In praise of Old Martins

omlove

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Since my recent rediscovery of my modern Martin S1 - bought new in 2013, played all the time but never really thought about Uke as a serious instrument (My apologies!) - and discovery of the Uke community and UU, I became very interested and quickly got myself into the learning process.

Aside from buying a variety of strings, I also got a 50s style 1 and 50s style 0. Returned the style 0 because the previous owner(s) had shaved the saddle down in order to achieve low action but too low for me (2mm), while the style 1 is perfect in any way (2.6mm action in comparison). I did do research and the price was reasonable.

It all started with a random trip to Hawaii and played a sweet sounding vintage Martin at a random guitar shop... (which got me to look at my S1 through colored and biased glasses)

But the two recently came through my hands really echoed my experience. They are really nice sounding - much much more complicated, maybe a technical description is more overtone and harmonics. I always judge classical guitar by their performance on e, b string in higher positions. Nylon string guitars are harder to get the brilliance and complexity in the treble is my understanding.

All equipped with Martin M600 - after all the experiment, went back to the very string that came from the factory - S1 just sounds plain. I don't think the difference can be picked up in Youtube videos, but in person it's huge.

And a reasonably priced old Martin is not too much away from a MAP S1 - $419 in US currently. Compared to other things in life - root canal, dental implant, high end restaurant, or other things in music life - any US made guitar, US made amp, etc. I think they are truly wonderful despite their price point (fairly priced not the overly zealous sellers).

Amen!
 
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I agree that these old martins are great, I have never tried anything relatively new because I feel like I'm not missing out on anything. I believe their formula sets the bar; not that it's the greatest ever but for consistency in how good they are(original) across the board. A perfect balance of build.
I've owned(currently)about 7 old martins over time and have never been disappointed. I've also owned many other makes from the pre 40s - and considering playability in conjunction with sound there is no question what my go to is.
Although I do have a new hypothesis of another build being just as well currently, I'll wait to see how it's concluded.

Of course money and price justification is everything when spending anything, it's how you see it, and why it would make sense.
To each their own, the journey is just as important as the destination. My opinion means nothing except to me :)
 
I have had a few older Martin ukuleles pass through my hands and have found they are my choice. Also have a 0XK that is great sounding. It is important to match strings with any uke and everyone has their own idea of what sounds best to them.......they do make a difference! Vintage Martins were quality built by skilled craftsmen.
 
Of course money and price justification is everything when spending anything, it's how you see it, and why it would make sense.
To each their own, the journey is just as important as the destination. My opinion means nothing except to me :)

The journey sure brought me lots of joy and learning new things and gaining new knowledge always brings genuine happiness to me.

How I see money and price justification regard this topic is I can get 4 or 5 very nice old Martin ukes with the same amount of money spent on a brand new D-28. As well as considering all big Ks are in the thousand dollars ballpark and Martin ukes made in Nazareth too. Total bargain it seems to me!
 
My favorite soprano ukuleles by far! They are consistently good, particularly pre-60s (made in USA stamp inside), which is to say you can't really go wrong buying them. This book is fantastic, too. It's certainly comprehensive, so you can extend that joyful learning experience you wrote about so enthusiastically.

https://www.amazon.com/Martin-Ukulele-Little-Instrument-Helped/dp/1476868794

How would I miss that?:) Bought it and read it two weeks ago. Thanks a lot for the advice though
 
My favorite soprano ukuleles by far! They are consistently good, particularly pre-60s (made in USA stamp inside), which is to say you can't really go wrong buying them. This book is fantastic, too. It's certainly comprehensive, so you can extend that joyful learning experience you wrote about so enthusiastically.

https://www.amazon.com/Martin-Ukulele-Little-Instrument-Helped/dp/1476868794
I'm also a fan of the Vintage Martin Sopranos. I've had to self limit my collection to WWII made, recognized by steel frets and wooden pegs with the decal on the head.
I've filled it with Styles 0, 1, 2, & 3 all Mahogany. See me at Palm Springs in a couple of weeks with a 1930s Style 2M and a 1950 Style 3M
 
Just giving this a little bump to chime in with my agreement.

I'm relatively new to ukulele, having picked it up in 2015, but not new to instruments. I certainly haven't played what could even be considered a small sampling of the available ukes out there, but so far my 50's style 1 concert has far and away surpassed anything else I've tried. I think it may have something to do with the vintage Martin's relatively light built. Thin wood, thin braces. Even decent new ukes in the $500-$1000 category just seem somewhat overbuilt in comparison.

I've got a Gibson Uke-3 from the 20's on the way, so that will give me a different brand vintage comparison point soon.
 
I've got a Gibson Uke-3 from the 20's on the way, so that will give me a different brand vintage comparison point soon.

It will be great to hear your assessment of the two.
 
I agree. The sound is so rich and full it almost seems to defy the physics with such a small body.
 
Vintage Martin ukes are a steal; often less than the same model new. This is in great contrast to vintage Martin guitars, which are (depending on decade) 2-10 times or more the price of a new one. And the joy one gets from playing an old instrument is invaluable.
 
Vintage Martin ukes are a steal; often less than the same model new. This is in great contrast to vintage Martin guitars, which are (depending on decade) 2-10 times or more the price of a new one. And the joy one gets from playing an old instrument is invaluable.

