Video Tour of the Martin Guitar Booth at NAMM 2010 - Part Four

BFMN EXCLUSIVE: In this video our own Dan Grigor is seen playing some amazing Martin Guitars. He was the only player at NAMM2010 to play the double-neck and the famous 110-thousand-dollar D-100 Deluxe.

This is great! Part Four opens with me actually playing the Jorma Kaukonen M-series guitar. With the enlarged sound hole, the projection of this instrument is impressive. Next, Chris Thomas continues his tour with us by sitting down and telling us about C. F. Martin,  the man and the company. He also explains a little bit about what makes Martin Guitars different. He tells us about the wood they use and how many shapes and necks they produce. It is a fascinating interview.

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After that – as if that isn’t enough – I get to play the famous 110-thousand-dollar D-100 Deluxe. This is a stunning guitar. Elaborate inlay and great wood and this line holds the 50 serial numbers following the one millionth Martin Guitar. I think the one I played has the serial # 1,000,001. What a sound; it was simply a breathtaking guitar. Then I get to play the Not-For-Sale museum piece, a 12-string/6-string double-neck acoustic. Think about the forces involved with that for a moment. How many pounds of pull is that?! You do the math.

The inlay on these guitars is second to none. Some of the most beautiful work you will ever see on any guitar. I don’t think I’d have the patience to accomplish half of what is done here. Stunning work!

We had a great day visiting the Martin booth. We saw all their guitars and played some, we talked with Chris and learned all about the company, and we’re not done yet. While we were there Jorma Kaukonen happened to be playing the booth that day in honor of his signature line. We managed to get an exclusive interview with the legendary guitar player, and that will be the fifth and final video in the Martin series. Famed for his key roles in Hot Tuna and The Jefferson Airplane, his Fur Peace Ranch is reaching out and teaching people how to enjoy and play great music through online lessons, workshops and concerts. Still on tour, you can find Jorma and friends’ show schedules here.

You can see just the guitars in this video

You can see the whole Martin Series with this playlist