Martin electrics?

[Don McK]

Does anyone have, or at least remember having, one of those Martin electric guitars from the 1960s? Any love for them?

I'm not thinking of the Frankenstein versions of their acoustics with added pickups and knobs, but the true electrics, thin line hollow body F series or GTs. I knew a kid who had one (not sure which model) when I was in high school, and I remember playing it and thinking it was pretty good, but that was a long time ago. Martin also made amps, or at least had their name on some, but I never tried those.

A friend had one back then. He bought it primarily on the Martin reputation, and it was an unwieldy and ugly pos in my opinion. My 61’ SG LP was a 1000% better instrument.

 

[skydog]

This is the Tommy Roe GT-70 I mentioned above.

View attachment 257690

Looking at that makes me dizzy…

 

[66Pbass]

My friend had one in the mid 70s that we used to use to record demos to send to record companies.
It played just fine, I liked using it to record with, never used it out playing live.

 

[Just4thefunofit]

Love that, bought the 45 when it came out, loud little record!

The original gloved one!

 

[urizen]

They were built by Martin in PA. Virtually all the parts were from other companies, such as pickups (DeArmond-Rowe), Bigsby, Tuners (Kluson), pots (CTS). As to the design/body shape, they look like an evolution/copy of Maccaferri guitars, of which I believe Martin had some connection later on.

We need a thread on Maccaferris! Back in the Way Back, I thought the plastic (plastique?) models were really intriguing in their own particularly oddball way, but I haven't thought about those for years !!!

Maccaferri plastic guitar

Hidden treasures and stories from our collection

www.maas.museum

 

[telelion]

I have a Maccaferri G40(1953) strung with very very light strings so I can play blues, country, steel guitar bends, rock, fingerstyle, classical, etc. for the amusement of my guitar player friends witnessing the iconic plastic guitar.

Mario was a brilliant man. It is one of the best neck “carves” I have ever played and the faux Brazilian, faux ebony, top, looks, tuning stability are amazing. However it sounds like plastic and in the end is a novelty, but a really well built and cool piece.

 

[peteboggs]

Always gotta post this. 1:56 of Rock & Roll perfection (plus a Starfire!)

Sean Bonniwell FTW!

 

[urizen]

We need a thread on Maccaferris! Back in the Way Back, I thought the plastic (plastique?) models were really intriguing in their own particularly oddball way, but I haven't thought about those for years !!!

Maccaferri plastic guitar

Hidden treasures and stories from our collection

www.maas.museum

As long as we're addressing unusual guitars made from unusual materials, Martin built Felix the Cat model I and model II guitars in 2005 which had a 3/4-size body made from a polymer of some sort (which was braced with wood), the neck was made of multi-laminate wood, the bridge was wood, but the fingerboard (with 20 steel frets) was also polymer (micarta, dense as well as nice and slick), its back and sides are a deep black while the top has pics of Felix in several different poses. It came in a nice padded soft case. A local Guitar Center had them on sale and after I played it for a while in a demo room I decided it was too cool to pass up: I've got #179 of a run of 625. Though it looks almost like an unusually nice toy, it's got a remarkably sweet sound that's good enough to play in both casual and serious situs. It brings both a smile when I haul it out and a look of surprise when folks hear it (on top of that, its size makes complicated/sophisticated chords a snap to finger).

Martin Felix the Cat 2 blk/wh | Reverb

This is about 9 years old, but was just used for display. Martin's FeLiX Has a New Life! Since the early 1900s, when he first pawed his way into the homes and hearts of kids everywhere, Felix The Cat has been one of the most enduring and endearing cartoon characters in history. Felix i...

reverb.com

 

[Muddy100]

Post #69! Woohoo!!

 

[lathoto]

I had a sunburst with one pickup that was kind of thumpy. It did have the original bridge.

An EM-18 is the real animal. Heavily modded with Bardens and a Bigsby. Now that was an axe.

Sold both and went back to a Gretsch...

 

[guitarafficienado]

And here's another MIJ copy...although a bit different:

The guy in the vid is Mike Dugan whom I've known since the 70's. Great, versatile player. He has some good cd's although some of his older stuff is out of print. He has focused on the blues but can do it all - rock, classical, jazz, etc. Also a treat to see live but he doesn't gig as much as he used to. After all these years of seeing him he always pulls something out of the bag on stage that surprises me.

 

[paulg]

I bought a 60’s Strat with a Martin electric neck around 1975. The neck felt good but what a weird thing to do!

 

[Crazyquilt]

I bought a 60’s Strat with a Martin electric neck around 1975. The neck felt good but what a weird thing to do!

Aren't they different scale lengths?

Here's a nice, recent look at a Martin electric: