Conference napalm::guitar

    What has happened to the color? My 69ish looks OK as far as I can tell ...

    1968-'69 if the serial # is correct.
    
    Danny W.

    Mr. Weber could you explain Martin's serial number schema for the
    benefit of the Present and Future Generations , please?
    
    Andrew 

    re: -.1
    
    Sure. Martin has used consecutive serial numbers since the turn of the
    century. All one needs to do is look at one of the many published lists
    of years vs #'s and find the appropriate year. Martin is probably the
    only company that you could call, tell them the number and get an
    accurate date with no other info.
    
    Since 1969 is one of those years of special interest to the vintage
    market, I know that serial #'s from 256xxx to 271xxx are 1969ish, so
    the # in question should be 68ish. If I had one of those lists in front
    of me, I'd be sure of which year it actually is.
    
    If you were looking for the date to be coded into the #, sorry. It
    wasn't coded into that Fender # either--it's just a fluke that 76xxxx..
    numbers were from 1976. Next year they were S6xxxxxx..
    
    Danny W. 

    Thanks for the info,Danny.The guitar belongs to the guitarist from the
    Scottish rock band Nazareth,and had been dropped,causing 19 splits in
    the side of it.My friend is a first-class repairman and has done a
    brilliant job on the guitar.
    	As for your question re the color,Alex,I only meant that yellowing
    of the top finish after the first few years that looks better than the
    whiter shade of a brand new Martin !
    					Big Jim.
    

    The change in color, due to aging, is known as "patina". Patina is 
    usually due to yellowing of the lacquer. When an older instrument is 
    stripped and refinished, the patina is lost, and the instrument loses 
    much of it's vintage appeal. 
    
    Mark Jacques
    

Older instruments can be reworked without stripping the top.  My D-28 had the
bridge removed, reset and the top "oversprayed" by Martin.  This process did
nothing to change the patina.  However, if given my choice, I would take an 
untouched instrument over a similar reworked one.

Jim

    Can anyone (Danny?) give me a date on this Martin HD-28?
    
    	# 429534
    
    Thanks.
    
    - Ram

    Stumbled on a Martin today:
    
    Inside the numbers are:   00-18
    
    and s/n  388111
    
    This particular axe is in mint condition, with only a small finish-ding
    around the D-string tuning peg.  Any idea of the date and it's worth?
    
    Thanks!!
    
    PS - On the main-stay running from the bridge to the neck (back of
    guitar) looks like someone took a felt pen and signed CF Martin IV on
    it.  IS this a common practice?  How could I tell if it's authentic??
    
    Thanks again!!
    

>    Stumbled on a Martin today:
    
    Hope you didn't break it...
    
>    
>    Inside the numbers are:   00-18
>    
>    and s/n  388111
    
    
    1976.
    
    If I had to guess a price I'd put it in the $800 neighborhood.
    Others can probably come a lot closer. 
    
    RE the signature -- my OM has both CF Martin III and IV's signatures
    in it, but it came from the custom shop, so it's not surprising.
    Best way to test the authenticity of this one is to phone Martin
    with the serial number and see if it was a special order of some
    sort. (If so that could adjust the price up a bit.)

    It looks like it was signed with a flair pen!  And I can see it right
    in the sound hole.  Wierd man.
    
    

    Oh, and thanks Paul, I appreciate the note!
    
    This guy was telling me it was a 1937 Martin, hand built by CF Martin
    IV himself (hense the sig)...He said it was worth thousands...
    
    Now, I'm no fool - this thing is in WAY too good a shape to be *that*
    old...  What'd he do pack it in cosmoline??  :-)
    
    BTW - The action is high and stiff, and my $150 Alvarez sounds better.
    :-)  THink I'll stick with it. 
    
    Any other info I need to know??  I wanna confront the guy and have my
    facts straight...

    CF (Chris) Martin IV wasn't even born in 1937...  I'd guess he's 
    in his late 30's, early 40's...
    
    Chris often signs Martin's "guitar of the month" special limited
    editions.  He also may sign custom shop guitars (as mentioned in
    an earlier note).
    
    I believe a 1976 00-18 would have been at least a special order
    guitar (even if not custom)-- I think its been a *long* time
    since it was a regular production model.  Martin won't build
    a special order instrument unless they get 50% down.
    
    A good 00-18 would be a great guitar for fingerstyle blues or
    19th century parlor music (or about any other fingerstyle music).
    
    Jim
    

    Anyone have a phone number for Martin??
    
    jc

To call Martin try 1-800-345-3103  
(or 215-749-2837 if you want to pay for the call)

Jim

BTW, I don't think C.F.Martin IV signs guitars on the back.  My guess is that
it is most likely a fogery (or much less likely - an impromptu signing).  My 
guitar is a limited edition with a CFM IV signature.  It would be interesting
to see how closely the signature were.

Jim

    The signatures on custom my OM are on a piece of paper glued to the
    back  directly behind the sound hole. Not felt pen, though.

    Can anyone give a manufacture date on a D 28 with a cutaway with the
    serial number of 505757?
    
    							Thanks
    
    							Rick
    

        505757 would be 1991.  Serial numbers ran from 503310 to 512487
        that year, so it probably was relatively early in the year.
    
        FWIW, I have two '91 Martins (HD-28 and a D-16H) and I think 
        both are great guitars (with the HD being exceptionally nice). 
        Probably not a large enough sample to make any claims on general
        quality for the year, though. ;^)
    
        Jim (who keeps his handy-dandy Martin serial number list in his
             wallet.)

    
    Can anyone put a date on HD-28 # 437816, I bought this guitar
    in 1984, and it is going to get some professional TLC after
    sitting in storage for a decade (cracked bridge, worn frets
    cigarette burn marks near the nut).
    
    Thanks,
    
    /Pat

Welcome back,,, Your D28 is a 1981,,,  a delicate little vintage.

    The serial numbers ranges are online at
    
    http://www.mguitar.com/text/history/HIST0037.html

    
    Excellent, thanks to you both!
    
    /Pat