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Identifying Martin Stringed Instruments
Martin began producing instruments in 1833. Prior to serial numbers, the different instruments were identified by the Martin brand which was stamped into the back of the headstock, the upper portion of the back or on the back binding strut visible through the soundhole (the eased blocking reinforcing the center joint between the 2 back pieces).
The original instruments had a paper label that read: “Martin and Coupa”
1833 to 1867 The brand read: “C.F. Martin New York”.
1867 to 1898 The brand read: “C.F. Martin & Co. New York”.
1898 onward The brand reads: “C.F. Martin & Co. Nazareth, Pa.”
1888 to 1898 Paper label includes: “Charles A. Zoebisch & Sons” (Zoebisch was the sole distributor of Martin at the time).
1898 Serial numbers begin at #8000
1929 Model numbers were marked on the neck block, inside the body.
Some pre-1898 guitars have the date penciled on the top just inside the sound hole.
Before 1929, the model size and style designation was generally written on a paper label and glued inside the top of the instrument case.
1895 Mandolins were introduced
1915 Ukuleles, taropatches, tiples and Hawaiian guitars were introduced
1923 Tenor banjos were introduced
After workers at the Nazareth factory had been employed for a period of years they were permitted to fashion an instrument for themselves at the plant. Many of these unique instruments pop-up today and don’t fit any clear category. Fortunately, they are often signed by the builder.
Ukuleles did not carry serial numbers but can be roughly identified and dated by the headstock:
1895 to 1932 The Martin brand stamped on the back of the headstock.
1930 onward The Martin logo decal on the front of the headstock.
1895 to 1934 Bar frets
1934 onward Standard frets
Interestingly, the original order for Martin decals was placed in June of 1932. This implies that a number of ukuleles built in 1930 remained in the factory until being sold in 1932. It was, after all, the depression. This would also explain why the occasional pre-1932 Martin guitar appears with a decal.
Martin Serial Numbers:
Guitars
Year / Last Number
1898 x8,348
1899 x8,716
1900 x9,128
1901 x9,310
1902 x9,528
1903 x9,810
1904 x9,988
1905 10,120
1906 10,329
1907 10,727
1908 10,883
1909 11,018
1910 11,203
1911 11,413
1912 11,565
1913 11,821
1914 12,047
1915 12,209
1916 12,390
1917 12,988
1918 13,450
1919 14,512
1920 15,848
1921 16,758
1922 17,839
1923 19,891
1924 22,008
1925 24,116
1926 28,689
1927 34,435
1928 37,568
1929 40,843
1930 45,317
1931 49,589
1932 52,590
1933 55,084
1934 58,679
1935 61,947
1936 65,176
1937 68,865
1938 71,866
1939 74,061
1940 76,734
1941 80,013
1942 83,107
1943 86,724
1944 90,149
1945 93,623
1946 98,158
1947 103,468
1948 108,269
1949 112,961
1950 117,961
1951 122,799
1952 128,436
1953 134,501
1954 141,345
1955 147,328
1956 152,775
1957 159,061
1958 165,576
1959 171,047
1960 175,869
1961 181,297
1962 187,384
1963 193,327
1964 199,626
1965 207,030
1966 217,215
1967 230,095
1968 241,925
1969 256,003
1970 271,633
1971 294,270
1972 313,302
1973 333,873
1974 353,387
1975 371,828
1976 388,800
1977 399,625
1978 407,800
1979 419,900
1980 430,300
1981 436,474
1982 439,627
1983 446,101
1984 453,300
1985 460,575
1986 468,175
1987 476,216
1988 483,952
1989 493,279
1990 503,309
1991 512,487
1992 522,655
1993 535,223
1994 551,796
1995 570,434
1996 592,930
1997 624,799
1998 668,796
1999 724,077
Mandolins
Year / Last Number
1895 x,x23
1896 x,112
1897 x,155
1898 x,359
1899 x,577
1900 x,800
1901 x,881
1902 1,171
1903 1,348
1904 1,507
1905 1,669
1906 2,026
1907 2,357
1908 2,510
1909 2,786
1910 3,098
1911 3,431
1912 3,847
1913 4,162
1914 4,462
