Newsletter of the Martin Guitar company, featuring Paul Simons.
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THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MARTIN GUITAR COMP ANY • VOLUME 2 • JANUARY 1997 C. F. Martin & Co. is proud to announce a major collaboration with one of the most significant recording artists and songwriters of our time, Paul Simon. The OM-42 Paul Simon Limited Edition Guitar will be introduced at the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, and will begin to appear in stores in mid–1997. The OM-42PS guitar was designed to meet Paul Simon’s exacting requirements for tone, size, and action. Paul personally participated in the development of the protot ypes which led to the f inal OM-42PS specifications. He preferred the smaller “OM” body size combined with the long (25.4”) scale length which proved to be particularly applicable to his fingerst yle technique and his desire for a strong yet balanced tone. The OM-42PS is tastefully appointed with tortoise colored bindings throughout. Hand-crafted entirely with solid woods, the sides and back are constructed from select grade East Indian rosewood, and the top is bookmatched from quartersawn Sitka spruce. P AUL SIMON COLLABORA TES WITH MARTIN INDEVEL OPMENT OF OM-42 LIMITED EDITION SIGNA TURE MODEL ™ (CONTINUED ON PAGE 6) 1997 marks the 40th Anniversary of the founding of The Kingston Trio, one of America’s most beloved and enduring musical groups To commemorate The Kingston Trio’s lasting contribution to folk and acoustic music, and in gratitude for their unswer ving loyalt y to Martin instruments throughout the years, C. F. Martin & Co. is proud to offer a special Kingston Trio Limited Edition consisting of 40 sets of three instruments each. Each set includes a special Kingston Trio D-28 guitar , a custom 0- 18T Tenor guitar , and a Vega long neck banjo—the instrumentation used by the Trio. In addition, an extended edition of the Kingston Trio D-28s will be offered after all 40 Limited Edition sets are ordered by the dealers. Each instrument in the Kingston Trio Limited Edition Set features special mother-of-pearl inlays of “The Kingston Trio” located between the 11th and t he 14t h f r et s, pl us t he anni ver sar y C. F . MARTIN HONORS THE KINGSTON TRIO WITH 40TH ANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION INSTRUMENTS (CONTINUED ON PAGE 9) Bob Shane, Dave Guard, and Nick Reynolds of the original Kingston Trio in 1957. ® The Sounding Board
Transcript
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MARTIN GUITAR COMPANY • VOLUME 2 • JANUARY 1997
C. F. Martin & Co. is proud to announce a major collaboration withone of the most significant recording artists and songwriters of our time,Paul Simon. The OM-42 Paul Simon Limited Edition Guitar will beintroduced at the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, and willbegin to appear in stores in mid–1997.
The OM-42PS guitar was designed to meet Paul Simon’s exactingrequirements for tone, size, and action. Paul personally participated in thedevelopment of the prototypes which led to the final OM-42PSspecifications. He preferred the smaller “OM” body size combined withthe long (25.4”) scale length which proved to be particularly applicable tohis fingerstyle technique and his desire for a strong yet balanced tone.
The OM-42PS is tastefully appointed with tortoise colored bindingsthroughout. Hand-crafted entirely with solid woods, the sides and back areconstructed from select grade East Indian rosewood, and the top isbookmatched from quartersawn Sitka spruce.
PAUL SIMON COLLABORATES WITHMARTIN IN DEVELOPMENT OF OM-42LIMITED EDITION SIGNATURE MODEL
™
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 6)
1997 marks the 40th Anniversaryof the founding of The Kingston Trio,one of America’s most beloved andenduring musical groups
To commemorate The KingstonTrio’s lasting contribution to folk andacoustic music, and in gratitude fortheir unswerving loyalty to Martininstruments throughout the years, C. F.Martin & Co. is proud to offer a specialKingston Trio Limited Edition consistingof 40 sets of three instruments each.
Each set includes a specialKingston Trio D-28 guitar, a custom 0-18T Tenor guitar, and a Vega long neckbanjo—the instrumentation used by theTrio.
In addition, an extended edition ofthe Kingston Trio D-28s will be offeredafter all 40 Limited Edition sets areordered by the dealers.
Each instrument in the KingstonTrio Limited Edition Set features specialmother-of-pearl inlays of “The KingstonTrio” located between the 11th and the14th frets, plus the anniversary
C. F. MARTIN HONORS THE KINGSTON TRIO WITH40TH ANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION INSTRUMENTS
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 9)
Bob Shane, Dave Guard, and Nick Reynolds of the original Kingston Trio in 1957.
®
TheSoundingBoard
C H R I S’S C OMME N TSC H R I S’S C OMME N TS
Dear Martin Enthusiast,
Welcome to the second issue of our newsletter. Iwant to thank you for your enthusiastic response to the firstissue. “The Sounding Board” is available from anyauthorized Martin dealer. Let your dealer know that youwish to be notified when new issues are published.
It’s NAMM Show time again and we are introducingseveral new models. Our collaborations with Paul Simonand The Kingston Trio acknowledge the incredible effectthat these performers have had on music and the acousticguitar business.
Two other new models that my co-workers and I areproud to introduce are the CEO-1 and the Martin Stauffersteel string 00-12 fret.
