CF Martin & His Guitars 1796-1873 Book

Martin is considered the finest acoustic guitar in the world, a distinction it has held for more than 160 years, with instruments played by performers including Eric Clapton, Stephen Stills, Judy Collins, and Johnny Cash, as well as hundreds of thousands of professional and amateur musicians. In C.F. Martin and His Guitars, 1796-1873, author Philip Gura chronicles the career of Christian Frederick Martin, from his humble start as an importer and repairman of musical instruments in New York City in the 1830s through his move to Nazareth, Pennsylvania, and the founding of C.F. Martin & Company.

Gura is the first historian to thoroughly study the Martin company's records dating back to the 1830s, drawing on letters, account books, inventories, and other original documents to show how a German immigrant from Saxony's guild tradition became the finest American guitar maker of his time. Illustrated throughout with sketches and historical photographs, the book traces Martin's suppliers and advertising methods and is ideal for anyone wanting a detailed, well-researched history of an enduring American guitar brand that still thrives today under a sixth-generation Martin.

Features

• Thoroughly researched history drawing on original Martin company records, letters, and account books.
• Traces Christian Frederick Martin's career from 1830s New York to the founding of C.F. Martin & Company in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
• Illustrated with sketches and hundreds of historical photographs.
• Explores the suppliers and advertising methods behind Martin's growth.
• Covers the company's continued growth under six generations of Martin family leadership.

Specs

• Author: Philip F. Gura
• Subject: C.F. Martin's life and the founding of C.F. Martin & Company
• Period covered: 1796-1873
• Illustrations: Sketches and historical photographs
• Sources: Original Martin company letters, account books, and inventories