Review: The Martin GPCE Inception Maple Looks to the Future of Tonewoods and Guitar Design
Using sustainable domestic tonewoods paired with an innovative bracing design, the Inception is a great-sounding instrument that is easy to play.
Great Acoustics: George Gruhn’s Exceptionally Rare 1933 Martin 12-Fret D-28
This 1933 Martin 12-fret, slot-head D-28 is George Gruhn's favorite flattop steel-string guitar. Here's why.
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Thomas Ripsam, C.F. Martin and Co.’s First Non-Family CEO, Combines a Love of Guitar with Global Business Experience
Thomas Ripsam’s path to CEO at C.F. Martin & Co.’s Nazareth, Pennsylvania, headquarters is even more unlikely than most.
Review: Martin’s Modern Deluxe D-45 and 012-28 Are Majestic Flattops with Vintage-Inspired Designs and Modern Features
With the top-shelf Martin Modern Deluxe D-45 and 012-28 acoustic guitars, there’s no arguing with the overwhelming quality and class of the materials and craftmanship—and depth of sound.
Great Acoustics: Hank Williams’ Other Martin Guitar
This Martin D-18 had a homecoming in 2009, but not before helping launch a country legend.
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A Guide to Identifying Common Acoustic Guitar Shapes and Sizes
The steel-string acoustic guitar appears in many different sizes and shapes. This guide gives a general understanding of the most common styles and what they may offer players.
Great Acoustics: A Pristine 1943 Martin 000-18 with a Fascinating History
This 1943 Martin 000-18 was originally a gift to a Spanish immigrant to Monterey, California, who was a regular performer along the famed Cannery Row.
Jerry Garcia’s 1943 Martin D-28 Acoustic Guitar Finds a New Home—and New Players
Jerry Garcia’s Martin D-28 acoustic guitar was likely acquired by the guitarist in the late spring of 1970. Now it has a new owner to care for it.
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Martin Guitars Names New CEO
Thomas Ripsam brings an impressive business pedigree to Nazareth. He has a long career in finance and is also an avid musician who has built acoustic guitars.
Guitar Review: Martin’s Radical New Acoustic-Electric SC-13E Uses Innovative Construction for Playability and Tone
Martin's affordable new SC-13E acoustic guitar boasts a fresh, out-of-the-box redesign—even flying in the face of Martin’s usual traditional glued dovetail joint!
Great Acoustics: This 1930 Martin 000-45 Deluxe is a Rare and Opulent Offering
This beautiful, unique 1930 Martin 000-45 Deluxe is possibly the finest example of the early period of the American guitar.
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Hear Dix Bruce Play Our Custom Martin HD-28V
This custom 2000 Martin HD-28V is from Acoustic Guitar magazine’s 10th Anniversary Collection. In celebration of our 30th anniversary in 2020, we’re putting our collection up for auction, starting on April 20 and closing on May 10, giving you the opportunity to bid on a piece of guitar history and…
Martin Unveils New Models at NAMM 2020
At Winter NAMM 2020, Martin introduces the game-changing SC-13E acoustic-electric; the D-X2E 12-string; and the 000C12-16E Nylon, as the name suggests, a 12-fret cutaway classical with onboard electronics. Check out more 2020 Winter NAMM coverage here.
Gear Review: Martin OM-28 Modern Deluxe
The Martin OM-28 Modern Deluxe is a lightweight orchestra-bodied guitar, with a blend of vintage and modern features that merge to form a unique, cutting-edge composition.
Great Acoustics: Joan Baez’s Circa 1880 Martin Style 0-40
Aside from the association with Baez, the 0-40 is a remarkable instrument in its own right. Martin only made a dozen or so examples of this deluxe parlor-sized guitar, with its Brazilian rosewood back and sides, bound ebony fretboard, abalone purfling and rosette, and brass (or sometimes German silver) engraved tuners with bone buttons.
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Martin Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Woodstock and More at 2019 Winter NAMM
In this video from the 2019 Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, Scott from C.F. Martin & Co. introduces the company’s updated Dreadnought Jr. and Road series guitars, as well as new models celebrating the 50th anniversary of Woodstock and the 30th year of Martin’s plant in Navojoa, Mexico. Check…
Beyond Rosewood: 12 Mid-Priced Alt-Wood Guitars
Our pitch to makers was simple: Send us a guitar that uses no rosewood and has a real-world cost of $500–$1,500. Since some makers have many models that qualify, we limited each brand to one guitar of any shape or size, with or without electronics or a cutaway. Laminated and solid woods were okay, but no composites such as carbon fiber (that’s a roundup for another time). What you’ll see over the following pages are a dozen acoustic guitars, presented alphabetically, that show off some of the delightful choices available in this popular price range.
C. F. Martin & Co. Recognized for Environmental Efforts
On September 1, 2018 C. F. Martin & Company became the first player in the musical instrument industry to receive a respected certification that it meets standards set for how a company treats its employees, the community, and the environment.
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Gear Review: Martin’s Redesigned Authentic Acoustic Strings
The tension, feel, and tone of the SP strings brought a Gibson SJ-200 to life and drew in AG colleagues to compliment the guitar’s lively sound. Likewise, the Marquis Silked gave a Collings D41 dreadnought bountiful tone, with a focus and definition that made this guitar sound better than ever.
Martin Celebrates Its Flagship D-28 With a New Exhibit
Standing in front of the display cases and taking it all in, it’s easy to witness the dynamic nature of the D-28’s history and that of its predecessors.
Great Acoustics: 1938 Martin 000-28
This golden-era flattop was in such well-preserved condition that some customers mistook it for a newly made Martin Authentic.
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Review: Martin 000-15M StreetMaster
As you might expect from an all-mahogany guitar, the StreetMaster has miles of clarity and focused fundamentals, and a strong midrange with a dry throatiness on the lower mids.
Review: Martin Model America 1 and Standard Series D-28
In an era when tropical tonewoods such as mahogany and rosewood have become increasingly regulated and scarce, it makes perfect sense to make a guitar entirely from North American woods. The Model America 1 is based on the stalwart D-18, but with tonewoods that can be found in Martin’s—or maybe even your own—back yard.
Vintage Instruments hosts a special exhibition of early Martin guitars
C.F. Martin & Company’s Nazareth, Pennsylvania, factory has long been a mecca for acoustic guitarists, and earlier this winter, Vintage Instruments, in downtown Philadelphia, became a Martin annex of sorts.
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Chris Martin IV and the “Reimagined” Standard Series Martin Guitars: Winter NAMM 2018
Here’s Chris F Martin IV at the Martin Guitars booth at Winter NAMM 2018, talking about the genesis of their new line of ‘Reimagined’ Standard Series guitars. MORE MARTIN GUITARS Review: Martin’s 0-18 Is a Small-Bodied Classic Video Review: The D-1 Authentic 1931 Is a Note-Perfect Replica of a Rare Martin…