guitars, with the 12 on the LEFT side of the dash, replacing the archaic S for a “Standard” body size on the right side of the dash. And about time too, I say! The 12-fret configuration hasn’t actually been the standard design since 1934.
Moving to the next larger size, the mahogany 000-18 Modern Deluxe is also included, and super-fancy rosewood 000-42 Modern Deluxe have arrived. Larger still are the full-size Dreadnoughts, the D-42 Modern Deluxe and, at the top of the Series, the D-45 Modern Deluxe.
The D-45 Modern Deluxe heralds the return of the classic torch inlay that graced the headstock face plates of Martin’s Style 45 guitars up through 1930. It also brings back the snowflake fingerboard pattern to a D-45, like those made pre-1939. But this time, the exquisite diamonds, snowflakes, and cat’s eye fret position markers are not just inlaid with high-color abalone shell; each marker is outlined in even more pearl.
Around the East Indian Rosewood back and sides are the glittering abalone pearl trim that sets Style 45 Martins apart from their other handmade, professional-level acoustic guitars. But unlike other D-45s out there, the D-45 Modern Deluxe has flamed European maple binding on the body and the neck.
All guitars in the Modern Deluxe Series include a unique set of advanced features engineered to increase tonal depth (a Vintage Tone System aged Sitka spruce soundboard supported by VTS Adirondack spruce braces with Golden Era scalloping and set in place with natural protein glue,) increased volume and sustain (Liquid Metal bridge pins and a VTS Adirondack spruce bridge plate protected by thin outer layers of carbon fiber,) extended fret life thanks to the copper-infused EVO Gold frets with matching gold tuners, and a wonderfully comfortable neck shape based on the 1930 OM-45 Deluxe owned by the Martin museum.
The MD neck is asymmetrical with an apex that gradually drifts off center, to effortlessly fit into the palm of the hand at every position along the fingerboard, just like a marvelous pre-war Martin neck, except that it is a lower profile, made without the tubby vintage heel where the neck fits into that all-all important solid mahogany neck block with the traditional, hand-fitted dovetail neck joint.
The D-42 Modern Deluxe and 000-42 Modern Deluxe also have the pre-war Style 45 torch and same fretboard inlays, plus the addition of two large abalone snowflakes on the bridge extensions. But they do not have the extra pearl inlay around the back and sides, greatly reducing the price compared to the D-45 Modern Deluxe.
The mahogany 000-18 now joins the D-18 Modern Deluxe, combining these advanced tone enhancements with the clear, woody tone of a mahogany Martin. The 14-fret 00-28 Modern Deluxe brings an even smaller body to the MD Series, as do the two 12-fret models, each with a traditional slotted headstock.
I look forward to sharing more details about these exiting new Martin guitars soon, including full reviews of as many of them as I can get into my hands and ears.
Asymmetrical 13-fret guitars, the SC-13E Special and SC-10E Debut
Three new models for Martin’s first new body shape in decades
In a “virtual preview” later today, C. F. Martin & Co. CEO Thomas Ripsam and Vice President of Product Management Fred Greene will unveil the first new Martin models for 2022:
The SC-13E Special, SC-13E Special Burst, and the SC-10E expand the horizons of the Martin’s ultra-modern 13-fret acoustic-electric guitar design, pioneered by the 2019 SC-13E Koa. Upgrades on the Specials, and a satin finish on the more affordable 10E set these SC guitars apart from the earlier version.
Ziricote Specials
After the phenomenal international accolades that poured out for revolutionary SC-13E Koa, it was only a matter of time before we saw new SC models coming from Martin’s state of the art facility in Navojoa, Mexico. The SC-13E Special and the Special Burst version are the most luxurious models yet offered in Martin’s Road Series of relatively affordable professional-level acoustic-electric guitars intended for performing musicians.
Each Special has a back and sides with highly figured ziricote fine veneers. A Cordia genus from Central American, ziricote is considered very close to Brazilian rosewood in looks. These gorgeous veneers are laid down over a core of solid Khaya, a true Meliaceae-family hardwood known as African mahogany in the furniture trade.
The Khaya core provides stability, but the ziricote plays a part in tone production. It is used to line the insides of the sound chamber, where it reflects and adds tonal coloring to the sound waves broadcast by the solid Sitka spruce top. The new ziricote models have a noticeably warmer, fuller acoustic tone compared to the koa versions.
