Vintage Martins: like, dislike, never thought about them?

Nice to read some people acknowledge that not all Martin's are the end-all, be-all. I have never played one, only heard quite a few in online videos. Some sound as good as many people suggest, many sound average (or worse) to my ear. Personally, I really love the look of the Model 3 Soprano but I suspect if/when I make that move it would be for a Kiwaya given the price difference to a "real" Martin (new or vintage). In fact, there is a used on available for $599 at a Guitar Center store remote to me but it has a few chips in it that prevented me from making an impulse buy (they were great, very helpful on the phone by the way and sent pics to help me decide).

It would be fun to hear a blind comparison of several vintage Martins, a new one, a Laughlin and a Kiwaya all of the same style (e.g., Model 3).
 
I played a $1000 Martin Style 1 soprano at Music Folk in St, Louis last year that made me understand the magic of some of these instruments. The tone was so deep and full for such a small instrument. But then my local music store in Kansas had a similarly priced vintage Martin and it was just nothing to write home about.

Definitely best to play these instruments first if you have a chance or at least trust the judgement of the people you have a good relationship with at your music store.
 
Camsuke said:
Great thread Doc, here's mine. It's a Martin Tenor, early sixties 14 frets to the body, Aquila nylgut strings, Bb tuning. The sound sample is a bit rough and ready with no effects. Hopefully this works, I am totally useless with technology!
https://app.box.com/s/1dxt2htskoqfb0hf9f7s I forgot to mention that I love this uke!
Click to expand...

Wow, first time I heard you play and you are really good and you make your uke sing!
 
I've played six vintage Martin sopranos (my Styles 1, 2 and 3, plus another Style 3, and two Style 0s). All six sounded great, even a '40s Style 3 (with a cracked back and REALLY old strings) that an acquaintance of mine has hanging on his living room wall for decoration. It didn't sound as good as it SHOULD, or as good as the others, but you could hear that it just had a certain resonance. That's not a very large sample size, I realize, but still, 100% of the Martins I've played have what I would call a great sound. I'm sure they made some clunkers, or there are some that have become clunkers through neglect, but I haven't met one.
 
Chris Tarman said:
I've played six vintage Martin sopranos (my Styles 1, 2 and 3, plus another Style 3, and two Style 0s). All six sounded great, even a '40s Style 3 (with a cracked back and REALLY old strings) that an acquaintance of mine has hanging on his living room wall for decoration. It didn't sound as good as it SHOULD, or as good as the others, but you could hear that it just had a certain resonance. That's not a very large sample size, I realize, but still, 100% of the Martins I've played have what I would call a great sound. I'm sure they made some clunkers, or there are some that have become clunkers through neglect, but I haven't met one.
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I've owned 10 and had two duff ones which surprised me. A 1960's Style sounded about half the volume of all my other Martins and a 1950's Style 2 I had was in perfect condition but had intonation issue due to a poor neck set. However all the others sounded great , 3 sounded amazing (I kept those). The Martins definitely play the easiest (effortless) due to a low saddle protrusion which gives less tension on the strings . The Kiwaya KTS 5 I have is special too (owned 4 others KTS-4's) but due to the higher saddle protrusion, the strings are a tad tighter but it sounds much better strummed because of this I think although my Martins sound wonderful. I almost never bought another Kiwaya (may have been strings) but a second hand KTS-5 came up at a good price and turned out to be a real gem and really surprised me. There are good and bad ukes from all brands but Martins were definitely more consistent sound wise to me.
 
I can see why some people go crazy over them, because if you play a good example of a vintage Martin uke, it'll really make an impression on you. A friend scored a 1950s style 0 on Craigslist and once it was fixed up it absolutely blew me away when I played it. It weighs next to nothing and projects so well. But I tried another one from around the same era and it felt heavier and sounded more muted.

Also pretty disappointed with the 1920s 5K I played, with a 5-figure price tag. I wasn't expecting it to be a religious experience, but I was at least hoping it would sound better than a new K-brand soprano that sells for less than 1/10th of the price. Even if money was no object I'd take a K-brand or a good style 0 over it.

So based on my limited experience, some are fantastic, some are duds, and most are just pretty good. Instruments are probably built a lot more consistently now, so it's a little silly to throw thousands of dollars around for one without playing it first. Headstock loyalty and vintage hype often defy common sense, and even some vintage Martin guitar enthusiasts I've met over the years will admit to that.
 
One of the things I like about vintage Martins and new ones as well is the width of the nut and the shape of the neck. Seems to be just right for me. Make that two things.
 
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It's the latter for me.......never considered one really...and having just looked at the prices at Eagle Music Shop in Huddersfield I will probably never consider one again .......

I gasped "Ow Much ?" at the two hundred quid one........then saw one for three grand .....pounds mind you ......you've got to be seriously good to justify that sort of dosh .....

CJ
 
I have to say, as ChrisTarman is mentioning, I have gotten the Martin bug and have never had one that had poor intonation. I will say these three points, only from my experience:

The 1950s-1960s Martins have something different about them than the decades prior. I think it's a thicker neck--they definitely (all of them, I've had a few) have a different feel than the 1920s-1940s Martins, and they do NOT sound as good. Deader, less chiming sound. I do not like 1950s and 1960s Martins. They are--as someone points out below--built differently. (Although I have never had one that had poor intonation, I can see how that might happen with 50s-60s Martins). I do not like and will never buy again one from 1950-1969. (I still own a 1964 O only bc that is the year I was born).

