The 1.5 Millionth Martin (da Vinci Unplugged)

The 1.5 Millionth Martin
(da Vinci Unplugged)

The 1.5 Millionth Martin on display at NAMM - Jan. 13, 2011
Photo © James V. Roy

The C.F. Martin company completed this milestone 1.5 millionth guitar just one week prior to its debut at the 2011 Winter NAMM show in Anaheim, CA. According to Chris Martin IV, the chairman and CEO of the company since 1986, this guitar marks the shortest period of time they have taken to produce a half-million Martins. Prior milestones include the company’s 500,000th in 1990, 750,000th in 2000 and one millionth in 2004.

The 1.5 Millionth Martin
Photo © courtesy C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.

Dubbed “da Vinci Unplugged,” this D 45 based dreadnought guitar was constructed over the past year and a half from figured pre-CITES Brazilian rosewood specifically saved for this milestone. The parts of this milestone guitar were carefully crafted at the Martin factory in Nazareth, PA, and then sent to expert luthier and inlay artists before returning to Nazareth for final assembly, delicate Style 45 perimeter inlay, and finishing.

the evolution of the headstock inlay
Photo © courtesy C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.

Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa inlaid headstock
Photo © courtesy C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.

Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper inspired inlaid pickguard
Photo © courtesy C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.

Leonardo DaVinci's Vitruvian Man
Photo © courtesy C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.

The three primary inlay areas on the guitar are the Mona Lisa headstock, the Last Supper pickguard, and the Vitruvian Man on the back of the guitar. They were designed and inlaid by luthier Harvey Leach. The face and hands for the Mona Lisa inlay were scroll cut from a rare piece of fossilized mammoth ivory.

Style 45 inlays in the fingerboard at 1st, 3rd, th, 7th, 9th, 12th and 15th frets
Photo © courtesy C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.

Leonardo da Vinci inspired scrimshaw inlay at the 1st fret
Photo © courtesy C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.

Leonardo da Vinci inspired scrimshaw inlay at the 3rd fret
Photo © courtesy C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.

Leonardo da Vinci inspired scrimshaw inlay at the 5th fret
Photo © courtesy C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.

Leonardo da Vinci inspired scrimshaw inlay at the 7th fret
Photo © courtesy C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.

Leonardo da Vinci inspired scrimshaw inlay at the 9th fret
Photo © courtesy C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.

Leonardo da Vinci inspired scrimshaw inlay at the 12th fret
Photo © courtesy C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.

Leonardo da Vinci inspired scrimshaw inlay at the 15th fret
Photo © courtesy C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.

Leonardo da Vinci inspired scrimshaw inlays on the bridge wings
Photo © courtesy C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.

Scrimshaw artist Bob Hergert engraved illustrations for the Style 45 hexagons also cut from fossilized mammoth ivory and inlaid into the fingerboard and bridge wings based on an array of da Vinci drawings.

The special gold tuning buttons were engraved by Tara Mitchell and took 25 hours each to complete.

A special case was crafted by TKL for this guitar and a special strap was hand·tooled and donated by leather artist, Chuck Smith.

This guitar will now reside in Nazareth, PA in the Martin's museum. Harvey Leach collaborated with Martin on the creation of an online blog that delineates the evolution and process for this unique milestone guitar. Visit that blogsite at: http://martinguitar.tumblr.com/tagged/1.5_millionth_Martin.

page added January 20, 2011

all information presented here regarding this guitar is courtesy Dick Boak and the C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.

All photos on this site (that we didn't borrow) unless otherwise indicated are the property of either Scotty Moore or James V. Roy and unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited.