The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #86186   Message #1601385
Posted By: Willie-O
10-Nov-05 - 09:11 AM
Thread Name: Martin Classical guitar
Subject: RE: Martin Classical guitar
A search of Martin's website reveals that they put out a limited edition special of 100 replicas of Willie's N-20 in 1998/99. Bet they're pricey too.

They also show a couple of currently manufactured classics in the $2-3000 U.S. range, with the unwieldy model designations of 000C-16SGTNE and 000C-16SRNE . No doubt fine instruments (both cutaways rather than traditional-shaped body) but boy would they cost you to get in the UK.

If you're studying classical guitar, I'd think you could do a lot better looking at the Spanish makers. If you're learning to play folk-pop style like Willie Nelson, but want to stick with the nylon strings, then maybe there are some UK makers building something similar to those current Martin models...bit of a limited market.

"Martin Guitars: A History" shows the N-20 and N-10 were produced from 1969 to at least 1979, almost always less than 100 of each model per year, (except the 262 N-20's made in '69), so there's not a whole pile of them out there. Classics have never been a big thing with Martin, so you'd be pretty lucky to find one. Good luck though, it's fun to dream, and Willie's does sound pretty damn great.

W-O.