New York, New York!
The Return of the New York Martins
C.F. Martin III had worked in the Martin factory since graduating from Princeton in 1916, and had grown up with 12 fret Martins, always the favorite of the Martin family.
In the 1950's, Martin was selling only one or two dozen of a total production of over 6000 guitars per year of the 00-21, the one remaining 12 fret model that had lived on through the years. In 1959, with the success of the Kingston Trio and the rising popularity of folk music, the number grew to 62.
Evidently, CFM III saw a trend, and decided to introduce new models that would play on nostalgia for the traditional models of the past, as folks like Josh White were still performing with their storied pre-war 12 fret Martins. So in 1961, Martin introduced the inexpensive 0-16NY and then the Brazilian rosewood 00-21NY, twelve fret guitars with no guard, no fingerboard inlays, a small rectangular bridge, and a lighter build like the earlier models with the New York stamp.
These guitar were sold at first with nylon strings or silk and steel as an option. They soon shipped as standard with silk and steel.
The bet paid off. Martin produced 775 of the 0-16NY by 1964, and produced 275 of the 00-21NY vs. 76 of the traditional standard 00-21.
The 00-21NY remained in production until 1965, when Martin consolidated the line with the standard 00-21 adopting it's lighter bracing. The 0-16NY remained popular and in production.
It didn't hurt that Peter Yarrow held his 0-16NY on the cover of the first Peter, Paul & Mary album!
Shortly before Peter lost his fight with cancer, he donated his 0-16NY to the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
0-16NY
The first set of 0-16NY (#178017-41) were stamped on May 25, 1961, in shop order #790.
1968 0-16NY
Serial #238948
Shop Order #955
Stamped
August 16, 1968
The 0-16NY in Shop Order #216 (197207-31) had the distinction of being the first Martins assembled with "cold glue", as hide glue was being phased out in the new Sycamore Street factory, on September 2, 1964.
By 1968 Martin had adopted the small rosewood bridge plate. While maple had been used for many years, rosewood had been used for bridge plates on the earliest Martins.
00-21NY
After producing three sets of 25 each of the 0-16NY in late May, Martin began building three 00-21NY (#178921-23) on August 3, 1961, in Shop Order #848.
Two weeks later Martin built its first full set of 25 00-21NY guitars.
1964 00-21NY
Serial #193525
Shop Order #865
Stamped January 10, 1964
I still call this guitar my "New Martin", as it is still the only Martin guitar that I have ever bought new!
These guitars have a wonderful rich tone.
While Martin had a years-long waiting list at the time, Ray Muffs of Muffett's Music Store in Downtown Providence managed to get me this new Brazilian rosewood Martin in less than two weeks, procured from Coast Wholesale, jobbers on the West Coast - for less than $200!
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