Wow, check out the price of this guitar

zerodown1432 · #1 03-24-2005, 10:35 AM

http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/...a3cc5e2d600e26

Matthew Bryson · #2 03-24-2005, 11:04 AM

That has GOT to be an error.

GrooveWarrior · #3 03-24-2005, 11:09 AM

I read an article about that somewhere and I don't think it is an error. Other than the error in judgement from the folks at Martin, thinking someone would pay that much for that.

zerodown1432 · #4 03-24-2005, 11:09 AM

From what I've heard, there were only five made. Still, maybe they meant "$10,000"?

Wil Davis · #5 03-24-2005, 11:09 AM

Well, that's a helluva chunk of change - but it is a limited edition (see details…)

I'll take 3 (1 to eat now, and 2 for later…)

- Wil

**SoComSurfing** · #6 03-24-2005, 11:09 AM

No error. It's pretty similar to the one millionth Martin produced, which is strictly for thier museum. We've got a customer at the store I used to work for, and still do on occasion, who is thinking about having us order either that, or the D-50 Koa Deluxe and D-45 Celtic Knot. He's a very serious collector, who REALLY likes his Martins.

bassmonkeee · #7 03-24-2005, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crhoton

I read an article about that somewhere and I don't think it is an error. Other than the error in judgement from the folks at Martin, thinking someone would pay that much for that.

I've seen this guitar in person at NAMM last year. They will sell any that they make, I assure you.

lbanks · #8 03-24-2005, 11:18 AM

ELECTRONICS: optional
OTHER OPTIONS: Available left-handed at no additional charge

burk48237 · #9 03-24-2005, 12:33 PM

Elderly had a 1941 D-45 on there site for 150,000 it lasted about three weeks! So this ones a bargin! You can take it home tell your wife you saved 50,000 on a gutiar, she'll be impressed. Actually allthough I do think 100 grand is a bit steep, I've owned a couple of Martins, own one now, and wouldn,t hesitate to drop 10 grand on a good old one if I had it. They are great gutiars, and unlike almost any other manufactor in this bussiness they have been doing stuff the same way for close to 150 years. The other unique thing is, they have never really had a bad time period when there quality control droped or something. They just keep building great gutiars that age like fine wine. And man you think theres a difference in a vintage bass , you should here an old Martin!

Philbiker · #10 03-24-2005, 12:44 PM

The inlay work is unbelievable, if a more than a little gaudy. Solid Brazillian Rosewood back and sides? Wow! Guess they got the last planks.

Mitchell Royce · #11 03-24-2005, 03:04 PM

I was just gonna mention the brazilian rosewood. That stuff is now pretty much impossible to get so any instrument made out of it must have been made from some very old stock. After all, some of the best Martins are supposedly made from rosewood(and usually something like a 100 years old).
If that justifies the price though?

The Golden Boy · #12 03-24-2005, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitchell Royce

I was just gonna mention the brazilian rosewood. That stuff is now pretty much impossible to get so any instrument made out of it must have been made from some very old stock.

Gibson blew through a lot of the "old stock" of BW the past few years making fingerboards for the 57, 58 and 59 reissue Les Pauls. Some of those boards really weren't worth the premium placed on Brazillian- dark, waxy, figured board is around, it's just not Brazillian these days. A few years back, PRS had guitars with the whole neck made of really nice hunks of Brazillian Rosewood. They were pretty pricey.

Don't get the issue of a vintage guitar like a "pre-war" Martin confused with a collector's guitar. Most of any vintage guitars that are worth a lot of bank were regular instruments that for some reason or another, a lot of people want and are willing to pay a lot of money for. I'd really dig a 1940-41 Gibson ES-250 with a stairstep headstock...

Someday I'd like to be able to drop 2-3 grand on an ordinary production D-28.

