Martin Guitar Masterpieces: A Showcase of Artists' Editions, Limited Editions, and Custom Guitars (Hardcover)

by Dick Boak (Author), Steve Miller (Contributor), C.F. Martin IV (Contributor) "FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, C. F. Martin Sr. and the company that was subsequently founded in his name established a precedent of taking unique orders..." (more)
Key Phrases: charitable proceeds, final fret, signature edition, Chris Martin, Eric Clapton, Jimmie Rodgers (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"A must-have book if you’re a serious musician, collector or if you just like to plunk around on a guitar." -- Country Monthly

"Attractive and entertaining. Highly recommended." -- Library Journal

"This book is a tribute to serious craftsmen." -- Playboy

Product Description
A fascinating look at more than 100 of the Martin Guitar Company's custom guitars, created for the world's most famous musicians, including Sting, Eric Clapton, and Elvis-along with the inside stories behind each design. From the infamous 'Elvi' guitar owned by Elvis Presley (his original D-18 missing the 's' from his name) to customized instruments belonging to Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Joan Baez, Sting, and Eric Clapton, the Martin Guitar company has made a guitar for nearly every notable musician who's ever held a six-string. Now, MARTIN GUITAR MASTERPIECES revisits more than 100 of the company's most desirable guitars, ranging from those belonging to Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Paul Simon, and Johnny Cash to guitars owned by newer artists like Beck, Babyface, and Jonny Lang. Dick Boak, head of Artist Relations and Publicity at C. F. Martin, acts as the artist liaison in these collaborations and now, for the first time, enthusiastically outlines his experiences. Readers also get a sneak preview of Martin's millionth instrument, due in 2004.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Bulfinch (October 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821228358
• ISBN-13: 978-0821228357
• Product Dimensions: 14.1 x 10.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #507,427 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Title says it all! , April 9, 2006

By	guy berthiaume "Bertoonz" (Embrun, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Look, the title and description says it all. I was not disappointed with this volume at all! Not enough technical info for you? Go buy a technical book. This is a book about Martin Materpieces, a SHOWCASE of Artists' and Limited Editions (which I am lucky to own a few) and some one of Custom Guitars. The interaction between Boak and different artists is fun, and not something you will find anywhere else on the planet!! What a great part of his job that must be, to be with some these great artists designing guitars for them! The pictures are fantastic, as are some of the stories, to be looked at and read over and over again! Highly recommended eye candy and one of a kind story recounting!

12 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars selling the sizzle, December 27, 2003

By	Steven H. Dymond "sdymondpc" (Englewood, CO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Let me start by saying I love Martin guitars, have played a beloved d-28 since 1968, built guitars and lutes, and have a deep appreciation for luthiers and thier art. Martin is a company which holds my esteem and interest.

Well, the full title of this book isnt mis-leading, but my expectations were not met in reading this book. In a nutshell, this book contains little historical or technical information and is largely a hardcover catalogue for Martins current signature and limited run instruments.

There are a few little tid bits of information here and there for the die-hard Martin geek. Being a guitar geek myself, I appreciate techno babble and tid bits, but this is really nothing other than a very nice photo catalogue. As such, it may have a certain interest to those collectors who want to have the 2002-2003 offering memorialized on thier shelf. Some of the photos are indeed great, with photos of a few truly custom instruments (known among us geeks as guitar 'porn') which would otherwise probably not be seen by many.

I am writng this because having seen the grand book displayed for a few months on merchant shelfs, I had assumed it would be the typical historical account of some great instruments, maybe with info about those involved, such as the artists-but this is not the case-probably because they arent, which is implicit from reading many of the accounts of artist's involvment.

I found it instead to be eye-candy, at best, at worst, little substance in information regarding either instruments, or artists or the company, such as the development of instruments, thier market or even the material used. A ho-hum book for all but the most hungry of Martin collectors. Truly a sad statement for a book by one of Martins marketing people, all form, little substance, selling the sizzle, not the steak.

2 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars [no title], January 26, 2004

By	Matthew Berger (Raleigh, NC United States) - See all my reviews

An amazing book. As a Martin player these past few years, and a couple of years away from placing my own order through the custom shop, I would've loved to see more of the custom models that are made for the players, rather than the celebrity-endorsed, limited editions that are made mostly, I think, for collectors.

There is nothing like a Martin Guitar. And this book showcases some of the most beautiful instruments ever made. Next time, though, give me that inimitable smell of rosewood with a high-gloss finish, a close-up of the herringbone trim on a stock HD-28, and the sustain of an open G. Somebody call Ken Burns, okay?