The attractive ziricote also makes an appearance on the front of the instruments, where it is inlaid as the center of the fret position makers, and as part of the dynamic Aperture sound hole rosette for a new, woody take on the motif of the original SC-13E. It may be hard to see the ziricote fret dots in the photos, compared to the solid ebony of the fingerboard, but it is more noticeable in person.
Things get even fancier at the other end of the solid ebony fingerboard, where a silver script logo ties in nicely with the nickel-plated open keyhole tuning machines and their airy skeleton key buttons. These are special ratio tuners loved by Tim Teel, Head of Instrument Design at Martin, who has used them on some limited editions in the past. Each string gets its own ratio to work with the specific string diameter and tension. Supposedly, each string will adjust in pitch to the exact same amount of knob turning. One twist adjusts every string to the same degree.
The SC-13E Special Burst has a new Amberburst finish on the top, which Teel based on some other amber-heavy shading Martin came up with for previous models. This one shows the top wood grain nicely, while working very well with the darker ziricote aesthetic.
Upgraded Electronics
Both Specials come with the LR Baggs Element pickup and EAS tone and volume controls that protrude from inside the sound hole. This is one of the most popular pickups out there and compatible with Baggs’ Anthem internal microphone, for those who might want mod out the acoustic qualities of their electric sound. However, such alterations might imperil the Martin warranty, so proceed with caution.
A More Affordable SC
The SC-10E brings the price point down, for the most-affordable SC model to date, even though it too has fine veneers of Hawaiian koa and an ebony bridge and fingerboard like the original SC-13E Koa, which is still for sale and immensely popular. The savings come from the use of a satin finish on the 10E, instead of gloss, and somewhat simpler appointments. It does come with black tuners that look edgy and cool with the dark wood of the headstock faceplate, and a sparkly black swath to its Aperture rosette instead of the ziricote used for the Specials. Under the hood is Fishman MX-T electronics, with their own volume and tone control hidden inside the bass side of the sound hole, and the bonus of an on-board tuner inside the treble side.
Return to the Future
The creation of the S body design combined Greene’s desire to make a Martin guitar with an asymmetrical body with Tim Teel’s admiration of cutting edge design and engineering found throughout the modern world, from high-end cutlery to the automotive industry, and beyond. He came up with the “S” designation, after constantly drawing fluid, serpentine shapes at the draftsman table.
The C stands for the cutaway. And what a cutaway it is. Because the trademarked Sure Align linear dovetail neck joint removes the need for a heel where the neck meets the body, a player can easily fit their entire hand into the cutaway area, without having to distort the grip or fingering. The most complex jazz chords or rock leads are achieved effortlessly, all the way up to the 20th fret.
If you haven’t realized it yet, these are acoustic-electric guitars aimed for electric guitarists, who want something versatile enough to handle any kind of music they play. The body shape and unique Tone Tension bracing allow you to take the cable out of your Les Paul or Strat and plug it into a Martin SC model and starting playing, without the need to adjust a single knob or pedal, or the worry about feedback issues that plague traditional acoustic guitars.
They come set up with very low action on the extremely comfortable neck, and extra-light strings. But they are capable of working with light and medium gauge strings, and also can be set up with much higher action. But any major adjustments require a specially trained Martin certified technician who can alter the neck angle through the Sure Align system.
The 13 stands for Style 13, at the very top of the Road Series, and include the only models in the series that have full high-gloss finish on the back, sides, and top. It is a happy coincidence that the SC design created Martin’s first regular production 13-fret guitar. As you can read in my original review of the SC-13E Koa model, having the neck join at the 13th accomplishes multiple perks.
The SC guitars are perfectly balanced when hanging from a guitar strap. No more having to worry about the body or neck sagging down and moving the fretboard out of position when both hands are busy adjusting the microphone. It also allows a long-scale neck, with its roomier frets up in the cutaway, to feel much more like a short-scale neck, because all of the frets are a little closer to the player’s body, so everything is played with a little less stress and effort on the shoulder, elbow, tendons, and hands.
