Pre-war Martin Guitars

“There are very few things that are all they’re cracked up to be.  
Pre-war Martins are one of them.” -Steve Earle

There are actually many periods of guitar manufacturing that are viewed as "Golden Ages." Typically we think of the 1950's & early 1960's because this is when the template for the modern electric guitar was born. Thanks to Fender & Gibson the electric guitar became bigger than an instrument, it became an icon.

The same can arguably be said for a "Pre-war Martin." The war in question (in case you slept through History class) is World War II and the true "Golden Age" for the Martin acoustic guitar is 1934-1941.

Evolution

Although steel string acoustic guitars existed long before 1931, this is the year the Martin's famous Dreadnought shape went into full production. Martin, however, did not seem to know what they had. They initially promoted them very lightly. In 1931 Martin was primarily interested in producing its OM series guitars (great guitars in their own right and also extremely valuable). Incredibly, only thirteen D-18's & seventeen D-28's had been sold prior to 1934.

Martin's guitar production underwent serious changes in 1934. The 12-fret body shapes were shortened, scalloped top bracing was shifted towards the soundhole and the base bridge design was modified. The neck was reinforced with a T-Bar (precursor to the modern truss rod). Thinner necks were designed, with 14 frets clear of the body. Even with a continued lack of promotion, dreadnought sales improved. Then in 1935, Martin finally gave the guitars a prominent spot in their catalog. Dreadnought sales spiked. By 1937 the D-18, which cost a whopping $65, was second only to the low-cost 0-17 ($30) in annual sales. In the midst of the USA's Great Depression an American classic was born.

Why Are They So Good? 

Most guitarists who have the good fortune to play a nice Pre-war Martin will agree that they are very special. They have a warmth and resonance that is immediate and recognizable. There is a great deal of speculation as to what makes them so special. Many point to the Adirondack spruce tops which were long ago replaced by Sitka spruce. Others praise the Brazilian rosewood, the famous and rare tone woods used for the back & sides on many of these instruments. Nonetheless there are two factors that preside over all others. Craftsmanship and time.

Assuming a guitar is well cared for, time almost always makes it better. The wood "opens up" and resonates better. This is true for all guitars but is especially for archtops & acoustics. Exactly how and why this happens is a subject we could theorize upon endlessly but one fact is clear. In order for a guitar to age well it must be built well. If a guitar is to last 80 years (like these) it needs to be put together right or it will break. Finishes will delaminate. Tops will crack. Uncured wood will shrink. Bridges will lift. The well cared for Pre-war Martin Dreadnought tends to exhibit few of these problems. They are among the finest guitars ever built.

What Happened When the War Started?

When the USA joined the war in December 1941 manufacturing slowed down in all industries. Materials and skilled labor were both understandably in short supply, so quality suffered. In 1944 Martin put a definitive end to its "Golden Age" by eliminating the scalloped top bracing on its Dreadnoughts and the classic herringbone trim on the Style 28 models. Martin continued to make high quality guitars but as the war ended and production volume began to swell to ever greater numbers, the attention to detail and precise craftsmanship that went into the original Dreadnoughts was lacking. 

In the decades that followed, Martin addressed the quality issues they encountered as they grew rapidly. In 1976 they brought back the scalloped top bracing and the classic herringbone trim. Almost immediately, the Martin HD-28 (H for Herringbone) was the companies best seller.

That's a Doozy

Duesenberg Guitars

In case you haven't been paying attention there is a German guitar manufacturer that has gained real traction in the high end marketplace. They are called Duesenberg Guitars (Doozy's, Doozie's & Duesy's).The list of well known musicians playing them is getting pretty impressive. Just to toss out a few... Ronnie Wood, Keith Richards, Eddie Vedder, Chris Cornell. Mike McCready, Joe Walsh, Bob Dylan, Mike Campbell & Billy Gibbons.

2012 Duesenberg Starplayer TV Custom

Back in the Day

Things didn't really get rolling for Doozy's until (a little over) 10 years ago. Dieter Goelsdorf got started in guitar making way back in 1978 in Hanover, Germany. Back then he was making "Rockinger Guitars," the world¹s first electric guitar kits. Rockinger also built a wide range of replacement parts (which were in high demand in Europe) and they quickly became the largest guitar manufacturer in Germany.

In 1986, Goelsdorf unveiled Duesenberg Guitars, also built in Hanover, initially focusing on futuristic designs aimed at metal guitarists (to mild acclaim). However, by the mid 1990s Goelsdorf had changed directions dramatically with the development of the new Duesenberg Starplayer retro line and an interesting series of vintage sounding pickups made in-house. Duesenberg suddenly gained attention with both German and international artists like Carl Carlton and Keb Mo.

The Year 2000

It was Japanese sales that really got the gears cranking for Duesenberg. This is because Sheena Ringo, a Japanese pop star with lots of chart hits started regularly playing a Mint Green Duesenberg Starplayer TV on stage in the summer of 2000. Hundreds of these guitars were shipped to Japan in a single year. Most of them Mint Green.

Duesenberg Today

The last 10 years for Doozy's have seen awards and endorsements continue to pile up. In 2004 they opened Duesenberg USA which manufactures in Los Angeles. They are expensive but worth considering if you're seeking your dream guitar. Cascade Guitar Lab is not a Doozy dealer but we have set up a few. They are great players with great tone.

