Vintage Vibes | 1838 Martin & Bruno Parlor Guitar

Fender Highways Series Event Featuring Julia Rizik

Join us at Chicago Music Exchange on Thursday, November 30, for a special Fender event introducing the new Highway Series guitars and featuring Fender artist Julia Rizik in CME’s Lincoln Avenue showroom!

In addition to a demonstration of the new series, guests will receive Fender-branded swag. Guests will also be invited to record themselves playing a Highway Series guitar to enter an exclusive raffle!

LEARN MORE ABOUT UPCOMING EVENTS AT CME!

The Elusive History of the Ultra-Rare Vintage Martin & Bruno Parlor Guitars

Behold! Among all the rare, collectible vintage guitars in CME’s ever-changing inventory of vintage and used instruments, we’re preparing to part with one of the most astoundingly playable—yet, historically confounding—acoustic guitars we’ve ever owned, built by the founder of America’s oldest guitar manufacturer, Christian Frederick Martin, himself!

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What Makes This 185-Year-Old, C.F. Martin–Built Guitar So Special?

At first glance, the parlor-sized guitar body, ivory (or, perhaps, simply “bone”?) bridge, and Stauffer-style headstock all betray this guitar’s age. But, if you take a look inside the soundhole, you’ll see one maker’s mark you’d expect to find, followed by an ampersand and another name you almost surely wouldn’t—“Martin & Bruno”—making this one of only TWO Martin & Bruno acoustic guitars known to exist, today!

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The Elusive History of Martin & Bruno Guitars

…An ampersand and another name you almost surely wouldn’t expect to find—unless you’re Greig Hutton, author of Hutton's Guide to Martin Guitars: 1833-1969 (Centerstream Publications, 2022), which builds on earlier archival work, filling in gaps using source documents, and features forewords by Dick Boak, George Gruhn, and Joe Spann.

While writing his history of America’s oldest acoustic guitar maker, Hutton contacted Chicago Music Exchange to inquire about the 1838 Martin & Bruno parlor acoustic, which had formerly been part of the Scott Chinery Collection, before being acquired by CME. Further investigation into the Martin & Bruno label’s content produced a clue that gave more insight into the big question: “Who is Bruno?”

Beneath the name “Martin & Bruno,” the label reads: “212 Fulton St., near Broadway, New York,” and then, “importers and dealers in musical instruments, wholesale and retail.” I.e., the address on the guitar manufacturer’s label refers to this particular instrument’s distributor in New York.

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Considering that this guitar had been built in New York the year before C.F. Martin packed up his family and moved the Martin clan and guitar manufacturing business to Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in 1838 (where C.F. Martin & Co. has remained since) led Hutton to posit a final answer to the question, “Who is Bruno?” He was simply another among a handful of instrument distributors to have helped C.F. Martin maintain his brand name’s cachet, which the founder spent five years building up while living and working in the biggest city in the U.S.

C.F. Martin’s solution? In a testament to the then-burgeoning manufacturer’s business acumen, he partnered with New York musical instrument distributors, like Charles Bruno—as well as John Coupa, the distributor of Martin & Coupa guitars of the same era—to retain his hold in the New York market.

Yet, since Charles Bruno was the one manufacturer with whom Martin’s founder had the shortest distribution agreement, relatively few Martin & Bruno guitars were built. Thus, only two Martin & Bruno guitars are known to have survived since 1838. And, CME is humbly honored to have owned one of them!

Watch Daniel Escauriza and Nathaniel Murphy discuss the backstory behind this extraordinarily playable, uber-rare vintage collectible, and hear how this historical instrument from the Chinery Collection sounds in Nathaniel’s hands!

Plus, check the huge variety of vintage and used instruments, ranging from rare collectible investments to player-grade road ready pieces on our website, in-store, or in the CME mobile app!

SHOP VINTAGE & USED GEAR
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SHOP MARTIN GUITAR

Martin Custom Shop 000-28 14-Fret Natural 2019
Martin Custom Shop 000-28 14-Fret Natural 2019
Martin Custom Shop 000-28 14-Fret Natural 2019
Martin Custom Shop 000-28 14-Fret Natural 2019
Martin Custom Shop 000-28 14-Fret Natural 2019
Martin Custom Shop 000-28 14-Fret Natural 2019
Martin Custom Shop 000-28 14-Fret Natural 2019
Martin Custom Shop 000-28 14-Fret Natural 2019
Martin Custom Shop 000-28 14-Fret Natural 2019
Martin Custom Shop 000-28 14-Fret Natural 2019

Martin Custom Shop 000-28 14-Fret Natural 2019

$ 72,415.00
Martin Custom Shop D-28 VTS Sitka Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop D-28 VTS Sitka Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop D-28 VTS Sitka Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop D-28 VTS Sitka Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop D-28 VTS Sitka Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop D-28 VTS Sitka Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop D-28 VTS Sitka Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop D-28 VTS Sitka Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop D-28 VTS Sitka Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop D-28 VTS Sitka Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural

Martin Custom Shop D-28 VTS Sitka Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural

$ 68,996.00
Martin Custom Shop Authentic D-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic D-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic D-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic D-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic D-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic D-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic D-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic D-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic D-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic D-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural

Martin Custom Shop Authentic D-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural

$ 116,008.00
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural

Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Natural

$ 116,008.00
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Ambertone Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Ambertone Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Ambertone Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Ambertone Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Ambertone Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Ambertone Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Ambertone Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Ambertone Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Ambertone Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Ambertone Vintage Low Gloss

Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Ambertone Vintage Low Gloss

$ 124,296.00
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-28 1937 Adirondack Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-28 1937 Adirondack Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-28 1937 Adirondack Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-28 1937 Adirondack Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-28 1937 Adirondack Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-28 1937 Adirondack Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-28 1937 Adirondack Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-28 1937 Adirondack Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-28 1937 Adirondack Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural

Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-28 1937 Adirondack Spruce/East Indian Rosewood Natural

$ 124,296.00
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss

Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss

$ 124,296.00
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Stage 1 Aging Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Ambertone
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Stage 1 Aging Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Ambertone
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Stage 1 Aging Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Ambertone
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Stage 1 Aging Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Ambertone
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Stage 1 Aging Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Ambertone
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Stage 1 Aging Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Ambertone
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Stage 1 Aging Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Ambertone
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Stage 1 Aging Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Ambertone
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Stage 1 Aging Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Ambertone
Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Stage 1 Aging Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Ambertone

Martin Custom Shop Authentic 000-18 1937 Stage 1 Aging Adirondack Spruce/Genuine Mahogany Ambertone

$ 136,728.00

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