Each of the new SCs has Martin’s exclusive Velocity neck, now officially called the Velocity Low Profile neck. It is indeed low, and it has a helix skew to the shaping. It is subtle, but the corkscrew effect adjusts perfectly the change in angle of the fretting hand as it moves up toward the body. It really needs to be played to be appreciated, even if you may not even notice how incredibly comfortable and relaxed it makes playing even the most complicated music.
What makes these models so desirable is a combination of the perfectly balanced acoustic tone across the six strings, and the fact you can plug them in and play at higher gain without running into the feedback issues normally plaguing acoustic guitars with pickup systems.
Like em, love em, or don’t want to have much to do with them, as I predicted two years ago, the Martin SC design is here to not just stay, but to proliferate and evolve into multiple models, and eventually with many different varieties, across many years to come. Having new SC models a little more expensive than the first SC-13E and having one notably less expensive, but all from the Navojoa factory, is a welcome and logical next step.
As for new Martins from the home factory in Nazareth, PA, well, you will have to wait until later in the year to learn more about that possibility. But not too much later. Say, oh, the morning of January 31 might be a good time to check in for any updates at One Man’s Guitar. 😉
I can say no more, and so I shan’t.
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And that is one man’s word on…
Martin’s new SC-13E Special, SC-13E Special Burst, and SC-10E
Marty Stuart, Roseanne Cash, Laurence Juber to perform for their friend Dick Boak
Dick Boak and his friend Steve Miller host a benefit concert at the State Theatre in Easton, Pennsylvania will the the site of the event. In the spirit of Dick’s fabulous retirement concert comes a sequel to be savored in the imagination before it arrives, and in the memories it will leave behind for years to come.
Last time, the concert was in celebration of Dick Boak’s retirement from Martin Guitar, where he spent 35 years making it a better place for making better guitars. But a deep freeze left one Marty Stuart snowbound and unable to attend. This time around, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives will be headlining, along with other fine heavy hitters.
Tickets
All tickets are being handled by the State Theatre Box Office. Tickets to State Theatre Members (only) go on sale on Wednesday, December 1st. Tickets to the Public go on sale a week later on Wednesday, December 8th.
If you want to jump on the opportunity, you can become a member of the theatre for $75.00 ($55.00 for Seniors 65 and older). Tickets can be ordered online (depending upon your member or non-member status) at www.statetheatre.org or by calling the Box Office at (610) 252-3132.
Purchasing a membership in the theatre allows you to purchase up to six tickets prior to ticket sales to the public. The maximum number of tickets per purchaser is six. Ticket holders must be fully vaccinated for Covid-19 and show proof of vaccination in order to be admitted into the theatre.
Performer participation is subject to last minute changes.
Charitable Support
Proceeds from Boak Bash Two will equally benefit:
The Musical Instrument Collection of the Moravian Historical Society in Nazareth, PA. Link: www.moravianhistory.org
Solid Cocobolo and Engelmann spruce with Style 41 appointments
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An eagle-eyed Aaron Short sent me the photo on the left to ask about what this guitar might be. And since it is now out there in the public media, my self-imposed gag order regarding any behind the scenes stuff at C. F. Martin & Co. has now some leeway for replying. This is one very cool guitar.
I feel it is important to make clear that this was a private project that Martin had no intention of publicizing. Mr. Mayer had no part in the project or its design, and it was made entirely as a surprise for him, conceived by his friend Fred Greene, Martin’s VP of Product Management.
When Mayer chose to reveal the guitar on his social media, I asked the powers that be if that meant I could post about it. The response I received from Fred was, “Since it’s no longer secret, feel free to share.” And so I shall.
The revolutionary Martin SC-13 is the basis for this one-of-a-kind custom Martin that was made for John Mayer, with the artist’s name inlaid on the fingerboard in abalone shell, using the font from the cover of his latest album, Sob Rock. It also gets a matching abalone rosette around the sound hole, and abalone trim along the edge of the top, making it similar to Style 41 Martins. And that rosette goes all the way through the fingerboard extension on the top, making a full circle. This is a cosmetic embellishment that John Mayer himself came up with for one of his earlier signature models.
The woods are spectacular! The highly-figured cocobolo and shimmering Engelmann spruce look good enough to eat, and even the neck is made from figured mahogany. And the figured cocobolo face plate on the headstock is so outrageous it looks like tortoise shell! There is an inlaid abalone script logo and three split abalone diamonds stacked like rectangles down the center; and all of it is set off by pearloid buttons on the six tuning machines.
