2.5 Millionth Martin Guitar

[Rabs]

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

I saw that yesterday on line, and was going to post it. I get enough s-hit for being a Martin guy, and I said why bother. It made me throw up in my mouth a little bit after I saw it. Now along with the binding popping off, you have to worry about real diamond coming off. I hate blue guitars too.

Edited June 3, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper

[jdgm]

That's a shame Sarge!! 

But -hmmm- the top is blue but the rest of it ain't.  Perhaps black would have worked better?

They are synthetic diamonds in 5 sizes and they make a star map.  436 diamonds,  6 sapphires and a ruby.

Palladium pickguard shows a map of NYC in the 1830s with a ruby to denote location of Martin's workshop.

They have made 2; one for their museum and one for sale.

It's certainly different.

Edited June 3, 2022 by jdgm

[SteveFord]

A Road Trip might be in order.

It just so happens I have a Gibson SG Standard with the original golf club bag case in MINT condition that I could swap 'em for it.

[Sgt. Pepper]

3 hours ago, jdgm said:

But -hmmm- the top is blue but the rest of it ain't.  Perhaps black would have worked better?

That is more than enough blue for me. My best friend is a blue guitar guy. The horror. Along with watch looking guitar with the gears on it, this thing is a real piece of __________________? Insert choice word in the blank.

Edited June 4, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper

[Sgt. Pepper]

2 hours ago, SteveFord said:

A Road Trip might be in order.

It just so happens I have a Gibson SG Standard with the original golf club bag case in MINT condition that I could swap 'em for it.

That probably wouldn't even get you the case. 

[RBSinTo]

9 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

That is more than enough blue for me. My best friend is a blue guitar guy. The horror. Along with watch looking guitar with the gears on it, this thing is a real piece of __________________? Insert choice word in the blank.

Chief,

Personally, I'll pass, but it just ocurred to me.

This guitar is blue with sparkles!

Right in my grand-daughter's wheelhouse.

Looks like I'm gonna havta take out a mortgage on the house and bid on it for her. The things we do for our grandchildren.

RBSinTo

 

[Murph]

Two and a half million and they still haven't figured it out....

[badbluesplayer]

The guy's got his personal jeweler on the company payroll.  Isn't anybody decent anymore?

 

[Larsongs]

2.5 million Guitars… I think they’ve figured it out.. This is a unique piece indeed.. One I doubt anyone here can afford to add to their Investment Collection…. 

May not be to everyone’s taste but Lord knows Gibson has their fair share of strange Guitars.. 

[slimt]

Neat story.  

[Whitefang]

2.5 million guitars?   How does that figure compare to Gibson or any other maker?  You'd figure after nearly 190 years 2.5 million would be a paltry amount. 

Whitefang

[Sgt. Pepper]

2 hours ago, badbluesplayer said:

The guy's got his personal jeweler on the company payroll.  Isn't anybody decent anymore?

 

You have to be certified jeweler to glue on cubic zirconia's 

[pohatu771]

34 minutes ago, Whitefang said:

2.5 million guitars?   How does that figure compare to Gibson or any other maker?  You'd figure after nearly 190 years 2.5 million would be a paltry amount. 

Whitefang

Martin produced very few guitars compared to Gibson. When they first built the current factory in 1964, the historic factory was limited to 6,000 guitars per year. The same year, Gibson made about 26,000 guitars, about 11,000 of which were flattop acoustics. The J-45 and J-50 alone exceeded Martin's entire capacity.

And that doesn't count Gibson basses, mandolins, and banjos.

Epiphone isn't included in that amount, either, which took up some of Gibson's capacity. Epiphone flattops equalled Martin's capacity, without including electric models.

[Larsongs]

2 hours ago, Whitefang said:

2.5 million guitars?   How does that figure compare to Gibson or any other maker?  You'd figure after nearly 190 years 2.5 million would be a paltry amount. 

Whitefang

Not since 1964 but the past 190 years… Total..

Where are you getting your information pertaining to the total number of Gibson “Acoustic” Guitar Sales since their beginning? I can’t find it? 

Edited June 4, 2022 by Larsongs

[Sgt. Pepper]

13 minutes ago, Larsongs said:

Not since 1964 but the past 190 years… Total..

Where are you getting your information pertaining to the total number of Gibson “Acoustic” Guitar Sales since their beginning? I can’t find it? 

Gibson keeps horrible records from what everyone says, and they probably themselves don't even know, or care.

