Kingston Crossroads: Re: How Martin Guitars Are Built

Thanks, Rick! Great Experience and thanks for relating it! Yes, Martin Rocks! I had a similar experience in 2013 up in New Hartford, Connecticut, in your beautiful state, at Ovation Guitars. My Adamas 2080 NWT needed a neck reset and I brought it unannounced to the Ovation facility. I walked in and Kim Keller welcomed me, and John Budny, and Willie, a luthier, listened to my concern and said they'd return my guitar in a week or so in good as new condition. Kim then proceeded to give me about six Ovation and Hamer (electric guitars) beautiful, glossy catalogs. Anyway, I got the guitar back about ten days later in excellent like new shape and they even did a fret crowning and polishing in the deal! My next target is Huss & Dalton, in Staunton, Virginia, in which I'll make up an excuse to bring my Huss & Dalton TD-R to for something or other in order to bond with its birthplace!

Folk On!

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Ken, I have a similar story. My kids live in PA southwest of Philly and I drove down there often, but never went near Nazareth. One day I decided, this is the day, and on my way home I took a detour and went to the factory. I got there just a little before noon. I walked in and asked about a tour. The nice lady at the counter told me the last tour for the day had already left, as they were closing early for their annual employee picnic. Great. I had to pick this day? There were three or four more people there with me and we were all very disappointed and we must have showed it, because she told us to wait while she disappeared into the back. When she returned, she said someone was coming out to give us all a more or less private tour, but said it would be a quick one. Well, it was a private tour, and it wasn't quick. It took close to an hour and we were able to ask so many questions, probably more than a regular tour of about thirty people would have. It was great. I was very thankful for my good fortune and for the exemplary customer service she showed by going the extra mile to make sure we got to see the factory. No doubt about it. Martin rules! They're number one in my book!

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Back in late 2002, I took my recently-acquired, new 1982 Martin D-28E with its newly-introduced pickup/preamp system on an all-night drive down to Martin Guitars. I was dissatisfied with its amplified tone and wanted to see if Martin could make it better. I went into the lobby and stated my concern and the receptionist summoned John Marshall, head of the electronics department. He took me into the factory and had me sit down in his area and plug-in and play a bit to assess my amplified tonal concern. Anyway, I left the guitar there to be fitted with another identical system. John then asked me if I wanted a tour of the Martin shop floor and of course, I said "Yes!" He proceeded to give me a personal 45-minute tour of the whole crafting process from wood selection to brace carving and guitar assembly. Let's just say that upon leaving Martin Guitars, I was one happy Martin customer!

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Interesting article on how Martin guitars are built.

The comments are just as interesting.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/28/magazine/martin-guitar-factory.html