NMM 14358.  Ukulele by C. F. Martin & Co., Nazareth, Pennsylvania, ca. 1934-1947.
Style O. Geoffrey Rezek Collection (Darien, Connecticut), 2008.

Martin was one of the earliest continental ukulele manufacturers and its instruments are still valued for their fine tone and workmanship. Martin's first few ukuleles were made in 1907, but by 1916, large-scale production had begun. Demand skyrocketed and the North Street factory was expanded in 1917, 1924, and 1925 to accommodate the flood of orders. The Style 0 ukulele, Martin’s simplest model, was introduced in 1922. By the time this example was made in the 1930s or 1940s, Martin’s production had fallen back drastically. The presence of the smaller Martin decal on the headstock, redesigned to be proportionally correct for ukuleles, along with the metal and plastic tension tuners, suggest a dating between 1934 and 1947, with the exclusion of a few years during WWII, when plain pegs were used.

Inscriptions:  Branded on inside of back above upper brace:  [lettering curved downward at each end] C.F.MARTIN & Co / — · — / NAZARETH, PA. Gold-and-black decal on head: [lettering curved downward at each end] CFMartin&Co. [sic] / EST. 1833

Body:  Head:  mahogany; shield-shaped upper end. Neck: mahogany; integral with head; neck heel is separate piece. Tuners:   nickel-plated steel tension pegs with black plastic heads.

Trim:  Heel cap:  integral with back. Fingerboard:  rosewood; 12 nickel-silver bar frets; small ivoroid dots behind 5th, 7th, and 10th frets. Nut:  ebony.

Body:  Soundboard:  one-piece mahogany. Back:  one-piece mahogany. Ribs:  two-piece mahogany.

Inlay:  Binding:  none. Rosette:  black-white-black-white-black five-ply celluloid strips set in from edge, the inner three strips wider. End graft:  none.

Trim:  Bridge:  mahogany; ebony saddle; strings fit in notches on lower edge. Finish:  clear.

Interior:   Linings:  kerfed mahogany. Neck block:  mahogany; beveled corners; circular saw marks visible on face. End block:  mahogany; narrow. Top bracing:  two spruce transverse braces with tapered ends above and below soundhole; wide mahogany bridge plate. Back braces:  two spruce transverse braces, one each at center and lower bouts.

Measurements:  Total ukulele length:  529 mm (20-13/16″)
Back length:  239 mm (9-13/32″)
Upper bout width:  126 mm (4-15/16″)
Waist width:  102 mm (4″)
Lower bout width:  163 mm (6-13/32″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel:  51 mm (2″)
Rib height, at waist:  58 mm (2-9/32″)
Rib height, at end block:  57 mm (2-1/4″)
Head length:  120 mm (4-23/32″)
Head width, top:  61 mm (2-13/32″)
Head width, bottom:  48 mm (1-29/32″)
Neck length (nut to ribs):  175 mm (6-29/32″)
Neck width, nut:  35 mm (1-3/8″)
Neck width, heel:  46 mm (1-25/32″)
Soundhole length:  44 mm (1-23/32″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge):  347 mm (13-21/32″)

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