The asymmetrical SC design (S body shape named for the bass side curves of the silhouette, C for the treble cutaway) incorporates Martin’s first 13-fret neck with a new neck joint that allows for no heel at all, much like an electric guitar. It is a departure in many ways from the traditional designs of this venerable guitar-making powerhouse. Its proven success is expected to give rise to other SC models in the future – a future put off-course by the COVID-19 crisis. Product projections aside, this SC was produced under the radar, expressly for John Mayer.
(click to enlarge photos – click Back Button to return to article)
The SC-13E is part of the Road Series of acoustic-electric guitars made in Martin’s facility in Navajoa, Mexico, and priced for working musicians. Mayer’s guitar was built in Nazareth, PA with primo tonewoods and appointments. That would mean a much higher commercial price, should anything like it appear for sale to the general public.
Mayer has been a big fan of Engelmann spruce since he was introduced to it by Dick Boak when they were designing his original signature model, the OM-28 JM. That limited edition is now a desirable collector’s item with a skyrocketing price, if you can find one at all. But they made a regular production model based on it, the OMJM, which has the same Engelmann spruce for the top that is matched with the same Indian rosewood back and sides, the rosewood species used on the OM-28V he played for many years prior to the signature models based on it.
Since then, Mayer has had multiple Martin signature models, including two made with cocobolo back and sides, the 00-45 Stage Coach and 00-42 Stage Coach editions. Each is a 12-fret 00 with a slotted headstock. The 45 has an Adirondack spruce top and the 42 has Sitka. Engelmann made a reappearance as the top wood on the D-45 JM, made with Guatemalan rosewood back and sides.
Engelmann spruce has a quick and snappy report, but slower velocity to the swell that rises up and out from sustained chords and harmonic overtones. That effect is barely perceptible when new, but after a year or two the tone of an Engelmann soundboard really blossoms into an ever more-colorful pastel glow that enhances the tonal complexity of whatever rosewood species is used to frame the sound chamber.
Cocobolo is a true rosewood. To my ear, it sounds most like Guatemalan rosewood, with a similar inky-dark undertone, although Guatemalan does not have quite as steely a report from the fundamental notes as cocobolo sends out. The cocobolo should put some meat on the precise Engelmann fundamentals, and the Engelmann should ultimately accentuate the lushness of that deep, dark coco cavern down in the bass and low-mids.
With a body size and sound chamber falling somewhere between a Grand Performance and an Orchestra Model, an SC in this combination of cocobolo topped with Engelmann spruce is mouthwatering in its acoustic potential. But it might provide some challenges when plugging in the onboard Fishman electronics, tonal complexity being a bit of a maverick when it comes to the rodeo of a segmented sound system servicing a large auditorium or concert arena. Fortunately, SCs have an internal switch that cuts the bottom end for just such environments.
I had played an early R&D version of an SC made with solid Indian rosewood and Sitka spruce, and cosmetics similar to Standard Style 28. It was also braced a little heavier. The success of the SC design made with Standard Series woods was apparent from the get go. And it is not telling tales out of school to say the reality of production model SCs made in Nazareth with solid tonewoods that are on par with the Standard Series is (hopefully) only a matter of time. But I would not put money on that happening any time soon.
Since I published this account on September 2, C. F. Martin has saw fit to go public about the guitar on their own social media, with guitar designer Rameen Shayegan posting “I am thrilled to have some glam shots of this custom one-off we built as a surprise gift for John Mayer. I’m ESPECIALLY thrilled that he loves it and is actually playing and enjoying this instrument. Working on projects like this reminds me how much I love my job”
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I imposed upon Rameen’s holiday weekend to ask him about the guitar. “Fred (Greene) walked into the Design Team office one day and said he wanted a one-off SC made from Cocobolo and Engelmann spruce. And then he followed up by saying, ‘I want you you guys to pull out all the stops’ and to ‘really pearl it up!’ And that is when he said, ‘Oh, and it is for John Mayer.’ Whew! I went to work on it immediately.”
Cocobolo can be very difficult to work with. It is oily, which makes it problematic where gluing is involved. And some people have serious allergic reactions to the dust when it is sanded. And it can crack when you are working with it.
