The milestone-marking strummer also features a palladium pickguard engraved with a map of New York City in 1833, and a ruby marking the location of Martin's first-ever shop
Now, to celebrate a rather considerable milestone, the company has unveiled the 2.5 millionth guitar it's ever made, and boy is it a beauty.
Created by Martin's design team in partnership with Chris and Diane Martin's personal jeweler, Gary Werkheiser, the top of this stunning commemorative instrument is adorned with 436 diamonds. These have been laid out to depict the map of the stars that Martin founder Christian Frederick Martin Sr. and his family would have seen in the sky the day they arrived in New York City from Germany on November 6, 1833.
(Image credit: Martin)
The hundreds of diamonds are just the tip of the iceberg, though. The guitar also features a palladium pickguard – hand-engraved with a map of New York City from the 1830s, with a single ruby placed at the location of Martin's original shop at 196 Hudson Street – as well as six natural sapphires. The total weight of all gems clocks in at 21 carats.
(Image credit: Martin)
There's also a Star of Bethlehem-themed platinum wire inlay across the fretboard and headstock – designed to look like a compass rose, to remain in keeping with the guitar's navigational theme.
Intricate details are not limited to the exterior of the guitar, either. On the inside, inlay work includes a coat of arms for Markneukirchen, Christian Frederick Martin Sr.'s hometown in Germany, as well as the sailing ship he arrived on, and the storefront of his first shop in NYC. A stainless steel plaque located on the inside also provides a brief background of the instrument.
(Image credit: Martin)
Other features include a Belizean rosewood back and sides with birds' eyes throughout the grain – chosen by Martin to further replicate what one might see in the night sky – and a bridge that combines a pyramid design, which would have been used in the past, and a more modern-style belly bridge spec.
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“This guitar is the perfect way to honor C F Martin Sr.'s journey to America and to celebrate the Martin family's continued legacy,” Chris Martin IV says. “We are thrilled to share it with the world.”
(Image credit: Martin)
The 2.5 millionth Martin guitar will live in the Martin Museum in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, however, a replica – serial number #2,500,001 – made with Brazilian rosewood from Chris Martin IV's personal collection, will be offered at auction in the future.
Head to our dedicated NAMM 2022 hub for all the latest news, rumors and predictions from this year's show.
Sam was Staff Writer at GuitarWorld.com from 2019 to 2023, and also created content for Total Guitar, Guitarist and Guitar Player. He has well over 15 years of guitar playing under his belt, as well as a degree in Music Technology (Mixing and Mastering). He's a metalhead through and through, but has a thorough appreciation for all genres of music. In his spare time, Sam creates point-of-view guitar lesson videos on YouTube under the name Sightline Guitar.
