 MARTIN | | ACOUSTIC: SMALL BODIED GUITARS (SIZES ¼, ½, ¾, 1, 2, 2½, & 3) | In 1898, when Martin standardized their configurations, several small bodied models were carried over. Certain models were extremely popular and were produced for several years (such as Size 1 and Size 2) while others were only produced in very limited quantities (such as Size ¼, Size ½, Size ¾, and Size 3). By 1938, all of these models had been discontinued as larger jumbo and dreadnought guitars were quickly becoming the popular acoustic instrument. Most models that were produced in large quantities are individually listed and valued in this section because they are traded quite often in the used marketplace. Other limited quantity models (typically less than 5 produced) are not individually listed because of their lack of market activity. However, we have mentioned all of these guitars including how many and what years they were produced.
Early Size ¼ instruments have dimensions of a 6 3/16 in. lower bout width, 2.875 in. body depth, 12 in. body length, and 17 in. scale. Late Size ¼ instruments have dimensions of a 8 5/16 in. lower bout width, 3 9/16 in. body depth, 12 1/16 in. body length, and a 17 in. scale.
Size ½ instruments have dimensions of a 10.125 in. lower bout width, 3.375 in. body depth, 15 1/16 in. body length, and 20.875 in. scale.
Size 1 instruments have dimensions of a 12 3/4 in. lower bout width, 4 3/16 in. body depth, 18.875 in. body length, and 24.9 in. scale.
Size 2 instruments have dimensions of a 12 in. lower bout width, 4 in. body depth, 18 1/4 in. body length, and 24.5 in. scale.
Size 2½ instruments have dimensions of a 11 5/8 in. lower bout width, 3.875 in. body depth, 17.875 in. body length, and 24.5 in. scale.
Size 3 instruments have dimensions of a 11.25 in. lower bout width, 3 3/16 in. body depth, 17.375 in. body length, and 23.875 in. scale.
Martin produced a variety of different small bodied-sized guitars that were built in very limited quantities. Size ¼ limited quantity Martin's include 22 Model ¼-18 guitars (1918-1931), 14 Model ¼-28 guitars (1972, 1981), and six ¼-12-String guitars (1918). Size ½ limited quantity Martin's include 18 Model ½-18 guitars (1918-19), and one Model ½-21 guitar (1919 only). Size ¾ limited quantity Martin's include four Model ¾-18 guitars (1921) and one Model ¾-21 (1921). Size 2 limited quantity Martin's include two Model 2-34s (1898, although this was a popular configuration before 1898 as well), one Model 2-40 (1909 only), two Model 2-42s (1900 only), four Model 2-45s (1925-27), and two Model 2-45T tenors (1927-28). Size 2½ limited quantity Martin's include five Model 2½-30 guitars (1901-1914) and one Model 2½-42 guitar (1911 only). Size 3 limited quanity Martin's include only one Model 3-17 that was produced in 1908; however, the Model 3-17 was a popular configuration prior to 1898. | | MODEL 1-17 (FIRST VERSION) | | - Size 1 body, spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with three black rings rosette, three-ply top binding with rosewood outer layer, rosewood back binding, ebony fingerboard with two dot inlays at the 7th fret, rectangular bridge, total production of 145 instruments, mfg. 1906-1917. |
| MODEL 1-17 (SECOND VERSION) | | - Size 1 body, mahogany top, back, and sides, round soundhole with three B/W/B rings rosette, no body binding, rosewood fingerboard with two dot inlays at the 7th fret, rectangular bridge, optional pickguard (1932-34), available in Natural flat finish, total production of 1,130 instruments, mfg. 1931-34. |
| Model 1-17P Plectrum | | - similar to the Model 1-17 (Second Version), except in four-string plectrum configuration with two-per-side tuners and a 27 in. scale, total production of 272 instruments, mfg. 1928-1931. |
| MODEL 1-18 | | - Size 1 body, spruce top, rosewood (1899-1917) or mahogany (1917-1927) back and sides, round soundhole with wood colored rope pattern (1899-1902) or three-stripe rosette (1/9/1 grouping between 1902 and 1927), five-ply top binding, single-ply back binding with outer rosewood layer, black backstripe, ebony fingerboard with no inlays (1899-1902) or dot inlays (1902-1927), total production of 964 instruments, mfg. 1899-1927. |
| Model 1-18K Koa | | - similar to the Model 1-18, except has koa back and sides, total production of 46 instruments, mfg. 1917-19. |
| MODEL 1-21 | | - Size 1 body, spruce top, rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with three-stripe rosette (herringbone ring between two groups of five rings), five-ply top binding with outer rosewood layer, two-ply back binding with outer rosewood layer, herringbone backstripe, ebony fingerboard with slotted diamond inlays, total production of 575 instruments, mfg. 1898-1926. |
