™

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MARTIN GUITAR COMPANY •VOLUME 26 • JANUARY 2009

The Sounding Board

000-28M Eric ClaptonSignature Edition

Page 28

00-42 Linda RonstadtSignature Edition

Page 2600-18SJohn MellencampCustom Artist Edition

Page 24

LX Elvis Presley®Limited Edition

Page 17

OM Chris HillmanCustom Artist Edition

Page 30

Plus:Many New

Special Editionsand Stock Models

Pages 18-23

Martin CelebratesThe 75th Anniversary

of theD-18 and the D-28

Page 21

JohnMellencamp

Paul Morig / Wire Image

Martin is #1Players and DealersChoice Awards Are In

Pages 9 & 14

Dear Sounding Board Readers,Well, our 175th Anniversary is now behind us. We’ve had quite

a year. During 2008, we’ve held many special events andintroduced an array of exciting anniversary-related products tocelebrate our milestone. We held an incredible concert for ouremployees at the local State Theater with the talents of Jann Klose,Thom Bresh, Rosanne Cash, John Leventhal, Roger McGuinn, KennyVaughn and Marty Stuart. Our first ever prototype auction atChristie’s raised more than $150,000 for our altruistic arm – TheMartin Guitar Charitable Foundation. And our founder’s legacy wasacknowledged on November 7th with the dedication of a specialbronze plaque at the 196 Hudson Street site of his first shop inNew York City.

Few companies worldwide can claim such a heritage. Oursuccess has been built upon the polarities of consistency andinnovation, quality and precise detail, plentiful materials and periodsof scarcity, and of course American perseverance through toughtimes. While it might seem surprising that we’ve done well duringrecent economic turmoil, it is logical that customers value long-lasting products that hold their value or even accrue and improveover time. Though there are no guarantees, our guitars havecertainly done that, outperforming the ebbs and flows of worldmarkets. And what other investment can you actually play!

Our business is perhaps uniquely mirrored by my daughter’sgrowth and development. Our final inspector George Molchany is agreat fingerstyle guitarist and he occasionally does outreach intoschools and gatherings to entertain and educate our extendedcommunity about what we do at Martin. He’s pictured above withClaire and her friend Rachel during an art show at my daughter’sday care center at Northampton Community College. This is mydual focus, and I have great hope for the future.

Sincerely,

C. F. Martin IV

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The Sounding Board™VOLUME 26 • JANUARY 2009

PUBL I SHED BY

The Martin Guitar CompanyP. O. Box 329, Nazareth, PA 18064

Phone: (610) 759-2837Fax: (610) 759-5757

www.martinguitar.comEDITOR

Dick Boakeditor@martinguitar.com

CONTR I BUTORS

The Sounding Board™ is availablefor free from your local authorizedMartin dealership. You will also findrecent Sounding Board issues on ourwebsite in downloadable PDF format.Typically, issues are published in Januaryand July of each year.

If you wish to be assured of receivingfuture issues of The Sounding Board, werecommend that you consider maintainingan active membership in The MartinOwners Club.

You may request a complimentarycopy of the Sounding Board or theMartin catalog by calling us at the phonenumber at the top of the masthead.

Printed On Recycled Paperin the USA

CHRIS’S CORNERCHRIS’S CORNER

© 2009 C. F. Martin & Co., Inc., Nazareth, PA17MM03 All rights reserved.

C. F. Martin IVScott FollweilerChris ThomasLen Jaffe

Bill BushSteve Mikisits

Marshall NewmanPeter Szego

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LETTERS

Dear Mr. Martin,When my father passed away in

April, he left me a sum of money whichin part, I wanted to use to buysomething by which I could rememberhim and pay tribute to his life and ourrelationship. It could have beensomething utilitarian like a new car, butbecause that would have ultimatelybeen temporary, it didn’t seem right. Anew guitar seemed a more appropriatecommemorative purchase. My dadloved music and I think he would haveapproved.

I knew that I wanted a new Martin000-28, and my clever friend Denisfound a music store selling Martins atreasonable prices. We learned thatMartin Simpson frequents the storeoften and that endorsement was goodenough for me! So, Denis and I droveto the store and though it was in adesolate little town, the dealership wasa great place, full of mainly acousticguitars and lots of Martins.

The 000-28’s beautiful and classicshape shone like a beacon and I satdown to play what was soon to be mynew guitar. It sounded like an orchestrain a cathedral with its perfect, flawlessaction.

After running through my limitedrepertoire a few times, my out-of-practise fingers became sore and Ispent the rest of the afternoon readingabout the Martin company and thehistory of this marvelous musical tool.In the evening, I returned to the joy ofplaying my 000-28.

And so, my new guitar stands as amagnificent tribute to a magnificentman – thanks Dad and thanks Martin!

Ian TatlockRuncorn, Cheshire, England

Dear Mr. Martin,I thought you might like to see this

photo I took a few days ago with myD-45. It’s the best guitar I ever owned.Also notice that Dick Boak’s D-28illustration is hanging in the background.Though I am retired now and immersedin photography, I have plenty of time tospend with my Martin guitar playing. Iremain your biggest fan!

Rog PachutaAllen, Texas

We’re interested in yourletters, stories and photos.

Mail them in oremail your digital files to:editor@martinguitar.com

Dear Mr. Martin,I dreamed all my life of owning and

playing a Martin. I purchased my firstone – a herringbone HD-28 – two yearsago and truly love the sound andvolume as well as the appearance. I playit at all my performances throughoutsouthwest Virginia, east Tennessee, andKentucky. I use it on all my recordingsand will continue to do so. Thank you!

Dan PerkinsJonesville, VA

Dear Mr. Martin,I just wanted to let you know that

I'm really pleased with my new Martin000-28EC Eric Clapton model. It wasthe guitar of my dreams and I got it formy birthday – the best present ever.The sound is so great and now it hasinspired me to play every chance I get.Thank you so much!

Kevalin LiebmannTahiti

Dear Mr. Martin,For many years, I had been playing

“another brand,” but I have alwaysadmired the look and sound of a Martin.As an entertainer, I’ve always been afterthat certain sound. Last year, Ipurchased a Martin D-16RGTE. When itfinally arrived, I couldn’t wait to take itout of the box and play it. The soundwas so sweet, it actually brought tears tomy eyes. I played it for hours.

As a songwriter and a videomaker,it was my missing link. Since getting thatguitar, I’ve produced two CDs: “LoveSongs and Tear Jerkers” and “PassingOn Tradition,” and a music video: “LoveSent From The Past.” I’m in the processof filming my next music video “OneMore For The Road.” My Martin willhave a starring role! Please, continue toproduce GREAT sounding flat tops!

George Kiesel, Jr.aka Johnstown George

Photo–RogPachuta

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PhotoCourtesyofJosetteStarkey

Tools Of The TradeMartin Guitar technician/clinician Richard Starkey caught the Martin fever many years ago. He worked at the Martin

factory for many years and now lives just outside of Nashville, Tennessee. Richard is providing expert repairs for the musiciansof Nashville, while performing as a guitarist and singer, both solo and with an assortment of bands. His Martin collectionincludes (left to right): 000C-16SGTNE (2002), 00-18 (1937), OM-28 Custom (2005), D-18VM (1998), HD-28MCustom (1988), D-18CW Clarence White #2 of edition (2001), D-18 Golden Era (2000), D-18 Authentic 1937 (2006), D-45Custom (1994), D-28V (1984), D-28 Golden Era (1999), D-28 #155613 (1957), HD-28 #382278 (1976). He’s holding hisBackpacker Mandolin plus a Backpacker Prototype with a cedar top (lefthanded model purchased from Mike Longworth in1992), and not shown, a recent LX-175th Anniversary (2008). As you can see, Richard Starkey loves Martin instruments! �

MARTIN STORIESMARTIN STORIES

175th Anniversary Employee ConcertOn September 12th, 2008, a special 175th Anniversary Concert was held at the beautifully restored State Theater in

downtown Easton, PA. The show featured an amazing array of acoustic talent that included individual performances by artistswho volunteered their time out of love and loyalty to Martin guitars. For the finale, Roger McGuinn led all of the performers ina spirited version of Bob Dylan’s “My Back Pages.” The photo above captured this special moment: (from left to right) CraigThatcher, John Leventhal, Rosanne Cash, Kenny Vaughn, Roger McGuinn, Marty Stuart, Chris Marolf, Jann Klose and ThomBresh. Martin’s Director of Artist Relations, Dick Boak, MCed the show and kicked off the roster with a rousing rendition ofJohn Lennon’s “Don’t Let Me Down.” Nearly 1,250 Martin employees with immediate family and friends filled the hall andwere treated to a night that will last in the memory of everyone who was lucky enough to attend. �

5

Hands Off My Martin !Imagine having your first Martin at a little over 9

months old! Tony Sarno sent us this photo of his sonAedan with his LX FeLiX Martin guitar. There will be nomessing around with this kid, or his guitar. �

Life After DrummingDrums had always been Paul Angers’ primary instrument, until

he started playing guitar to help pay the bills. Two years ago hebought his first Martin – a 00-15 equipped with a Fishman Ellipse.Now he just can’t put it down! One of his greatest regrets is that hedidn’t buy a Martin forty years ago. As Paul relays: “It would havesaved me and my students a lot of grief.” He is photographedabove with his students from the Weizmann Day School. His nextacquisition? A Vintage Series 00-18V! �

Seattle’s Finest15-year old Graham Mitchell of Seattle loves to flatpick on his

favorite Martin. In August of 2008, he won the Junior PickingDivision and came in second in the Open Picking Division at theOldfield Heritage Fiddle Contest in Puyallup, Washington. Grahamhas been playing guitar for only four years. He taught himself guitarwhile learning mandolin from old time fiddler Stuart Williams.Graham says: ”I like listening to David Grisman and Chris Thile. Wetry to catch their shows whenever they come to town.”

When Graham isn’t playing his Martin at shows, the farmer’smarket, fundraisers, or weddings, he plays his late greatgrandmother’s Martin ukulele. He has been asked to start teachingworkshops next summer. To hear Graham play, go to YouTube anddo a search on “Kohler's Reel.” �

©Shannon

Connolly

Art

Going To The SunSinger/songwriter and Martin enthusiast Jim

Salestrom purchased a special guitar for a Montanavintage car rally auction. Martin inlay artist Tracy Coxenhanced the 000-15S with special inlays for a goodcause.

Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer auctionedthe ”Going To The Sun” 000-15S Martin in Helena,Montana on September 6th, 2008, raising animpressive $4,100.00. The proceeds were donated tothe Montana Highway Patrol Association’s FallenOfficer's Fund. �

Stress FreeSince receiving his Little Martin guitar in Iraq, SFVC

Valentin Fletes has come a long way in learning his G, C, andD chords. His guitar has kept him relatively stress free in themilitary environment and in a recent letter, he relayed hisappreciation to the employees at Martin for making it allpossible. �

Iraqi Guitar ClassWhile stationed as a Vector Control contractor at Camp

Taji in Iraq, William McVicker of Baltimore, Marylandvoluntarily taught a guitar class twice a week. He wassurprised and thrilled when several of his students startedshowing up with their Little Martin guitars. The class wasequally thrilled to have a musical diversion from their day-to-day military responsibilities. Upon returning to the States,William came to Martin to present the flag that is hanging inthe background of the photo. Pictured above are (left toright): William McVicker (Vector Control), Troy Thomas, RayEstes, Duane Mosqueda, Major Mark Knox, Jon Mancusoand Mike Patterson. �

Kind GesturesJim and Sandy Witchell have played a significant role as

patent holders in the licensing of high pressure laminate(HPL) for Martin X Series instruments. They showed theirappreciation by donating several guitars to the above groupof soldiers who have contributed so much to the war efforton our behalf in Iraq and Afghanistan. Clockwise from frontleft: PFC Kelly Cunningham, SPC Michael Ostello, SPC IkeThompson, LTC Edwin Fiske, SPC Joshua Almond, SandyWitchell, SGT Michael Manning, SSG Tina Savage, SFCMarcellus Williams, Jim Witchell, SSG Steven Wilson andSSG Carlos Barreto. �

Saw SongSPC Brandon J. Humanick was so excited when he

opened the door to his room and saw the box from MartinGuitar. All the guys in his squad were jealous, as he is theonly one with a Martin in Khost, Afghanistan. He’s picturedabove in a recent convoy. He was a little nervous that hisguitar would get damaged while out on the range. He washolding it next to one of his buddies while the machine gunwas firing and the vibrations of the gun caused the strings toresound with a song that he calls “The SAW Song,” namedafter his S.A.W. gun (squad automatic weapon). �

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Hopping The PondEnglishman John d'Avensac is a Martin Owner’s Club

member who has attended the annual MOC gatherings for thepast three years. As a huge fan of Django Reinhardt and HotClub jazz, he has always enjoyed these events from the momentof arrival to the time of departure.

This year, John’s grandson Ryan started playing guitar andhas helped him in his workshop with his hobby as a luthier.When John told Ryan he was planning another trip to the MartinGuitar factory, his eyes lit up!

“Any chance that I can go with you, Granddad? I would loveto see how Martin Guitars are made.”

Well, what could he say? John managed to get Ryan on thesame flight and they arrived a day before the Martin Owner’sClub meeting to pick up their 175th Anniversary guitar, take aspecial factory tour and meet Chris Martin. They had a great timeand plan to come back many more times. �

Forever YoungLinda and Harry Ralph of The Danby Four Corners Music

Store sent us this photo of six-month-old Carter Perry, whoapparently can’t wait to get his hands on a Martin guitar. Carterattended the Basin Bluegrass Festival in Brandon, Vermont thispast July where there was no shortage of Martin guitars! �

Musical MedicSSTG Ryan Dehrone, Aviation Combat Medic from

the Lehigh Valley (near Nazareth) has served in the Armysince 2001. He joined as a Combat Medic and did hisboot camp in Texas, after which he has been deployed inGermany, Kosovo, Bosnia, Colorado and two terms inIraq. He returned stateside in October of 2008 and in hisfree time, he’s been enjoying the solace of his Little Martinguitar. �

From The Ground UpWhile stationed in Iraq, Captain Marcus Therrian took

on the challenging project of building a 12-string Jumboguitar from a kit that he purchased from Martin’s luthiershop – ”Guitarmaker’s Connection.” His fellow soldierswere fascinated to see the guitar come to life and hethinks of the project as one of the most gratif yingexperiences he’s ever undertaken. Music brought a beamof light to what he descibes as otherwise ”a dark place.”After completing the kit, he extended his collection ofguitars with an LX Little Martin. �

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Alec Bridges and Marianne KeithIn March of 2008, SongCheck Live, a Laguna Beach-based

production company, filmed a special concert at one of SouthernCalifornia's most respected music venues – The Coach House in SanJuan Capistrano. Fi lmmaker Matt Russell captured the liveperformance that featured Laguna Beach-based Alec Bridges (above)with his band, along with special guest Marianne Keith (inset). Bothare proud Martin owners, performing with their models OM-42 andOMC-41 Richie Sambora, respectively. The DVD will be released in2009. Go to: www.myspace.com/songchecklive. �

Oops !”We hope this never happens to your Martin!”

That’s the appropriate caption for this photo of JimRampulla (front) and Les Davidson of the MartinRepair Department (circa 1970). If you do have arepair need, Martin has Authorized Repair Centersaround the country, but we also accept repairs backat the factory where we have a first-rate group ofrepair technicians. To schedule a repair or arrangereturn authorization for your guitar, please contactMartin Customer Service at (800) 633-2060. �

Fred StunkelFred Stunkel of Stamford, CT visited the factory

with his beautiful 1934 000-45 that he has now loanedfor display in the Martin Museum. An accomplishedguitarist, a youthful Fred is shown with the same guitar(at left) as a player in several acoustic guitar andmandolin bands. �

PhotobyKatieOswald

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GOLD AWARDMartin D-28

Acoustic Guitar of the Year

GOLD AWARDMartin Dreadnoughts

GOLD AWARDMartin Mid-Size Flattops

(000, OM,M)

GOLD AWARDMartin Small-Body Guitars

(Parlor, 0, 00)

Player’s Choice AwardsString Letter Press and Acoustic Guitar

Magazine have finished tallying the votes ofthe Players’ Choice Awards for 2008 andonce again, Martin received nine prestigiousawards: four gold, two silver and threebronze as noted at left. The gold awardspretty well cover the gamut of acousticguitars in the marketplace!

Most simply, these awards are given tothe companies with the most votes in eachcategory and are voted on by the actualreadership – people who are out there usingthe products and making music. As everyoneknows, it’s a crowded field out there, so it’squite an accomplishment for Martin to standout so clearly above all the rest! �

BRONZE AWARDMartin Beginner’sSteel-String Guitars

BRONZE AWARDMartin 12-String Guitars

BRONZE AWARDAccessories • Martin Strings

Acoustic Steel Strings

SILVER AWARDMartin Jumbo Guitars

SILVER AWARDMartin Acoustic-Electrics

Songwriter Of The YearOn November 11, 2008, BMI presented

this specially inlaid Martin D-42 to this year’sSongwriter of the Year winner – CaseyBeathard. The award was presented by BMICEO Del Bryant in a ceremony held at BMIheadquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. BMI isa performing rights organization. It collectslicensing fees worldwide on behalf of itssongwriters, composers and music publishersand distributes them as royalties to thosemembers whose works have beenperformed. �

Tommy CashTommy Cash, brother of Johnny Cash,

has enjoyed some musical success of hisown. Eight years younger than Johnny, heformed a band in high school, but took ahiatus to enlist in the Army. He served as a DJfor the Armed Services Radio Network inGermany and after resuming civilian life inthe early ‘60s, he played with Hank WilliamsJr., gaining his own recording contract withMusicor in 1967. His biggest hit -- ”Six WhiteHorses,” a tribute to JFK, RFK, and MartinLuther King, Jr. -- in late 1969, was followedby two Top Ten singles in 1970. Like Johnnyand daughter Rosanne, Tommy Cash prefersMartin guitars. He sent us this recent photoof a performance with his D-41. �

In Memory of John Pearse1939-2008

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The Early Martin Guitar Conference

PhotobyBilly

Mitchell

Documenting Guitars by C. F. Martin, Sr.While a great deal of Martin scholarship has focused on “Golden Era” guitars, to

date there has been scant research into the guitars from C. F. Martin’s earliest years inAmerica when, within twenty years of his arrival in 1833, the design of his guitarsadvanced from the Viennese Stauffer style to instruments that incorporated virtually allthe features of the modern Martin guitar.

To better understand the early development of Martin’s guitars, a group of tenscholars met at the Martin factory in Nazareth and at Vintage Instruments inPhiladelphia for two days in May for an Early Martin Guitar Summit. Over 50instruments were collected for the event, including 24 of the earliest Martin guitars — themost ever assembled — as well as guitars by Martin’s contemporaries, Connecticutmaker James Ashborn and New York makers Louis Schmidt and George Maul, andexamples of early nineteenth century European guitars that may have influenced Martinand his contemporaries. In addition, C. F. Martin & Co. provided full access toinstruments in the Martin Guitar Museum collection and documents in the Martinarchives. Martin guitars included in the research were branded C. F. Martin, Martin andSchatz, Martin & Bruno or Martin & Coupa, and all guitars were built before 1867 whenthe Martin stamp was changed from “C. F. Martin New York” to “C. F. Martin & Co.New York.”

The summit documented guitar dimensions, materials, construction, bracing,decorative elements and identifying labels/brands and began a database that nowincludes over 50 significant early Martin guitars. In addition, Billy Mitchell and RobertCorwin photographed the exterior and interior of all of the instruments.

The summit yielded many new insights into the development of Martin’s early guitardesign and range of influences. A follow-up conference on early Martin guitars iscurrently being planned for next year. For more information, contact Peter Szego atpszego@comcast.net. �

Early Martin scholars included (clockwise from the left): Peter Szego, Tom Crandall,David LaPlante, Fred Oster, David Gansz, Dick Boak, Matt Umanov, Richard Johnston,and Jim Baggett. Richard Brunkus is not shown. Over 50 guitars made between 1833and 1855 by C. F. Martin and his contemporaries were collected for the study group.Archive photography was provided by Billy Mitchell and Robert Corwin.

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PhotobyBilly

Mitchell

TriBeCa Bronze Plaque Dedicationat Hudson Street Site of C. F. Martin’s First Shop

Other key players in the dedication were (left to right) ”MC” Dick Boak,Walter Chevitz of David Yurman, Nicole Bartelme of TriBeCa Native,C. F. Martin IV, and Carl Weisbrod of Trinity Real Estate. �

It was Stan Jay of Mandolin Bros. who suggestedthe idea for a bronze commemorative plaque atthe site of C. F. Martin’s first shop in America.

At a TriBeCa Grill reception and dinner following the dedication, SteveMiller joined G. E. Smith in a spirited musical tribute to Martin thatfeatured instruments from the early 1830s to present day.

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TribecaPhotos

byJohn

SterlingRuth

Christie’s AuctionOn October 10th, 2008, Christie’s held their bi-annual

auction of fine musical instruments. The first forty-nine lotswere special Martin instruments culled from the company’scollection of prototypes and test models, most of which hadnever before been offered to the public. The sale netted morethan $150,000 with all proceeds benefitting The Martin GuitarCharitable Foundation. Blues guitarist Kenny Sultan and famedformer SNL guitarist G.E. Smith (below right) joined forces topreview the auction instruments for the media. Kenny Sultan’s1939 000-42 (below left) was also in the sale. Appropriately, itended up in the right hands when Chris Martin placed thewinning bid on behalf of the C. F. Martin Museum. �

Alexandria Folklore CenterLongtime Martin friend and repairman extraordinaire

Joe Latham sent us this historic ‘60s photo of the originalcrew from the Alexandria Folklore Center holding elevenvery special Martin guitars. Front Row: (right to left) JoeLatham, store owner and Dawn Thompson Latham, singer.In his left hand, Joe is holding a customized and inlaidD-35; in his right hand is the 00-45 Martin he sold to JoanBaez. In her left hand, Dawn is holding the 00-42 Martinsold to Buffy Saint Marie; in her right hand is a 000-18Martin, custom inlaid by Joe. Second Row: (right to left)Andy Wallace, musician; Carl Gotzmer (holding the D-28guitar that he meticulously converted to a D-45. Theheadstock inlay photograph was used by Martin toannounce the reissue of the D-45 guitar in 1967.); EdMorris, blues guitar player. Top Row: (right to left) BradKamp, singer; Paul Reisler (Trapezoid and now director ofKid Pan Alley); and Eric Sigmund, singer/songwriter. �

PhotoCourtesy

ofPaulReisler

www.monasterphoto.com

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In Memory of Nick ReynoldsThe Kingston Trio

1933-2008

PhotobyJesse

A.Bravo

Nick Reynolds, one of the founders of TheKingston Trio and one of its most beloved members,passed away in Chula Vista, California on October 1,2008. He was 75 years old. At the height of theirpopularity, The Kingston Trio (comprised of Reynolds, BobShane, Dave Guard, and later John Stewart) was arguablythe number one vocal group in the world, single-handedlyushering in the folk music boom of the late 50s and early60s. Their release of “Tom Dooley” in the fall of 1958changed popular music forever, inspiring legions of youngpeople to pick up guitars and banjos and sing folk music.

