{"product_id":"1929-martin-style-c-mandolin-14180","title":"1929 Martin Style C Mandolin","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDespite their esteemed reputation for guitars, C.F. Martin \u0026amp; Co. also built mandolins for nearly 100 years. Their early bowl-back designs were a perfect fit for classical mandolin players in the late 19th Century, but as the mandolin evolved in the early 20th Century, Martin mandolins never acheived great recognition from collectors or musicians. Most of Martin's mandolin designs—with flat backs, bent tops, and oval sound holes—were heavily influenced by guitar, and they simply didn't capture the same look or feel of other brands. But still, there's vibe, charm, and character to there mandolins, especially if you're a fan of Martin. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIntroduced in 1914, the Style C is a slightly fancier iteration of Martin's flat-back mandolin body design. In 1929, Martin made 39 Style C mandolins, and in the following years, they would only make 22 more before the model was discontinued. With the stock market crash in 1929, that shouldn't come as much of a surprise. The Style C was expensive at $55, and in some ways, instruments like this exemplify the Gilded Age\/1920s opulence. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis 1929 Style C features a bent Adirondack Spruce top and Brazilian Rosewood back and sides—high-end\u003c\/span\u003e woods for a mandolin, but right out of the Martin play book. The Style C wasn't the fanciest model in the line, but it's not exactly understated: abalone rosette, colored wood purling around the top edge, ornamental peghead cutout, Style-42 fingerboard inlays, ornate carved bridge, teardrop pickguard inlaid into the top, engraved tailpiece, etc. This 1929 Style C has been beautifully preserved—there are some pick marks and signs of age (finish-checking, patina on the binding, etc.), but what an amazing find! \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe playability is low and approachable, and the old bar frets show some minor wear but still have plenty of life left. The nut width measures 1-3\/16\". The string spacing is 1-5\/8\" at the bridge, so it's a little wider compared to a lot of mandolins. The tone is open and resonant with detailed treble content that sits on top of a balanced sound. Because of the flat bent-top construction, this Style C shares a lot of characteristics to Style-28 Martin guitars. In particular, it captures the classic Martin bell tone. Very cool, and a lot of fun to play. A superlative strummer for vocal accompaniment, but still plenty of definition for fiddle tunes and old-time melodies. Also for any Martin fan or collector, this 1929 Style C feels like a true find. Original hardshell case included. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Martin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67757331611861,"sku":"1929-martin-style-c-mandolin-#14180","price":2399.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0080\/2930\/6939\/files\/1929MartinStyleCMandolin_14180_-Detail05.jpg?v=1791924640","url":"https:\/\/telluridemusiccompany.com\/products\/1929-martin-style-c-mandolin-14180","provider":"Telluride Music Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}