The CEO-1 is a fancy, affordable solid wood limitededition Dreadnought. It features scalloped braces and ourpatented “A-frame” neck block. Cosmetically, it is enhancedwith a pearl rosette, herringbone top trim, and one of mypersonal favorites... hexagon outline inlays on thefingerboard and bridge wings.
The Stauffer is reminiscent of the original guitars built bymy great, great, great, grandfather during the 1830’s in NewYork City. Our 1997 version is designed to function usingsteel strings and is a modern version of a very historicallysignificant style.
There is always so much going on around here, I neverhave enough time to explain it all. Remember to come andvisit us and take a tour of our shop. We are very proud ofwhat we do and we would love for you to see what we dofirst hand.
C. F. Martin IVChairman & CEO
Martin Guitar Company
The Sounding Board™
VOLUME TWO • JANUARY 1997
PUB L I SH ED BY
THE MARTIN GUITAR COMPANYP. O. Box 329, Nazareth, PA 18064-0329
Christian “Chris” Frederick Martin IVChairman and CEO, Martin Guitar Company.
®
L E TT E R SL E TT E R SDear Mr. Martin,
Thank you for creating theexcellent and affordable DM.
In the mid-1970’s, I purchased a D-35 for $750. Unfortunately my D-35and I parted company in 1979 when Iextricated myself from a cult that I hadgotten involved with. I left with onlywhat I was wearing at the time. Thatguitar is the only possession that Iregret leaving behind and I have pinedafter it for years.
A late friend gave me anotherbrand guitar and thanks to hisgenerosity, I have at least had a guitarto play over the ensuing years, but Inever forgot the feel and sound of thatMartin.
Re-establishing myself took time.The price of a good used D-35 (letalone a new one) had climbed out ofmy reach and I assumed that, owing tothe expenses of my adult respons-ibilities, a Martin guitar would remainunattainable for years to come.
That all changed recently when Iallowed myself to venture into a localmusic store. I stood gazing wistfully ata display of Martin guitars. Not wishingto inflict further frustration uponmyself, I did not bother to look at theprice tags. Perhaps reading my postureand expression, the co-owner of thestore reached into the case, handedme a DM, and invited me to sit andplay it.
It was like playing a little piece ofheaven. It played “like butter”. Its tonewas so clear and sweet. It possessed anexcellent dynamic range and beautifulfidelity. Like a true gourmet dish, inwhich the ingredients come together ina symphony of flavors, but eachindividual flavor is still distinguishableamidst the totality of the experience,so it was with this guitar. Each note ofevery chord rang sweet and true.Delicious harmonies, yet distinct.
As I was admiring the precisecraftsmanship of the guitar, the storeowner spoke up and told me what hewould be willing to sell it to me for. I
Your NameAddressCity, State, ZipCountry
Dear Mr. MartinC. F. Martin & Co.P. O. Box 329Nazareth, PA 18064-0329 USA
PlaceStampHere
3
WeWould Love ToHear From You!Send Your Letters To:
gulped. It was a little stretch, but I couldafford it.
A happy man, I brought that MartinDM home and played it for my wife tobe. “Yes”, I smiled and assured her,“we’ll still be able to take thathoneymoon in Mexico.”
Thank you for creating thiswonderful and affordable guitar whileremaining true to your lineage ofexcellence.Sincerely,David M. PierceMagalia, California
Dear Mr. Martin,Recently, a small article appeared
in Mature Outlook Magazine about meand my Martin guitar. In the article, Iexplained that my Martin D-18Dreadnought guitar is the bestpurchase I have ever made. I bought itfor $100 in 1943 and today, it is valuedat more than $5,000. It is worth muchmore than that to me though. It was mygreat companion during World War II.It opened doors for me in foreignhomes. I used it to entertain the troops,and it helped me meet my wife. It waseven picked up and strummed by SirWinston Churchill at Casablanca. As aresult of that small magazine article, Ireceived three phone calls from fellowswho I served with in the war. I hadn’theard from them in 48 years! I still playmy Martin often. Thanks for manydecades of enjoyment.Sincerely,Robert EstellEscondido, California
Dear Mr. Martin,I wanted you to know how pleased
I was to have had my “Kentucky Guitar”CD on Martin’s on hold music. Ireceived many favorable comments andorders for my tapes and CDs. Manypeople asked about what guitars I wasusing on the album. Most of my songswere recorded with my MC-28 Cutawaywhich is pictured on the cover. My newalbum, “Irish Guitar”, is recorded withmy J-40 Jumbo, as well as the MC-28. Ifanyone else is interested in my music,I’ve included my address.Sincerely,Pat KirtleyMainstring MusicP. O. Box 135Bardstown, Kentucky 40004Phone (502) 348-6360
Its a long way from Casablanca and WinstonChurchill, but Bob Estell still performs withhis harmonica and his 1943 D-18, often atretirement homes where he can do the mostgood.
Dear Mr. Martin,I just wanted to express my
gratitude and complete satisfactionwith your guitars. I own a M-38, a J-40,and have recently purchased a D-45. Ihave not yet heard a guitar that cancompare with the excellent balanceand projection of the treble and basstone qualities. I tend to “beat up” myguitars over the years and they justkeep on going. I hope to have acollection of various rare Martins someday, but until then, I am most satisfiedwith the “new” line of Martins. Keep upthe good work!Sincerely yours,Jason M.Houston, Texas
Marty Stuart & Travis Tritt took abreak from their busy “Double Trouble”touring schedule to stop in at theMartin factory for a special tour. Inparticular, Marty wanted to personallysee how the HD-40MS Limited EditionMarty Stuart Signature guitars wereprogressing.