“He was clearly the best entertainer in the Trio,” saidJohn Stewart, “and one of the best natural musicians I haveever worked with.” Bob Shane added, “Nobody could naila harmony part like Nick. He could hit it immediately,exactly where it needed to be, absolutely note perfect – allon the natch. Pure genius.” Reynolds was also a gifted leadsinger whose smooth tenor voice was featured on manyTrio tunes. Nick’s higher pitched Martin tenor, playeddouble-time against Shane’s big, open chording on a D-28,gave the Trio’s music a distinctive rhythmic power and itssignature instrumental sound.

Nick played a 1929 2-18 tenor (which he laterconverted to an 8-string) as well as numerous 0-18Ttenors. With the rise of the group’s popularity came a tidalwave of demand for Martin guitars, a fact which promptedthe company to move to a much larger factory.

Nick had been a Martin player since childhood,owning various Martin ukuleles before switching to tenorguitar. “In the Trio, we considered Martins real toughworkhorses, like the Porsche, they just don’t break down,”he said.

We will miss Nick Reynolds. He gave a lot to folkmusic. He gave a lot to Martin guitars. �

HankWilliams and the Drifting CowboysLarry Moyer of Baltimore, Maryland sent us this great

promotional photo from 1951 of Hank Williams and hisDrifting Cowboys Band. Hank’s pictured top center withhis D-28. His fellow bandmates are (front row, left to right)Jerry Rivers (violin) and Sammy Pruett (guitar), back row,Howard Watts (bass) and Don Helms (pedal steel). �

Suite CarolineEleven year old Caroline Kudelko (aka “Suite

Caroline”) is proving to be an amazing singer, songwriterand guitarist. Her all-original music has attracted theattention of the Nashville record labels where she hasspent several weeks interviewing. She was invited to playThe Bluebird Cafe twice as well as several other venues onMusic Row. She went back to record in September. Herproud father is a cardiologist who knows firsthand howimportant it is to have the right equipment to do the job.Caroline plays her Martin guitars during all of her liveshows. If you’d like to hear more, have a listen at:www.myspace.com/floridassuitecaroline. �

Bill Bush

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Still LifeRichard Bollinger, a professional watercolorist from West

Chester, PA, created this beautiful still life of his 1968 MartinD-18. The guitar was given to Richard as a surprise Christmasgift from his supportive and hard-working wife. At the timehe was a struggling art student in Philadelphia. His wife hadnoticed that he was coveting the D-18 every time he passedthe music store window and she eventually bought it andput it under the tree. The hardest thing for Richard while hewas working on the painting was not picking the guitar upand playing it! �

Better Muzak !What's better for Muzak than a trio of Martin guitars plus

some percussion and a litt le grand piano? Nothing!Christoper Covell is making it happen with his Martin B-1acoustic bass, his D-35, and his 00-18. They are heard bymillions of listeners world-wide. �

CHRISTOPHER COVELL

Ultimate ElvisBrandon Bennett of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, won the title

of Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist of 2008. This year’s fitting prizewas one of the Martin Special Edition D-28 Elvis Presley CVRguitars. Twenty-two Elvis tribute artists from around the worldtraveled to Memphis for the semifinal and final rounds of thecompetition during Elvis Week, an annual week long eventthat celebrates the life of “The King of Rock and Roll.” �

MMR Dealer’s Choice AwardsMusical Merchandise Review

(MMR) magazine has announced theirannual Dealer's Choice Awards for2008. Martin Guitar has won the topprize in the category of Acoustic Guitar!Votes in varied categories were solicitedthis fal l in the October issue andthrough online dealer voting via MMR'sweekly e-newsletter, MMR Update. �

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Scrubs – On SetSeveral years ago, Kate Micucci of Nazareth, PA packed up her

talent and headed out to Hollywood. With a great background infine art, puppet making and music, it wasn’t long before she startedto land an assortment of unique television roles on shows like “FourKings,” “Malcolm In The Middle,” and Disney’s “Cory In TheHouse.”

More recently, she appeared in an episode of “Scrubs” playingher Martin soprano ukulele and singing three of her original ukuleletunes. The photo above was taken on set with the a capella group“The Peons,” who join her for a song on the show. She will mostlikely be returning to do more episodes, but in the meantime, she’sbeen busy with her roles in two major feature films: The Last Hurrah(2008) and When in Rome (2009), plus her solo music and comedyshow at the Steve Allen Theater in Hollywood. Expect to hear a lotmore about Kate and check out her inventive web site atwww.katemicucci.com. �

Gerry McGeeGerry McGee is truly a part of American musical

history. He came to Los Angeles in 1958 from Eunice,Louisiana and made his mark on the Los Angeles studioscene playing guitar on all of the Monkees hits. Heplayed on Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis records inthe 1960s. He performed and recorded with KrisKristofferson and Rita Coolidge for years and appearedwith Kris Kristofferson and Barbra Streisand in themovie ”A Star is Born.” He played on Rosanne Cash’salbums and with many other country and western stars.He has been the featured guitarist in the legendaryband ”The Ventures” for 30 years. His father is thefamous Cajun fiddler Dennis McGee. Gerry has playedMartin guitars throughout his entire 50 year career! Heis pictured above with Dan Durhan of CaliforniaVintage Guitars. �

Steve Earle/Allison MoorerSteve Earle and Allison Moorer joined forces

onstage with their Martin guitars at the PhiladelphiaFolk Festival this past August. Steve is playing a customsunburst version of his M-21 Signature model andAllison, her Vintage Series 00-18V, though they bothhave plenty of backup Martins in their arsenal.

Married in 2005, the prolif ic couple has noshortage of talent. Steve is known for his folk-country-rock songwriting and political activism in addition tobeing an acclaimed writer and actor. Allison is one ofthe most talented singer/songwriters in Nashville todayand the general consensus is that her voice is as strongand beautiful as she is. Traversing between Nashville,New York City, and Woodstock, they’re keeping busy!Steve is working on a tribute CD to the influentialTownes Van Zandt, and Allison is touring in support ofher latest CD, “Mockingbird,” that features Allison’sinterpretation of other artists’ tunes. �

PhotobyKristiB

ronicoPhotobyKristiBronico

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Assessing Tonewood And Sustainability In MadagascarLong time Martin employee and wood procurement specialist Steve Mikisits had the experience of a lifetime during his trip

to Madagascar off the eastern coast of Africa. Some of the finest musical tonewoods grow within the rainforests of this lushisland, specifically Madagascar rosewood and black ebony. For the past decade, there has been great concern for the scarcity,demand and ultimate sustainability of these resources.

With the potential that trade in ebony will eventually be restricted by its addition to a CITES (Convention on InternationalTrade in Endangered Species) Appendix, the International Resources Group (funded by USAID) organized a group withspecific interest in sustaining and developing future certification for the island’s precious resources. Currently, 10 millionhectares of natural forest remain with less than 20% of that land protected. Though that percentage will soon dramaticallyincrease, there is need for detailed forest inventories and local mills need training to produce tonewood products that will yieldthe best value for the resource. With these realities in mind, the goals of the trip included assessing the state of Madagascar’sforests and the potential for them to become certified by the standards of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), determiningwhat steps are necessary to certify Madagascar’s forests and determine a time frame for implementation, planning for theestablishment of a chain of custody test site to validate the process, and establishing contacts to connect Madagascar’s woodproducts to guitar manufacturers. It is estimated that FSC certification will likely take three to five years to implement inMadagascar. Steve reported that the trip was highly educational and that groundwork was formulated for productive change tobe implemented in the future. �

The group arrives in north central Madagascarto visit community managed forests.

The group proceeded up river to visit the local mayor’s hut, then onwardto the jungle rainforests for meetings with community managers.

Martin’s Steve Mikisits in the rainforest with an ebony tree. A beautiful Madagascar rosewood log in the harvesting yard.

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17

Just when you’d thought you’d seen the last ElvisPresley model from Martin, look what magicallyappears!

The LX Elvis Presley is a smaller, modified “0” styleversion of Martin’s highly successful D-28 Elvis PresleyCVR, issued on the 30th Anniversary of the King’spassing. The top, constructed with HPL (high pressurelaminate) material, features a leather-like guitar cover graphicin “Hi Wear Suede” finish, a facsimile of Elvis’ custom hand-tooled leather cover with artwork by leather artist CharlesUnderwood.

Back and sides are also constructed of durable yet resonantHPL material with a textured leather-like black patterned finish.

The combination of an HPL “0” size body, with the uniqueLittle Martin top bracing system, mahogany ribbons and Sitkaspruce back braces, produces tones of extraordinary warmth,clarity and volume. It’s a miniature Martin size guitar thatsounds amazingly like a D-28.

The two-way adjustable, 14-fret neck is crafted of naturalStratabond® wood laminate, with a low oval profile for easyplaying. A small Elvis silhouette and the King’s signature adornthe headplate. Black Micarta™ fingerboard and belly bridge,white Corian™ saddle and nut, and chrome enclosed tuningmachines add the right touch of Martin elegance and classicsimplicity.

Limited to no more than 1000 instruments, each guitarcomes with an LXM padded gig bag, and will carry a specialElvis paper label with serial number, patent number andsequence number.

The LX Elvis Presley is sure to strike achord (an “E” no doubt, one of Elvis’favorites) among guitar players, collectorsand Elvis fans. Three decades after hisdeath, Elvis Presley’s popularity remainsunprecedented – and fervent – worldwide.

We at Martin have always appreciatedthat Elvis chose to play Martin guitarsthroughout his career, beginning with a 1942D-18 (which he played on his legendary Sunsessions), a 1955 D-28, a mid-70s D-35, aD-76 Bicentennial limited edition, and amid-70s D-28 that he played at his lastconcert performance in June of 1977.

Always generous to his fans, Elvisactually gave away his D-35 to a fanin the audience at a St. Petersburg,Florida concert in early 1977.Supposedly, Elvis dropped theguitar during his performance,cracking its side. The fan yelled,“Give me your guitar, Elvis!!” – andhe did. Thank you Elvis for all themusic – and all the memories.

”Thank you very much !”

Another Elvis Sighting In The Building!Introducing The Very Cool and Affordable LX Elvis Presley® Edition

™

The ”King of Rock and Roll”with his Martin guitar.

©EPE,R

eg,U.S.Pat.&

Tm.Off.

CertifiedWood

D Mahogany 09

D Mahogany 09One of the primary challenges with offering “green”

guitars is being able to acquire certif ied tonewoods intraditional instrument-making species. This model is comprisedentirely of FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified woodsthat include genuine mahogany neck, back and sides, anAlpine spruce soundboard, and katalox fingerboard andbridge. The result is a premium qualit y Dreadnoughtconstructed with many of the features found in the popularline of Martin Golden Era® guitars. Each D Mahogany 09model is furnished with an internal “FSC Certified” label and isshipped in a rugged molded hardshell 640 case. �

M-38 Koa SpecialLong prized on stage and in the studio, Martin’s M-38

Grand Auditorium model combines the 0000 shape with thethinner 000 body depth for exceptionally balanced tone.Traditionally offered with East Indian rosewood back andsides, this variation replaces rosewood with beautifullyflamed Hawaiian koa. In addition, the standard mother-of-pearl position dots on the ebony fingerboard have beenupgraded here to the full Style 45 abalone snowflake inlaypattern, chrome has been upgraded to gold for the enclosedtuning machines, and the bridge is crafted from black ebonywith a genuine bone compensated saddle. �

M-38Koa

Special

UniqueMahogany

andFlamed KoaModelsAddedTo

MartinLineup

FPO

18

#SW-COC-000043The FSC Trademark identifies

products fromwell-managed forests

© 1996.FSC A.C.

