Martin Ambertone real vintage?

hakkolu · #1 05-14-2021, 05:58 PM

Did Martin actually make Ambertone dreadnoughts in the 1930s? I keep seeing various 30s vintage reissue Martins in Ambertone or darker tones.

ataylor · #2 05-14-2021, 08:30 PM

I don’t think so, but I could be wrong. I think that the ambertone shade tops were more of an early 30s thing and were phased out by the time the 14-fret dreadnoughts came out in 1934. They did do the occasional darker sunburst shade top on those though. Maybe we have some historian/collector forum members who can speak to the rarity of those.

Wade Hampton · #3 05-14-2021, 10:01 PM

Yes, they did, and yes, they were extremely rare. The intensity of the coloring varied from one example to the next, as if it depended on the quality of the light and the mood of the worker spraying the sunburst that day.

whm

dnf777 · #4 05-15-2021, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Yes, they did, and yes, they were extremely rare. The intensity of the coloring varied from one example to the next, as if it depended on the quality of the light and the mood of the worker spraying the sunburst that day.

whm

That would be my Holy Grail....and likely financial demise! JMO of course, but I think their Ambertone finish is the most beautiful way to dress a fine acoustic. The new builds in Ambertone are absolutely stunning. Wish I could have found one!

hakkolu · #5 05-15-2021, 05:43 AM

Thanks for clarifying. Are there any links to Ambertone, darker tone vintage Martins, preferably Dreads?

TDavis · #6 05-15-2021, 07:20 AM

I know this thread is about Martin Ambertone finish, and whether they were even produced "back in the day", but...

A few years ago, I watched a video from Norman's Rare Guitars that had the then-manager Mark Agnesi, playing a 30's Martin 00-18 in a super rare sunburst...and he was saying that those were so rare that there might have only been less than 100 of them even produced. It sounded stellar to me...but I'm quite sure had a stellar price tag as well.

So, I guess Martin produced some Sunburst finishes to compete with what Gibson was doing on a regular basis...but maybe the Ambertone finish came onboard much later.

hakkolu · #7 05-15-2021, 10:34 AM

I have 2 Ambertones one is a D41 and the other a 000-28EC
I found this link, which contains a shaded top D18
https://truevintageguitar.com/blogs/...martin-guitars

Tnfiddler · #8 05-15-2021, 11:15 AM

I’m a HUGE fan of the Ambertone shade top! My D41 is the only shade top I’ve ever owned and it makes me smile every time I open the case and see that top!!

Rev Roy · #9 05-15-2021, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tnfiddler

I’m a HUGE fan of the Ambertone burst! My D41 is the only burst I’ve ever owned and it makes me smile every time I open the case and see that top!!

Yep…it goes particularly well with the 41 bling. I smile too every time you post this pic.

zombywoof · #10 05-15-2021, 12:46 PM

If anyone is interested here is an older UMGF thread about Dark and Shaded tops.

https://umgf.com/viewtopic.php?p=1810402#p1810402

Wade Hampton · #11 05-15-2021, 01:37 PM

ZW beat me to it: Martin generally referred to their dark tops as “shaded tops,” and as I and others have mentioned, they can vary enormously from each other. On most matters Martin was consistent and Gibson was all over the map, but not with their sunbursts. Gibson varied the interior construction of their guitars in what some see as an appallingly undisciplined way, but the paint jobs were consistent.

I suspect that this was because “shaded tops” were very much a minor sideline for Martin, and didn’t really matter in the overall scheme of things for them. But that’s changed and they’re much more consistent with them now.

By the way, I feel that same sense of joy Tnfiddler mentioned whenever I take one of my Ambertone top Martins out of its case: they’re pretty and they sound great!

whm