1915 4,767
1916 5,007
1917 5,752
1918 6,370
1919 7,237
1920 8,761
1921 9,627
1922 10,196
1923 11,020
1924 11,809
1925 12,520
1926 13,359
1927 13,833
1928 14,170
1929 14,680
1930 14,892
1931 15,290
1932 15,476
1933 15,528
1934 15,729
1935 15,887
1936 16,156
1937 16,449
1938 16,580
1939 16,747
1940 16,957
1941 17,263
1942 17,405
1943 none
1944 none
1945 none
1946 17,641
1947 18,303
1948 19,078
1949 19,559
1950 20,065
1951 20,521
1952 20,902
1953 21,452
1954 21,952
1955 22,254
1956 22,629
1957 22,985
1958 23,111
1959 23,262
1960 23,512
1961 23,663
1962 23,938
1963 24,139
1964 24,339
1965 24,439
1966 24,564
1967 24,639
1968 24,839
1969 24,989
1970 25,039
1971 25,065
1972 25,289
1973 25,339
1974 25,679
1975 25,895
1976 26,045*
1977 26,101
1978 None
1979 26,112
1980 26156
1981 26,215
1982 26,225
1983 26,247
1984 26,254
1985 26,263
1986 26,273
1987 26,279
1988 26,281
1989 26,283
1990 26,291
* 259,996-260,020 could also be 1976
Year Serial # Range (Total production)
1898 8001-8349 (347) 1950 112962-117961 (4999)
1899 8350-8716 (367) 1951 117962-122799 (4837)
1900 8717-9128 (411) 1952 122800-128436 (5636)
1901 9129-9310 (181) 1953 128437-134501 (6064)
1902 9311-9528 (217) 1954 134502-141345 (6843)
1903 9529-9810 (281) 1955 141346-147328 (5982)
1904 9811-9988 (177) 1956 147329-152775 (5446)
1905 9989-10120 (131) 1957 152776-159061 (6285)
1906 10121-10329 (208) 1958 159062-165576 (6514)
1907 10330-10727 (397) 1959 165577-171047 (5470)
1908 10728-10883 (155) 1960 171048-175689 (4641)
1909 10884-11018 (134) 1961 175690-181297 (5607)
1910 11019-11203 (184) 1962 181298-187384 (6086)
1911 11204-11413 (209) 1963 187385-193327 (5942)
1912 11414-11565 (151) 1964 193328-199626 (6298)
1913 11566-11821 (255) 1965 199627-207030 (7403)
1914 11822-12047 (225) 1966 207031-217215 (10184)
1915 12048-12209 (161) 1967 217216-230095 (12879)
1916 12210-12390 (180) 1968 230096-241925 (11829)
1917 12391-12988 (597) 1969 241926-256003 (14077)
1918 12989-13450 (461) 1970 256004-271633 (15629)
1919 13451-14512 (1061) 1971 271634-294270 (22636)
1920 14513-15484 (1335) 1972 294271-313302 (19031)
1921 15485-16758 (909) 1973 313303-333873 (20570)
1922 16759-17839 (1080) 1974 333873-353387 (19513)
1923 17840-19891 (2051) 1975 353388-371828 (18440)
1924 19892-22008 (2116) 1976 371829-388800 (16971)
1925 22009-24116 (2107) 1977 388801-399625 (10824)
1926 24117-28689 (4572) 1978 399626-407800 (8174)
1927 28690-34435 (5745) 1979 407801-419900 (12099)
1928 34436-37568 (3132) 1980 419901-430300 (10399)
1929 37569-40843 (3274) 1981 430301-436474 (6173)
1930 40844-45317 (4473) 1982 436475-439627 (3152)
1931 45318-49589 (4271) 1983 439628-446101 (6473)
1932 49590-52590 (3000) 1984 446102-453300 (7198)
1933 52591-55084 (2493) 1985 453301-460575 (7274)
1934 55085-58679 (3594) 1986 460576-468175 (7599)
1935 58680-61947 (3267) 1987 468176-476216 (8040)
1936 61948-65176 (3228) 1988 476217-483952 (7735)
1937 65177-68865 (3688) 1989 483953-493279 (9323)
1938 68866-71866 (3000) 1990 493280-503309 (10032)
1939 71867-74061 (2194) 1991 503310-512487 (9177)
1940 74062-76734 (2672) 1992 512488-522655 (10167)
1941 76735-80013 (3278) 1993 522656-535223 (12567)
1942 80014-83107 (3093) 1994 535224-551696 (16472)
1943 83108-86724 (3616) 1995 551697-570434 (18737)
1944 86725-90149 (3424) 1996 570435-592930 (22495)
1945 90150-93623 (3473) 1997 592931-624799 (31868)
1946 93624-98158 (4534) 1998 624800-668796 (43996)
1947 98159-103468 (5309) 1999 668797-724077 (55280)
1948 103469-108269 (4800) 2000 724078-780500 (56422)
1949 108270-112961 (4691) 2001 780501-845644 (65143)
2002 845645-916759 (71115)
2003 916760-978706 (61947)
2004 978707-1042558 (63852)
2005 1042559-1115862 (79904)
2006 1115863-1197799 (81937)