| MODEL 1-27 | | - Size 1 body, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with five-stripe rosette (pearl center ring in four groups of five rings), ivory top binding, green/brown wood diagonal pattern top purfling, three-ply back binding with outer ivory layer, zig-zag backstripe, ebony ivory-bound fingerboard, ivory headstock binding, total production of 13 instruments, mfg. 1898-1907. |
| MODEL 1-28 | | - Size 1 body, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with three-stripe rosette (5/9/5 grouping), ivory top binding (1898-1918) or ivoroid top binding (1918-1923), herringbone top purfling, three-ply back binding with outer ivory layer (1898-1918) or ivoroid layer (1918-1923), zig-zag backstripe, ebony fingerboard with no inlays (1898-1901) or slotted diamond inlays (1901-1923), total production of 238 instruments, mfg. 1898-1923. |
| Model 1-28P Plectrum | | - similar to the Model 1-28, except in four-string plectrum configuration with two-per-side tuners and a 27 in. scale, total production of 19 instruments, mfg. 1928-1930. |
| MODEL 1-30 | | - Size 1 body, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with pearl ring rosette, herringbone top purfling, ebony ivory-bound (1898-1918) or ivoroid-bound (1918-1919) fingerboard, ivory-bound (1898-1918) or ivoroid-bound (1918-1919) headstock, total production of 78 instruments, mfg. 1898-1919. |
| MODEL 1-34 | | - Size 1 body, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with pearl ring rosette, ivory top binding, herringbone top purfling, ivory back binding, ebony ivory-bound fingerboard, ivory-bound headstock, ivory bridge, total production of 11 instruments, mfg. 1898-1904. |
| MODEL 1-42 | | - Size 1 body, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with pearl ring rosette, pearl top bordering that also goes around the fingerboard, ebony ivory-bound (1898-1918) or ivoroid-bound (1918-1919) fingerboard with snowflake inlays (snowflakes on three frets between 1898 and 1901 and on five frets between 1901 and 1919), ivory-bound (1898-1918) or ivoroid-bound (1918-1919) headstock, ivory (1898-1918) or ebony (1918-19) bridge, total production of 44 instruments, mfg. 1898-1919. |
| MODEL 1-45 | | - Size 1 body, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with pearl ring rosette, pearl top bordering that also goes around the fingerboard, pearl side bordering, zipper-pattern backstripe, ebony ivory-bound (1904-1918) or ivoroid-bound (1918-1919) fingerboard with snowflake inlays (snowflakes on five frets between 1904 and 1914 and on eight frets between 1914 and 1919), ivory-bound (1904-1918) or ivoroid-bound (1918-1919) headstock, ivory (1904-1918) or ebony (1918-19) bridge, total production of 6 instruments, mfg. 1904-1919. |
| MODEL 2-17 (FIRST VERSION) | | - Size 2 body, spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with three black rings, three-ply top binding with rosewood outer layer, rosewood back binding, ebony fingerboard with two dot inlays at the 7th fret, rectangular bridge, total production of 6 instruments, mfg. 1910 only. |
| MODEL 2-17 (SECOND VERSION) | | - Size 2 body, mahogany top, back, and sides, round soundhole with three thin B/W/B rings rosette, three-ply top binding with outer rosewood layer, rosewood back binding (no back binding in 1930), thin black backstripe, rosewood fingerboard with two dot inlays at the 7th fret, rectangular bridge, available in Natural finish, total production of 6,044 instruments, mfg. 1922-1930. |
| Model 2-17H Hawaiian | | - similar to the Model 2-17 Second Version, except in Hawaiian configuration with a flat fingerboard with flush frets, a high nut, and a non-slanted saddle, total production of 551 instruments, mfg. 1927-1931. |
| Model 2-17T Tenor | | - similar to the Model 2-17 Second Version, except in four-string tenor configuration and two-per-side tuners, total production of 45 instruments, mfg. 1927-28. |
| #25 (MODEL 2-17 THIRD VERSION) | | - Size 2 body, mahogany top, back, and sides, round soundhole with three thin B/W/B rings rosette, no body binding, rosewood fingerboard with two dot inlays at the 7th fret, rectangular bridge, available in Natural finish, total production of 775 instruments, mfg. 1929-1930. |