“We have no bending presses in Nazareth to make the SC body, or bracing masks for that design, or anything really.” What Rameen did have is experience from making the SC prototypes. “I had to bend the sides of John’s new Martin the old fashioned way, by hand, over a primitive form, minimal iron ‘egg.'” This is a device heated by electricity and used to bend guitar sides that are first soaked in water. It was the main way to bend sides at Martin until the turn of the century. “There was no margin for error, but it turned out beautifully.”
Tim Teel, CFM Director of Instrument Design, came up with the fingerboard design. Rameen said that it was tag team effort. “We wanted to base it on Mayer’s Sob Rock album. Did you know Mayer designs his own fonts? That is a pretty cool hobby to have. So, everything about the design, including the split diamond position markers on the fingerboard were inspired by the design concept on his new record. And we included a 360 degree rosette like the one he came up with for his 00-45 SC model.”
I asked about the pickup and was told it is the Fishman Matrix Infinity, which has onboard tone and volume control. Rameen considered using the Fishman’s Goldline Plus pickup that Mayer often uses on stage, so he can fit a feedback buster into the sound hole. “But the SC design is not prone to the same sort of feedback issues one can have with traditional acoustic guitar bodies.”
Tim Teel told me that they built the guitar for Mayer partly because they felt he would be a wonderful adjudicator when it came to a Nazareth-made SC made with solid woods and higher-end construction, and that Tim really enjoyed the design process. By all accounts, “he loves it.” Rameen went on to say that “Mayer is such an important artist whose playing has proven him to be one of the greatest guitarists of all time. That he loves this guitar and enjoys playing it means to me more than I can say.”
In an early conversation, Fred Greene stressed that this guitar was “a one off for John. He is a special person and good friend.”
That being said, there have been many one-off guitars made in Martin’s Custom Shop for notable recording artists that were ultimately used as the basis for an artist signature model, the D-35 David Glamour being the most recent example.
Might this be another Mayer model in the making? I am one man who cannot say.
But I can say, I will be appearing on YouTube’s Aaron Short Music channel on Labor Day (Monday, Sep. 6,) answering questions from the live audience about all things Martin related, via the chat bar feature. The show starts promptly 4 PM, Eastern Time, and will remain up for replay viewing on Aaron’s YouTube channel. I have no doubt this guitar will come up as one of the topics for discussion.
Here is the video Mayer posted on his Instagram story outlet, picked up by a Celine Dion fanzine.
Brace Yourself for the State of Martin Bracing in 2021
The Scoop on Scallops and Other Revelations
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New CEO Thomas Ripsam scalloping braces at the Martin factory
At long last, I have finally completed my guide to the bracing patterns used at C. F. Martin & Co., at least in the summer of 2021. Who knows when things will change where this rather fluid subject is concerned? “Not I,” said the old gray fox.
The bracing inside an acoustic guitar can have considerable influence on tone. Martin guitars come with a variety of bracing patterns that are by no means created equal.
Several years ago, Martin simplified the public spec sheets of their entire catalog of guitars and ukuleles, removing pertinent information relating to bracing and effectively blurring the details that separate the guitars from different pricing tiers. While this put them in line with other manufacturers like Gibson, it was a major departure for Martin, to take away the means for consumers to get a good understanding of what any given Martin model actually has under the hood, as it were.
The Martin website has only gotten worse in this regard. Several of their spec sheets contain out of date information, or information that even has people at Martin scratching their heads as to who came up with some of the specs listed, which have no basis in reality. And they have no idea why the powers that be do nothing to correct such misinformation.
Even the accurate information can be of little use. While Martin is understandably proud of having invented the X-bracing that has been copied by every steel string guitarmaker on earth, it is meaningless to someone looking at the spec sheet of a Martin guitar to see “Bracing Pattern: X Bracing,” when every Martin guitar made today has an X brace.
Likewise, the majority of Martin guitar spec sheets include “Brace Shape: Scalloped.” This is somewhat misleading (intentionally or not) when some bracing patterns have lots of scalloping involved but others have next to none.
Someone unfamiliar with the technical specifications of Martin guitars could easily assume the HD-35 and the D-10E have very similar construction and bracing. They don’t. But there has not been any public source to turn to where the straight dope is concerned, when it comes to straight braces vs. scalloped braced, and all related topics. Recently, Maury’s Music published a blog post about bracing that is quite helpful. But Martin as a company has been anything but helpful, publicly.
