Tuners on 12 fret C. F. Martin Guitars
Martin guitars produced from 1833 to 1929, with necks built with 12 frets clear of the body, generally have one of three styles of tuners: enclosed tuners on a Stauffer style headstock, ebony or ivory pegs on a solid headstock, or geared machines designed to fit a slotted style headstock.
Stauffer Style Gears
The earliest guitars built by C. F. Martin had a headstock in the style of the guitars built by his mentor, Johann Stauffer, which utilised gears enclosed by a metal plate, with six tuning pegs in a row on one side of the headstock, a feature which was later borrowed by the Fender Company.
c. 1820's Guitar attributed to Johann Stauffer
Martin & Coupa Koa
Martin & Coupa Spanish
1840's Ivory Fingerboard Spanish Martin
Martin soon developed a flat headstock which is similar in shape to the headstock seen on Martins to this day. These early headstocks sported ebony or ivory pegs. The ivory pegs would remain an option into the early 20th century.
Ebony and Ivory Pegs
1840's Martin "Spanish Style" Guitar
1894 Martin 0-42
1870's Martin 2 1/2 - 26
Martin 0-34, date unknown
1896 Martin 2 1/2 - 42
12 Fret Gears
By the 1850's, most Martins used geared tuning machines, the first of which bore the name "Jerome".
Martin 1860 2-24 with Jerome tuners
19th Century Tuners, also with thick, heavy gears, most likely made by Saidel
Martin 1870's 1-26
Martin 1870's 1-28
These three on a plate 12 fret tuners with saw tooth ends and rounded "Mickey Mouse" corners, an "Irish Rose" floral design, and beveled gears, were most likely made by Waverly
Martin 1893 2-27
Three on a plate 12 fret tuners probably made by Saidel
Martin 1897 1-21
Three on a plate 12 fret tuners with an engraved "Irish Rose" floral design, probably made by Waverly
Martin 1907 1-28
Martin "Nunes" 1917 Style 1400
Martin 1917 0-30
A plainer brass version of the Waverly tuner, with simple hatched lines, was used on less expensive Martins.
1916 Ditson Style 22
A number of high end guitars and mandolins, starting in the teens, were shiped with Waverly tuners with beautiful fancy buttons produced by Handel.
1913 Martin Foden Special Style E
This 1913 example on a Foden Style E is perhaps the earliest seen.
These Waverly WG-31 tuners with an engraved "Irish Rose" floral design were common on rosewood Martins in the 1920's.
1926 Martin 0-28
Martin 1926 00-28
The plain brass Waverly WG-31 tuners with an engraved outline were common on mahogany Martins in the 1920's.
Martin 1927 0-18K
These Waverly WG-31 tuners with an engraved leaf design were also used on better Martins in the 1920's, and were also seen on Gibsons such as the Nick Lucas Model.
1929 000-28
Inexpensive square end machines were used on many guitars built by many makers, and were used by Martin on their less expensive guitars in the 1930's.
Martin 1930 2-17
The "Clipped End" Grover tuners of the mid 1930's were most often seen in the form used with Martin's first solid headstocks with machines, but were occassionally seen on 12 fret Martins of the day.
Martin 1934 00-40H
Some new Martins use a reproduction of a leaf design Waverly WG-31
Martin 2006 Ditson Dreadnaught 111
vintagemartin.com
To See Robert Corwin's Classic Photography of Folk and Roots Musicians, visit:
For Information on Photography for
Exhibition, Publication, CD's, Promotion, Web Pages, Tour Books,
to Purchase Photographic Prints, or
If You Have Questions or Suggestions About This Web Site or Vintage Martin Guitars:
e-mail: Robert Corwinentire site copyright ©1998 through 2010 Robert Corwin/Photo-Arts. All rights reserved.