Martin Styles 20, 21 and 22
The Styles 20, 21, and 22 were among Martin's earliest models, with the Style 20 being a size 2 guitar selling for $20, and the Style 21 being a size 1 guitar selling for $21. The Style 22 may have been simply the odd listing for a guitar selling for $22.
The Style 21 was later offered as a size 2, with a size 0 appearing by the 1890's.
Style 20, 21, and 22 Top Borders and Rosettes
The primary distinction between the Style 20 and Style 21 is size.
The Style 21 does have a standard herringbone in the rosette, while the Style 20 can be distinguished by either a herringbone surrounded by a thin green line, or a multi-colored herrginbone pattern.
The Style 20 can also be distinguished by the single solid line outer rings of the rosette. The Style 21 has three ply light / dark / light outer rings.
1850's Martin 2-20 or 2-22
The Style 21 is known for a herringbone pattern on both the rosette and backstrip.
1897 Martin 1-21
1850's 1-21
Here we see an unusual Martin 1-21, with zig zag marquetry in the place of herringbone on the rosette...
Style 20, 21, and 22 Back Strips
The Style 20 sported a multi-colored back strip.
c.1860 Martin 2 1/2 - 20
While the Style 21 regularly sported a black and white herringbone back strip until WWII.
1928 Martin 0-21
After the war, the Style 21 as well as the style 28 have the "checkerboard" back strip.
1964 Martin 00-21NY
These fancier back strips were sometimes seen on the Style 21 in the 1890's
1897 Martin 1-21
1897 Martin 1-21
Style 20, 21, and 22 Fretboard Inlays
Martin guitars built before 1898 had no inlays on the fretboards, so the Style 20 and 22, which was discontinued before the turn of the century had no fretboard inlays.
The Style 21 built after the turn of the century has small slotted diamonds and squares on the fifth, seventh, and ninth frets.
In 1932 the inlays were expended to the fifth, seventh, ninth, twelth, and fifteenth frets.
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