In the electric guitar scene, there are “Fender” and “Gibson”; in the acoustic guitar scene, there are “Martin” and “Gibson”—two giants that are widely recognized across all genres. So what about the world of the ukulele? For those familiar with the instrument, “Martin” and “Kamaka” seem to be the established names, but how are they perceived by younger fans?Although Herb Ota—known as the “God of the Ukulele”—is a devoted user of a 1920s Martin Style-3, the fact remains that there aren’t actually many Martin players. Perhaps because the brand’s image as an acoustic guitar maker is simply too strong, or perhaps due to its reputation for being expensive, the recognition of Martin ukuleles today seems to be somewhat low.Now that the genius ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro—known as the “Jimi Hendrix of Hawaii”—is attracting attention and showing signs of a resurgent ukulele boom, it’s the perfect time to unravel the twists and turns of Martin ukuleles’ history and reaffirm their true value.
“The Martin Guitar Company” was founded in 1933 by C.F. Martin (Christian Frederick Martin, Sr.), who had emigrated to the United States from Germany. Starting out in a small workshop on the outskirts of New York, Martin Sr. produced one innovative guitar after another, incorporating fresh ideas—such as the “X-bracing” internal structure that has been passed down to this day—in the land of freedom that is America.The fruits of his labor blossomed thanks to the dynamic leadership of his successor, the third-generation F.H. Martin (Frank Henry Martin), who took over in 1888. Aided by the massive success of mandolins—produced in anticipation of demand from the growing Italian immigrant population in the U.S. at the time—“The Martin Guitar Company” made great strides. It was also during this era that the company began crafting ukuleles.
Around 1920, at the beginning of the 20th century, an unprecedented ukulele boom swept across the United States.Records indicate that the first Martin ukulele (prototype) was built on December 10, 1907, at the request of the Boston-based publisher “Oliver Ditson.” However, the initial prototype did not receive favorable reviews; the spruce top and heavy bracing gave it a solid, guitar-like feel that did not seem to match the image of a light, bouncy ukulele tone.After repeated trial and error, the prototype for the modern Martin ukulele was finalized. The final design—which featured mahogany instead of spruce for the top, reduced bracing, and a body made of wood that was significantly thinner than that of a guitar—made its market debut in 1916.Riding the wave of the ukulele boom, Martin ukuleles became a huge success; to meet demand, the factory was doubled in size and the workforce expanded. In 1920, the company began producing ukuleles made from Hawaiian koa wood, and their bright, lively sound—reminiscent of Hawaiian-made ukuleles—gained acceptance among an ever-growing number of players.
At its peak in 1926, Martin Ukuleles reportedly produced a record 14,000 units, but the company faced a downturn due to the waning of the boom and the economic instability caused by World War II. Production of the Hawaiian koa models ceased in 1942, and the mahogany models—which had been actively produced until the mid-1960s—were also discontinued in 1978 as demand plummeted.C.F. Martin III (Christian Frederick Martin III), the son of Henry Martin, took over the company. While the popularity of Martin acoustic guitars soared on the wave of the postwar folk music boom, Martin ukuleles began to decline.
In the 1990s, the company began producing the Style-0, Style-3, Style-1C, and Style-1T as custom orders, but full-scale production did not resume until the 2000s. Jake Shimabukuro, a prodigious ukulele player known as the “Jimi Hendrix of Hawaii,” garnered attention, signaling the return of a ukulele boom.His emergence brought attention to high-quality ukuleles suitable for advanced playing, paving the way for a reappraisal of Martin ukuleles. In 2006, Chris Martin, the current CEO of Martin, reissued the legendary Style-5K. It boasted a level of craftsmanship and an overwhelming presence that were more than enough to reaffirm the true capabilities of Martin ukuleles.Since then, models such as the Style-3, Style-2, and the Concert model with Hawaiian koa wood have also been reissued, marking the beginning of a movement to restore the ukulele’s “Golden Era.”
Differences Among Soprano Models
Martin ukulele soprano models are classified into five styles: Style-0, Style-1, Style-2, Style-3, and Style-5. For some reason, there is no Style-4. The dimensions are: overall length 533 mm, body length 240 mm, body width 162 mm, and scale length 345 mm.The basic specifications for the mahogany models (Styles 0–2) are: top—solid mahogany; sides and back—solid mahogany; neck—mahogany; fingerboard—rosewood; 12 frets; and a two-layer rosette. Styles 1K, 2K, 3K, and 5K feature a body made entirely of solid Hawaiian koa.Styles 3 and 5 feature ebony fingerboards.
The main difference between Styles 0 through 2 is the body binding. Style 0 has no binding; Style 1 has rosewood binding (changed to dark plastic after 1938); and Style 2 features ivory binding on both the top and back.
The Style-3, released in 1918, featured a 5-layer rosette, 7-layer top binding, 3-layer back binding, a center line on the fingerboard, diamond-pair inlays (changed to dots after the 1940s), a celluloid ornament at the bottom of the top (discontinued in the 1940s), and 17 frets.Furthermore, the high-end Style-5K model, released in 1922, was adorned with beautiful, lustrous abalone inlays on the headstock (flowerpot), body binding, rosette, and fingerboard (snowflake). Its greatest appeal lies in its opulent and magnificent appearance, complemented by the beautiful grain of the finest Hawaiian koa.It appears that a mahogany version of the Style-5 was produced for only one year, from 1941 to 1942, but it has become a “phantom model” that is virtually never found on the market.