Moreover, there have been considerable changes to various bracing patterns used on Martins today since the last time there has been any real effort to explain such things to consumers. Some of this was news to me when I started probing and prodding the appropriate people about the current state of bracing across the Martin line. So, I have been guilty of imparting out-of-date information during recent interviews or when answering readers’ mail.
So, in the spirit of doing my part to combat the pandemic of misinformation swirling around the internet, I present to you my 2021 Guide to Martin Guitar Bracing, with special thanks to Tim Teel, Director of Instrument Design; Rameen Shayegan, Manager of International Instrument Design; and Michael Dickinson of Wood Procurement and other considerable expertise.
A reader asks about the Style 16 guitars from the 1980s…
“Where does the 16 Series fit in? I have a 1989 D-16M that is indistinguishable in every way, including spec wise, from a traditional D-18.” — Aden in South Africa
Spoon replies:
Congratulations on your D-16M. It is one of the lesser-known but wonderful Martin models. So too are the 000-16 and 000C-16 from the same era.
But the D-16M at that time was anything but exactly like a traditional D-18, of that era anyway. It is closer to the D-18V from the Vintage Series, minus the V neck.
The D-18 in those days had a black pickguard and black binding, and white domino dots for fret position markers – and non-scalloped bracing. The 1989 D-16M had the tortoise trim and pickguard, Style 17 dots – and scalloped braces with a smaller maple bridge plate, at a time when most Martins did not get those very excellent construction features.
The D-16M also had the Low Profile neck shape years before the standard D-18 got it. But 1989 might have been the first year of that neck shape moving to the D-18. They had been making the D-18P (P for the new neck profile) for three years by that time and 1989 is the first year they did not. But they did make the D-28P, HD-28P and D-35P that year, so the official change from the Full Thickness profile to the Low Profile on what we now call Standard Series instruments may have taken place in 1990.
What makes them desirable to me is the scalloped bracing at a time when the D-18 had non-scalloped bracing. The same goes for the 000-16 and 000C-16. Not only that, the 000s have 1/4″ scalloped bracing, and they have a long-scale neck. So they are really more like an OM-18 than the 000-18 of the day, except for the 1-11/16″ nut width. And the version with the oval cutaway has a 22 fret neck! Clearly meant for electric guitarists. Mine is from 1991.
But Style 16 was always changing. Some 1980s 16s were made with black binding, others have tortoise; with satin finish or with full gloss; with vintage toner on the top or not; and some were made with the light stain normally used for maple guitars.
When Style 16 first appeared in 1961, it was limited to 12-fret guitars in size 0 that were lightly built to be used with nylon or extra light steel strings, and given the suffix NY in homage to the Martins from the 1800s that were sold with a label reading New York, NY, because that was where Martin’s lone distributor did business. A 00-21NY was made at the same time. In 1962 a size 5 guitar was offered in Style 16 as well.
When Style 16 returned in the mid-1980s as a collection of 14-fret guitars, it was sort of the mahogany version of Style 21 vis-a-vis Style 28. It got slightly lower-grade wood than the 18 (even if the woods are better than what you see on an 18 today.) And they had smaller dots previously used on Style 17 instruments in the 1950s, as well as no inlay around the top or back.
But otherwise, they have the full dovetail neck joint and solid American mahogany neck block, and with all the same construction of what we now call the Standard Series, which make them ridiculously great guitars to have now, after seasoning all those years. This is especially true for mahogany lovers, since there were no mahogany Martins made with scalloped bracing at that time. And of course, it is all tropical American Big Leaf mahogany, not the stuff from Africa used on the 16 Series today.
The 16s did not appear in the Martin catalog at first. They were built for export and sold mainly in Canada. But they were also sold as NAMM Show Specials for American dealers who made the effort to attend the trade shows. They proved so popular that they were eventually added to the official price lists.
They made 660 D-16M guitars in 1989. (A total of 2,120 were made in years 1986, 1987, 1989, and 1990.) They also made the D-16A (ash back and sides, 818 total, 1987, 1988, 1990) D-16W (walnut, 100 total, 1987) and D-16K (koa, 390 total in 1986.)
