Thank you Mary, I have the honor of living in Nazareth. Pa. This town is a very special place, and the people welcomed us in 2017 when we moved here. I have played Martin’s since the 1970’s and like you I am a Martin lover! The next time you are in town please stop by and visit our family clock shop on Main Street, right in down town! I pass both factories going to the clock shop everyday. It is so cool to see in this video people I see all the time! To those watching come visit Nazareth and take the factory tour! It is a great way to spend a day! Martin is still a family business that America is and should be proud of!
What is amazing is how they build guitars in a factory by hand. The day I visited they were using left over hide glue from the custom shop to put together 15 series and 17 series right there on the shop floor.
These guitar treasures clearly inspired you Mary. This is some of the loveliest playing and singing I’ve yet heard from you. My best friend owns a Martin and plays it with devotion. He’s traveling in India right now, and I just sent this to him as a gift. 🙏🏻
I was at the North Street factory back in 1962 when I brought my fathers 1945 D-18 there for warrantee work. My father purchased the guitar in 1945 and was therefore the original owner, and had a lifetime guarantee. I remember they replaced the frets that are near the nut, made a new nut, and gave the guitar a very light spray of lacquer. This cost us nothing because it had a life time guarantee to the original owner. There was no tour of the facility back then and the factory was flat out busy. For example if you ordered a D-28 through the dealer, you would not see that guitar for 18 months. Last year I went to a wedding in Bucks County and spent a few days visiting the new factory. I also went on a tour and was impressed at the amount of work still done by hand. As the proud owner of a number of martins including one made in the 1870s, I play mine all the time. In 2003 we moved to South Korea and I found that there is a large number of people playing a Martin guitar. I am able to play in the local ‘Live Café’ here and enjoy playing the different Martin guitars here. In fact I purchased one for the café and I was tired of hauling my martins there. I am now 82 years but still play daily. Meanwhile I gave the 1945 Martin to my nephew as they are an instrument that one passes down through the family for generations. Thank you Mr Martin for making such fine guitars!
“Pulled into Nazareth, was feeling about half past dead. “ When I saw how the craftsmen wrote on the walls I thought of cave paintings, pyramids and The Count of Monte Cristo where the old priest said he had actually named all the stones in the walls of his cell. Deep history. What a wonderful opportunity for you to have this relationship with Martin Guitar. Your unique finger style playing really brings out the best of those old, rare instruments, the Stradivarius’ of guitars.
I just love you Mary, playing those Martin Guitars, i can almost feel the joy, love and sense of awe flowing from you. My opinion, touring the places where, some of the very best guitars ever made. ty for sharing with us.. This is one of my fav videos you have put out< Was excited to see this, History forever by craftsmen of long ago.. & today :) From SE Texas Bear ❤💯🙏
Cheers Mary....on my flatter days (we all have them) your videos like this always lift my soul!! So looking forward to seeing you....and your Martin, this autumn! Thanks! :)
Mary, I loved the tone and style with which you played the 1930 OM45. I could see your delight in playing it. Your singing and playing interludes in the videos are my favorite bits. Your mix of information and history with entertainment is perfect. You are one of my favorites on YT. And I know your delight in owning a new dream Martin. I also love Martins and have owned 5 over the years. I have owned my dream guitars for some time, a D35 and a D12-28. Then one day I picked up an all Ovangkol OMC16e at my local dealer and fell in love with her. Now I have my eye out for OMs in my travels, I had always played 'dreads. An OM35 with cutaway would be my new dream. I don't know if they have made one in 35 trim, but I love the 3 piece back on my D35. The Ovangkol OM is already showing fret wear because she gets so much play. I really enjoyed this video and the other one from the Martin factory as well.
I know almost nothing about instruments and making music. Your passion keeps me subscribed. People and their passions are my passion. Thank you for sharing yours with us.
Mary, bad news one of my greatest mistakes on purchasing a guitar. Walked into a store, played a series of Martins & Taylor's. "The One Martin Guitar I instantly wrote starts of 5 New Songs" I put back up on the hanger...DANG! After a couple days I realized I needed The Martin ! I drove back to the store fast , it was gone. 😢😢
Excellent documentary on Martin guitars! Your accompaniment is stellar! Love watching your finger work! Grammar geek alert: Martin guitars “were” built… past tense verb… versus “would have been,” which is the hypothetical case.
Congratulations on your new guitar, you must be very happy and proud. You made a good choice. I ordered a custom 000-42 12 fret slot head (a larger version of my CS-00S-14) in Dec '23, the same month you got yours. Mine will hopefully be finished this late summer. I enjoy your music.
Great to see how much you love and respect the history of this incredible guitar company. They certainly put their name on each instrument with a sense of pride and desire to provide each customer with a special instrument.
What a delightful presentation! I'm just getting started learning the guitar (at {undisclosed} years old) and I was fascinated to hear the differences in tone between the guitars you played. And while I'm struggling to make clean chords with my nowhere-near-an-slim-as-your fingers, I'm always fascinated by the way you place your fingers on the fretboard. On the video side, I think you have a genius for making lighting work: in your talking scenes, you had just the right degree of dimness in the background, you wore a soft black sweater that disappeared, with a simple vertical silver drop, wth your hair pulled back so only your neck and face were softly lit from the front. Perfectly composed -- kinda like your songs! Smashing, my dear girl, smashing!