J12-40EGrand Jumbo12-StringSpecial

Grand Jumbo J12-40E 12-String SpecialWith its brand new body shape – now the largest in the

Martin line – the Martin Grand Jumbo adds a new dimensionto the concept of the 12-string guitar. Style 40 elegance addsgold hardware, diamond and square fingerboard inlay,abalone rosette and Style 45 inlaid headplate letters. EastIndian rosewood sides and back combine with an ebonyfingerboard and bridge and a Sitka spruce top to produce abalanced tonality, but it is the enlarged body size, uniquebracing pattern, long (25.4”) scale length, and onboard D-TARWave-Length Multi-Source® electronics system that give theJ12-40E such clarity, power and bottom-end depth. �

OMCE KorinaLong prized for its warm tone on electric guitar bodies,

korina (aka limba) is a medium to lightweight wood withdark-streaked olive coloration. Rare sets of korina wereacquired for the back, sides and headplate of this specialOMCE Korina Orchestra Model cutaway. Features include anEngelmann spruce top, abalone rosette, ebony fingerboardand bridge, and herringbone top trim. New Wave-LengthMulti-Source® electronics combines D-TAR’s popular Wave-Length™ pickup system with an unobtrusive yet highly-efficient condenser microphone for versatility, flexibility, andan incredibly natural acoustic sound. �

OMCEKorina

OrchestraModelCutaway

TwoBoldNewModelsWithD-TAR

Wave-LengthMulti-SourceElectronics

19

00-28VSVintageSeries

20

Two NewVintage Series Models And A Special OM

0-28VS & 00-28VS Vintage SeriesTwo long-awaited additions to Martin’s Vintage Series of

historic pre-World War II re-creations, the 0-28VS and00-28VS offer Concert- and Grand Concert-sized 12-fretslotted headstock short scale acoustics with appointmentsthat mirror Martin’s popular 12-fret 000-28VS. Martin slottedheadstocks double the string angle across the nut, producingmore down-bearing pressure and neck resonance. The resultis a completely different tonal dynamic that is perfectly suitedfor fingerstyle playing techniques. Combined with the extrainternal cavity of a 12-fret body and the immediacy of a12-fret 24.9” scale, these comfortably small-bodied guitarsproduce a remarkably rich depth of tone, with clear treblesthat are not overshadowed by their bass notes. �

OM-42CambodianRosewood

NAMM ShowSpecial

0-28VSVintageSeries

OM-42 Cambodian RosewoodConstructed with rare Cambodian rosewood back, sides

and headplate, the OM-42 NAMM Show Special combinesStyle 42 inlay around the perimeter of the top with Style 45snowflake fingerboard inlays and an island scroll inlay inselect abalone – both at the end of fingerboard and on thewings of the bridge.

The OM-42 Cambodian Rosewood NAMM Show Specialis limited to no more than 30 special guitars, each personallysigned by C. F. Martin IV and numbered in sequence with theedition total. To place orders, dealers must be in attendanceat the 2009 Anaheim NAMM Show. Visit the C. F. Martinwebsite at www.martinguitar.com to view a list ofparticipating dealers. �

D-1875th

AnniversaryDreadnought

D-2875th

AnniversaryDreadnought

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D-18 & D-28 75th Anniversary ModelsIn celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the 1934

introduction of Martin’s famous D-18 and D-28 Dreadnoughtguitars, we are pleased to announce two commemorativeeditions, limited to orders taken during 2009. The D-18 75thAnniversary Edition is based upon the D-18 Golden Era®, withthe exception of a Madagascar rosewood headplate (insteadof Brazilian rosewood) to allow for export shipments. The D-2875th Anniversary Edition is based on a D-28 MarquisMadagascar. Both guitars have Adirondack spruce tops and aspecial 75th Anniversary Martin headstock decal. Each guitarbears a label personally signed by C. F. Martin IV andnumbered in sequence. A special anniversary embroideredHarptone™ case accompanies each instrument. �

D-28 Museum Edition 1941Based upon the exacting dimensions of the 1941 D-28

(Serial #79103) on display in the Martin Museum, this uniquespecial edition blends Authentic Series construction withMarquis Series tonewoods. Due to scarcit y, exportrestrictions and CITES treaty regulations on Brazilianrosewood, select Madagascar rosewood is substituted for theheadplate, back and sides. Adirondack red spruce is carefullybookmatched for the top. This edition utilizes Martin’s old-world construction techniques that include hide glue, pre-warT-bar neck reinforcement, hand-shaped non-forward shiftedscalloped braces, and a 95˚ X-brace angle (as opposed tothe modern 98˚ angle). This unique edition ships in a specialvintage style 545V Harptone™ case. �

D-28MuseumEdition1941

75th Anniversary Of Martin Dreadnoughts

LXM Tres Little MartinTres means ”three” in Spanish, and one of the most

popular Latino instruments carries that name. The six strings arearranged in three pairs that are typically tuned to an openchord, making this unique Little Martin Tres both easy and funto play. We first became familiar with the Tres instrumentthrough Nelson Gonzalez, a triple Grammy-award winning Tresplayer who has recorded with the likes of Paul Simon andGloria Estefan. After experimenting with various neck widthsand bridge spacings, it seemed that a 4-string tenor guitar neckwas ideal for the Tres. Martin introduced the LXM Tenor inJanuary of 2008. We are now excited to introduce this uniqueLXM Tres guitar to the traditional Hispanic and Latino musiccommunity. The LXM Tres can also be strung in manydifferent configurations, including mountain dulcimer tuning,making its musical potential quite limitless! �

LXM TresLittleMartin

000X1RGTX SeriesGloss Top

TwoNewUniqueModelsAddedTo

MartinX Series

22

000X1RGT X Series Gloss TopFollowing the success of the DX1RGT Dreadnought

introduced at the 2008 Anaheim NAMM Show, this new000X1RGT model is the second in a series of gloss tops inMartin’s affordable and hugely popular X Series. Each solidspruce top is finished to a high polished gloss, not only foraesthetics, but for wear properties and surprisingly enhancedtonal response. St yle 28 fingerboard inlays grace thefingerboard of black Micarta®, a material that resemblesebony in appearance and durability. The back and sides areconstructed with durable East Indian rosewood-grained highpressure laminate (HPL), and the neck of Stratabond® iscarved with a sleek modified low oval shape for fast and easyplayability. In today’s economy, the 000X1RGT provides a greatsounding, high quality, affordable Martin guitar for the beginningstudent as well as the seasoned player. �

Nelson Gonzalez with an earlyLX Tres test model.

LX Tres TuningBass to Treble:

.0115" Octave g.024" Low G

.014" c in Unison

.014" c in Unison

.024" Low E.0115" Octave e

23

DC-16OGTE & OMC-16OGTEOvangkol (also known as mozambique, shedua, or

amazakoue) is an African tonewood that ranges in color froma tawny olive brown to a deep chocolate with dark striping. Inour continual search for alternative hardwoods that providegreat tone and visual beauty, we are pleased to introduce twonew models with ovangkol back and sides.

The DC-16OGTE is a full-bodied Dreadnought and theOMC-16OGTE is a smaller-bodied Orchestra Model. Bothmodels feature rounded Venetian cutaways for full access tothe upper registers and polished gloss tops with satin-finishedback and sides. The 3-piece back is comprised of solidovangkol wings with an East Indian rosewood center wedge.Other features common to both models include a 1 3/4” (atthe nut) modified low oval neck, a bound fingerboard,chrome enclosed tuning machines, a 345 hardshell case, andof course, the new Roland AP-1 electronics. Both models offerversatility onstage or in the studio without sacrificing any ofthe acoustic power and depth that you have come to expectfrom Martin guitars. �

DC-16OGTEOvangkolwith

Roland AP-1Electronics

00C-16DBGTEThe 00C-16DBGTE is a small-bodied Grand Concert-

sized Venetian cutaway with a deeper body depth. Thisparticular shape allows for great player comfort while extradepth provides presence, projection and power to the tone.The soundboard is polished to a high gloss while the genuinemahogany back and sides are finished to a soft satin luster.Appointments include a bold herringbone rosette, blackMicarta® fingerboard and bridge, black Boltaron™ top andback bindings, chrome enclosed tuning machines and Style28 bridge pins.

Most Martin cutaways are stage and studio ready, andthis model is no exception. The new Roland AP-1 onboardelectronics system features three body-specific ”CompositeObject Sound Modeling” (COSM) tone variations andincludes programmable seven-band EQ, anti-feedbackcontrol, digital chromatic tuner, digital reverb and an LCDdisplay.

Each 00C-16DBGTE ships in a durable 334 hardshellcase with a light brown interior. �

OMC-16OGTEOvangkolwith

Roland AP-1Electronics

00C-16DBGTEDeep Body

withRoland AP-1Electronics

Three New 16 Series Cutaways With Roland Electronics

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and What If It Did, put two singles on the “Top 40”charts: “This Time” and “Ain’t Even Done With TheNight.” But 1982’s American Fool became hisbreakthrough album, yielding “Hurts So Good,” whichlanded at No. 2 on the charts and won a GrammyAward, and “Jack and Diane,” which went all the wayto No. 1.

With the huge success of American Fool, he hadthe clout to add his surname to his stage name, andbecame John Cougar Mellencamp. He also became amajor concert draw. Uh Huh, released in 1983,continued the winning streak with two more “Top 10”singles, “Pink Houses” and “Crumblin’ Down.” Twoyears later, John took a more serious stance to his rockin Scarecrow and the album became a classic, puttingfive singles on the “Top 40,” including “Small Town,”“R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.” and “Lonely Ol’ Night.”

In the late 1980s, his music evolved to includecountry and folk elements. Lonesome Jubileecontinued the hits with “Check it Out” and “Paper inFire,” while the darker and more introspective BigDaddy included “Jackie Brown.”

The early 1990s were difficult years personally,though he continued to make fine music. Finallyeliminating the Cougar moniker for good, he releasedthe critically acclaimed Human Wheels in 1993 andthe stripped-to-basics Dance Naked a year later.

However, the tour that followed was cutshort when John had a mild heart attack.He came roaring back with 1996’s funkyMr. Happy Go Lucky, put out the self-titled John Mellencamp in 1998 andtook a bluesy turn with 2003’s TroubleNo More. In 2007 he releasedFreedom’s Road, which included theanthemic “Our Country.”

In 2008, John was inducted into theRock & Roll Hall of Fame. However, it isclear his passion for music remainsstrong; in July he released the 22ndalbum of his career, Life, Death, Loveand Freedom, a simple, hauntingwork produced by T Bone Burnett,to very positive reviews. He spentmuch of the summer touring theUnited States and he performedat the f irst annual Notes ofHope Benefit Dinner to fundthe National September 11Memorial and Museum at theWorld Trade Center. He alsoperformed a special show at thehistoric Crump Theater inColumbus, Indiana, which was

filmed for a Bio Channel televisionspecial, “Back Where We Started.” After

John Mellencamp embraces the Americanheartland in plain words and strong beliefs. His musicref lects the place from which he comes – thelandscape, the people, the dreams and the hardships– with an integrity few can match.

