Anyone remember Martin Electric guitars?

[Dru Edwards]

Yep, Martin did make electric guitars. Anyone ever own/play/see one before?

EM-18. Pic taken from: http://www.myrareguitars.com/1979-ma...lectric-guitar

[Steve DeRosa]

Actually there were several other abortive attempts to enter the electric market, beginning with the 00-18E/D-18E/D-28E (AKA "Kurt Cobain") models in the late-50's. When these proved to be a failure, they introduced the more conventional F-series single- and double-cut hollowbodies (along with a small line of amplifiers made by an outside firm, possibly Supro/Valco) by 1962, followed by the GT-series electrics around 1966 (marking the first appearance of an adjustable truss rod on a Martin product, BTW); these instruments were only marginally more successful and departed the lineup by early '68. The EM-18 was introduced in the late-70s - BTW it's a set-neck, not a through-body as suggested by its multiple laminations - and came in both guitar and bass versions, as did its all-mahogany successor 28-series electrics; By the mid-80s Martin had discontinued conventional electric guitar production in Nazareth, instead importing a short-lived line of bolt-neck instruments under the Stinger name before (wisely) abandoning the market entirely...

Hope this helps...

[The Growler]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Yep, Martin did make electric guitars. Anyone ever own/play/see one before?

EM-18. Pic taken from: http://www.myrareguitars.com/1979-ma...lectric-guitar

Ugh! And here I thought that the headstock on a Martin acoustic was ugly!

(Just kidding guys, don't flame me about the acoustics).

[Ruppster]

I played some of these and found them all lacking...they lack tone, feel and, most of all, they were void of that Martin mystique. I have a couple of Martin acoustics and there's something about holding an playing one that is hard to define but tangible nonetheless. Other guitars have this too. Martin electrics, to me at least, were strangely sterile. I'm curious as to what others think..

[zabdart]

Probably the biggest mistake Martin made with these guitars was farming their manufacture out overseas. The quality one associates with Martin flattops just wasn't there with any of its attempts at electrics. Martin didn't get archtops, either. Fortunately, Chris Martin decided to make the company focus on what it does best.

[BTF]

That EM-18 reminds me of a contemporary series of guitars issued by Vox. There was a Custom 25 which had a Strat bridge, but otherwise looked much like that Martin.

[GHS]

I believe there is one on display at Nazareth.

[j3ffr0]

I have an E-18. These guitars were, in fact, made in the USA right there in Nazareth. It ain't no Stinger, Sigma, or Shenandoah! My E-18 actually plays better, sounds better, and stays in tune better than most Fender Strats and Les Pauls I've played that were made around the same time. With the built in coil taps and phase switch it's far more versatile than competing instruments of that vintage. How long did it take Gibson to catch up and offer these features on standard guitars?

Yeah -- these instruments were ahead of their time. They only failed due to marketing and brand positioning. If they'd thrown a whammy bar on them, and got some long hairds with make-up to play them, things might have went down differently. Good for anything from metal to smooth jazz.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by The Growler

Ugh! And here I thought that the headstock on a Martin acoustic was ugly!

(Just kidding guys, don't flame me about the acoustics).

It's a unique electric guitar headstock, that's for sure. Very different than what we're used to.

Originally Posted by j3ffr0

I have an E-18. These guitars were, in fact, made in the USA right there in Nazareth. It ain't no Stinger, Sigma, or Shenandoah! My E-18 actually plays better, sounds better, and stays in tune better than most Fender Strats and Les Pauls I've played that were made around the same time. With the built in coil taps and phase switch it's far more versatile than competing instruments of that vintage. How long did it take Gibson to catch up and offer these features on standard guitars?

Yeah -- these instruments were ahead of their time. They only failed due to marketing and brand positioning. If they'd thrown a whammy bar on them, and got some long hairds with make-up to play them, things might have went down differently. Good for anything from metal to smooth jazz.

Great to hear from an owner. Do you still play it much? Is it your primary electric?

[shark81]

Originally Posted by j3ffr0

I have an E-18. These guitars were, in fact, made in the USA right there in Nazareth. It ain't no Stinger, Sigma, or Shenandoah! My E-18 actually plays better, sounds better, and stays in tune better than most Fender Strats and Les Pauls I've played that were made around the same time. With the built in coil taps and phase switch it's far more versatile than competing instruments of that vintage. How long did it take Gibson to catch up and offer these features on standard guitars?

