1960s Custom Martin ‘5M’ Tenor Ukulele
Vintage Martin Ukulele. Extremely rare 1960s Custom C.F. Martin tenor ukulele handcrafted by C.F Martin & Co. in Nazareth, PA. This gorgeous and historical piece boasts appointments similar to the legendary 1920s style 5 with slight customized variation.
Martin custom ukuleles are amongst the rarest and most desirable ukuleles to have ever been handcrafted and only a handful of pieces are known to be in existence. This one is a remarkable and historical example of a gorgeous custom tenor ukulele, the only tenor sized ukulele fashioned with mahogany wood with appointments similar to the style 5 that is known to be in existence.
The 1960s C.F. Martin & Co ‘5M’ tenor ukulele is characterized by a gorgeous quartersawn mahogany face, back, and sides with matching mahogany neck for added stability, 14 fret joint to the body brazilian rosewood fretboard with 18 overall frets to the soundhole, matching brazilian rosewood bridge for aesthetic appeal, white bridge pin setup with abalone shell bridge pin inlay, snowflake abalone inlaid position markers on positions 5, 7, 10, 12, and 15, and classic style Champion friction tuners. The instrument also prides itself with a meticulous abalone shell ‘torch’ inlay on the headstock, abalone shell inlay on the soundboard and back of the instrument with top and back faux tortoise shell binding for aesthetic appeal.
There is some play wear on the fretboard but the uke remains in exceptional original condition with little outside wear overall. A clean 9 out of 10 perfect condition. The hard case is also the original case and remains structurally sound although it has sustained aging over the last 50 years!
The overall weight of the instrument varies slightly from that of the production made tenor model ukuleles. This could be due in part to the subtle differences in the density of the woods or amount of abalone shell used between this full custom piece and that of the all standard T-1 models. The ukulele is very well balanced and all seams and joints are cleanly connected and meticulously handcrafted. The edges of the instrument are also ‘soft’ and easy to cradle against your chest when playing. Tonally, it’s a classic Martin mahogany tone; full, rich, and complex all the way up the neck. This also contributes to the incredible projection, clarity, and sustain of the instrument. A very, very nice piece!
This gorgeous instrument is a definite one-of-a-kind C.F. Martin & Co custom ukulele crafted and dated back to Martin’s golden era of guitars and ukuleles and in classic fashion with similar appointments to the legendary Martin style 5 ukulele of the 1920s. A tremendously rare museum-quality collectible ukulele.
Price: SOLD