C. F. Martin M-42 David Bromberg Signature #1 owned and used by David Bromberg Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (2006)
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C. F. Martin M-42 David Bromberg Signature #1 owned and used by David Bromberg Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (2006), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 1150659, natural lacquer finish, Indian rosewood back and sides, Alpine spruce top, mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, black hard shell case.
Artist signature models are common these days, but this is really a special guitar: Martin's David Bromberg Model #1 of 83, given to the artist and used as a touring guitar in the 2000s. Bromberg's unique blend of American musical styles and peerless picking was hugely influential to many guitarists in the 1970s and beyond. He prominently featured a unique Martin guitar, a 1930s F-7 archtop converted to flattop that prompted Martin to create the new M (or 0000) guitar in its image in 1977.
In 2006 Martin created this M-42 David Bromberg Signature Edition, Bromberg himself receiving the original prototype and this guitar, the first numbered production model. This is a unique and very deluxe instrument in every way. It features a rare -- especially in this width -- Italian alpine spruce top, back and sides of East Indian rosewood, a low profile mahogany neck with a fingerboard and bridge of African black ebony. The forward-shifted, scalloped 5/16" top braces give the sound a genuine vintage character.
Style 42 abalone inlay graces the top, fingerboard extension and rosette; the back has a mosaic backstrip. Grained ivoroid binding and mitered black/white purfling adorn the top, sides, back, headstock and fingerboard. The guitar is finished in polished gloss lacquer, with aging toner on the top and a beveled tortoise-style pickguard. The rosewood headplate bears a 1930s style "C. F. Martin" block letter abalone inlay and gold plated enclosed tuners. Style 45 snowflake position markers are centered between F-9 Style white/black/white "racing stripe" inlays running down the fingerboard. David Bromberg's signature is inlaid in pearl above the 20th fret. Bridge pins and endpin both also are Style 45, with abalone dot inlays. The interior label is personally signed by Bromberg and C. F. Martin IV, marked #1 of the very limited edition.
Unlike most signature Martins this is not just a cosmetically modified signature instrument, but a truly unique creation of the artist and Martin. Bromberg's website noted about this guitar: "I have 2 of these, one of the prototypes and #1 of the series of 83 guitars, and I use them interchangeably. They were made in 2006. Martin guitars identified as M models are copies of a guitar that Matt Umanov made for me in the '60s by converting a Martin F-7 arch-top guitar to a flat top, replacing the neck with a larger scaled D-28 neck. The difference in my guitar and previous conversions was the longer scale (which) is huge." This 2006 model represents the first time Martin accurately recreated the instrument Bromberg actually played in the 1970s, and well enough that Bromberg himself would use it onstage. This is simply a fantastic guitar in every way, and a rare opportunity to own and play an instrument not only designed by and for but actually used by one of the most influential players of his era.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 in. (10.2 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
Considering that this was a touring, gigging instrument for some time it remains in very fine condition. There are a few small ding and dent marks overall but none that really break through the finish. The frets show a bit of wear but nothing that impedes play. The guitar is equipped with a Martin 332 Thinline pickup wired to an endpin jack for performance purposes. Unsurprisingly given its presentation to and use by a major artist this is a superb playing and sounding instrument, certainly one of the finest modern Martin guitars we have handled. It currently resides in a generic HSC, the road case it used to travel in having gone on to other pursuits. Overall Excellent Condition.
Artist signature models are common these days, but this is really a special guitar: Martin's David Bromberg Model #1 of 83, given to the artist and used as a touring guitar in the 2000s. Bromberg's unique blend of American musical styles and peerless picking was hugely influential to many guitarists in the 1970s and beyond. He prominently featured a unique Martin guitar, a 1930s F-7 archtop converted to flattop that prompted Martin to create the new M (or 0000) guitar in its image in 1977.
In 2006 Martin created this M-42 David Bromberg Signature Edition, Bromberg himself receiving the original prototype and this guitar, the first numbered production model. This is a unique and very deluxe instrument in every way. It features a rare -- especially in this width -- Italian alpine spruce top, back and sides of East Indian rosewood, a low profile mahogany neck with a fingerboard and bridge of African black ebony. The forward-shifted, scalloped 5/16" top braces give the sound a genuine vintage character.
Style 42 abalone inlay graces the top, fingerboard extension and rosette; the back has a mosaic backstrip. Grained ivoroid binding and mitered black/white purfling adorn the top, sides, back, headstock and fingerboard. The guitar is finished in polished gloss lacquer, with aging toner on the top and a beveled tortoise-style pickguard. The rosewood headplate bears a 1930s style "C. F. Martin" block letter abalone inlay and gold plated enclosed tuners. Style 45 snowflake position markers are centered between F-9 Style white/black/white "racing stripe" inlays running down the fingerboard. David Bromberg's signature is inlaid in pearl above the 20th fret. Bridge pins and endpin both also are Style 45, with abalone dot inlays. The interior label is personally signed by Bromberg and C. F. Martin IV, marked #1 of the very limited edition.
Unlike most signature Martins this is not just a cosmetically modified signature instrument, but a truly unique creation of the artist and Martin. Bromberg's website noted about this guitar: "I have 2 of these, one of the prototypes and #1 of the series of 83 guitars, and I use them interchangeably. They were made in 2006. Martin guitars identified as M models are copies of a guitar that Matt Umanov made for me in the '60s by converting a Martin F-7 arch-top guitar to a flat top, replacing the neck with a larger scaled D-28 neck. The difference in my guitar and previous conversions was the longer scale (which) is huge." This 2006 model represents the first time Martin accurately recreated the instrument Bromberg actually played in the 1970s, and well enough that Bromberg himself would use it onstage. This is simply a fantastic guitar in every way, and a rare opportunity to own and play an instrument not only designed by and for but actually used by one of the most influential players of his era.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 in. (10.2 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
Considering that this was a touring, gigging instrument for some time it remains in very fine condition. There are a few small ding and dent marks overall but none that really break through the finish. The frets show a bit of wear but nothing that impedes play. The guitar is equipped with a Martin 332 Thinline pickup wired to an endpin jack for performance purposes. Unsurprisingly given its presentation to and use by a major artist this is a superb playing and sounding instrument, certainly one of the finest modern Martin guitars we have handled. It currently resides in a generic HSC, the road case it used to travel in having gone on to other pursuits. Overall Excellent Condition.