The C. F. Martin guitar company has been making guitars since 1833. Presently headquartered in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, the company is still run by a member of the Martin family. Chris Martin IV, who is the chairman and CEO, is the great-great-great-grandson of Christian Frederick Martin who started the company.

C. F. Martin was a member of the cabinet maker’s guild in Germany. In Europe during the 1800s the guilds were powerful trade unions that controlled the production of goods and services by controlling the entry of tradesmen and craftsmen into the guild. Each guild had their own trades or goods. But The Violin Maker's Guild Began To Assert Their Right To Control The Making Of Guitars, Which Martin, As A Member Of The Cabinet Maker's Guild, Had Learned To Make - The Story.

Whether this is the sole reason or not, Martin moved to the United States, eventually settling in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. There he began to make guitars.

Martin’s acoustic guitars quickly earned a reputation quality musical instruments. Martin’s innovative x-brace design which used scalloped bracing, improved the resonance. By strengthening the guitar it also protected the top of the guitar from warping. The Martin is still largely made by hand. Skilled artisans craft the instrument with techniques that transcend some aspects of automatic machines. Each Martin guitar is essentially a unique work of art.

Martin has made electric and bass guitars, but is primarily known for its acoustic guitars.

Martins made before World War II developed a reputation as a superior sounding instrument. These pre-war Martins typically fetch a high price from collectors and guitarists.

The list of artists who use or have used Martin guitars is extensive. One of Martin’s many contribution to guitar making enhances the desirability of the guitars which are especially prized by folk and bluegrass musicians. Martin made a guitar with a larger body, called the dreadnought. Acoustic musicians utilize this larger body effectively to project more sound.

Martin guitars continue to top wish lists of many guitarists today. And used Martins are still sought for their durability, high quality, and sound.