We at the Martin Guitar Company were thrilled tocollaborate with John in the creation of a special guitarthat would bear his name. His request that we donate aportion of the proceeds from “his” guitar to Farm Aidwas expected; John has supported the organization’s workto help family farms thrive for more than two decades, andhe is both a Farm Aid founder and a member of its Board.The annual Farm Aid Concert he helps organize with WillieNelson, Neil Young and Dave Matthews (all three areMartin players!) has raised more than $30 million to keepfamily farms afloat and to promote the benefits ofpurchasing food from family farms.

We also expected he would want his namesake guitarto be like the 14-fret 1951 Martin 00-18 (pictured on thefront cover) that he has played in concert and in the studiofor many years, but he had something more personallymeaningful in mind. For years John has treasured a small,plain 12-fret parlor guitar he simply calls Maybell, probablyone of the May-Bell guitars built in the 1920s and 1930s.He requested a guitar inspired by Maybell and we arepleased to fulfill that request with introduction of the00-18S John Mellencamp Custom Artist Edition.

John Mellencamp has been defyingexpectations for much of his career.Growing up in southern Indiana, hebegan playing guitar at age 14. Afterhigh school, he bounced betweenKentucky and Indiana for a few years;attending junior college, holding downa series of jobs and playing in local barbands. In the mid-1970s, he headed toNew York to become a rock star. Hesoon found a manager, who decided –for marketing reasons – to give himthe stage Johnny Cougar. His debutalbum, Chestnut Street Incident,failed and his next two albumsweren’t released in the UnitedStates initially, though a singleof the second one, “I Need aLover,” became a hit No. 1 inAustral ia. The single wasadded to John’s second U.S.album, 1979’s John Cougar,and became his f irstAmerican hit, reaching No.28. At some point during thisperiod, he moved back toIndiana, where he continues tomake his home today.

His next album, Nothing Matters

The John Mellencamp Custom Artist EditionStunning Quilted Mahogany 00 12-Fret Benefits Farm Aid Charity

25

his annual concert appearance at Farm Aid, he and his band flewsouth for a concert tour of Australia and New Zealand.

The Martin 00-18S John Mellencamp Custom Artist Edition isa beauty; understated yet handsome. That beauty begins withthe solid tonewoods; back and sides of rare quilted mahogany forbright, clear tone, a top of Carpathian spruce, a tonewood fromthe mountains surrounding the Black Sea that combines the richtimbre of European spruce and the dynamic range of Adirondackspruce, and a neck of genuine mahogany. Scalloped 1/4” topbraces provide superb responsiveness and balance.

Minimalist appointments let the instrument’s tonewoods andtone be the center of attention. The Old Style 18 rosette ismatched by five layers of alternating black and white purflingaround the top. Tortoise-color binding protect the top and backedges, and is matched by a tortoise-color end piece. Thisinstrument does not have a pickguard, in keeping with its vintageinspiration.

The 1 3/4” (at the nut) low profile neck sports atapered slotted headstock with square slots. PremiumWaverly™ brass three-on-a-plate tuners with small ivoroidbuttons provide smooth, accurate tuning. The Madagascarrosewood headplate bears the traditional (for a slottedheadstock) small Old Style Martin decal. The black ebonyfingerboard has abalone pearl dots, decreasing in size, atthe 5th, 7th and 9th frets, leading to John Mellencamp’ssignature inlaid in mother of pearl between the 19th and20th frets.

A black ebony pyramid bridge, black ebony bridgepins and endpin, a black ebony heel cap, bone nut andsaddle, and aging toner on the top complete the 00-18SJohn Mellencamp Custom Artist Edition’s vintage-inspiredappointments. At John’s request, the guitar has a satinfinish, which – combined with the handsome tonewoods -gives it a soft, almost glowing appearance; Martin’spolished gloss finish is also available as an extra-costoption. Factory-installed electronics are likewise availableat extra cost, while left-handed guitars may be ordered atno additional cost. The guitar is delivered in a fitted Geib™-style hardshell case.

Each Martin 00-18S John Mellencamp Custom ArtistEdition guitar bears an interior label personally signed byJohn Mellencamp and numbered in sequence withouttotal. Authorized C. F. Martin dealers will begin takingorders for the 00-18S John Mellencamp immediately anddealers who order this Custom Artist Edition will bereferenced on the Martin guitar website at:www.martinguitar.com. �

The back and sides of the 00-18S John MellencampCustom Artist Model are bookmatched from rare quiltedmahogany, and the top is Carpathian spruce. Together in a00 12-fret slot head format, this starkly simple butbeautiful instrument is all about tone!

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Linda Ronstadt. Her voice captured our imaginationmore than 40 years ago and continues to enthrall.Equally fascinating is her willingness to take chancesand show the way for others. She was one of the firstwomen to become a rock star, among the first artists toshowcase a new generation of songwriters, the firstsinger of the modern era to succeed in tacklingAmerican standard songs and first major American artistto record an album entirely in Spanish. She has won 11Grammy Awards and an Emmy Award, put 21 singles onthe “Top 40” charts (including 10 in the “Top 10”) and soldmore than 100 million albums worldwide.

With Ronstadt’s singular voice, it is only natural that shehas – for the most part – left the guitar playing to othersthroughout her musical career. But play she does. She is af ine accompanist. Some of her earl iest singing wasaccompanied by her father playing guitar and she owns anold Martin 1-21 that was originally purchased by hergrandfather in 1896. She was floored when good friendDavid Bromberg showed her his Martin M-42 DavidBromberg Signature Edition (for details on the DavidBromberg Signature Edition, see the July 2006 SoundingBoard) and that guitar encounter got the ball rolling on anamesake Linda Ronstadt guitar.

Her dream guitar has always been a 12-fret Martin 00with an ample portion of abalone. Combining taste,elegance, integrity and tone, Martin is excited tointroduce the 00-42 Linda Ronstadt LimitedEdition.

Limited to just 150 instruments, the00-42 Linda Ronstadt Limited Editionguitar closely approximates an originalMartin 00-42 from the turn of theprevious century, with the elongatedbody, wide (1 13/16” at the nut) neckand slotted headstock of the graceful12-fret design providing extraordinarilyrich, balanced tone. Back and sides ofMadagascar rosewood showcase deep,dark color and full, powerful timbrenearly identical to the now-endangered Brazilian rosewood,while the Adirondack spruce toppaired with 1/4” width scallopedAdirondack spruce bracescontributes superb clarity anddynamic range. The modified Vneck with diamond volute iscarved from genuinemahogany.

The lavish appointments arepure St yle 42: select abalonepearl encircling the rosette and thetop, all accented by fine black/whitepurfling; multi-colored mosaic back strip;“C.F. Martin” in block letters inlaid on the

polished Madagascar rosewood headplate in abalonepearl and black ebony fingerboard inlaid with Style45 abalone pearl snowflake position markers. Thebody, headstock and neck are bound in grainedivoroid, with the latter two additionally detailed withfine black/white inlays.

The black ebony pyramid bridge is fitted withabalone pearl-inlaid white bridge pins; the whiteendpin is likewise topped with abalone pearl. ElegantWaverly™ tuners with engraved polished bronze sideplates and grained ivoroid knobs provide precisiontuning. Aging toner on the top and Martin’s flawlesspolished gloss finish throughout highlight the abalonepearl appointments in spectacular style.

Only one element of this spectacular guitar stepsaway from its vintage inspiration: Linda Ronstadt’sbold signature, reproduced in mother of pearlbetween the 18th and 19th frets.

Bold may be the word that describes LindaRonstadt best, as it informs so many aspects of hercareer. A Tucson native of Mexican, English, Germanand Dutch ancestry, she first began performingaround her hometown as a teenager with herbrother and sister. After a semester at the Universityof Arizona, she moved to Los Angeles and soonjoined the Stone Poneys, a folk trio. The grouprecorded three albums before disbanding, but

Different Drum, a song written by MichaelNesmith of the Monkees and recordedwith studio musicians, became a “Top20” hit.

She struggled as a solo artist for thenext five years, though one song, LongLong Time, landed on the “Top 40.”Only with the release of the album“Don’t Cry Now” did Ronstadt begingarnering serious attention, with thesingle Love Has No Pride showing theway. The release of “Heart Like AWheel” in 1974 made her a star;You’re No Good topped the charts,When Will I Be Loved reachedNo. 2 and I Can’t Help It If I’mStill In Love With You hit No. 2on the country charts and wonRonstadt her f irst GrammyAward.

Three top-selling albumsfollowed: “Simple Dreams,”“Living in the U.S.A.,” and“Mad Love,” each of whichyielded hit singles. Along the

way, Ronstadt drew material froma coterie of young songwriters,

including Warren Zevon, Karla Bonoff, J.D. Souther and Wendy Waldman. She also

The 00-42 Linda Ronstadt Signature EditionC. F. Martin Honors A Trailblazer With Enhanced 00 12-fret Model

27

became a major concert attraction. By the end of the 1970s,she reigned as the most successful female vocalist in theworld.

Instead of playing it safe, Ronstadt moved on to newchallenges. She took the role of Mabel in Gilbert andSullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance on Broadway and wasnominated for a Tony Award. In 1983 she teamed witharranger Nelson Riddle to revisit the great Americansongbook, the first mainstream artist to do so in many years;the resulting album, “What’s New,” became a major hit andthe two that followed – “Lush Life” and “For SentimentalReasons” – also did very well.

In 1987, after collaborating with Dolly Parton andEmmylou Harris to make the best-selling “Trio” album,Ronstadt tackled a project close to her heart and her familytradition, an album of Mexican folk songs, recorded entirelyin Spanish. “Canciones de Mi Padre” (“My Father’s Songs”)became the largest selling Spanish album by an Americanartist of its era and a Broadway stage show featuring Ronstadtperforming songs from the album, filmed and broadcast byPBS, earned her an Emmy Award. She followed it with asecond album, “Mas Canciones,” which received a GrammyAward. In 1987, she also joined forces with James Ingram torecord Somewhere Out There for the movie An AmericanTale.

In 1989, she returned to her rock and pop roots with“Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind;” the duet Don’tKnow Much with Aaron Neville reached No. 2 on the chartsand earned both artists two Grammy Awards. In the 1990sshe tackled a range of recording projects, from the lullabyrecord of “Dedicated to the One I Love” and the rock of “WeRan” to the folk-country of “Trio II” with Dolly Parton andEmmylou Harris and the folk-rock of “Western Wall: TheTucson Sessions” with Harris alone.

Ronstadt, now a mother of two, has devoted much of thenew millennium to home rather than career. She tackled jazzin “Hummin’ to Myself” in 2004 and two years later teamedwith friend Ann Savoy for “Adieu False Heart,” an album thatencompasses pop, Cajun, old-time and blues. In late 2008she embarked on a brief concert tour with Mariachi LosCamperos de Nati Cano that featured songs in Spanish. InAugust 2008, she was honored by the American LatinoMedia Arts (ALMA) Awards with the Trailblazer Award for hercontributions to American music.

Linda Ronstadt selected The Land Institute as therecipient of charitable royalties from her signature guitarproject. The Land Institute’s primary effort is to perennializethe major annual crops and to domesticate some wildperennial relatives of those major crops. Most of their workinvolves genetics, plant breeding and soil ecology. Around70% of the calories that feed humanity come from rice,wheat, corn and soybeans. These crops also grow on aboutthe same percentage of the world’s farm acres. They areannuals and grown in monocultures. With yearly tilling, soil isdisturbed and erosion is the result. Minimum till or no-till is arelatively recent development that does save soil, but innearly all cases uses herbicides. Such an approach means, toparaphrase a line from the Vietnam War, we have to poisonour soils to save them. Added in our time are fossil fueldependency and pesticides. Nature’s ecosystems over the

millions of years, on the other hand, feature perennials inmixtures called polycultures. We destroyed these naturalecosystems to plant our annual monocultures. This is the10,000-year-old problem of agriculture. To solve it, we willneed perennials with their perennial roots, year round, to holdthe soil. When grown in mixtures, insects and pathogens arechallenged and epidemics are unlikely. You can learn moreabout The Land Institute’s valuable work online at:www.landinstitute.org.

Delivered in a Geib™-style hardshell case, each Martin00-42 Linda Ronstadt Limited Edition guitar bears an interiorlabel personally signed by Linda Ronstadt and numbered insequence with the edition total. Left-handed instruments canbe special ordered at no additional charge: factory-installedelectronics are available as an extra-cost option. AuthorizedC. F. Martin dealers will accept orders for the 00-42 LindaRonstadt Limited Edition until all 150 guitars in the edition areallocated; participating Martin dealers will then be posted onthe C. F. Martin website: www.martinguitar.com. �

28

tonal clarity. The 1¾-inch (at the nut) modified V neckwith diamond volute is carved from genuine mahogany.

The appointments are – in a word – elegant. Fineherringbone purfling encircles the top, while the Style45 rosette features a center ring of beautiful agoyapearl herringbone. An HD “zig-zag” backstrip dividesthe back, and fine black/white/black purfling accentsthe grained ivoroid binding on the back and sides. Theendpiece and heelcap both are grained ivoroid, eachframed by delicate black/white/black inlays. A Delmartortoise-pattern pickguard protects the top.

The polished Madagascar rosewood headplateprovides a handsome backdrop for the familiar goldC. F. Martin decal; the headstock also features nickelWaverly™ open-back tuners with butterbean knobs.Martin’s “long pattern” diamonds and squares positionmarkers on the black ebony fingerboard are inlaid inabalone pearl with mother of pearl borders andculminate in Eric Clapton’s signature, reproduced inmother of pearl, between the 19th and 20th frets.

The nut and compensated drop-in saddle are bone,with the latter fitted to a black ebony belly bridge. Thewhite bridge pins and end pin, topped with black dots,also are crafted from bone.

The deep amber vintage toner on the 000-28MEric Clapton Limited Edition and the striking gradation

of color on the 000-28M Eric Clapton SunburstLimited Edition imbues each withdistinctive vintage st yle. Martin’spolished gloss lacquer finish puts thebeaut y of the tonewoods andappointments on full display.

Delivered in a Geib™ st ylehardshell case, each of the 461 Martin000-28M Eric Clapton Limited Editionand 000-28M Eric Clapton SunburstLimited Edition guitars bears an interiorlabel personally signed by Eric Claptonand individually numbered insequence with the edition total.Left-handed instruments may beordered at no additional charge.Authorized C. F. Martin dealerswill take orders for the000-28M Eric Clapton LimitedEdition and 000-28M EricClapton Sunburst LimitedEdition guitars until theedition is fully subscribed. Alist of participating dealers willbe posted on the Martin

website, approximately onemonth after the model’s

introduction. �

Back in late 2007, just before Martin introducedthe 000-42M Eric Clapton Limited Edition guitar, EricClapton suggested in an interview he wanted to takean extended break from music (for the exact quote,see the January, 2008 Sounding Board atwww.martinguitar.com). Truth be told, the rock legendappears to be having too much fun to go on a longhiatus: in 2008, he barely slowed down.

In February, he joined friend and former Blind Faithbandmate Steve Winwood for a concert at New York’sMadison Square Garden. Later that month, he picked up aGrammy Award – his 18th(!) – for his collaboration withJ.J. Cale on the album, The Road to Escondido. Thepaperback edition of his best selling book Clapton: theAutobiography was published in May, but by then the manhimself already was on the road for a spring and summertour that included concerts in the United States, Ireland,England, Iceland and Northern Europe. After actually takinga few months off at the end of the year, he is scheduled fora concert tour of Australia and New Zealand early in 2009.

In his spare time, he clearly has been enjoying hisMartin 000-42M Eric Clapton Limited Edition, so much sothat, when approached about a possible new namesakeMartin, he suggested another 000 with the same raretonewoods, but one a bit less fancy. The new Martin000-28M Eric Clapton Limited Edition fits that descriptionperfectly.

Only 461 Martin 000-28M EricClapton Limited Edition guitars will bebuilt, a number which coincides withthe total for the very first Martin tobear his name: 1995’s ground-breaking 000-42EC Eric ClaptonSignature Edition. The Limited Editiontotal includes both the 000-28M EricClapton Limited Edition with a vintage-toned top and the 000-28M EricClapton Sunburst Limited Edition witha classic 1935 style sunburst top.

The 000-28M Eric ClaptonLimited Edition features the sameextraordinary solid tonewoodsas its predecessor. The backand sides are beautifulMadagascar rosewood,considered by many to bethe most comparable inappearance and sound tothe now-nearly extinctBrazilian rosewood. The top isCarpathian spruce, a sprucefrom Eastern Europe thatcombines exceptional dynamicrange with impressive warmth.Scalloped 5/16” width top braces add

The Madagascar Rosewood Eric Clapton 000-28MAnother In A Series Of Extraordinary Clapton Signature Editions

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PhotoCourtesy

ofEricClapton

Above, Eric relaxes with his 000-42M, theSignature Edition that inspired and precededthe 000-28M Eric Clapton Signature Edition(pictured below and at left). The 000-28Medition is offered with either a vintage-tonedor 1935 sunburst finish.

Even in a music career that now spans fivedecades, Chris Hillman’s accomplishments andaccolades are so remarkable it is hard to believethey belong to one person.

As a founding member of the Byrds, he co-wroteSo You Want To Be A Rock And Roll Star and playeda pivotal role in the creation of “Sweetheart of theRodeo,” the landmark album that launched countryrock as a genre. With friend Gram Parsons, he foundedthe Flying Burrito Brothers, which sparked the outlawmovement in country. As leader of the Desert Rose Band,he put more than a dozen singles on the country charts.

He helped launch the career of Emmylou Harris, andrecorded with artists ranging from Stephen Stills and TonyRice to Herb Pedersen and Bernie Leadon. His songs havebeen recorded by Sheryl Crow, Beck, Steve Earle, TomPetty and Dwight Yoakam, among others. He became amember of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the Byrds in1991, nabbed three consecutive Academy of CountryMusic “Touring Band of the Year” awards with the DesertRose Band, garnered four Grammy nominations andreceived a Lifetime Achievement Award from theAmericana Music Association.

For all his success, Hillman remains true to his roots, athird-generation California cowboy. He wanted thatheritage represented on his namesake Martin CustomEdition, so Martin artist relations manager Dick Boakintroduced him to famed Western artistWilliam (Willy) Matthews. Willy createda handsome “branding iron and lariat”logo that includes Chris Hillman’sinitials and slyly pays homage to thecompany Chris established to handlehis songs, Bar None Music.

Willy and Dick worked closely totranslate the art to inlay for the newMartin OM Chris Hillman Custom ArtistEdition. Recreated in black mother ofpearl, white mother of pearl, fauxivory and gold mother of pearl, thelogo looks spectacular against thepolished black ebony headplate.The unique headstock inlay isjust one of severalappointments that make theOM Chris Hillman CustomEdition a singularly hand-some guitar. The familiararched “C. F. Martin & Co.” atthe top of the headplate isinlaid in abalone pearl, as arethe Style 45 snowflake positionmarkers on the black ebonyf ingerboard that lead to ChrisHillman’s signature between the 19th

and 20th frets. An understated 1932 shaded top,reminiscent of Martin’s original sunburst from the early1930s, expands from light amber at the center of thetop to antique bronze at the edges, and provides aunique canvas for the bold herringbone top purflingand herringbone rosette. The back strip also is inlaidherringbone.Tortoise color body, neck and headstock binding,

heelcap and endpiece are all (with the exception of theherringbone encircled top) accented with delicateblack/white purfling or inlay. A beveled and polishedvintage-style Delmar nitrate pickguard, Waverly opengear tuners with oval ebony buttons, and white bridgeand end pins inlaid with tortoise-color dots completethis elegant instrument.

The solid tonewoods on the OM Chris HillmanCustom Edition are equally stellar. The rare Adirondackspruce top is matched to scalloped Adirondack sprucebraces for powerful, balanced tone. Back and sides ofEast Indian rosewood provide resonant timbre. The lowprofile 1 3/4” (at the nut) neck is carved from genuinemahogany. For optimal sound, both the nut andcompensated drop-in saddle are crafted from genuinebone.

The care Chris Hillman took to develop “his”Martin guitar reflects a lifetime of making music. Anative of the ranchlands of rural northern San Diego

County, he got hooked on country music andbluegrass early, and soon was playingguitar and mandolin. In his mid-teens,he joined local bluegrassers theScottsvil le Squirrel Barkers, withwhom he played on their only albumat age 17. When the Barkers called itquits, he was invited to become amember of the Golden State Boys, atop Southern California bluegrass band.The group eventually morphed into theHil lmen, named after Chris eventhough he wasn’t the group’s leader.

The Hillmen played weekly onCal’s Corral, a live local countrymusic television show, andrecorded one album, but it toosoon folded and Chris wasconsidering enrolling at UCLAwhen he was invited to hearthree musicians with acousticguitars run through their songsat a Los Angeles studio. Themusicians were Roger McGuinn,Gene Clark and David Crosby

and they recruited him to playelectric bass, an instrument he had no

familiarit y with but quickly learned.

The OM Chris Hillman Custom Artist EditionWestern Theme Highlights This Distinctive Orchestra Model

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Following the addition of drummer Michael Clarke, theybecame the Byrds. The group’s f irst single, Mr.Tambourine Man, was a huge hit and the Byrds became amajor force in rock & roll.

By early 1968, after several hits and serious attritionin the ranks, the Byrds were down to two members: Chrisand Roger. Chris recruited musical acquaintance GramParsons and cousin Kevin Kelley into the band and –pushed by his vision and helped by great countrymusicians like Clarence White, Lloyd Green and JohnHartford – the Byrds recorded “Sweetheart of theRodeo,” the hugely influential album that launchedcountry rock. Gram Parsons left the group soon after thealbum was finished and after bringing in good friendClarence White to replace him, Chris also left.

Chris and Gram formed the Flying Burrito Brothers, agroup whose “country with attitude” made outlawcountry possible. Their first album, “The Gilded Palace ofSin,” became a classic. Gram soon lost interest in theband and Chris rebuilt it with great players like BernieLeadon. Just before he left the group in 1972, Chrishappened upon a young woman singing in a WashingtonD.C. folk club who so impressed him, he recommendedher to Gram. The young woman was Emmylou Harris andthe rest is country music history.

A phone call from old friend Stephen Stills resulted inthe two joining forces to form Manassas, a band aseclectic as it was talented. Over two years, Manassas

created a unique blend of American music, but pressures bothprofessional and personal caused the group to disband in 1973. Abrief Byrds reunion, a couple of years in the country rocksupergroup Souther, Hillman, Furay Band with J.D. Souther andRichie Furay, and two fine solo albums followed. A get-togetherwith Byrds bandmates Roger McGuinn and Gene Clark in the late1970s became McGuinn, Clark and Hillman, which recorded threealbums and had two “Top Ten” singles.

