Although best known for their superb guitars, C. F. Martin & Co. also has made many other fine instruments over the years. Among these are three separate styles of mandolin. The first, introduced in the late 1800s, were bowlback models made in the style of European (particularly Neapolitan) instruments that were very popular at the time. These were the most ornate instruments ever produced by the conservative Martin firm. The last style of mandolin, introduced in the late 1920s, featured carved tops and backs and were an attempt to compete with the successful designs of the Gibson company. In between (and overlapping with) those styles were the flat-back Martin mandolins. Of the three mandolin styles, these are the most guitar-like in their construction and thus benefitted substantially from the company=s extraordinary success as a builder of fine guitars. Although these instruments (first introduced in 1914 and still available on special order) retained the bent top of the earlier bowlback styles, their design owes much to the Martin flat-top guitars.
Above, left to right, Martin Styles A, B, C, D, and E,
all dating from the 1910s and 1920s.
Style C has unusual hybrid pickguard.
Styles of Martin Flat-Back Mandolins
Martin flat-back mandolins used the same materials as their
contemporaneous guitar models. Initially, all had 9" body widths, which changed to 92" in late 1917. After 1917, the
entry-level Style A had back and sides of mahogany. Styles B through E were always made of
rosewood and featured progressively more ornamentation as one ascended the model
hierarchy. The Bs had rosewood and holly purfling around the edges of the body, a
herringbone center strip on the back, and either herringbone or black-and-white purfling
around the soundhole. Style Cs added abalone around the soundhole and, on some instruments
built after discontinuation of the Style D, around the top body edge, as well. The
earliest Cs and Ds had ivory binding but this was discontinued in late 1918 when celluloid
became available.
Martin Style D
Few Ds exist. Only seven production instruments were made as Style Ds, five in 1914 and two more in 1917. The Ds feature more extensive abalone than Cs, with both the soundhole and body edge trimmed in shell. Also, the position markers on the neck were more numerous and intricate than the cut-diamond pattern found on the Style Bs and Cs, and more attractive rosewood was used. Like all early flat-backs, they had a 9" body. The Style E was made in greater numbers than the Style D (62 are documented), largely because it continued in production longer. Es received additional abalone in the form of a lily-like inlay on the headstock and more extensive body trim, encompassing the top, back, and side edges. The bridge was ivory as was some of the binding on the instrument. The tuner buttons were engraved celluloid, at least on early instruments. The Style A is roughly the cosmetic equivalent of the 18-series guitars, the B corresponds to the 21s. The Cs seem to have no direct equivalent but are roughly similar to guitar styles 30 and 34. The Ds are most comparable to the 42 and Es to the 45 model guitars.
It is difficult to define the parameters of the D with precision because few exist and descriptions and photos are rare. Photos of at least two of the seven production instruments are publicly accessible. These show minor variation. The D (from the Mandolin Bros. instrument set mentioned below) in the row of photos above and the one pictured separately (and described in Longworth=s history of Martin instruments) have different shaped pickguards but share the four characteristic features of Style D: 9" body width, abalone purfling and rosette, fancy pearl neck inlays beginning at the first fret, and the absence of the Style E=s headstock inlay. This combination of appointments appears to be what makes a Martin mandolin a Style D.
Martin Style E mandolins are rarely available and their retail prices run between $5,000 and $6,000. The considerably scarcer Style Ds virtually are never available on the open market as individual instruments, although, recently, Mandolin Bros. has offered a complete set of Styles A through E for $15,980. The most expensive single instrument in the set is clearly the Style D because of its rarity, although the set will only be sold intact. Collectors regard Style Ds as the Holy Grail of Martin mandolins.