Not sure about that. There is a great deal of variability depending on condition, model, vintage, etc, but if one is willing to accept instruments that have some blemishes, cosmetic issues or repairs you can often get good deals.
 
Elderly Instruments sells a new d-18 for $2500. Their vintage ones in stock are 1946 ($11,000), 1941 ($25,000), 1940($23,000), and 1939 ($33,000). And vintage D-28 prices really go through the roof. They also have a style 1 soprano uke for $750, and a new one sells for $419, but those are made in Mexico and the fretboard is not rosewood, so not really comparable.
So I should probably correct myself and say that vintage Martin ukes are often not much more than a new one. As another example, Elderly sells a new 2K Concert for $1700. I still think vintage Martin ukes are a pretty good deal. Supply and demand; they made a lot more ukes than guitars back in the day, and there are a lot more guitar players than uke players today.
 
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Let's bring back the love! A few months back, I got a 20's Style O, in great shape. I also have a couple of Famous (by Kiwaya) sops, and really enjoy them. In particular, my FS-1 (Eco Series laminate) is a very nice uke, and I thought "how much better could a Martin sound?" Well, when I played the FS-1, then the vintage Martin, it was night and day. The Martin had so much more volume and tone, it was unreal. What a joy to play and listen to. The FS-1 is still a fine instrument that I love playing, but vintage Martin sopranos are the holy grail for a good reason.
Screenshot_20220926-091857_Gallery.jpg
 
Let's bring back the love! A few months back, I got a 20's Style O, in great shape. I also have a couple of Famous (by Kiwaya) sops, and really enjoy them. In particular, my FS-1 (Eco Series laminate) is a very nice uke, and I thought "how much better could a Martin sound?" Well, when I played the FS-1, then the vintage Martin, it was night and day. The Martin had so much more volume and tone, it was unreal. What a joy to play and listen to. The FS-1 is still a fine instrument that I love playing, but vintage Martin sopranos are the holy grail for a good reason.
View attachment 145725

That's a pretty one!

I still love my 50's concert. Still the best sounding uke I've played, and I've been able to play a fair few at this point.
 
When I get back form work I'll post photos of mine. I have two from the 1920's era, a Style 0 and 3 Mahogany (neither have the headstock decal but are imprinted on the back (both also have the Martin stamp visible from the sound hole running perpendicular to the strings). Their sound characters are just amazing, sweet and full of overtones. The 3 is a bit more mellow, in a good way where the brightness of the 0 (in comparison) is wonderful too. My "throw-in the car" and leave it there ukulele is a used 20's (2020's that is..:geek:) OXK Concert, it sounds fantastic too but in a different way. Great for figuring out tunes on the radio when in traffic jams and stop lights, it keeps my road rage in check to have it handy. See Ukuleles are therapeutic.
All three where found by accident, as in I wasn't seeking them out, and were all affordable enough to justify their purchases (the 3 hurt a bit; although I was able to get it for less than a few used Koalohas I've seen in the marketplace here). So yeah, find an old Martin and see what the hype is all about. They really are a bargain for all the reasons others have mentioned previously in this thread.
 
I love my 1930's style 1, though I have to be careful when strumming it because there's a buzz in there somewhere when I lean in at all. I'm looking at it as a lesson to lighten up my attack. ;-)

I've always been a sucker for things developing over time and would love to one day get a Kiwaya style 3 and see how it ages next to the Martin. As cool as it is having something that's almost ninety years old (I want to say I figured it was a 1934-1937 at one point from the Martin book), I kind of want to get a uke that was modeled after it but brand new and start that clock for whoever comes next, you know?
 
Forgot to post pictures of mine but will try again later today.

In the meantime i was looking at the coveted 5K on Reverb.com; instruments of the 1920’s range from $17-12k, but saw one for $4999 new. Had no ideas they were still being made but damn, for a factor build koa with bling, and the Martin tradition I’m sure it’s terrific and would definitely be on my long list of purchases should i win a multimillion $$$ lottery. Would love to try one out to hear what a Martin koa wood ukulele sounds like compared to mahogany (all I’ve known). Has anyone tried one (new or old)? Are they worth the extra $$$’s? The only other sopranos Martin currently offers are the $1999 Kontor special edition (koa) and the Style 0 mahogany for $399. For what you get from the Style 0 it really seems more and more like a bargain.
 
Forgot to post pictures of mine but will try again later today.

In the meantime i was looking at the coveted 5K on Reverb.com; instruments of the 1920’s range from $17-12k, but saw one for $4999 new. Had no ideas they were still being made but damn, for a factor build koa with bling, and the Martin tradition I’m sure it’s terrific and would definitely be on my long list of purchases should i win a multimillion $$$ lottery. Would love to try one out to hear what a Martin koa wood ukulele sounds like compared to mahogany (all I’ve known). Has anyone tried one (new or old)? Are they worth the extra $$$’s? The only other sopranos Martin currently offers are the $1999 Kontor special edition (koa) and the Style 0 mahogany for $399. For what you get from the Style 0 it really seems more and more like a bargain.
I'd take this for 1/2 the price of a new Style 5

1930's Martin Soprano Uke Style 3 https://reverb.com/item/62323262-19...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=62323262
 
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