The Head of the Class


Headstocks on C. F. Martin Guitars


Many of the earliest Martin Guitars were made with headstocks in the shape of those used by Martin's mentor, Johann Stauffer.  


Stauffer  c. 1820



 




1837 Hudson Street Martin
 
 




It has been assumed that all of the earliest Martins made in America were built with the Stauffer Style headstock, and so the headstock on this guitar was thought to have been replaced.  

  But we now know of several of the earliest Martins, this being one, with slotted headstocks, designed for gears, that appear to be original.

The near twin to this guitar, widely published, including on the cover of the "Chinery" book, with photos showing a Stauffer style headstock which was previosuly thought to be original, in fact has a contemporary German Stauffer style headstock.  While it would be easy to assume that the previous headstock was a Stauffer style as well, we now know that the instrument previously had a slotted style headstock with gears.

We believe this may be an early headstock from France.  Martin was an importer, and also obtained imported tuners from his fellow German-American contemporaries in New York.  This set of tuners is probably from somewhat later.  I haven't removed them yet to check screw holes for signs of originality or change.
 
 

 


 





1840's koa Martin & Coupa






This early Martin & Coupa is an unusual example with a Stauffer Style headstock but with a volute as usually seen on later guitars.  It's also the only one I've seen without silver buttons.


1840's Spanish Style Martin & Coupa
 




1850's Ivory Fingerboard Martin






 
 

 
Martin started making guitars with solid headstocks and ivory pegs at least by the 1840's.  For decades after, Martin produced most of their guitars with slotted headstocks with machines, but offered solid headstocks "with pegs" as an option.

  
1840's Spanish Style Martin
 
 

 
 

 





1896 Martin 0-42, with a Nazareth, PA stamp not usually seen until 1898.








 
 
The Southern California Music Company chose to use the Nunes name for their earlliest Hawaiian guitar because of the association of the Nunes name with Hawaiian music, and on the earliest versions the Martin name is nowhere to be seen.

This headstock is typical of Martin headstocks from the late teens, which have rounded corners generally associated with Martins of the 1960's.
 
 


 



1922 Martin Wurlitser Style 2092
 



 
 


1916 Martin Ditson Style 22
 
 



 
The Style 44 guitars ordered by the teacher Vadah Olcott-Bickford were made at her request of the finest materials, but without excesssive ornamentation.


1922 Martin Olcott-Bickford Style 0-44
 
 
 




 
 

 The headstock on the Paramount Style L was produced and providcd to Martin by the Wm. Lange Company.

 



 

The first of the "Style 45" headstock inlays to appear on a Martin was seen in 1902 on #9372, the first 00-42S, to have pearl inlaid on the back and side borders. This version was known as the "fern".  

This was followed by #9488, which had another version of the fern:




1902 Martin 00-42S  

Serial  #9488
 

 

 
 



The first version of the "torch" or "fern" seen in 1902 was used on subsequent early examples, and became the standard when the Style 45 became a regularly catalogued item in 1904.

The design seen on #9488 was revived many years later for the 2004 "Bellezza Nerra" and other custom Martins, and became known as the "alternative torch."

By 1905, the fern was replaced by the first version of the "torch", sometimes also known as the "flowerpot"

 
1919 0-45
 
 
 
 



 
The torch was simplified and appeared in a more refined version from 1927 to 1933.



1930 Martin OM-45 DeLuxe



 
 


 
In 1933, the torch was replaced on solid headstock Martins by the C.F. Martin logo that had been seen on archtops such as this C-2 12 string:


 
1932 C-2S 12 String
 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 
The torch still appeared on slotted headstock Martins and a few special order 14 fret guitars.

The torch was not produced by Martin, but was purchased from the Jeorge H. Jones Co. of New York.



In 1940 and 1941, a limited number of Martin guitars were made with a tortoise Celluloid headstock veneer in place of the usual rosewood veneer.  These are seen on models ranging from this inexpensive 0-15 to a D-45 sold by Bernie Leadon to the Japanese collector Mac Yasuda.



1941 Martin 0-15 with Tortoise Headstock
 
 


 
 






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