Marty was personally responsiblefor the unique fingerboard inlay designsand for the unprecedented concept for“herringbone pearl”, which adorns therosette of this model. The HD-40MSwas introduced at the NashvilleSummer NAMM Show and the editionof 250 instruments has since sold out todealers.
These two country music greatshad a great time during their visit, andafter their tour they both sat down andordered some very special CustomShop Martin models that are sure toshow up on stage in the near future.Look for the one’s that sound reallygood! ❖
Although there have been manyvariations of Style 40 Martininstruments throughout the years, thisdesignation currently refers to thespecific appointments developed forthe newer Martin J-40 Jumbo models.The ornamentation of these modelsfeatures a highly colorful abalone pearlrosette, abalone hexagon fingerboardinlays, abalone CFMartin letters in theheadstock, bound fingerboard andheadstock, and gold tuning machines.
This tasteful and ornatecombination of features was borrowedfor the successful Figured WoodsEditions which were offered in QuiltedMahogany, Flamed Walnut, andQuilted Maple. The D-40 Dreadnoughtis the newest addition to Martin’sStandard Series of acoustic guitars. ❖
Martin is unveiling many newadditions to the popular and affordable“1 Series” line of acoustic guitars.
The new J-1 mode l of fers“1 Series” appointments in the tight-waisted Jumbo size. The new 0000-1uses the Jumbo or “Grand Auditorium”shape (formerly referred to as “M”)with a shallow body depth, making itperfect for stage and studio use.
The small bodied 000C-1 features a
The extreme success of Martin’snew DM model, which was initially partof the “1 Series” line of guitars, hasprompted the introduction of a newand separate series of instrumentscalled the Martin “Road Series.”
In addition to the original DMmodel, this new series includes the newDCM Dreadnought cutaway, the DM-12 Dreadnought 12-String, and thesmall-bodied 000M.
The “Road Series” guitars nowrepresent the lowest priced Martinmodels on the market with suggestedretail prices beginning at $899. ❖
Travis Tritt, Marty Stuart, C. F. “Chris” Martin IV and Martin Artist Relations Manager, DickBoak, on tour at the Martin factory. Marty visited to check out the progress of his HD-40MSMarty Stuart signature model.
C. F. Martin has announced thecontinuation of its limited “Special 16Series” acoustic guitars. A maximum of2,500 mixed “SP” models will beof fered during 1997 . Theseinstruments combine enhancedaesthetics with the use of solid woodson the top, back, and sides. Many ofthe unique technological advancesdeveloped in Martin’s innovative andpatented “1 Series” guitars areincorporated in the “16 Series” line ofguitars. Enhanced visual appointmentsinclude a highly colorful abalone pearlrosette, style 45 back strip, modifiedsnowflake fingerboard inlays, 4-pointsnowflake bridge inlays, polished glosslacquer body, and gold plated tuningmachines.
Among the “SP” models offeredare the SPD-16T and SP000-16T whichfeature solid mahogany back and sidesThe SPD-16TR, SP000-16TR, SPDC-
rounded Venetian cutaway. This modelis also offered as a 000C-1E dedicatedacoustic electric model, which featuresan onboard preamp with slider EQ. Theacoustic electric option is also offeredwith the new DC-1E Dreadnoughtcutaway model.
The Martin acoustic bass hasresurfaced in the form of the newJumbo shaped B-1 model. ❖
MARTY STUART ANDTRAVIS TRITT VISITMARTIN FACTORY
New
New
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CLAPTON000-28ECGETSRAVEREVIEWSANDBIGDEMANDThe Eric Clapton 000-28EC
Signature Model Martin Guitar,introduced as a stock model at theNashville Summer NAMM Show in Julyof 1996, has been immensely popularwith both dealers and players. Morethan 1000 of these special VintageSeries guitars have been ordered in ashort six month period, with no sign oftapering demand. In addition, threemajor magazines, Guitar World, GuitarPlayer, and Acoustic Musician, havegiven this model extremely high ratings,with Acoustic Musician giving anunprecedented perfect score in allcategories.
The reason for the popularity? The000-28EC certainly looks great, butperhaps Eric Clapton hit it on thebutton when he said, “This is the bestsounding acoustic guitar I’ve everplayed!” ❖
Eric Clapton said it best: The 000-28-EC issimply “the best sounding acoustic guitar I’veever played!”
SP000C-16TR
Martin Style 15 guitars were firstintroduced in 1935. These instrumentsappeared after the depression withvery simple appointments. They wereintended to appeal to musicians thatwanted the tone and quality
construction of a Martin instrument,without the higher cost associated withdecorative bindings, herringbone,abalone pearl, or other fancy trim.
C. F. “Chris” Martin IV, CEO ofMartin, has had a long standing affinityfor the old Style 15 instruments, whichhas culminated with the introduction ofthe mahogany topped D-15. At presstime, the retail price was notestablished, but we anticipate thismodel to become the lowest pricedguitar in the Martin lineup. ❖
14 DAYWAITYIELDSGREAT PLAYING LOWACTION GUITARSWe want to remind everyone that
after final inspection and stringing,each Martin guitar is put on the shelf(like a fine bottle of wine) for a 14 daywaiting period. This allows eachinstrument to settle in under stringtension. After this period, the guitar isreinspected and adjusted to insure thatevery new Martin guitar plays “likebutter.” This process is producinginstruments that are consistentlyoutperforming all other brands! ❖
16TR cutaway and SP000C-16TRcutaway models feature East Indianrosewood back and sides. All of the “16Series” models incorporate Martin’snew extra low profile neck, designedfor easy playability, player comfort, andfast action.
