Premier Guitar | 2 years ago

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Join John Bohlinger as he gets an inside look at how after over 100 years, the epicenter of acoustic guitar still resides in Nazareth, PA. Here you'll see the historic company combining their 140-year handmade tradition with a forward vision of luthierie that incorporates 21st-century machinery and computerized optimization.

With roots that date back to the early 19th century, the multi-generational Martin Guitars—which also employs a host of multi-generational builders—draws on their long history to combine the traditional handmade methods of their early days with modern 21st century computerized optimization, all of which are on display throughout this thorough, detailed factory tour that makes every stop along the assembly process.

Instrument design manager Rameen Shayegan leads Bohlinger through the factory, where they see workers, each specialized in various parts of the creation process, building the company’s instruments. Their first stop starts at the very beginning of the manufacturing process, at the raw wood acclimation department and the sawmill, and we get to see firsthand where guitars begin to take shape and necks are rough cut. Next, we see how backs are made and are introduced to the clamp carrier machine, where they’re glued up and set to dry. Braces are then carved and installed onto the guitars’ tops—which we see being laser cut to precision—and backs. Once the sides are bent, a rim is applied, glued, and a guitar body is made. Then, binding is installed, necks meet the bodies, frets meet fretboards, guitars are finished, and we meet the imposing and futuristic polishing robot, which makes that finish shine.

By the time the tour winds down in the setup department, we witness the final steps of the Martin creation process, where guitar get the Plek-machine treatment, get strung up for the very first time, and electronics are installed. Quality control doesn’t stop until after every instrument spends time in four-day hold and gets a thorough reinspection before shipping off to its next destination.

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00:00 - Intro Video
00:13 - John Bohlinger & Rameen Shayegan Intro
00:38 - Factory Overview
01:32 - Raw Wood Acclimation & Sawmill
04:22 - Necks & Premium Wood Selection
06:45 - Custom Shop Woods
09:09 - Handpicking Sides
11:09 - Matching & Gluing Tops and Backs
14:31 - Martin Parade Float & X-Bracing Designs
18:25 - Gluing Braces
19:39 - CNC Laster Cutting Tops & Backs
20:58 - Candling Tops
22:57 - Carving & Shaping Braces
25:00 - Bending & Joining Sides
27:06 - Adding Ribbon Lining
27:51 - Gluing Top & Back to Rim Sides
30:06 - Binding Phrasing
32:08 - Joining Neck to Body
35:05 - Fretboards
36:32 - Neck Shaping & Sanding
37:30 - Surface Prep and Body Sanding
38:01 - Buffing
41:01 - Final Assembly
43:16 - Setup & Shipping

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