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1942 Martin Tiple
Today’s show-and-tell is a 1942 Martin T 17. The “Tiple” as it is known to aficionados. After much demand from distributors, especially in South America, Martin began producing tiples in 1925, with the T 15. It was based upon a 1/4 scale guitar body. The tiple in one form or the other was produced by Martin until 2000. This one came in with a broken bridge, but otherwise, in pretty decent form for its age. All of the bracing is performing as intended. I must admit, I had to seek guidance on how to string one of these things! It sure is a cool sounding instrument!
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Martin Custom X gets a little love
Here’s a super-lightweight MIM Martin, which is on the bench for a Southeast Setup and a couple minor repairs. We noted a slight crack in the soundboard along the centerline, but after a thorough inspection we noticed that the transverse braces, the bridge plate and the tailblock were holding the crack at bay, and that it was structurally sound. Sometimes doing nothing is doing the right thing for the client.
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Martin “The Backpacker”
On the bench today is Martin’s travel acoustic guitar, “The Backpacker.” It’s here for a Southeast Setup, which includes a general look under the hood where we give the player a 19-point checklist of our findings. Oh, can’t they all be as easy as this one. This guitar, as simply built as it is, sounds and feels great! We dialed in the string action, making it a bit more comfortable, then gave it a clean bill of health! Safe travels, my friend!
Brooklyn Fretworks
Bespoke guitar design, repair and modification