In the early 1980s, Chris – wanting to return to his bluegrassroots – reconnected with Herb Pedersen, a friend and fellowbluegrass musician from his teen years. He also found asongwriting partner in Steve Hill. After recording with DanFogelberg and accompanying him on his “High Country Snows”tour, Chris and Herb put together an acoustic band, only todiscover it sounded great “plugged in.” The Desert Rose Bandwent on to record seven albums, chart eight “Top Ten” countryhits and win a number of awards between 1987 and 1994.

Since 1995, Chris has recorded seven albums: two solo efforts,two with Herb Pedersen, and three with Rice, Rice, Hillman andPederson, which featured Chris, Herb and brothers Tony and LarryRice. Chris’ most recent album is “The Other Side,” a solo projectwhich includes several originals plus new versions of some of hisbest compositions from the past 40 years. He continues to tourregularly and in 2008 brought back the Desert Rose Band for ahandful of concerts.

Delivered in a Geib™ style hardshell case, each Martin OMChris Hillman Custom Edition guitar bears an interior labelpersonally signed by Chris Hillman and numbered in sequence.The guitar can be ordered in a left-handed version at no additionalcharge; factory-installed electronics are an extra-cost option.Authorized C. F. Martin dealers will begin accepting orders for theOM Chris Hillman Custom Edition immediately and dealersparticipating in this “open” edition will be posted on the C. F.Martin website: www.martinguitar.com. �

“Absolutelystunning!

Sounds great,plays greatand looks great.”

Chris Hillman

During the design process for his edition, Chris Hillman visitedMartin’s booth at the Anaheim NAMM Show, sampling dozens ofguitars. Choosing aspects from many models, he focused on aspecially appointed Adirondack-topped long scale OM with ashaded top. He did his homework well. The resulting guitar isstunning in both appearance and tone!

If the name of Ben Bedford is still unfamiliar to you, you’re missing outon one of the best of the new generation of American singer/songwriters.Influenced by the likes of Gordon Lightfoot and Guy Clark, among others, theSpringfield, Illinois native has released his debut album, “Lincoln’s Man”, tofavorable reviews. Ben performs with his Martin D-28 and J-40, and you canfind more information about him at www.benbedford.com. (Len Jaffe) �

Perhaps Texas’ best kept musical secret,James Hand has had a career of more than 40years playing in and around the “Lone StarState.” His honky-tonk style, so reminiscent ofHank Williams Sr., shines through and hisMartin D-42 is a big reason why. All theinformation you need to check out whereJames is playing or to pick up his recordings isavailable at www.jameshand.com. (Len Jaffe) �The writer of such classic songs of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s as “Summer Rain”

and “Look To Your Soul” for Johnny Rivers and “Long Lonesome Highway”for Michael (“Then Came Bronson”) Parks, Jim Hendricks makes his home insuburban Nashville these days, promoting his own label’s line of Americanamusic. Jim’s guitars of choice since he began performing have always beenMartins, including a well-worn D-28. His website: maplestreetmusic.com, willgive you a complete overview of what Jim is up to these days. (Len Jaffe) �

Legendary multi- instrumentalist PaulPrestopino has been using his 1943 MartinD-28 and an even older 0-18K koa (pictured)to accompany the likes of Peter, Paul, andMary and The Chad Mitchell Trio since theearly 1960s, in addition to side work as amusician for contra and English country danceperformance bands. Says Paul, “With theseguitars, I prett y much have all the basescovered.” (Len Jaffe) �

Photo©NealFriedenthal

©KarlAbate

©2008

Gary

JeanPhotow

orks©McClearenDesignStudios,Nashille,TN

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Around The Town

St. Louis, Missouri-based ElliottRanney has been playing his MartinD-18 for almost 30 years now, with noplans to stop. He did, at one point,replace the rosewood fingerboard withone of ebony, but everything else is justas it was when it lef t Nazareth,Pennsylvania as a new instrument, andit’s only gotten better through the years!His first full length album, “An AgingSailor’s Dream,” can be purchased atwww.elliottranney.com. (Len Jaffe) �

In public per formance, WestVirginia-based singer/guitarist Jim Snyderrelies 100% on his two Martin D-35s,1973 and 1974 vintage, respectively, butit doesn’t stop there. Jim also plays awell-used 0-17 from the 1930s, a Martinukulele from the late 1950s, and a000-16GTE just made within the last fewyears. Suffice it to say you’re not likely tosee Jim play anything except a Martin!(Len Jaffe) �

Nashville singer, songwriter, guitaristand producer Mark Elliott has dependedon his late 1970s Martin D-35 ever since1983 for studio and live performancework. Once an active member of theWashington, DC folk scene, Mark hasproduced several albums of his own,including ”Blackberries” and his latest,”Good Life.” Find more information atwww.markelliottmusic.com. (Len Jaffe) �

Ruthann Friedman wrote “Windy”for The Association back in the ‘60s, andhas continued to make music ever sinceon the California acoustic circuit. Herguitar of choice for all these years is herwonderful 1968 Martin D-45, as well as avintage 1926 00-28. Check out herwebsite, www.ruthannfriedman.com forinformation about her and herrecordings. (Len Jaffe) �

Photo©EdwardForrest

Photo©Jim

Hershleder

PhotobyLenJaffe

Photo©LoriA

llen

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Barry McGuire is best known for his performance ofthe ‘60’s counter-culture anthem, “Eve Of Destruction”, but he was also a memberof the famous New Christy Minstrels prior to a solo career that continues today.Barry also continues to use his trademark Martin D-12-28 (pictured) and D-12-18twelve-strings. Hear those guitars when Barry comes to your area with his “Trippin’The Sixties” show, and catch up with him on the web at www.trippinthesixties.com.(Len Jaffe) �

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Ukuleles For PeacePaul Moore (above center) spent a week filming ”The Mighty

Uke,” a full length documentary about ukulele players from allaround the world. The photo below provides a great example ofhow music can bring people together. Siwar Mansour (left) isArabian and Hillau Govreen-Segal (right) is Israeli. Paul played the”peace ukulele” which was especially customized for the project byMartin. A special CD aptly titled ”Ukuleles for Peace” is alsoavailable. You can show your support by ordering your copy onlineor making a donation at: ukulelesforpeace.com. �

The Return Of CardierAustralian singer/songwriter/guitarist Glenn

Cardier made his mark on the Austral ianfolk/rock/blues scene in the early ‘70s. He releasedthree highly acclaimed albums of original songs andperformed alongside the likes of Frank Zappa, FairportConvention and Harry Chapin. Cardier quickly gaineda reputation for his solo live shows where his darklyhumorous songs were presented with acoustic guitarin a playing style that ranged from delicate finger-picking to out-and-out blues-driven thrash.

Glenn Cardier was writing songs for OliviaNewton-John in London when he purchased his firstMartin guitar. This battle-scarred 1956 D-28 has beenGlenn’s constant companion over the years. Indeed,it’s been quite a roller-coaster ride for them both.While goof ing around onstage with legendarycomedian Spike Milligan, the Dreadnought’s neck wassnapped at the headstock.

Expert repairs were made, and his guitar is stillgoing strong (and to Cardier’s ears, getting strongerevery day) with powerful live projection and awonderfully rich sounding recording tone.

Was there mention of a roller-coaster ride? Thereclusive Cardier stopped performing live for about 25years (‘Tends to stall the career somewhat,’ he quips.)His precious Martin had 25 year-old strings on it whenhe slid it out from under the bed and opened the casein 2000. In 2002, Glenn released the criticallyacclaimed CD ”Rattle The Cage” followed in 2004 bythe four-star ”House Of Mirrors.” Performances withRay Davies, Bob Geldof and Judy Collins at thefamous Sydney Opera House have rekindled hiscareer and he now plays concerts and festivalsAustralia-wide with the ’56 and a brand spanking newMartin 000M.

In 2008, his latest, and most highly praised, CD ”Exiles FromEden” (”…characterised by some of the finest song-writing thiscountry has produced…” – Sydney Morning Herald) features bothguitars, the old and the new, and that more or less sums up theGlenn Cardier story so far. ‘A fine song can grow and change overyears, no matter who’s written it,’ he says. ”It’s still a fine song. Builtto last. Kinda like one of these beautifully crafted guitars.”

“Rattle The Cage” and “House Of Mirrors” are available from CDBaby and MGM Australia. “Exiles From Eden” is available atwww.glenncardier.com and MGM Australia. �

AroundTheWorld

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Click and Clack – German StyleAfter Rik Palieri was finishing the first show of a

thirty day tour with friend Wilfried Mengs, they weredriving their van home when Rik noticed that Wilfriedwas having trouble with the gas pedal. Withinseconds the pedal sank to the floor and the van cameto a complete stop. They were fifty miles from homeand stranded on the autobahn at 2:00 AM. They hadno choice but to call a tow truck and get towed to anearby VW shop. Of course it was Sunday and theshop was closed. With two gigs scheduled on thefollowing day, they knew they were in big trouble.

Wilfried made a few frantic phone calls home totry to get help but everyone was still sleeping. Finallyhe called an emergency road assistance number. Inabout an hour, a man came, opened the hood, saidthe cable was broken and that they were out of luck.He hopped in his truck and drove away.

As the sun rose, Wilfried got a call through to hishome town mechanic. This mechanic was a cleverfellow who had lived through the hard times andknew how to make do. After hearing their plight, heasked them to find something like a rope to tie thecable back together, then pull the rope tight andattach it to something in the engine. He thought thatmight work. After tearing the van apart, the only thingthey could find were two used Martin guitar strings,an A and D.

Following the advice, Wilfried tied the old stringstogether, then attached one end to the broken cable,pulling the strings hard until the gas pedal moved. Hethen wound the other string end around the radiator

Gordon GiltrapDuring his 40 year career, guitarist Gordon Giltrap has played in

virtually every type of venue in the UK – from the grandeur ofBirmingham’s Symphony Hall to tiny, out of the way village halls. Asone of the UK’s most respected guitarists, he has consistently provedthe adage that respect cannot be bought. It must be earned. Heenjoys performing everywhere he goes and particularly loves thechallenge that the smaller venues present where the front rows of theaudience are ”up front and personal.”

Gordon has recently collaborated with legendary keyboardistRick Wakeman on a brand new album entitled ”From Brush andStone.” It has now been released on the Voiceprint record label. Heused Martin strings on ALL the tracks and offers these remarks:

”I have been using Martin strings exclusively for at least twoyears. I consider them to be among the finest strings made. They areconsistently excellent with a very long string life and have a sparkle totheir sound which suits my music very well.”

Gordon is pictured above with his M3M George MartinSignature Edition guitar. You can learn more about Gordon Giltrapand his music at: www.giltrap.co.uk. Take a glance at his discographypage. It’s truly amazing! �

and to their amazement, the gas pedal slowly lifted from the floor.When the key turned, the engine roared back to life and they made itback home just in time for breakfast. Wilfried brought the VW to hismechanic who was amazed that he had fixed the problem with guitarstrings. After taking a photo of Wilfred with the odd repair, the vanwas fixed up in time for the rest of the tour.

