Why Martin?

You see them at festivals and jams.  D18s, D28s, HD28s, D42s and 45s.... Martin seems to have taken the bluegrass guitar world by storm just like Gibson has the Mandolin and Banjo world.

It seems that Martin lays claim to a significant amount of accomplishments in guitar building... from scalloped X bracing to the dreadnought body style.  That alone should let you know that they are a great guitar company.

C.F. Martin & Company was founded in 1833 by Christian Frederick Martin.  C.F. was born in 1796 in Germany.  He was a woodworker by lineage but he was an apprentice to a well-known guitar luthier in Vienna, Austria.  After becoming disgruntled with aspects of the guild system in Europe he decided to move to New York City and then to Nazareth, PA in 1838.

In the 1900's guitar, folk music and country music popularity were at an all time high.  Steel strings were replacing catgut, and louder volumes were needed from the instruments.  During the depression Martin came up with the 14 fret neck which allowed more notes (and was meant to appeal to banjo players).  This innovation was so popular that Martin gave all their guitars 14 frets and the rest of the industry soon followed.

In 1916 the British Navy created a ship that was considerably larger than any other in service.  Martin took this opportunity to market their large-scale instrument as the "dreadnought" after the HMS Dreadnought.  With greater volume and louder bass, it helped define the bluegrass sound which Bill Monroe and others helped created from the 40's through the 60's.

Due to Martin's influence in America's musical formation years, during the time of recording industries, radio and such it simply became the traditional company to fit the traditional music that became known as bluegrass.

Many people play Martins when they play bluegrass.  Some would conclude that you can't play bluegrass without one.  I don't believe that is true.  Martin actually has a very high production rate compared to many other high-end guitar builders in America, yet they still produce a very high quality instrument which arguably has more history than any other rivals.  Martin was around when young Americans were playing folk music on the porches and in the hollers of Appalachia and other areas.  It's only natural to bring Martin guitars along for the ride in modern times.

- SD