2016 Bernd Martin "40th Anniversary" SP/CSAR

This 2016 Bernd Martin "40th Anniversary" (No. 7 of 8) is a spruce and CSA rosewood classical guitar from Granada, Spain, kept by Bernd in his personal collection for two years before it came to us.

No. 7 of 8, from Bernd's Own Collection

To celebrate 40 years of lutherie (1976–2016), Bernd Martin built a limited run of 8 very special instruments. When he took on this project in 2016, only one was originally intended to be sent to GSI (3 of 8). Two years later, however, this instrument – the 7th in the series, kept until then by Bernd as part of his personal collection – became available.

In Bernd Martin's Words

"The '40th Anniversary' guitar is a special limited edition of only 8 instruments. It is the fusing together into one model all of the different improvements I have developed in my mind over the course of my career, which until now have never been integrated together like this. My aim was to create an instrument that showcased the best and most matured elements of my style, especially with consideration of the sound characteristics I have been refining for so long. These instruments will be built with only my best materials, selected from the most premium woods that I have been collecting and aging over the past 40 years. All other components are first-class – the best I can find, and include: golden, non-allergic titanium frets which are very durable; and custom-made Scheller tuning machines with dark mother-of-pearl and buffalo horn rollers. The neck of this guitar is hand split from large boards, not sawn, so there is zero runout with all the wood-fibers straight together. This dramatically improves the 'feel' to the left hand, sensitive to even the slightest vibrations. The guitar is in a fine silver BAM case."
– Bernd Martin

Bernd Martin (1954–2018): The First Foreign Guitar Maker in Granada

Born in Stuttgart in 1954, Bernd Martin moved to Granada, Spain, in 1976 to master the art of guitar making. He apprenticed in the workshops of Antonio Durán and José López Bellido, and also received the tutelage of Eduardo Ferrer. Bernd was the first (of many) non-Spaniards to establish himself as a guitar maker in the city of the Alhambra, with a workshop in the Albayzín district. In 1999 he won first prize in the "Concurso Nacional de Luthería" (National Luthiery Competition) organized by José Luis Romanillos.

Father and Son in the Sacromonte

From 2006 Bernd worked together with his son, Lucas Martin, in a new shop at the very top of Granada's Sacromonte. Bernd – "Martin" to everyone in Granada – passed away in the late summer of 2018; Lucas carries on in the same workshop. During Bernd's lifetime GSI was the exclusive US dealer for both Bernd and Lucas.