Martin Guitar Masterpieces

A Showcase of Artists's Editions, Limited Editions and Custom Guitars.

There are many other makers of acoustic instruments, but Martin Guitars are really the Harley-Davidson, the Coca-Cola, the Jack Daniels of the guitar industry.

Founded in 1833 and based in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, the company is still family-owned and boasts an impeccable heritage, traditional values and consistent quality of manufacture. Its acoustic guitars are internationally revered, played and collected, and it was the first manufacturer to realise the value and desirability of vintage instruments.

In the sixties, artists such as Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Joan Baez and the Weavers emerged onto the folk scene all playing old Martin guitars. As the vintage market began to take off explosively in the early seventies, the company realised that players wanted aged guitars with particular characteristics that had since been amended or abandoned, and it started to reproduce its especially desirable old models in small editions, together with limited editions of artist-signature models in collaboration with music legends such as Stephen Stills, Paul Simon, Johnny Cash and Eric Clapton, and new artists like Beck, Babyface and Jonny Lang.

These exquisite instruments are avidly snapped up by guitar players and collectors, for whom this lavishly produced book will also be a must have. The outstanding full-colour plates will make it possible almost to see into the grain of each model, or run a hand across the strings. The accompanying text will explain the history and manufacture of each guitar, with a host of anecdotes and fascinating detail.