The “16 Series” models wereconceived to provide high quality allsolid wood guitars at affordable prices.
❖
ALLSOLID WOODSFOR NEW D-15
MAHOGANYTOP
New
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PAUL SIMON OM-42(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)
The perimeter of the pearl rosetted soundboard has beenpainstakingly inlaid with highly colored Style 42 abalonepearl top inlay. At Paul Simon’s specific request, theadjustable neck is sleek and low with a comfortable111⁄16” neck width at the nut, but with theslightly wider “OM” neck width asyou move up toward the twelfthfret. A Style 45 pearl inlaid C. F.Martin headstock is bound intortoise and fitted with thehighest quality vintage styleivoroid button Waverly® nickel-plated open-geared tuning machines.A genuine ebony tortoise bound fingerboardfeatures the original Style 42 snowflake pattern in abalonepearl, with Paul Simon’s signature delicately inlaid inmother of pearl between the 19th and 20th frets. Adeluxe five-ply vintage series Geib® style hardshellcase has been designed to house this special guitar.
The edition will be limited to 500 guitars for saleworldwide. The edition size of “500” was taken from“Suite 500”, Simon’s office address within the classic“Brill” building on Broadway in Manhattan. Theinterior label of each instrument will be numbered insequence (i.e. 1 of 500, 2 of 500, etc.) and will bepersonally signed by Paul Simon and C. F. Martin IV,Martin’s Chairman and CEO, and the 6th generation ofMartin family members to manage the esteemed guitarfirm.
In general, both Paul Simon and C. F. Martin &Co. steer clear of product endorsements. As aresult, both wished to develop a special guitarthat would help fund a charity of particularinterest to Paul Simon. Paul is the co-founderof The Children’s Health Fund, the nation’slargest health care program for homelesschildren, so choosing a charity was easy.
Paul Simon is acknowledged to be one ofthis century’s finest singer/songwriters andperformers. While other musicians crankout quantity, Paul Simon has labored withthe highest standard of perfection in thedetails of his writings and recordings,which stretch from the late 1950’s to thepresent. And it shows. His lyrics arenothing short of poetic, and hiscompositions are meticulously layeredwithout the feeling of being over-produced. Of course, he is widely knownfor the legendary partnership of Simon &
Garfunkel, but after their breakup in the early 1970’s, it wasPaul’s talent that emerged in album after album of awardwinning and memorable material. From his first solo releasein 1972 titled simply “Paul Simon” to his 1990 release of
“Rhythm Of The Saints”, Simon’s work hasbridged the gaps between poetry,
music, and art. Perhaps Paul’smost interesting endeavor washis controversial Grammyaward winning release”Graceland”, a project that
influenced and inspired the“World Music” movement, and set
the stage for dozens of new musical genres.After an initial New York meeting to discuss limited
edition possibilities with Martin’s artist relationsmanager Dick Boak, Paul Simon traveled to Nazarethwith his son Harper (also a great guitarist) to try outthe complete array of Martin guitar sizes, shapes, andstyles. After several hours of playing, Paul zeroed inon two sizes: the “M” (Grand Auditorium) and “OM”(Orchestra Model). Martin built four initialprototypes for Paul to try: two “OM” models andtwo “M” models. For his particular playing style andtouch, Paul loved the clarity and balance of the“OM” size. He paid particular attention to the feel ofthe neck, opting for a custom variation of thetypically wider “OM” neck width. In respect toappointments, Paul felt that as a limited edition orcollectable, the model should be ornate but tasteful,
easy to amplify, and perfect for use on stageand in the studio. Two final OM-42PSprototypes were built for Paul’s approvalprior to unveiling at the NAMM Show.
Paul has been writing the scorefor the Broadway musical entitled “TheCapeman”, due to open in New York inthe fall of 1997. As with all of his projects,he has focused an intense creative energy
on the score. The word aroundBroadway is that the music isextraordinary, setting a newstandard by which musicals will bejudged. It is interesting to note thatthe two acoustic guitars beingused in the show are the initialprototypes from the limitededition. ❖
“Paul Simon has labored with the highest standard of perfection in the
details of his writings and recordings.”
“...the model should be ornate buttasteful, easy to amplify, and perfectfor use on stage and in the studio.”
Q: Can you tell me what year myMartin guitar was made?A: Yes! That’s the most frequentlyasked question that we hear. Clip thecard below on the dotted lines. The lastguitar serial number for each year islisted from 1898, when Martin serialnumbers were first initiated, through1995. Prior to 1898, we can closelyestimate that 8000 Martin instrumentswere made. By the way, we update thiscard annually. ❖
C. F. MARTIN IVOFFERS FIRST
“CEO’S CHOICE”
2NEW STAUFFERCOMMEMORATIVELIMITED EDITIONS
C. F. Martin & Company is pleasedto announce the introduction of twoMartin “Stauffer” Limited Editionguitars for 1997. These are the first“Stauffer” models to be made since themid 1800s, when C. F. Martin Sr.developed the now legendary Martin“square” headstock shape. The Martin“Stauffer” Limited Edition 00-40 andthe 00-45 models pay tribute to the 12-fret guitars made by C.F. Martin Sr.during the early years of the company.These graceful guitars had an unusualshaped headstock with all tuning keyson one side. This feature was borrowedfrom Johann Stauffer of Vienna, forwhom Mr. Martin had worked for atime as a shop foreman.