Interesting video. Big Martin fan too. Love my OOO-15 M. Thanks for this trip into Nazareth. Robbie Robertson of The Band said when trying to write lyrics for The Weight, he happened to notice the stamp burned onto bracing inside the sound hole…”Pulled into Nazareth, was feelin bout half past dead…”
Hullo wee Mary. I cannae tell ye just how much this video entertained me but also enriched me as well. I'm full-time in the States now and so look forward to your content. 🍀🎸🍀
All of your songs were beautiful and clever (no matter which Martin you were playing), and I enjoy watching your picking and fingering technique. And a nice history of the company that makes your most favoritest guitars! Thanks for making this wonderful video.
Although I knew about Martin guitars in my youth, I chanced upon hearing Jesse Colin Young playing a 000-18 at a local concert in Santa Rosa California in the early 1980's. It was then that I came to fully appreciate the sound of a Martin. The 000-18 is still my dream guitar. I own a 000-15 M (all mahogany) and love it. Thank you, Mary, for your wonderful documentary and the chance to again hear your lovely music.
Hi Mary, This was awesome! I lived in Navojoa in the 80's-90's (still have close family there and visit often- friends have worked making strings and guitars there too) They actually let me tour their factory thinking I was from Martin/Pennsylvania- Not a lot of northern-rooted white faces in southern Sonora in those years. I got the royal treatment since I had a 70's D-18 and an early 1890's oo21- Now you let me tour the main Martin factory- Thank you! beautiful playing too!😉
Mary I think it’s absolutely outstanding how excited you are about Martin Guitars. Nazareth is my home town. I play guitar but cannot afford to purchase the guitars made there. My DCPA5 HPL Spruce top has great sound and I love it. Love your Chanel and your awesome playing.
Wow you were in my area! After living near the factory for most of my life, I finally got my hands on my coveted 000c-15e, albeit 24 years later. Found one on reverb and bought it that same week. Great video.
thank you, Ms Spender, for your videos. Loved your songs! you are such a refreshing and intelligent musician! This one on Martin guitars convinced me!!!
After viewing this latest Mary upload, I am currently wiping the little drool that fell onto the laptop's keyboard. Martin guitars sound so good. Dangerously good. Paired with Mary's beautiful voice, a powerful pairing. 🌸
brilliant video, everything. But, tbh, the most i enjoyed, was your actual playin'. it was even noticeable how you enjoyed playing these models. and it made the songs you've played even better, it just flowing out of you. i very much could imaging some songs as a 'factory Live session' here on the channel... stunning dream 🙏thank you so much Mary
Martin should pay you for the great Doc -- your skill and sense of taste is really special. If Music worked ever slows down you could do very well as a professional documentary storyteller.
Well I am a rebel. I just got my first Martin a few months ago. I went for their latest design. I got a SC-10E. A "S" style acoustic with a bolt on neck. I can say as an electric guitar person I LOVE IT! I think I am a fanboy now. The neck is like no other Acoustic I have owned. The guitar is Mexico made and PERFECT. I love history so I picked the right company!
Watching you play, using your thumb over the top of the fingerboard reminds me of when I was an eager 10 year old in 1971. I'd learned a piece for my guitar teacher (who I loved like a she was a naugty aunt) and I was using my thumb over the neck to get the bass notes my small, kid's hand couldn't reach and, the horror! My favourite person in the world whacked my hand with a ruler!!! I'm so glad you clearly never had that experience! I use my left thumb like an old blues dude these days but it still makes me flinch a bit on a new tune. Weirdly, not on bass, though. Also, I still mostly love the memories with my only ever professional teacher outside of high school music lessons. (And high school music never really developed my guitar beyond what I learned in the unofficial school rock band.) Bandmates have been my best teachers, even in the few covers bands I've stuck with. Great doco. Never realised Martin were the first uke manufacturers! Your OM sounds great in your hands, too btw.
I love these documentaries Mary and this was really interesting. It's a shame you can't make much money out of them. You have a way with words and your choice of words for the commentary, was exceptional. Just to paraphrase something you said about all the hands that went into making instruments which become the legacy for future generations. I found that quite moving. Thanks also Mary for singing your songs and playing these marvelous guitars. Your enthusiasm is palpable and makes the film even more enjoyable.
Aw...another excellent synopsis/story about Martin Guitars. Glad there are superior companies out there that remain profitable. Quality still counts. You don't know us but we're from Wisconsin...the friendliest state in the 🇺🇸...👍...❤ your vids...and music...and voice. 😊
Lovely! Thank you for taking the time and enthusiasm to share on your channel. Goose bumps, eh? "I pulled into Nazareth, was feelin' about half past dead. I just need some place where I can lay my head "Hey, mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?" He just grinned and shook my hand, "no" was all he said.
Nicely done Mary, thank you. I have a very old Martin, I think it was called a style 1 made sometime around the early 1840's, stamped CF Martin, New York. I like wondering what has been played on this instrument over the years.
I Understand what you mean about coming home-feel the same way about Leica and Hofner. Nothing can compare to Hand made craftmanship-Quality does have a price. The martin sound is Unique for sure. Great video the Prod. standard is outstanding Great playing as well-Consider yourself Blessed Mary. Hope you enjoy your new Baby!!! Hello from Canada,
Mary has figured out how to position the light to accentuate a line that goes from her ears under her cheek bones to the corners of her mouth. It will flash into existence then out again. Endlessly beguiling. I could just turn the sound down and watch her talk. Lol
Very cool video Mary! Love it. Great music. You have a great voice and your guitar is really cool Nice and folky. I can see why you have a passion for music.
Hi Mary. Awesome video, thank you. One minor note - ‘Moravian’ is pronounced ‘more-ray-vee-an’. A large community of them are around me here in NC. Very kind people.
So well done. I just bought my first Martin. Totally happy with it and even more so, now that I hear the history. Thanks, Mary. You're playing is unique and lovely.