Yeah -- these instruments were ahead of their time. They only failed due to marketing and brand positioning. If they'd thrown a whammy bar on them, and got some long hairds with make-up to play them, things might have went down differently. Good for anything from metal to smooth jazz.

I have an E-18 also probably one of the most well made electric guitars of it's time, best neck by far but, weighs a ton ! thank god for the strap locks!

[shark81]

The Martin E-18 Series

Martin EM-18

Martin’s E series electrics were produced in two broad series, the 18 series (E-18, EM-18 and EB-18 bass) and the 28 series (E-28 and EB-28 bass). All the Martin labeled instruments were made in the USA.

The E series guitars have interesting stories, made more vivid by the fact that the key people involved in their design and production helped me immensely when I was researching the history. The various books and articles previously available vary in their accuracy, and it has taken quite a lot of detective work to build what I believe to be a complete and accurate picture. My thanks to Dick Boak, John Marshall, Pete Entstasser and of course CF Martin and Co, my history would be a lot less interesting without their enormous contribution, not least of course that they made all these instruments in the first place.

Starting with the 18 series, we’ll look at the instruments and the production facts.

The 18 series was Martin’s first solid electric guitar, and was designed by Dick Boak. Unusually, a new 4-digit serial number was used for the 18 and 28 series instruments, starting at 1000. The first production instrument shipped was an EM-18, serial number 1004, in December of 1978. The last was 3645, an EB-18 at some point during 1980. A total of 341 E-18’s, 1,375 EM-18’s and 874 EB-18’s were manufactured, a total of 2,590 instruments. Of course if the first were 1004 and the last 3645, that should be 2,642, so we should probably assume a numbering skip or some instruments rejected in QA, or a combination thereof.

Many people believe (because many books are unclear about this) that the 18 and 28 series were manufactured concurrently, this is not the case. The last 18 series was made before the first 28 series went to production – however because there was some inventory 18 series instruments were sold into the 1980’s by distributors.

The 18 series comprised three models: two six strings (E-18 and EM-18) and the EB-18 bass. The E-18 and EM-18 were virtually identical, with some minor electronics changes. The EB-18 was Martin’s first production electric bass as well as it’s first solid electric bass. Despite appearances, these instruments are not neck-through but set neck.

Myths and Legends

1. Two higher specification 18 series basses were produced, designated the EMB-18. I have no idea if this is true or not, I have only seen it referenced once. If anyone knows more – let me know!

2. The 18 series was produced 1979-83. Not true – Dec 78 to Late 1980/Early 1981.

3. The hard case was actually a modified gun case. True.

(To be continued)

The Martin E-18 models made in the USA:



They were pretty much orphaned on birth and not very well supported by management or distribution. it was however a great experiment and well executed

if you ever get the chance to hold and play one (they are rare) you will be very pleasantly surprised.

[AVTaylor83]

Wow I had no idea Martin ever made electrics!

[Bob Womack]

Originally Posted by j3ffr0

They only failed due to marketing and brand positioning. If they'd thrown a whammy bar on them, and got some long hairds with make-up to play them, things might have went down differently. Good for anything from metal to smooth jazz.

Spandex. It's all about the spandex. They should have gotten a spandy man to endorse.

Bob

[j3ffr0]

I don't always play an electric, but when I do it's my E-18!

Not really. Although I have played that one more than any other electric the past few years. It's versatile and has held up well --- well except for one time. When I was very young I was doing some recording and I had the thing plugged in. This female singer had tried out for my band ended up being my first real girlfriend. Anyway I was working hard to make her happy, and my foot got tangled around the guitar cord while the thing was plugged in on the stand. It fell over and busted the headstock off. I made a repair myself a few years later, and it held up for about 18 months. By the mid 90s I finally had a decent job. I called Martin in Nazareth and described what I had. The guy I talked to said he'd look into it. They called me back and told me it was an E-18, and they said they could put a new neck on for $500, but that was probably more than the guitar was worth. I got them to do it. It's indistinguishable from the original neck. They did a great job, and I feel lucky to have gotten it repaired.

Bob's right. A good spandy man, a leather boy, and a couple mullet heads and everyone would have one.

I did not know the hard case was a modified gun case. That explains why a couple of people who saw it cased thought it was gun some years back.

Mine is pretty like the one in the pic with the following exceptions:
Includes phase switch
Black truss rod cover
Black pickups (covered)
Black toggle switch

My serial number 3055. I bought it new in late 84 or early 85. It was my first good electric.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by AVTaylor83

Wow I had no idea Martin ever made electrics!

That's one of the reasons I created this thread - to bring awareness .