Has Martin gone mad? (Plastic guitars?)

Subject: Martin Gurthrie model
From: Philj200
Date: 19 Jun 07 - 05:09 PM

I wonder if the Guthrie family (whom I believe owns the rights to a lot of his work, and I would bet his name) (his daugther Sara is the person who adminsters his estate?) gets royalties. Martin certainly didn't use his name without permission. Mad, is conjecture. But they're not stupid.

Royalties. A word in plural or singular not usualy associated with the senior Mister Gurthie's politics. But certainly with his place in American folkmusic.

Madness on Martin's part. Or marketing. I wonder who contacted who first. Now we wait to see who buys one and reviews it here or EZFolk or someplace.

Too rich (another non-Guthrie word) for my blood.

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: open mike
Date: 19 Jun 07 - 06:38 PM

the painted guitars are by Bob Armstong who also plays musical the saw.
http://www.geocities.com/artandnoveltyhut/instruments1.html
how about a duet..with both instruments participating...??
oh, no, i did not mean THAT way...

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: mandotim
Date: 20 Jun 07 - 11:52 AM

Hi Phil; hell no, I don't own 50 Martins (I wish!). I've owned seven, but played a lot more. I don't have any at the moment, so you might want to reconsider the request for adoption!
Credentials more than accepted; it's always nice to talk to someone who has good experience, especially when it's different to mine; otherwise, how do we learn anything?
btw I also have a Takamine, it was my gigging guitar for years before I got the Rainsong; it's a very early Japan-made EN20, made in the late 70s, just after the famous lawsuit with Martin, funnily enough. Cost less than a Martin at the time, but wasn't cheap. I played it back-to-back with a D28 and a 000-18 at the time, and it blew them both away. Still does.
Nice to hear from you.
Tim

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: Philj200
Date: 20 Jun 07 - 02:24 PM

Back at 'ya Tim. How else indeed. And where else but on the 'net.

My Martin DXM is the first Martin I've ever owned. I've always coveted a good Martin but life happens between buying the guitar you want and the one you can afford...after the rent and the babysitter and the car payment and ...

I just got the Takamine a few months ago. Friend of mine took up the bagpipes, joined a Cletic marching band and put his guitars under his bed. He wanted $350 for the Tak with hardcase. I couldn't say no. It was cherry.

Jump back to 1963: Roger Sprung banjo picker, teacher and instrument dealer (among other parts of a full and fulfilled life) sold me my J200 damaged but playable for (better sit down) (have a hyperventilation bag handy) (Prozac?)... for $175, with a Gibson arch-top hard case for another $25.

Long, long story in that involving a hurricane and Bob Dylan... for another time. I went ot a luthier to see about the damaged and worked out that I would fix it mself in his place and under his guidance for a reduced rate. That turned into a job. Until the scondrel disappeared one night leaving a stack of IOUs all over the westside of Manhattan, a bunch of guitars that were not his, and about a month of back pay still due me. Son of a female dog had me down on the lease as co-owner! That was a surprise. But a nasty mess to disprove.

But the repairs on the J200 held up... for about forty years.

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: Philj200
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 10:05 AM

Where'd'ya go, TIm?

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: Greg B
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 07:06 PM

I saw a Martin made with no wood---
Fie, man, fie!
I saw a Martin made with no wood
Who's the fool now?
I saw a Martin made with no wood,
and thought it was no earthly good
Thou hast well drunketh man,
Who's the fool now?

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: Philj200
Date: 24 Jun 07 - 08:05 AM

Did you write that with a goose-quill pen?

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: GUEST,stu
Date: 11 Sep 07 - 08:55 PM

all they've done in the last 35 odd years is devalued their name...I used to feel proud to say "Ive got a MArtin" then it was "Ive got a pre 1970 Martin"...now its "Ive got some nice old Gibsons and a real Martin"

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: GUEST,muley1
Date: 09 Mar 08 - 01:05 PM

Why did Martin drop the Sigma guitar line?

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: Stringsinger
Date: 09 Mar 08 - 01:11 PM

Yeah, but how do they sound?

Frank

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: Jeri
Date: 09 Mar 08 - 01:17 PM

What, Frank? Sigmas? There's a whole humongous thread about Sigmas, mostly posted to by Google surf-ins who want to know how much their guitar's worth.

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 09 Mar 08 - 01:22 PM

I have heard a story that Martin bought Levin to close them down and ran Sigma to cover the close down period ! How true , I DONT know !

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 09 Mar 08 - 01:46 PM

Did you notice that there was a Levin Goliath on ebay not long ago? I dropped out of the bidding quite early.

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: olddude
Date: 10 Apr 08 - 07:56 AM

Have a d-28 from the 60's that I am in love with. I would not touch one of the new one's for any price. Hate the sound hate the plastic. All of the Martins I have seen made today, no way , not for this old picker. There are too many decent guitars out there with far more sound quality and construction quality I think for a much better price. I would not buy a Martin today never

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: Mooh
Date: 10 Apr 08 - 08:24 AM

Well, they haven't jumped on the Rockstar/GuitarHero bandwagon yet, have they?

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: Willie-O
Date: 10 Apr 08 - 11:06 PM

70's Martins may well have had more quality control issues than other decades. I know cause I've owned one for 28 years. This does not make them undesirable though, my experience is that most of the problems are repairable. My '73 O-18 never had proper intonation until I took it to a "regulation specialist" who did an amazing job on all the problems. He had to re-rout the saddle slot--the way it came out of the factory was just plain wrong. Also repaired the cracks (which are of course not particular to the 70's), installed a slightly larger pickguard (hides the repaired cracks) and god knows what else. All I know is that it (the overhaul) was the best $300 I ever spent, that was 15 years ago, and I have had a fine guitar ever since with none of the problems re-occurring. It is not that loud, but that's its small and the action is very low (it is coming up on the obligatory neck reset but I'm not going to do it until necessary because it is such a joy to play now.) BTW the restoration was done by Rufus Stewart, he now has a shop in Victoria BC but is "semi-retiring" according to his website.

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: GUEST,Silas
Date: 10 May 08 - 07:51 AM

Well, well well..........

A few months ago I bought a new limited edition Felix martin. I bought it as an investment really, however, on playing it I was astonished how well it sounded, I mean REALLY sounded. It leaves my Baby taylor sounding like a plank with strings on - honestly! The thing is made most entirely from HPL (High pressure laminate)the neck is 'stratabond' which looks like a maple ply and is much better looking than it sounds. The guitar is exremely well made, well up to martin standards and I am delighted with it - so impressed am I that I went out and bought a DX1R which is also HPL except the front is spruce.

I have a 60s D28 - this 'plastic' Martin leaves it standing - unbelievable but true nevertheless.

Subject: RE: Has Martin gone mad?
From: GUEST
Date: 10 May 08 - 02:15 PM

Martin is a product of the guitar market. If it sells those atrocities, then it's not mad but
successful from a business standpoint.

They still make great guitars although I prefer their older ones.