3 Generations of Parker Fly Guitars

The Original Parker Fly
In the early 1990's Ken Parker came up with the Parker Fly Guitar. Very ergonomic, light, unique in terms of guitar construction, it was granted dozens of patents. The design appeared on the cover of numerous music industry magazines and got lots of attention. However, despite its initial splash the guitar never achieved mainstream appeal. Nonetheless, because of its remarkable design and incredible playability the guitar has remained in production.

The Refined Parker Fly
In 2003 Ken Parker sold the brand. Around the time Ken Parker bowed out a NAMM '03 press release announced the "Refined Fly." Some cool new features were added, but most Parker fans felt it was simply an effort to create the guitar's electronics more cost effectively. In 2004 the Parker Brand was acquired by US Music Corp. Production of Parker Guitars was moved from New England to Illinois.

2012 Parker Fly
Another decade and Parker production has moved again. The move this time was much less intense. Production has shifted from one Chicago suburb (Mundelein) to another (Buffalo Grove). More interestingly, new Parker Fly's have basically been "refined" a second time. Today's Fly has a host of new features that have just come together in the past year or so. Whether you like them or not, it is worth noting the latest refinements were executed less hastily than the '03 transition.


Here are the differences that appear on the surface.

1. Master Volume on original Fly (gone on future models)
2. Stacked tone pot for piezo pickups (gone on future models)
3. Tension wheel (for trem) outside body
4. Battery compartment on bout (move to backplate in 2003)
5. Stereo/mono switch
6. New switches and knobs. Push/pull coil tap added.
7. Refined trem arm and mount
8. Jack w automated stereo/mono switching (via Fishman powerchip)
9. New headstock design.
10. Graphtech Ghost saddles (formerly Fishman)
11. New switches (higher quality than earlier Refined Fly's)
12. Traditional jack mount (stereo/mono switching).

Of all the changes covered here the headstock is easily the most controversial. Every twist and turn on the original Fly was brilliantly conceived by Ken Parker. Many feel this is simply not something that should be messed with. However, the Parker Fly circa 2012 has strong appeal to some players (particularly those who are newer to the brand) and the guitar is very striking since the move to Graphtech piezo system which gives the hardware a very nice, stark, black, monochromatic vibe.

Protecting Your Guitar from the Heat

With a heat wave sweeping the country it seems like a good time to review the basics of protecting you guitar from the elements.

Besides Pete Townshend (circa 1974) a heat wave is as likely to inflict damage upon the guitars of the world as any force on earth. However, it is not heat, per se, that is the real culprit. It is a rapid change in relative humidity that damages most guitars.

Your guitar can actually roll with changes from cold to hot fairly well if it the change happens slowly. However a quick temperature swing is almost always accompanied by a sharp change in humidity and this can require a visit to your Guitar Tech or can just plain ruin the guitar.

Now, avoiding these situations is generally not rocket science. Don't leave your guitar: locked in your car on a hot day, in your attic, in a greenhouse, etc... Keep it in a climate controlled environment around 68 degrees whenever possible.

Occasionally you may have need to play a gig (or worst case put your guitar on a tour bus) on a blazing summer day. Don't fret. This shouldn't be a problem. Unless it is crazy hot (lets say over 100 degrees) risk of delamination (worst case scenario) is minimal. All guitars and especially cheaper guitars are at risk for unpleasant problems such as neck twists or fret sprout from a summer day gig. This is because the wood in less expensive guitars is generally not dried down as well. The moisture content in the wood reacts more strongly to changing humidity.

The most important thing to remember if your dealing with any guitar that has been exposed to the elements is to let is get back to 68 degrees as slowly as possible. If it is in its case, do not pull it right out to see if it is OK. If you have left a guitar in a hot car and then bring it directly into an air conditioned house and open the case to inspect you may do the majority of damage to the guitar in that final instant. Resist the urge to whip open the case. Let it cool slowly. If you can wait 24 hours... do it.

The same holds true if your axe gets very cold in the winter. A guitar can easily handle temperatures in 30s or even 20s (F) but if it is brought right into a 70 degree room after getting that cold, you are likely to watch the lacquer crack right before your eyes.

So there you have it. Heat is bad for your guitar but quick changes in relative humidity can be lethal.

PRS Neck Heel

The new PRS neck heel (redesigned in 1995) has been the topic of many webpages and blogs. Its critics insist that its extra bulk restricts access to the notes in the second octave. PRS maintains that they changed the design to "improve the strength and tone of the guitar."
The three guitars pictured (left to right) are:

1. Gibson Les Paul Studio
2. 2004 PRS CE 24 (new neck heel)     
3. 1994 PRS CE 24 (old neck heel)

Just in case you don't know what a heel is - its the part of the neck where it meets the body of the guitar. You can see that the pre-1995 neck heel is definitely smaller.
However, you can also see how much more accessible the high register on the newer 2004 PRS model remains when compared to the profile of the Les Paul, a classic choice of high note riffsters for decades.
Simply put, we don't feel a huge difference between the two neck heels. If you're changing between one and the other and you are really thinking about it... OK, you can tell. Does it impeed your playing? Every musician has to make that decision for themselves.


Because PRS saw such a dramatic increase in production there will always be those who yearn for the old days. Certainly a factory built-guitar will have disadvantages when compared to a hand-built. But we are talking about factory built guitars in both cases here. The older (1985-1994) Virginia Ave PRS factory used a duplicarver. The new Stevensville (1995-present) PRS factory uses more modern and expensive CNC technology. As Paul Reed Smith said himself when discussing CNC, "Robotics are like going to heaven. No back problems, it does the same motion day in and day out, it doesn't have a bad day."