The 00-45 is appointed with highlycolorful abalone pearl inlay around theperimeter of the top, sides, back,rosette, and “tongue” of the finger-board. The headstock bears the Martindecal logo, delicately inlaid in genuinemother-of-pearl.
The 00-40 features abalone pearlinlay around the rosette. The headstockbears a small old style decal logo.
Features common to both modelsinclude grained ivoroid bindings, Style45 snowflake fingerboard inlays, “icecream cone” shaped neck heel, blackebonized neck finish, a unique
As part of C. F. Martin’s 1997Limited Edition offering, Martin CEOand Chairman Of The Board, C. F.“Chris” Martin IV has selectedspecifications and appointments fortwo special CEO’s Choice LimitedEdition guitars. It was Chris’s intent tocreate instruments that would delivergreat tone, tasteful but elegant orna-mentation, and perhaps mostimportantly, provide an excellent valueto the customer.
To meet Chris’s high tonalexpectations, solid woods have beenchosen for both models. The CEO-1utilizes solid genuine mahogany forthe back and sides, which delivers astrong clean treble response with aclear powerful bass. The CEO-1Rutilizes solid East Indian rosewood,which produces a richly resonant andwarm bass response.
Features common to both modelsinclude an abalone pearl rosette, finepattern herringbone top trim,scalloped bracing, style 45 back inlaystrip, genuine ebony fingerboard andbridge both inlaid with hollow“hexagon outline” inlays, goldenclosed tuners with ebony buttons,N-20 style black bindings with blackwhite side inlay, tortoise colorpickguard, C. F. Martin IV’s signature inpearl above the last fret, an interiorlabel signed by C. F. Martin IV, and avintage “Tweed” hardshell case. ❖
“pointed” belly bridge with pyramidwings, vintage top toner, fossilized ivorybridge pins, nut and saddle, and uniquegold plated tuning machines withvariable length posts to accommodatethe special headstock shape.
A specially made replica of theoriginal wooden “coffin” case will besupplied with each of these specialinstruments.
The edition will be limited to 100instruments total: 25 will be constructedwith rare pre-CITES Brazilian rosewoodand designated as 00-45 Stauffers, and75 will be constructed of East Indianrosewood and designated as 00-40Stauffers. Each guitar will bear aninternal edition label individuallynumbered in sequence and signed by C.F. Martin IV, the sixth generation ofMartin family members to manage thecompany. ❖
The original Stauffer headstock shape, shownhere, provided inspiration for this year’sspecial Martin/Stauffer editions.
Q: Can you tell me what year myMartin mandolin was constructed? A: Yes! Clip the card below on thedotted lines. The last serial number foreach year is listed for mandolinproduction until 1991. After 1991,mandolins are included with guitarserial numbers on this card’s flip side.
C. F. Martin & Co., in conjunction with KiefMusic Company of Surrey, British Columbia,co-sponsors The Canadian Country MusicAssociation’s annual Humanitarian Award.This year’s award was presented to JoanKennedy (above), who has done significantcharitable work for The Children’s WishFoundation of Canada.
ALTERNATETUNINGS
Nazareth PikeWords & Music by
Dr. Russell J. Rentler, M.D.
I was going through Pennsylvania one dayWhen I met an old man who had these words to say:
Take the Nazareth Pike boy, and you will seeThe place where dreams are made, it’s where you want to be.
So I took this man’s advice, and started walking forthThe Martin Guitar factory, it was just a few miles north
My backpack it felt heavy, but I just didn’t careI kept on walkin’ up the road to who knows where
Chorus:Take the Nazareth Pike boy and you will see
It will always take you to where you’d rather be.
Then I stumbled into a postcard kind of townWith little kids a playin’ and flowers on the ground
And on the outskirts of this little town there stood that factoryThe birthplace of the most beautiful guitars you would ever see.
(Repeat Chorus)
I dreamed that I could get a job building the Martin GuitarBut another fate did own me, I guess I’d gone too far
That’s how the story ends my friend, they call me an M.D.But that place on Nazareth Pike is where my heart would rather be.
There are dozens of ways to tunethe guitar. The most popular alternatetunings are called “open tunings”,where the strings are tuned to an openchord such as D Major (D-A-D-F#-a-d)or G Major (D-G-D-G-b-d).
Another interesting tuning,generally referred to as “High Strung”or “Nashville” tuning, is often utilized inrecording studios to achieve anextremely clean treble or high endsound. This sound, similar in some waysto a twelve string guitar, tends tobalance out the often overpoweringbass response in guitar recordings.
One easy way to explain“Nashville” tuning is to imagine a set ofstrings for a 12-string guitar. If you wereto select the thin or high octave stringfrom each pair, and put the other stringsaside, then string an instrument withthese higher strings, this would yieldstandard (E-A-D-G-b-e) tuning, but thebass strings are now tuned an octaveabove standard pitch.