Edited June 4, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper

[Murph]

2 hours ago, pohatu771 said:

 

And that doesn't count Gibson  mandolins, and banjos.

And the Gibson F-5 mandolins, and Mastertone banjo's are also some of the most collected, and most valuable.

 

[pohatu771]

2 hours ago, Larsongs said:

Not since 1964 but the past 190 years… Total..

Where are you getting your information pertaining to the total number of Gibson “Acoustic” Guitar Sales since their beginning? I can’t find it? 

I didn't say anything about "since 1964," I just used that date as a comparison point since it was the last year of Martin's North Street factory, and the highest production capacity in the company's history to that point.

I got all the numbers from GuitarHQ; they came from a book whose title I don't know.

[Larsongs]

I’m curious if there is an actual source for how many Gibson Acoustics have been built since their inception..

It’s one thing to say they built more Acoustic Guitars than Martin but it’s another provide the Source to back it up.. Maybe they did?

I’m not knocking Gibson. I have more than a couple & love them… I love my Martins too. No way do I think one is superior to the other.. Just different.. Both are best of the best Companies to work in my experience as well…

I’m just curious….

Edited June 4, 2022 by Larsongs

[rct]

8 hours ago, Larsongs said:

I’m curious if there is an actual source for how many Gibson Acoustics have been built since their inception..

It’s one thing to say they built more Acoustic Guitars than Martin but it’s another provide the Source to back it up.. Maybe they did?

I’m not knocking Gibson. I have more than a couple & love them… I love my Martins too. No way do I think one is superior to the other.. Just different.. Both are best of the best Companies to work in my experience as well…

I’m just curious….

One company started at the number 1, and counted up.

The other company randomly picks serial number schema out of it's butt, doesn't know what they did when, loses all of their information in a "fire", and can't tell you anything you don't already know about your guitar, based on the serial number.  This causes high dollar consumers to go into forum(s) and ask total strangers for more information about their guitar than the company that built it can provide.  

The third company offers their own serial number lookup service and will tell you what they can about that guitar, the very least being the day it was finished and then "no information is available for this guitar".  Which means that series is long gone and we don't keep all that stuff.  But that's not many of their guitars.

I know which business models I prefer.  And my guess answer would be "...we're sorry but no, there is no documentation of how many guitars Gibson built compared to Martin.  Thank you for your email."

rct

[fortyearspickn]

Not that I question the numbers, but I've always been under the impression Martin produced more acoustics than Gibson, the latter being more 'hands on'.   I guess I'd want to see production numbers by year (not using 1964 as 'typical') to help factor in changes in factories and technology over the decades.   And, I'd want to see the numbers by country. 

But, to cut to the chase - I actually couldn't care less how many either have made in the past centuries.  Or this century.  And care even less than that about the 2 Blue 'Diamond' studded Martins.  (Sort of like giving yourself an Oscar or a Nobel Peace Prize to keep in your 'museum'. )     Only thing that matters to me is that when I go into a bricks and mortar store - they seem to have 5x as many Martins as Gibsons available.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

First of all does it matter if Martin built more? Is that going to sway someone to buy one vs. the other?

Next Murph talked about the Mando's and Banjo's Gibson made, well Martin still makes ukes, and pumped those things out like crazy. Martin did make electrics, but now its acoustic guitars and ukes. Some of their ukes are ridiculously priced.

[Larsongs]

Fortyyearspickin. That may be an indication who builds more right there.. 

I thought the backstory about the 2.5 millionth Guitar was quite interesting.. Particularly the rare Figured Rosewood part.. I’ve never seen Figured Rosewood on a Guitar before.. I’m always amazed at how one can take raw materials & turn them into Works of Art.. Especially when paying tribute to Someone who did something truly amazing… 

By the way, do you change your name every year? Like, Fortyoneyearspickin? 😆 

Edited June 5, 2022 by Larsongs

[Whitefang]

21 hours ago, Larsongs said:

Not since 1964 but the past 190 years… Total..

Where are you getting your information pertaining to the total number of Gibson “Acoustic” Guitar Sales since their beginning? I can’t find it? 

I never mentioned any number.  Was ASKING for one, remember?   Go back and read s-l-o-w-l-y.     

Whitefang

[Larsongs]

1 hour ago, Whitefang said:

I never mentioned any number.  Was ASKING for one, remember?   Go back and read s-l-o-w-l-y.     

Whitefang

I read it slowly enough, I was referring to….. The 2.5 million Guitars built being a Paltry amount comment.. I should’ve been more clear.. Apologies!