Martin Vintage 1960s Sopranos

[Joralin]

Hello Guys,

I have two Martin Style 0 Sopranos in mind.

Both have the word "Made in USA" Stamp inside.

So they were built 1962 or later.

My question is now, how can I date them and be sure they are Vintage (not newer than 1960s)?

I can separate them from the recent ones, but I think Martin produced some ukes every year and also some new ones1992.

The second question : Are 1960s Martin's inferior to 1930,1940 and 1950s Martin's soundwise?

 

[Quad57]

Are 1960s Martin's inferior to 1930,1940 and 1950s Martin's soundwise?

The magic is in the wood. Vintage Martin ukuleles -- or guitars, for that matter -- have a characteristic sound, but that doesn't mean they're all created equal, or that a given instrument from the 1930s is necessarily going to sound better than a particular one made thirty years later. Prewar instruments are rightly coveted for their sound as much as their collectability, but if you search on youtube I think you'll probably find videos comparing two or more instruments from the same period that sound strikingly different -- warmer or brighter, more or less volume, etc. In any case, unless you lay hands on an instrument it's hard to be sure it's the one for you. Such is the vintage instrument game! As for dating Martin ukes, it can be hard to do with any precision, particularly if the tuners have been swapped. Your best guide is Tom Walsh and John King's great history, The Martin Ukulele: The Little Instrument That Helped Create a Guitar Giant, a book no home should be without!

 

[Quad57]

To add to what I said above, there's no question you'll find a disproportionate number of truly great Martin instruments made in the prewar era, but even there things are not always as simple as they seem. I know a fine player who has an early '30s Martin T-1 tenor as great as you'll ever hear: the Martin sound incarnate. However, he says that before he can use it on a session it needs to sit in a humidified case for a couple of days to stabilize it. With the caveat that not all instruments are created equal, you're generally on safe ground buying an original-condition Martin from the 1920s-1960s for a couple of reasons. First, the woods are of a consistently high quality, properly aged. Second, Martin and other high-end manufacturers had a level of quality control that is sadly almost a thing of the past. I've heard more than one story of recent Martin ukes where the decal has peeled off the peghead. Of course it's not just ukuleles, either. A luthier friend had a customer bring an expensive, custom shop Gibson Les Paul guitar on which the neck had torqued. Who knew that could happen if the wood was cut on the bias!? Things like that make me feel like I'm stuck in the wrong century.

 

[Joralin]

Thank you both for all that input, I appreciate that .

Do you know when Martin stopped producing style 0 ukes? Did they produced any of them after the 1960s, and before 2012?

Because I want to be sure it's a vintage one from the 1960s.

 

[Neil_O]

Look into the shape of the tuners and the washers they are made with, when you are doing the research recommended above. You may find the clues to reassure you.

 

[Quad57]

According to Walsh and King, Martin began using the Made in USA stamp in 1960. Style 0's were available by special order only after 1977 and were discontinued in 1994.

 

[Quad57]

That's a good thing, they're fugly!

To each their own, but suffice to say that some of the current Martin models are, um, not to my taste.

 

[EDW]

To each their own, but suffice to say that some of the current Martin models are, um, not to my taste.

Well, the good part is that there are tons of vintage Martins from various eras out there to choose from

 

[Quad57]

ell, the good part is that there are tons of vintage Martins from various eras out there to choose from

There are, although it's harder all the time to find real bargains. The constant frustration is having to convince people that just because they see someone (say, a Japanese eBay seller!) asking a certain price online, that doesn't mean that's what the instrument will end up selling for, or that market values are the same for an eBay listing and a local sale. Still, there are lots of great instruments squirrelled away. The hope is always that when grandpa died the family stuck his vintage Martin in a closet or under a bed rather than in a mouldy tool shed.

 

[EDW]

Yes, you can look on Reverb and other sites and see some listings that are a bit too high and have been listed for years. I guess they are waiting for the right person with money to burn.

The bargains are out there, but it can take time to find them. I spend WAY too much time looking at Martin listings. There are always good ones popping up. In some cases you may have to be willing to accept some cosmetic issues or have minor repairs done. Some of that depends on what you are looking for. Some folks want a player and have no problem with some issues, while some want something in almost new condition. Once you figure out where your comfort zone is there are probably some good options.

 

[Quad57]

Yes, patience is essential, but so is decisiveness. I've had the experience, both with musical instruments and home audio gear, of just missing out on spectacular bargains that sold within minutes of appearing online, but I've also been the lucky winner a few times, too. It's always a bit of a crap shoot buying online, but there are also many key signs that the seller is or is not to be trusted. Fortunately, in the case of Martin ukes there are still many great ones out there and it's a small enough market that there's usually not a great panic to jump into a purchase. I won't buy an instrument unless the seller provides quality photos and is willing and able to answer a detailed series of condition questions.