**SoComSurfing** · #13 03-24-2005, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philbiker

The inlay work is unbelievable, if a more than a little gaudy. Solid Brazillian Rosewood back and sides? Wow! Guess they got the last planks.

Martin has basically used up thier stock of CITES certified Brazillian. They've halted production on some of the models they offered in Brazillian, and are not building any new guitars from the wood once the current run is up. That doesn't have to do with the price of this model, though. This one was priced at $100K before Martin issued that announcement.

**SoComSurfing** · #14 03-24-2005, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burk48237

...The other unique thing is, they have never really had a bad time period when there quality control droped or something. They just keep building great gutiars that age like fine wine. And man you think theres a difference in a vintage bass , you should here an old Martin!

You've not run across some of the late 70s-early 80s Martins out there. The company was facing some pretty tough times, nearly went under, and really turned out some crap compared to the rest of Martin's history. In '81 they barely put out 3000 instruments, when they turned out nearly 10,000 in '66.

burk48237 · #15 03-24-2005, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoComSurfing

You've not run across some of the late 70s-early 80s Martins out there. The company was facing some pretty tough times, nearly went under, and really turned out some crap compared to the rest of Martin's history. In '81 they barely put out 3000 instruments, when they turned out nearly 10,000 in '66.

My understanding of that time period was two issues, First there supply of reasonably priced Brazilian Rosewood ran out in the late 60's and in the early to mid 70's a lot of people critisized there use of "inferior" Indian Rosewood. Second in the late 70's there was a second "folk boom" with James Taylor and other Peter Asher produced acts enjoying a hot time on the charts. I worked in a music store at the time and Martin was backordered TWO YEARS on many basic models!, and just couldn't keep up with the resulting demand.When this ended(early 80's) the bottom dropped out of the folk market. I'm sure they had some internal mgmt. problems durring this time (change of leadership?) but I think it was reflected more in there service then there quality. Might there have been a few pieces that slipped out during this time period? possibly, I sure didn't see them . Maybe they put out instruments that weren't up to the level of earlier martins, but those were pretty high levels. All in all there quality control is incredible, and I think way ahead of any one else who has been in the business any period of time!! And I believe with the exception of some small custom operations (Santa Cruz, Huss and Dalton.Collings and Laviree) noboddy today produces better quality gutiars! And all the other gutiar makers combined haven't produced as many quality acoustic gutiars as these guys have!!!!!!!

cecile · #16 03-24-2005, 09:24 PM

pssh, it's only $100,000. Geez what is wrong with you people, it's only pocket change

Corbis · #17 03-25-2005, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Classic Rocker

pssh, it's only $100,000. Geez what is wrong with you people, it's only pocket change

Yes, I agree. My cat's litter box is lined with fresh 100,000 dollars bills every 30 minutes. Some people are just so stingy.

**SoComSurfing** · #18 03-25-2005, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burk48237

... Maybe they put out instruments that weren't up to the level of earlier martins, but those were pretty high levels.

I think that's probably the thing that has me against thier guitars from that period. I grew up learning to play on Pre-war Martins, and early 60s D-28s and -35s, still Brazillian, of course. As you say, those are pretty tough shoes to fill when you have a move from Brazillian and Adirondack to East Indian and Sitka!

Quote:

And I believe with the exception of some small custom operations (Santa Cruz, Huss and Dalton.Collings and Laviree) noboddy today produces better quality gutiars! And all the other gutiar makers combined haven't produced as many quality acoustic gutiars as these guys have!!!!!!!

Again, I'll agree with you in full on that one! The Golden Era line they've put out recently is absolutely AMAZING! I A/Bed a GE D-18 with a Collings D1 with Adirondack top. Other than the pre-war "V" neck on the Martin, I preferred it over the Collings even. I have access to nearly anything I could want from Collings, Breedlove, Goodall, Boucher, McPherson, Larrivee, Martin, or Santa Cruz, but my #1 guitar remains my Martin. Although I am completely in love with those McPhersons!