It is perfectly acceptable to try a12-string set as described in theprevious paragraph, but you will nodoubt find the gauges much too lightand slinky. At Martin, we haveexperimented with the gauges and havecome up with the two following optionsfor what we would refer to as a LightGauge “Nashville” Tuning Set. Notethat only the .024 string is wound andthat the G string can either be anoctave above pitch (.008) or at standardpitch with an unwound string (.019).
Paul Simon uses this tuning often,most notably on the title cut from hisalbum, Graceland. Listen to this trackcarefully. It will surprise you.
For you Backpacker owners outthere, “Nashville” tuning really soundsgreat on small instruments. ❖
9
years “1957-1997” inlaid above thelast fret. The letter style of these inlaysis reminiscent of 1950’s “pop art.”
The Kingston Trio D-28Dreadnought guitar features a solidsquare tapered headstock with aBrazilian rosewood headplate andMartin’s “old style” scroll decal logo.The back and sides of the body areconstructed of select, bookmatchedEast Indian rosewood. Grained ivoroidis utilized for the bindings and trim. Thesolid spruce soundboard utilizes 5⁄16”height scalloped X-bracing, shiftedforward to a position approximately 1”from the soundhole. Both the bridgeand the fingerboard are hand-craftedfrom genuine ebony. Fingerboardposition markers are 1950’s-era Style28 mother-of-pearl dots. The bridge isfitted with a long (or “through”) saddlefashioned from genuine bone, as is thehand-cut nut. Tuning machines areMartin’s vintage style open-gearedvariety, finished in gold, with gold“butterbean” knobs. Bridge andendpins are white, inlaid with tortoisecolored “redeye” dots. A hand-beveledand polished tortoise coloredpickguard is used to simulate the old,under-the-finish application.
The custom 0-18T Tenor featuresback and sides of genuine mahogany,select Sitka spruce soundboard withStyle 18 rosette, tortoise bindings,beveled pickguard, gold vintage tunerswith “butterbean” knobs, and mother-of-pearl Kingston Trio anniversaryinlays. One interesting custom touch isthat genuine ebony is utilized for thefingerboard and bridge.
The Vega® Long-Neck Folk Modelbanjo is specially made and warrantedfor this commemorative issue by theDeering Banjo Company of LemonGrove, California. The extra long 25-fretneck, which facilitates easy keychanges to suit the vocalist, wasoriginally suggested to Vega by PeteSeeger. It was later popularized byDave Guard and John Stewart of TheKingston Trio and soon became the“workhorse banjo” of virtually everymajor folk group.
Specifications for the Kingston TrioLimited Edition Vega® Long Neck Banjoare similar to the original Fairbanks No.2 Tu-Ba-Phone XL models made by
Vega of Boston. Metal parts are nickelplated. The fingerboard is ebony, boundin white, and inlaid with mother-of-pearldots. The Vega “star” is inlaid at the 5thfret and scaled down “The KingstonTrio” and “1957-1997” inlays areutilized to match the D-28 and the 0-18T models of the commemorative set.
(It is interesting to note that C. F.Martin & Co. once owned the VegaBanjo Company in the 1970’s andproduced Vega banjos here in ourNazareth facility along side our guitarproduction. Martin sold the brand inthe early 1980’s, and it wassubsequently acquired by Deering, thecurrent owner.)
Each instrument in the KingstonTrio Limited Edition Set is individuallynumbered in sequence (i.e. #1 of 40,#2 of 40 , etc .) and each setinstrument’s label will be personallysigned by Bob Shane, Nick Reynolds,and George Grove, as well as formermember John Stewart. C. F. Martin IV,Martin’s chairman and CEO, will alsosign each label.
The Dreadnought and Tenor guitarsare offered with a Geib™ style deluxeVintage hardshell case. The Vega LongNeck Banjo comes with Deering’s highquality hardshell case.
Extended OfferingWhen all 40 Kingston Trio Limited
Edition Sets have been ordered bydealers, an extended edition ofKingston Trio D-28 guitars will be made.These guitars will be limited to orderstaken prior to October 30, 1997.Specifications for these guitars will beidentical to the Kingston Trio D-28model offered as part of the set exceptthat the interior labels will beindividually numbered without total (i.e.#1, #2, #3, etc.) and each instrumentwill be personally signed by KingstonTrio founder Bob Shane and C. F.Martin IV.
KINGSTON TRIO(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)
“They were the catalyst to an entire social and culturalphenomenon that affected
our musical tastes, our social conscience, even how we dressed
and talked.”
The Kingston Trio: Biography Synopsis
The original Kingston Trio wasformed in 1957 by Bob Shane, NickReynolds, and Dave Guard while thethree were attending college in the SanFrancisco area. Using only acousticguitars and banjos, they literallyrevolutionized popular music,reawakening America to its own richheritage, paving the way for a broaderacceptance of bluegrass, blues, countryand other indigenous American musics.
But the trio did more than that.They were the catalyst to an entiresocial and cultural phenomenon thataffected our musical tastes, our socialconscience, even how we dressed andtalked. The Trio’s release of “TomDooley” in October of 1958, markedthe beginning of the “folk music revival”and set the stage for Bob Dylan, JoanBaez, Peter, Paul & Mary (to mention afew) and the entire protest music
movement of the 60s.In 1961, after two Grammys and
numerous gold records, Dave Guard leftthe group and John Stewart wasintroduced, maintaining the Trio’senormous success until 1967 when theTrio disbanded.
