Martin & Co. Guitars

Martin History

C.F. Martin & Company, established in 1833 by  Christian Frederick Martin, is a distinguished American guitar manufacturer renowned for its high-quality acoustic instruments. Martin, born in 1796 in Markneukirchen, Germany, was the son of a cabinet maker and apprenticed under the esteemed guitar maker Johann Georg Stauffer in Vienna. In 1833, seeking greater artistic freedom amid restrictive guild regulations in Europe, he immigrated to the United States and opened his first shop in New York City.

By 1839, Martin relocated the business to Nazareth, Pennsylvania, where the company remains headquartered today. Throughout its history, C.F. Martin & Company has been a family-run enterprise, with leadership passing through six generations. The current chairman, Chris Martin IV, continues this legacy.