Already in business for more than one hundred and seventy years, the Martin Guitar Company sells acoustic guitars that are considered among the best musical instruments in the world. The company has continuously managed to thrive in the ever-changing music industry. From the creations of C. F. Martin, Sr. of the 1830's to the latest developments introduced by C. F. Martin IV, the family-run business has achieved remarkable feats, reflecting six generations of guitar making. C. F. Martin is definitely an indisputable leader in the music industry.

The story behind one of America's most famous guitars began on January 31, 1796, in Markneukirchen, Germany, with the birth of Christian Frederick Martin, Sr. Born into a long line of cabinet makers, Christian Frederick took up the family craft at the early age of 15, when he left his hometown and traveled to Vienna to apprentice with Johann Stauffer, a renowned guitar maker.

Accepted business practices in the early days of making a Martin guitar were far removed from today's methods and reflected a simpler society. Barter was common in the retail trade. C. F. Martin's personal records contain numerous entries of trading musical merchandise for everything from a case of wine to children's clothing. New York City's teeming Lower East Side was a harsh environment that was a world apart from the pastoral Saxony where Martin and his family grew up.

The following years were a period of significant development for C. F. Martin guitar makers. In addition to products sold by Ludecus & Wolter in New York, company records indicate that numerous shipments were made to the then centers of trade, which were primarily shipping posts and those cities served by the canal system, since the railroad had yet to evolve.

The lengthy history behind Martin's guitars is a fascinating one. Martin's shipping records date back to the mid-nineteenth century, where it looks like business was booming. They provide records of the many sales transactions involving shipment of guitars to clients in Boston, Albany, Philadelphia, Petersburg, Nashville, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and New Orleans. Due to high customer demand, the company even published an ad in 1850 stating that "C.F. Martin Guitar Maker" was going to enlarge its factory.

Martin Guitar has always adhered to the highest standards of musical excellence, and it has also been managed very competently. This probably explains the company's remarkable success throughout its many years in business. Their choice of products and their marketing have changed over time, but the company's basic attitude to guitar-making has always been the same. Frank Henry Martin is known for having said to potential buyers, "A good guitar cannot be made for the same price as a poor one, but nobody regrets the extra cost of a good guitar." This statement of policy was uttered almost eighty years ago, but it still accurately reflects the attitude at Martin Guitar.

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