I have never had a Martin, earlier than 1950, that sounded poor in any way. All jangly (a Peter Forrest term), all ringing long and loud. They have a thin neck, and thin soundboards and really rock out. They are absolutely delish. I have never played one before buying it, and have yet to get burned on sound (I have had several from eBay with "no cracks" that did have cracks, though).

I have 3 Martins that were made since they restarted manufacture (2012 models) and they, too, are different than the vintage ones (pre-1950), with yet again thicker necks and denser woods (especially the cherry 3M), and while I do not find them offensive, and they are well intoned, I definitely do not find their sound to be anything close to the pre-1950 models. They are, and I have weighed them, heavier construction (by several ounces) than the early Martins, they feel heavy in the hand, and they do not ring out or have the sustain of the earlier Martins. Kiwayas fall into this category, too: excellent build, slightly weighty, perfect intonation, not particularly loud, "tight" sounding, and missing something that vintage pre-1950s Martins have.

So, all in all, Hodge, you know ukuleles; you have owned many great ukes. I would suggest to you to try a 1920 (earlier if you like wooden tuners...lol), 1930 or 1940 Martin, using Walsh as a buying guide, and I think you will be impressed. -- Steve

PS Sign up for Four String Farmhouse to learn more, Hodge. Many UU'ers on there, too (RyanMFT, GaryG, RFrogner, CTarman, UkuleleZaza, UkeBeare Terry, Gaspar, and on and on). http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.yuku.com/forums/8/t/The-Four-String-Farmhouse.html
 
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I never think about vintage Martins, except when I am awake.

:p
 
I will not bad-mouth any particular brand but "in general" plunky, or tinny sounding ukes are IMHO not charming in the least! It is the reason ukuleles are considered toy instruments. Ukuleles don't have to sound plunky and the good ones (in any brand) don't. They sound sweet and make real music.
 
I hate all 8 of my vintage Martin sopranos. They are so darn plinky.
 
coolkayaker1 said:
I have to say, as ChrisTarman is mentioning, I have gotten the Martin bug and have never had one that had poor intonation. I will say these three points, only from my experience:

The 1950s-1960s Martins have something different about them than the decades prior. I think it's a thicker neck--they definitely (all of them, I've had a few) have a different feel than the 1920s-1940s Martins, and they do NOT sound as good. Deader, less chiming sound. I do not like 1950s and 1960s Martins. They are--as someone points out below--built differently. (Although I have never had one that had poor intonation, I can see how that might happen with 50s-60s Martins). I do not like and will never buy again one from 1950-1969. (I still own a 1964 O only bc that is the year I was born).

I have never had a Martin, earlier than 1950, that sounded poor in any way. All jangly (a Peter Forrest term), all ringing long and loud. They have a thin neck, and thin soundboards and really rock out. They are absolutely delish. I have never played one before buying it, and have yet to get burned on sound (I have had several from eBay with "no cracks" that did have cracks, though).

I have 3 Martins that were made since they restarted manufacture (2012 models) and they, too, are different than the vintage ones (pre-1950), with yet again thicker necks and denser woods (especially the cherry 3M), and while I do not find them offensive, and they are well intoned, I definitely do not find their sound to be anything close to the pre-1950 models. They are, and I have weighed them, heavier construction (by several ounces) than the early Martins, they feel heavy in the hand, and they do not ring out or have the sustain of the earlier Martins. Kiwayas fall into this category, too: excellent build, slightly weighty, perfect intonation, not particularly loud, "tight" sounding, and missing something that vintage pre-1950s Martins have.

So, all in all, Hodge, you know ukuleles; you have owned many great ukes. I would suggest to you to try a 1920 (earlier if you like wooden tuners...lol), 1930 or 1940 Martin, using Walsh as a buying guide, and I think you will be impressed. -- Steve

PS Sign up for Four String Farmhouse to learn more, Hodge. Many UU'ers on there, too (RyanMFT, GaryG, RFrogner, CTarman, UkuleleZaza, UkeBeare Terry, Gaspar, and on and on). http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.yuku.com/forums/8/t/The-Four-String-Farmhouse.html
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Steve, thanks for the insights on the older Martins. My experience has been limited to the two I mentioned from around the 50s. (My success rate was 1 out of 2. Just like the odds on flipping a coin.) I'll check out the Four String Farmhouse, sounds like a good place to get educated on Martins. Thanks!

hmgberg said:
I hate all 8 of my vintage Martin sopranos. They are so darn plinky.
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Thanks. You made me smile. :)
 
stringy said:
I will not bad-mouth any particular brand but "in general" plunky, or tinny sounding ukes are IMHO not charming in the least! It is the reason ukuleles are considered toy instruments. Ukuleles don't have to sound plunky and the good ones (in any brand) don't. They sound sweet and make real music.
Click to expand...

whenever I play my style 0 at club people gather around and admire, and they're not admiring my playing I assure you.
 
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