1922 Beltone A-K
Martin has built a wide variety of instruments over the
many decades since the company’s inception, but few have ever gained traction
other than conventional flat-top acoustic guitars. The brand’s resume includes
archtop acoustics, archtop electrics, solidbody electrics, tenor and plectrum
guitars, acoustic and electric basses, ukuleles, banjos, and mandolins, but you
wouldn’t realize it from browsing the average vintage shop’s inventory. A few of
these Martin instruments are in demand (particularly the high-end ukuleles), but
most command paltry prices in comparison to an early dreadnought.
Of course, this is good news for anyone seeking a bargain
in a vintage instrument. Prices of Martin mandolins are nowhere near the same
level as their Gibson counterparts, yet they exhibit the same fine quality as
the best Martin guitars. This is mainly because most Martin mandolins are
flat-top style As and Bs, which are superb folk instruments but lack the volume
and cutting power required for bluegrass. Martin’s carved mandolins are
considerably rarer, and as a consequence they’ve remained obscure even if they
match Gibson for build quality.
That’s not to say that they sound like their Gibson
counterparts – they don’t. I’ve played several that matched the volume of an
F-5, but the tone is somewhat different. They have tremendous cutting power, but
the bass is not as strong. It’s a remarkable contrast to Martin’s big flat-top
guitars, which emphasize a booming bass sound that can be heard thumping along
under a bluegrass string band. Generally speaking, I prefer my Gibson F-2 for
playing alone, but in a loud group setting, my Martin 2-20 can be heard far more
easily with the same picking style.
It’s not surprising that the sound is different; the
construction of the 2-20 is completely different as well. The curves in the top
and back are much steeper (“graduated like a violin”, according to the
Martin catalog), and the top has an odd
“ramp” carved into the center where it rises to meet the fingerboard. This same
carve was used in the 2-20s siblings, the 2-15 (plainer, without points in the
body) and the 2-30 (the same 2-point body with more ornate trim). Martin also
made short-scale, oval-hole versions of each (the models 15, 20 and 30) which
are similarly rare. All these models except the 2-15 were discontinued at the
start of World War II and not revived afterward.
The 2-20 is built of conventional
woods: a spruce top, maple back and sides, and a maple neck. The fretboard is
ebony and has a 13 ¾” scale. Mine is close to mint condition and is all original
except for the case. It’s one of the best-playing mandolins I’ve ever played,
with a straight neck and perfect action despite not having a truss rod. The 12th
fret neck joint, combined with the narrowness of the body near the joint, makes
upper-fret accessibility easier than on any Gibson I’ve played.