Evolution of Specifications
Let’s take a look at several specification changes that can help you roughly estimate the model year. First, the headstock logo. From 1916 through 1933, the inscription “C.F. Martin & Co., Nazareth, PA” was engraved on the back of the headstock. From 1933 onward, it became a decal (sticker) on the front of the headstock.During the transition period, there are rare examples that feature both the engraving and the decal. Additionally, starting in 1962, “Made in USA” was added to the “C.F. Martin & Co., Nazareth, PA” engraving inside the body.
Regarding frets, bar frets were used until 1934, after which they were replaced with T-frets. Finally, the tuning pegs: Styles 0 and 1 switched from the standard wooden friction pegs—which had been standard equipment since their initial release in 1927—to Rotomatic-type pegs, while Styles 2 and 3 made the same change starting in 1923.
Martin Style-5K
Although records show that 965 units were produced between 1922 and 1940, fewer than 200 are known to exist worldwide today, and it is said that only about 100 are actually playable—making the Style-5K a legendary, elusive instrument. Featuring luxurious abalone inlays, it is a masterpiece truly worthy of being called the pinnacle of the ukulele world.
- Body: Hawaiian koa wood
(Top & Back: Ivoroid & abalone binding) - Neck: Mahogany
- Fingerboard: Ebony
(Snowflake, Diamond, and Cat’s Eye inlays, 17 frets, Ivoroid binding) - Soundhole: Pearl Abalone & Black & White Wood
- Headstock/Hawaiian Koa Wood Top (Flower Pot Inlay), Mahogany Back
- Tuners: Ivoroid Patent
1922: Production began
1923: First appeared in the catalog
1925: Abalone inlays were added to the sides
1927: Abalone inlays were removed from the sides
1940: Production ended
1941: Production of the Style-5 mahogany model began
1942: Production of the Style-5 mahogany model ended
Martin Style-3
The Style-3 was released in 1918 as part of Martin’s high-end ukulele lineup. This masterpiece exudes character and presence thanks to its three-line inlay at the center of the fingerboard, the celluloid ornamentation along the lower edge of the top, and the diamond-pair inlay on the fingerboard.
- Body: Mahogany or Hawaiian Koa
- Neck: Mahogany or Hawaiian Koa
- Fingerboard: Ebony (diamond-pair inlays, 17 frets)
- Soundhole: White celluloid & ivory maple (5-ply)
1918: Production began (only early models featured three-line inlays in the center of the fingerboard)
1920: Production of the Style-3 Hawaiian Koa began
1923: Switch to patent tuners; headstock ornamentation was removed
1938: Production of the Style-3 Hawaiian Koa ended
1977: Production ended
Martin Style-2
The Style-2 is distinguished by its ivory-white binding on the top and back.
- Body: Mahogany or Hawaiian Koa
- Neck: Mahogany or Hawaiian koa
- Fingerboard: Rosewood (small dot inlays, 12th fret)
- Binding: Ivory celluloid
1916: Production began
1916–1922: Wooden friction pegs
1920: Production of the Style-2 Hawaiian Koa began
1923 and later: Patent pegs
1933: Production of the Style-2 Hawaiian Koa ended
1965: Production ended
Martin Style-1
The Style-1 is characterized by its rosewood binding (changed to dark plastic starting in 1938).
- Body: Mahogany or Hawaiian Koa
- Neck: Mahogany or Hawaiian koa
- Fingerboard: Rosewood (small dot inlays, 12th fret)
- Binding: Rosewood
1916: Production began
1916–1926: Friction pegs
1920: Production of the Style-1 Hawaiian Koa began
1918–1937: Rosewood binding
1927 onward: Patent pegs
1942: Production of the Style-1 Hawaiian Koa ended
1965: Production ended
Martin Style-0
The Martin Style-0, a timeless standard model, was produced for a long period from its release in 1916 until 1977.
- Body: Mahogany
- Neck: Mahogany
- Fingerboard: Jacaranda
- Bridge: Ebony
- Frets: 12 (12th-fret joint)
1916: Production began
1916–1923: Mahogany nut
1924 onward: Ebony nut
1922–1926: Wooden friction pegs
1927 onward: Patent pegs
1977: Production ended
Others
In addition to the soprano size, models such as the 1-C (Concert), 1-T (Tenor), Style-51 (Baritone), Taropatch (8-string), and Tiple (10-string) were also produced.
Tiple, Soprano, Concert, Tenor, Baritone (L. to R)
★ 1-C (Concert)
Featuring the same decoration and finish as the Style-1, this model is slightly larger than the Soprano. While the Soprano has a scale length of 346 mm, the Concert has a scale length of 375 mm.
- Body: Mahogany
- Neck: Mahogany
- Fingerboard: Rosewood (small dot inlays, 12 frets)
- Binding: Rosewood to dark-colored plastic
- Patent pegs
1925: Production began
1925–1937: Rosewood binding
1938: Dark plastic binding
1966: Production ended
★ 1-T (Tenor)
Designed for solo players with a 432 mm scale length. It uses standard ukulele strings for the same tuning as a soprano ukulele, but can also be tuned a fifth lower—the same as a guitar—when using gut strings.
- Body: Mahogany
- Neck: Mahogany
- Fingerboard: Rosewood (small dot inlays, 18 frets)
- Binding: Rosewood to dark-colored plastic
- Patent pegs
1928: Production began
1928–1937: Rosewood binding
1938: Dark plastic binding
1977: Production ended
★ Style-51 (Baritone)
The Baritone is popular not only among solo guitarists but also, more recently, among singer-songwriters. It is often tuned to D-G-B-E, the same as the top four strings of a guitar.
- Body: Mahogany
- Neck: Mahogany
- Fingerboard: Rosewood (small dot inlays, 21 frets)
- Binding: Dark-colored plastic
- Tuners: Patent Pegs
1960: Production began
1977: Production ended