In 1972, Bob Shane reformed TheKingston Trio with George Grove andRoger Gambill, and for the next decadethe Trio again traveled the world playingsold out audiences. The untimely deathof Roger Gambill in 1985 brought BobHaworth briefly into the group, followedby the return of original member NickReynolds.
Today, The Kingston Trio iscomposed of Bob Shane, NickReynolds, and George Grove. Theirtrademark three-part harmony and crisp,melodic sound keeps them touring 35weeks a year, including concerts withmore than 20 major symphonyorchestras.
And they still do it all on Martinguitars! ❖
D-28KT
MARTIN® STRINGS
Rory BlockPerformer
When your powerful blues drivespeople to their feet, you play stringsthat stand up to it too. Blues is gritty,powerful music. You really need to layinto the strings. The only strings thatcan stand up to the way Rory Blockplays are Martin Strings. She usesMartin mediums. In her own words,“They work wonderfully for me. I playvery hard and get the least amountof buzzing with the Martin med-iums.” When it’s time to restring yourinstrument, use Martin Marquis®,Martin Strings, Martin PhosphorBronze, or Martin Cryogenic. After all,the best string with the best!
The People Who Use Them
Martin Thinline 332 Plus™ Acoustic Pickup
The 332 Plus™ is a new pickupsystem for acoustic guitars developedby Fishman Transducers®. Thecomplete system includes a ceramicunder the saddle pickup (Thinline332®) and a specially designedminiature onboard preamp. The heartof the system is a miniature circuit thatis housed in a slightly elongatedshielding cap on the back end of thejack. The board uses state-of-the-artsurface mounting components. It is anall discrete transistor circuit design. The unit features:• New onboard Active Jack™ preamp• Improved ease of installation• Low noise• Frequency response: 20Hz - 20kHz
with THD of less than .1%• Extremely low current consumption
for long battery life• Warm, balanced acoustic response
without distortion
Active Jack™ Pre-amp for Martin Thinline PickupsThe Active Jack™ , developed by
Fishman Transducers®, is a new pre-amp system for acoustic guitars thatalready have Martin Thinline 332® orother brands of ceramic pickupsinstalled. The heart of the Active Jack™system is identical to the one utilizedwith the above Thinline 332 Plus™ theonly difference being that this version,intended for retrofitting, does notinclude a pickup. ❖
The new Martin Thinline 332 Plus™includes an Active Jack™, a battery mount,and a pre-wired battery connecter. TheActive Jack™ can be purchased by itself ifyou want to do an “active” upgrade to yourexisting pickup.
Thinline 332 Plus™
Look for new Martin SP™ Strings at your local music store. They’ll
turn gold into magic.
10
New
New NEW MARTIN®
ACOUSTIC PICKUPSRUMPLESTILTSKYN
SPINNING “MAGIC” AT C. F. MARTINThis is no fairy tale! OK, so there’s
no legendary imp working here withan ancient spinning wheel and a pile ofstraw. But the exciting story is that C.F.Martin & Company has developed anew line of acoustic guitar strings thatare as good as gold, but you don’tneed to speculate on precious metalsto enjoy them!
The new Martin SP™ Studio/Performance Series strings are madefrom an ultra-high quality steel corethat resists breaking and corrosionbetter than other strings. If you lookclosely, you’ll see that the core wiresand the plain strings are plated with asmooth, acoustic bronze finish.Available in 80/20 Acoustic Bronze,these new strings outperform otherbrands. They stay bright, have long-lasting, superior tonal qualities, andlook absolutely beautiful on yourfavorite guitar.
Our high technology windingoperation has long since replacedhand-operated spinning wheels andour quality is no myth. We work hardto put the magic in your fingers. Try aset of the new Martin SP™ Studio/Performance Series strings.
These strings are so new, youmight have to educate your favoritedealer about them! Ask them to orderyou a few sets today!
BACKPACKER®
GUITARSWhere Have They Been?
BACKPACKER®
QUADROPHENIAPreston Gratiot hails from
Camarillo, California. He has theonly “herringbone” Backpackerthat we know of. He droppedthe instrument while hiking andas a result, he had theherringbone trim custominstalled to eliminate the dent.Preston strings his Backpackerwith “high strung” or “Nashville”tuning (See Page 8). He does alot of traveling as well.
Preston was recently outrunning the mining trailsbetween Durango, Silverton,and Telluride when he stoppedat “Four Corners” to photo-graph his Backpacker in Utah,Colorado, Arizona, and NewMexico, all at the same time.OK, if you want to get technical,the instrument is only in threestates, the strap is in Arizona. ❖
INLINE BACKPACKERSCOAST TO COAST !Bill McIntosh inline-skated coast to
coast across America, over fourmountains and hundreds of “large hills”,across the Mohave desert, throughswamps in three states, and days throughbarren wildernesses. He jumped in threeoceans and slept on the side of the roadin eight states. And he did it all with hisBackpacker slung across his shoulder!Why did he do it? He is marketingproducts for the inline skating industryacross the world and supporting anumber of charities in the process,including The Foundation EnhancingEducation & Literacy which helpsunderprivileged children. ❖
– In Outer Space Aboard The Space Shuttle,
– To The Summit Of Mount Everest,
– To Both The North and The South Poles,
– On A Safari In Africa, – Coast To Coast
On Inline Skates, and Across The Continent Of Asia
On A Bicycle.