D-16A with ash back and sides
In addition, the D-16 was replaced by the D-16H which had slightly different trim each year (1,692 made between 1991 -1994.) But all have had a herringbone back strip and rosette, like Vintage Style 21. Those features would eventually become the hallmarks of Style 16 of the 1990s and the modern 16 Series instruments that followed.
Although production numbers for the 000-16 and 000C-16 (the M was not always included in the stamp) were not much less than the D models, the non-cutaway 000-16M is far more rare on the used market. I guess that speaks to how much their owners love them.
When they do show up for sale they are still priced between $1K – 1.5K. The Ds go for around the same amount. These are ridiculously good bargains for such excellent guitars.
The chief reason these gems are undervalued is because in late 1995 a certain bean counter did away with these great guitars and replaced them with the Mortise and Tenon neck joint version that had the A-Frame bracing necessary for that design. The change was all about maximizing profits on a relatively more-affordable Martin guitar. Many people assume the 16s always were that way.
For those in the know, the 16s made from 1986 until the switch sometime in 1995 are awesome and ahead of their time when it came to styling and scalloped bracing. There are various time periods when Martin was trying things out on their way to codifying this or that, and sometimes they accidentally invented an excellent if short-lived model. The D-16 built between 1986 to 1994 is definitely one of them, no matter which exact version it is.
In my opinion, today’s 16 Series guitars are greatly improved from the ones made in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and are aimed at electrified performance. They all have built-in pickup systems and the larger bodies have the reduced depth of a 000 for anti-feedback purposes. They are immensely popular with good reason. But I always tell people that if they find a pre-1995 16 in good shape, buy it!
Corporate growth strategist Thomas Ripsam to head Martin Guitars
The new CEO who is an avid guitarist, but new to the business
Chris Martin remains as Executive Chairman
LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., June 14, 2021 —C.F. Martin & Co. announced today that Thomas Ripsam has been appointed the company’s new Chief Executive Officer. Effective today, Mr. Ripsam succeeds longtime Chairman and CEO, Christian Frederick Martin IV, who assumes the role of Executive Chairman.
An experienced growth strategist and leader, Mr. Ripsam has a deep passion for companies with a strong heritage and legacy. He is a trusted advisor and business partner, having guided numerous boards of directors and leadership teams to shape strategies and deliver results. His expertise in strategy development, digital/technology deployment and continuous improvement will ensure the continued growth of the 188-year-old company.
After 35 years as C.F. Martin & Co. CEO, Chris Martin is stepping into his new leadership role of Executive Chairman. During his time as CEO, Mr. Martin has guided the company through booms and crises, leaving a legacy of growth and manufacturing excellence. This transition comes as the company is experiencing unprecedented demand for its products.
“First, I want to thank everyone in the music products business for their support during my 35-year career as CEO of my family’s business. What a ride!” said Mr. Martin. “I complete my term as NAMM Chairman this July at the show in Nashville, and I have been thinking about retiring for several years, so this felt like the right time. I look forward to transitioning to the role of Executive Chairman of Martin Guitar where I will continue to be a cheerleader for the Martin brand. I am excited to work with Thomas as he gets to know all of us and shares the love we all have for the guitar.”
Chris Martin hands the reins to Mr. Ripsam, who, over the course of his 25+ year career, first at Booz Allen & Hamilton, and most recently as a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, took on leadership responsibilities for growing the business, developing service offerings and managing teams. He has worked with consumer goods companies, specialty retailers, technology solutions providers, Fortune 50 companies and family owned businesses, helping to drive profitable growth, enhancing digital capabilities, improving customer experience and engagement, and generating hundreds of millions in incremental value for his clients.
An avid guitar player, Mr. Ripsam collects fretted instruments and even took a sabbatical in 2019 to work with a luthier to learn about the process of building acoustic guitars – in the style of Martin. He holds an MBA in Strategy & Finance from Columbia Business School and a BA in Business Administration and Management from Reutlingen University in Germany and Middlesex University in London.
“I have admired Martin guitars since I was a teenager,” said Ripsam. “My first real acoustic was a Martin guitar and it has been a close companion to me since. Martin has always been an iconic fretted instrument builder and I have a deep appreciation for the company’s continued focus on quality, craftsmanship and innovation, as well as its unique culture and history. I am honored and humbled to join the Martin family and to carry on the legacy of Chris Martin and his predecessors.”
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$1,999
