Vintage Martin Guitar

                                                               Martin Brazilian Rosewood D-35

Employee made model that was made between 1965 and 1968. made from Brazilian rosewood, with special appointments. This model has a bound headstock no found on regular D-35 Models, no cracks in the top, some beltwear on the rear that is not through the wood and crazed into the laquer, plenty of bridge saddle and good neck angle, bridge appers to have been reset at some point.Wear on back of neck, Tortise gaurd is shrinking,but flat and not pulling up, Frets are in great shape and the the sound is really to die for, great projection and depth, and very full .There was an autograph no longer legible on the front of the guitar, hard to picture, no idea who's it was.. comes in a hard shell 60's case.. This is a great deal ,look at the prices of brailian rosewood and they are nowhere near this unbeatable ebay deal

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There are some Martin instruments that were not part of the companys regular production runs and that bear neither a serial number nor a Martin logo. These are the so-called Employee Instruments. For much of the 20th century, Martin employees were allowed to build themselves personal custom instruments, choosing whatever style they preferred, using the decorative trim of their choice, and enlisting the help of their fellow employees. The work was supposed to be done off hours and the practice was discontinued when management concluded that workers were using company time to build their personal instruments. Prior to then, however, employees had the opportunity to use the company's best skills and finest materials for a personal instrument. The individual carftsperson could incorporate any features desired. Because these were not part of the standard production run, however, they were not given serial numbers and, because they were not intended for sale, they were not allowed to bear C. F. Martin identification.

Vintage instrument expert George Gruhn wrote about Martin Employee guitars for Pickin= magazine:

All the component parts were regular Martin parts, and ornamentation, while varying in many cases from standard patterns, was also typically Martin. Quite commonly, the ornamental features of several standard models will be combined in one of these guitars. Although these guitars are not labeled, have no serial numbers, and are not covered by the Martin warranty, I consider them genuine Martins, since they are made in the factory to Martin structural specifications, and generally meet Martin=s highest standards of quality. However, unless the complete prior history of such a guitar is known, verification of its authenticity should be determined by an expert who is thoroughly familiar with the features of Martin guitar construction.

Undoubtedly, the vast majority of Employee Instruments have been guitars. Although mandolins and ukuleles have each enjoyed periods of prominence, Martin=s guitars have always been their premier product. These have always commanded premium prices. It is not surprising, therefore, that given an opportunity to build a personal instrument, most employees would choose the most respected and versatile Martin instrument, a guitar. Although numbers are not available, Employee Instrument mandolins are undoubtedly rarer than guitars.