C. F. Martin 1840's Early Experimental X Brace Spanish Size 1 Guitar
With Early 28 Style Rosette
This Martin, like my early Martin & Coupa parlor guitar, has what I believe may be the first experimental variation of X-bracing,which appears at about the same time on a handful of Martins and Schmidt & Maul Guitars. One such Schmidt& Maul is dated 1845.
This Martin, with the same experimental variation of X-bracing as appears on the Martin & Coupa above, also has several distinctive 1840's features including Spanish foot, Spanish heel, nickel silver nut, and large abalone fretboard markers on the side of the neck, as well as the colored diamond backstrip and checkerboard binding sometimes seen on early Martins.
This early Spanish Style Martin appears in a larger Size 1, with a variant of the classic three ring soundhole rosette with double ivory center rings that later distinguished the Style 28.
Body width: 12 13/16"
Upper body width: 9.25"
Body length: 18 15/16"
Upper body depth: 3 9/16"
Lower body depth: 4.25"
Neck width at nut: 1 7/8"
Neck width at 12th fret: 2 9/16"
Soundhole: 3.5"
Scale: 24.75"
String spacing at bridge: 2 3/8"
Top braces: early experimental variation of X bracing with two outer blades of fan surrounding narrow X
Back braces: 3 thin 9/16" V shaped braces
Stamp: "C.F. Martin New-York" on Spanish foot
Martin coffin cases were always fitted with a lock and key. Many of the earliest Martin locks were enclosed in heavy brass plates, many without name, this one with an engraved eagle and the name "Liebrich, Phila."
2 3/4" handle, 1 1/4" base
earlymartin.com
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