sessions in Nazareth celebrate guitar company's 175th anniversary

By Ben Slivnick | Of The Morning Call August 3, 2008 came from the U.S. coasts, United Kingdom, Italy and the Netherlands. They

''No other place else would see something like this, where a bunch of guitarists just take over a town,'' said Richard Starkely, who traveled from Franklin, Tenn., to Nazareth to celebrate Martin's 175th anniversary.

The 53-year-old guitar craftsman has worked for Martin and other companies, but said no other guitar he's seen has stood up to its sound and legacy.

Hundreds of Martin guitar aficionados -- 250 alone from the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum -- descended on the town for the Martin on Main event, spilling into its shops and past the roads police blocked off for the celebration, which featured open mic shows, food and art shows.

The musicians mingled with locals who came out to witness the fanfare, which will continue through Monday. Today, guitarists will be holding clinics at Nazareth Borough Park and the celebration will conclude with the Martin Guitar Owners' Club meeting at the company's factory on Monday.

The guitar's legacy has included Paul Simon, Johnny Cash and David Crosby, but it began in a Nazareth workshop.

The German-born Christian Fredrick Martin started his company in 1833 in New York after concluding his home country's restrictive guild system limited his opportunities as a guitar craftsman.

But he quickly moved his operation to Nazareth, preferring its rural setting. There, he developed the flat-top design now standard for acoustic guitars.

He also created Martin's classic ''X'' bracing interior that give its guitars more resonant bass tones and clear trebles.

And while modern technology has streamlined the production process, Starkley said their design has changed little -- an ideal their owners tout proudly.

''A Martin guitar is a piece of a history,'' said Brittany Ann Tranbaugh, 17, of Easton. ''As a folk musician, it just feels right to me.''

The company's history has also bred a cult of collectors, who spent the day shopping and trading stories about classic models.

Mark Stalwich, 57, of Golden Bear, Wash., owns 10, including the Martin D-45, ''the holy grail'' of the company's iconic dreadnought series.

He insists they all sound different and refuses to play a guitar from any other company.

''Certain guitars when you pick them up, when you hit the low E string, you get this vibration in your chest,'' he said. ''I don't get that in Gibsons or Taylors.''

Rain cut short the outdoor festival, but the group vowed to continue playing until early this morning.

''It's more than a piece of wood glued together with another special wood,'' said Mac Carter, who is the administrator of the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum . ''We have a sense of community.''

ben.slivnick@mcall.com  phone  610-820-6735

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b1_5guitar.6532173aug03,0,6276486.story

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