Where Ever You’re Going, You Really Can Take A
Backpacker AlongWith You!We Want To Hear Your Backpacker Story.
Mail to: “The Sounding Board” c/o Martin Guitar Company
Box 329, Nazareth, PA 18064-0329
HAVE BACKPACKER®
WILL TRAVELScotty Stets of Fall River, MA,
traveled extensively around Europewith his Backpacker, which he hasaffectionately named “Yvette.” Hewailed for the ghosts at WarwickCastle north of London, he yodeled atthe ruins of the Marquis de Sade’schateau in the foothills of the Frenchalps, his vocals venerated the stormybeaches at Normandy, he crooned atthe “upside down scallops” of theRoman aqueducts in Lisbon, and in thephoto above, he serenaded the spirit ofHamlet at Shakespeare’s legendarybirthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon. “Tostrum or not to strum?” No questionhere. Scotty chose to strum!
Scott’s dad, Stanley J. Stets Jr.,loves to belt out Hank Snow tunes onhis old D-41, so it’s a family thing.
Scott is planning more excursionsand wants to know whether there areany places that the Backpacker shouldgo that it hasn’t already been to? Haveany ideas? In the patriotic tradition, heexclaims: “I have not yet begun toBackpack!” ❖
Scotty Stets serenades the spirit of Hamlet atShakespeare’s legendary birthplace inStratford-upon-Avon.
Bill McIntosh, looking like a member of theforeign legion, takes a rest in the middle of theMohave desert.
11
Phot
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Dav
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Phot
o by
Sas
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. Moo
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NM
▼
At Last, A Guitar DesignedSpecifically For Women
BY D I AN E PONZ IO
OUR MISSIONThe Women And
Music Program will Successfully Educate,
Encourage, Acknowledge, and Promote Women’sInvolvement with
Guitar Playing Throughthe ContinuousDevelopment of
Guitar Related Projects.This Mission was adopted by
The Women & Music Committee of the Martin Guitar Company on June 20, 1996.
B efore the turn of the century,the majority of guitar playerswere women. They embraced
“Parlor Style” music, which they playedon small bodied, gut-string guitars.Many lithographs and paintings fromthe late 19th century show thesewomen enjoying such instruments.
Things certainly have changed. Themajority of players are now male. As aresult, lithographs featuring active,guitar-playing women have beenreplaced by ads showing passive bikini-clad models who obviously servemerely as virility tokens for the maleplayers. Images of women musiciansare rare. Was it international affairs,styles of music, or cultural trends thatdrove women fretless?
There is a case to be made thatguitar makers have neglected over 50%of their potential market in theiradvertising strategies. Ironically, though,the movement in popular music todayis centered on the singer-songwriter,many of whom are, in fact, women...women GUITARISTS. In an interestinginverse parallel trend, it is notable thatfrom the 1920’s until the present, guitarbodies have gotten bigger, while thenumber of women players has gottensmaller. Perhaps it’s time for the musicalinstrument industry to alter itsmarketing strategies and give someattention to ergonomics. Women can
and should be lured back to thefingerboard.
Recently, a voluntary group ofMartin employees got together to thinkabout these issues. The demographicsof the group were unprecedented; 80%were women. They represented literallyevery facet of the Company’sendeavors from making strings andbridges to headstocks and braces. I wasfortunate to participate in this excitinggroup as we sought to acknowledgewomen’s role in the music world today.Our job was to develop some ongoingprograms and to try to determine whatkind of Martin guitar most womenwould like to play.
Anatomically speaking, it’s ratherobvious that the Dreadnought can be alittle uncomfortable for many women.In a survey conducted with severalhundred female Martin owners, it wasdetermined that a smaller-bodied, tight-waisted guitar was more desirable. Butall of us are committed to sound. Thedistinctive Martin sound, now mostcommon in Dreadnoughts, hasgalvanized musical culture for almosttwo centuries. Could we come up witha guitar that sounded big, but playedcomfortably...one with great action, aperfect thin neck, and elegant butsimple appointments?
It’s a thrill for me to have been apart of a group that designed an
instrument that a linebacker could loveas well as any of my peers - the “00”Deep Body. In playing severalprototypes, we all fell in love with theMahogany model. The sound wasspectacular. The slotted headstock,because of its increased downwardpressure on the nut, gives an evenbigger sound that the scalloped bracesand Dreadnought depth already insure.And the tight waist provides wonderfultonal balance, yielding a versatile guitarthat packs a punch!
It’s a proud moment for The MartinGuitar Company to be among the firstcompanies in the instrument business topublicly acknowledge women playersby stepping out boldly. By getting inputfrom women and allowing for theirideas, Martin has designed a specificmodel perfect for them. Now, thatwonderful new instrument is on themarket. And because of its enhancedsound capabilities, it’s an instrumentthat men will crave, too. This is a greatguitar for anyone to be proud of and foreveryone to love playing. ❖
Diane Ponzio, pictured above, is a New Yorkbased singer-songwriter and guitarist. Shetravels world-wide with C.F. “Chris” Martin IVperforming her songs as part of apresentation about the Martin guitar. She hasreleased two CDs.
