Vintage spruce top Martin bari

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ukeinfused

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for your sake I would...but it has twenty frets. My kamaka, custom tenor, cigar box, and tenor guitar all have 19 frets. So that's deal breaker for me. Also that surely cannot be a spruce sound board, is it? Is it stained or does spruce actually darken up to that extent?
 
ripock said:
for your sake I would...but it has twenty frets. My kamaka, custom tenor, cigar box, and tenor guitar all have 19 frets. So that's deal breaker for me. Also that surely cannot be a spruce sound board, is it? Is it stained or does spruce actually darken up to that extent?
Click to expand...

I think it's aged. My 1967 000 Martin guitar (long story, received on a bad debt) has a golden top like that, although not as highly figured.

So why is 20 frets a deal breaker for you, if it's still only 14 frets to the body?
 
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You had to go and show it, dincha? Now I have to hide my credit cards. Or ask my wife to hide them.
 
ripock said:
for your sake I would...but it has twenty frets. My kamaka, custom tenor, cigar box, and tenor guitar all have 19 frets. So that's deal breaker for me. Also that surely cannot be a spruce sound board, is it? Is it stained or does spruce actually darken up to that extent?
Click to expand...

Lighting plays a part. The pic of it in the case may be more accurate. The Martin Ukulele book by Tom Walsh & John King shows a spruce soundboard available as a custom order after production ceased.

and you guys stay from it lol
 
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Wow! That is so cool!
 
Nice and Tracie your addiction is showing! I love it
 
Too Late, Ron already bought it. I think it's a heck of a deal buying a R&D instrument made by Martin. Not too many research and development instruments go out their door.
 
It looks and sounds amazing. It's lighter than the B51. Abalone purfling is beauteous. Tuning buttons are fatter and larger. My Stanley tape shows a scale of 20 1/16", vs the B51's 20". Width at nut is 1 5/16". Maybe a tiny bit deeper scallop in the headstock. No fret side dots. Larger, purtier fretboard dots. Pics in my Dropbox folder: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/v3ncjpeisb8zzvl/AADp_7fAk-nrmYtH83B1S9nJa?dl=0.

All for now..thanks for looking!
 
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Just got back in town.

Wow, wow, wow!
That is even more spectacular than I guessed.

I knew the seller wasn't doing themselves any favors with those limited photos... but look at that multi ply binding, inlay, et al!
I'm amazed that it's actually lighter - how can that be?
Is that the same neck and nut width as a regular Martin bari?
Will you give us a song?

Note, if others are a digital dino like me: choose "go to website" if you don't already have Drop Box. Photos are public and you don't need to download the app.
 
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Ack! A song? I'm a mere trainee, not certified yet lol!

The neck is 1/16th" wider at the nut ( 1 5/16) than my 1 1/4" B51. Scale too is 1/16 longer. The B51 is 20" exactly.
 
I had the pleasure or playing Ron's Martin spruce top. I've never seen or played a martin so well made and sounding. Light as a feather yet booms out like a cannon. Incredible. Dang, should have bought it myself rather than sending him the link for it lol. Congrats Ron, you really got lucky on this one.
 
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