From that time on, Rik and Wilfried make sure they have plentyof extra sets of Martin strings on hand! �

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Dion • HeroesOn the 50th Anniversary of his first hitsingle, Dion tells a musical story of hisbeginnings with a 15 song tribute to hisheroes, all of whom now live on in theRock and Roll Hall of Fame. The CDartwork boasts images of Dion’s newestMartin guitar, a special Custom 000with a unique pickguard designed byDion. Also included is a DVD withDion paying tribute to friends andfounders of the Rock and Roll era. �

Ray LaMontagne • Gossip In The GrainCutting edge, yet somehow timeless,Ray’s voice is so unique that whenyou’ve heard it once, you will foreveridentify it as his. The tone of his MartinDreadnoughts and the intense musicaldynamics that surround it, are nothingshort of brilliant. With instrumentationfar beyond the average artist’s pallet ofexpression, his soulful wailing and spinetingling ballads set Ray apart from thecrowd – an essential artist to hear! �

Booglerizers • Iron Bound BluesRichard DiPaolo’s assortment of Martinguitars (and mandolins) carry thisacoustic ragtime blues band through afull range of l ively delta blues,homespun ballads, and jug band tunes.Included are nine catchy originals, allrecorded with authentic instrumentslike the washboard, tuba, slide guitar,and washtub bass. Also included are sixcool covers. More Booglerizers at:www.booglerizers.com. �

Bob Shane •TheWorld Needs A MelodyThe influential Bob Shane, the lastsurviving founding member of TheKingston Trio, was so committed to ”thegroup” that he never recorded a soloalbum. That is, until now! This is a rareglimpse of a great singer and entertainer.Assisted by a host of his closest musicianfriends, here he has captured a baker’sdozen of his favorite tunes. It’s often saidthat Bob Shane helped sell more D-28sthan anyone on earth. How true! �

Brett Dennen • Hope For The HopelessA new studio CD from one of the mostpromising songwriters of our time.Embracing the essence of earlier work,this superb production lifts Brett’ssound to new heights, his Martin D-28blending beautifully with piano, pedalsteel, whirling Hammond organ riffs,and a one man choir of hypnoticvocals. Brett is a natural lyricist whocreates catchy hooks laced withpertinent social consciousness. �

My Favorite MartinLegendary ArtistsPlaying Legendary Guitars

Grammy award winning Solid Air Records andC. F. Martin & Co. are proud to announce the long-anticipated release of a collaborative CD entitled”My Favorite Martin.” All of the songs on thisunique compilation were recorded on Martininstruments or signature models owned by theindividual artists, and many of the tracks werewritten or recorded specifically for this release. Thisis an incredible roster of artists, and an amazingcollection of great guitarists playing a wide varietyof styles, all on their favorite Martin Guitars!

The following is a list of artists and songsfeatured on the CD:

To order your My Favorite Martin CD online,you can visit www.acousticMusicResource.com, orAmazon.com, You will also find the CD on iTunes,and in finer record stores, including Martin’s own1833 Shop. �

1. Laurence Juber ~ ”Layla”2. Jim Earp ~ ”Moondance”3. Kenny Sultan ~ ”West Coast Blues”4 Martin Carthy ~ ”The Vandals of

Hammerwich/John Peterson’s Mare”5. Steve Howe ~ ”Ram”6. Peter Rowan ~ ”After the Rain”7. Pat Donohue ~ ”Mountain Air”8. Norman & Nancy Blake ~ ”The Old Grey

Mare Came Tearing Out of the Wilderness”9. Steve Miller ~ ”Steve’s Boogie for Lightnin’ ”10. Elliot Easton ~ ”You Showed Me”11. Greg Hawkes ~ ”Eleanor Rigby”12. Roger McGuinn ~ ”Singing in the Country”13. Nancy Wilson ~ ”Decatur Road”14. Tony Rice ~ ”Danny Boy”15. Don McLean ~ ”Lovers Love the Spring”

Plus a bonus track:16. Steve Miller ~ ”Slinky Guitar”

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Marty Stuart • Compadres‘An Anthology of Duets’ ranging fromhis stint as Lester Flatt’s 15 year oldmandolin player, up to his moderncountry hits. Marty has worked withsome of the most legendary artists inevery musical genre. This powerfulcompilation includes songs (somepreviously unreleased) with JohnnyCash, B. B. King, Merle Haggard, MavisStaples, Earl Scruggs, Steve Earle,Loretta Lynn, and more. �

David Roche • HarpTrouble In HeavenDavid Roche is brother of the famousfemale fusion-folk trio, the RocheSisters. His new CD ”Harp Trouble inHeaven” is all about love in the life of aguy who’s got his hands full being aninvolved father while trying to slogthrough the daily grind. Like his sisters,David pulls this CD off with greatfinesse, instrumental technique andrich songwriting, of course with thehelp of his Martin 000-28. �

SteveWhite • After The HolidaysEquipped with his baritone-convertedMartin HD-28V and his bluesharmonica, Steve uses feet tapping aspercussion for an amazing rhythmsection that drives the recordingthrough a full range of traditionalblues, progressive slap jams, and somebeautifully soothing jazz numbers.”House of Bones” offers the rare treatof hearing Steve recorded with a fullband. www.stevewhiteblues.com. �

Laura WarshauerA strong debut album from this NewJersey native and her trusty DC-Aura –Laura has crafted an original pop/rockand folk album full of instant hits thatbuild a foundation for future success.Her tender voice and interwovenharmony merge naturally with heradept and driving guitar. Songs like”December Night” and ”Such a LovelyPlace” are soulfully delivered in Laura’sunique fashion. �

Greg Hawkes • The Beatles UkeAs a direct result of Greg Hawkes’ukulele track submitted for the ”MyFavorite Martin” CD project, Solid AirRecords has followed up with therelease of this collection of Beatlessongs. Though best known for hiswork as keyboardist for the Cars, Gregis certainly a master of the ukulele.This impressive collection, recorded onhis Martin 5-K Uke, is a testament toGreg’s musical diversity. �

Martin Guitarby Roger Otwell, David Otwell, Darrell Bledsoe© 2008 +2DB Music (A Division of Bravo Music)

I could play for the world on a Martin guitar.I could play for the girls on a Martin guitarAnd Oh I could play, all night long, if I had

A Martin guitar.

I could play like my Dad didon his Martin guitar

I could play like ol Hank did,I could be a big, big, star.

And Oh I could sing, all night long if I had,A Martin guitar.

I could play some Rock and Rollbut country’s in my soul,

Play a little blues for you.Play some Johnny Cash,Crosby, Stills, and Nash

And Bluegrass if you want me to.With a Martin guitar.

I could play on the hayridewith a Martin guitar

Might even play the OpryI could be a big big star.

And Oh I could live all my dreamsif I had a Martin guitar.

After LawrenceSome of you will surely remember the guitar

playing twins from the Lawrence Welk televisionshow. Roger and David Otwell tr ied out forLawrence Welk and joined the show in October of1977, teaming with the Aldridge Sisters. Today, bothbrothers still perform together in concerts, churchesand for Lawrence Welk show wraparounds on publictelevision. They teamed up with friend, guitarist andacclaimed producer Dr. Darrell Bledsoe to write theabove song about Martin Guitars. All three are guitarfanatics! From left to right: Roger Otwell (playing hisJC-16RGTE), his twin brother David (playing his00C-16GTAE Bass) and Darrell Bledsoe (playing a000C-16GTE).

”And a one, and a two..... !” �

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Blues At TheWallWhile traveling on business in Beijing, China and Tokyo,

Japan, David Lisi took his Martin Backpacker guitar along tohelp him unwind after some long days. He quickly learnedthat having the Backpacker is a great way to make friends inany language. People in China and Japan couldn't help butsmile when they saw his little guitar. The highlight of the tripwas a climb along the Great Wall of China. The Backpackerdrew a lot of interest and David had the pleasure of playing alittle fingerstyle blues on one of the towers. Through it all, hisBackpacker stayed in tune and was none the worse for wearfor all of its travels. �

Backpacker Stories

Fields Of JoyJapanese guitarist, Martin Owner’s Club member and

connoiseur of excellent sake – Hiroyuki Sato sent us this rurallife photo of his wife playing their Backpacker guitar, and theirson cleverly holding the electrical transmission tower in hisright hand. Hiroyuki thinks the Backpacker is perfectly suitedto accompany a day in the rice fields. Notice that his wife hassewn a Martin patch on her knee and she’s wearing the righthat too! �

Marcator Traversing The EquatorMartin clinician Diane Ponzio met Jürgen Petersen (aka

Marcator) at a guitar clinic in Germany. There he told herabout his extensive travels around the world with his MartinBackpacker. Jürgen is a recording artist who uses the guitarto write songs for his varied albums. His Backpacker isfeatured on the sleeve of his latest release ”Coconut Time,”which was primarily written in Fiji. The album also featureshis 000C-16 Martin. Those interested can learn more at hisonline video channel: www.myspace.com/marcator. �

John AlexanderJohn Alexander (center) uses music very effectively to

teach English to local school children in Niger, Africa. HisBackpacker guitars were a tremendous hit there and thechildren are keenly interested in American culture. Prior tothis effort, they had been learning American folk songs, buthad no instruments for accompaniment. It was a perfectapplication for these versatile instruments. John is sendingmonthly guitar lessons to the kids with the hope of havingthem play with some proficiency in the near future. �

39

Photo©LynnGoldsmith

Striking A Big ChordSteve Miller, the original Gangster of Love, was visiting the Martin

factory at an opportune time, accompanied by acclaimed rockphotographer Lynn Goldsmith. She saw the potential for a terrificphoto when they walked past the 9:1 scale oversized Martin guitarmade for the Nazareth’s 250th Anniversary parade. A willing Steverose to the challenge (as he usually does), popping his head throughthe strings and striking the perfect pose. The discussions that day led toa great friendship between Steve and Martin, eventually yielding threeSignature Editions with a possible fourth in the works! �

AWriter’s ToolThough not typically associated

with Martin guitars, we havelearned that Bruce Springsteen infact wrote many of his mostformative songs on a cherishedD-35 Martin Dreadnought.

Rock photographer LynnGoldsmith was a close friend ofBruce’s and she took this shot ofBruce at his home, hard at work ona song. She notes that he wouldalso routinely play his Martin aftersound check and before the venue.In the late 1970's, Bruce couldalways be seen traveling with twocritical items: his portable cassetteplayer and his Martin guitar!

Lynn is a widely publishedphotographer. Her book ”Rock AndRoll” is a terrific rock chronicle.Check out her photography at:www.lynngoldsmith.com. �

The Color PurpleSteve Bargonetti, guitarist for the Broadway

musical “The Color Purple,” holds a pair of highlyunique Martin custom flamed maple acousticelectric guitars, appropriately lacquered intranslucent purple. On the left is the first Size 5Martin cutaway ever made. At right is a matching000 12-fret cutaway with nylon strings. Steve isslated to perform as the guitarist for the soon to berevived Broadway musical “Hair.” �

Photo©Lynn

Goldsm

ith

Parting Shots

TheSoundingBoardP. O. Box 329, Nazareth, PA 18064-0329(610) 759-2837 • www.martinguitar.com

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

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Hal Leonard Publishing & C. F. Martin & Co. proudly present:

Martin Guitars: A Historyby Richard Johnston and Dick Boak

as updated from the original 1975 edition by Mike LongworthThe long-awaited revision of the seminal Martin History book, this new two-volume set is completely updated and redesigned.

Book OneA History

An in-depth and vividlyphotographed view of C. F.Martin & Co., and the familytransitions that created an

American guitarmaking legacy,from German emigration in1833 to present day marriageof tradition and technology.

Book TwoA Technical Reference

An exploration of sizes, shapes,styles, evolving specifications,varied brands, production totals,artist signature models, limitedand special editions, historicalpricing, model dimensions,nomenclature, serial numbers,

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