| MODEL 2-17 FOURTH VERSION | | - Size 2 body, mahogany top, back, and sides, round soundhole with three thin B/W/B rings rosette, no body binding, rosewood fingerboard with two dot inlays at the 7th fret, rectangular bridge, no pickguard (1930-32) or tortoise pickguard (optional between 1932 and 1934 and standard from 1934), available in Natural finish, total production of 612 instruments, mfg. 1930-38. |
| MODEL 2-18 | | - Size 2 body, spruce top, rosewood (1898-1917) or mahogany (1917-1938) back and sides, round soundhole with wood colored rope pattern (1898-1902) or three-stripe rosette (1/9/1 grouping between 1902 and 1938), five-ply top binding, single-ply back binding with outer rosewood (1898-1932), black (1932-36), or tortoise (1936-38) layer, black backstripe, ebony fingerboard with no inlays (1898-1902) or dot inlays (1902-1938), total production of 100 instruments, mfg. 1898-1938. |
| Model 2-18T Tenor | | - similar to the Model 2-18, except in four-string tenor configuration and two-per-side tuners, total production of 345 instruments, mfg. 1928-1930. |
| MODEL 2-21 | | - Size 2 body, spruce top, rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with three-stripe rosette (single herringbone ring between two groups of five rings), five-ply top binding with outer rosewood layer, two-ply back binding with outer rosewood layer, herringbone backstripe, ebony fingerboard with slotted diamond inlays, total production of 12 instruments, mfg. 1898-1929. |
| MODEL 2-27 | | - Size 2 body, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with five-stripe rosette (pearl center ring in four groups of five rings), ivory top binding, green/brown wood diagonal pattern top purfling, three-ply back binding with outer ivory layer, zig-zag backstripe, ebony ivory-bound fingerboard, ivory headstock binding, total production of 8 instruments, mfg. 1898-1907. |
| MODEL 2-28T TENOR | | - tenor configuration, Size 2 body, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with three-stripe rosette (5/9/5 grouping), ivoroid top binding, herringbone top purfling, three-ply back binding with outer ivoroid layer, zig-zag backstripe, ebony fingerboard with slotted diamond inlays, two-per-side tuners, total production of 35 instruments, mfg. 1929-1930. |
| MODEL 2-30 | | - Size 2 body, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with pearl ring rosette, herringbone top purfling, ebony ivory-bound (1902-1918) or ivoroid-bound (1918-1921) fingerboard, ivory-bound (1902-1918) or ivoroid-bound (1918-1921) headstock, wood bridge, total production of 7 instruments, mfg. 1902-1921. |
| MODEL 2-44 | | - Size 2 body, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with three ring rosette (5/9/5 grouping), six-ply top binding with outer ivoroid layer, three-ply back binding with outer ivoroid layer, wide white backstripe surrounded by smaller black and white lines, ebony ivoroid-bound fingerboard with no inlays, ivoroid-bound headstock with "Soloist" or "Olcott-Bickford Artist Model" inlaid, total production of 4 instruments, mfg. 1930 only. |
| MODEL 2½-17 | | - Size 2½ body, spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with three black rings, three-ply top binding with rosewood outer layer, rosewood back binding, ebony fingerboard, total production of 38 instruments, mfg. 1909-1914. |
| MODEL 2½-18 | | - Size 2½ body, spruce top, rosewood (1898-1917) or mahogany (1917-1923) back and sides, round soundhole with wood colored rope pattern (1898-1902) or three-stripe rosette (1/9/1 grouping between 1902 and 1923), five-ply top binding with outer rosewood layer, rosewood back binding, black backstripe, ebony fingerboard with no inlays (1898-1902) or dot inlays (1902-1923), total production of 58 instruments, mfg. 1898-1923. |
| MODEL 2½-21 | | - Size 2½ body, spruce top, rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with three-stripe rosette (single herringbone ring between two groups of five rings), five-ply top binding with outer rosewood layer, two-ply back binding with outer rosewood layer, herringbone backstripe, ebony fingerboard with slotted diamond inlays, total production of 29 instruments, mfg. 1910-1921. |
| MODEL 2½-28 | | - Size 2½ body, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with three-stripe rosette (5/9/5 grouping), ivory (1909-1918) or ivoroid (1918-1923) top binding, herringbone top purfling, three-ply back binding with outer ivory (1909-1918) or ivoroid (1918-1923) layer, zig-zag backstripe, ebony fingerboard with slotted diamond inlays, two-per-side tuners, total production of 18 instruments, mfg. 1909-1923. |
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