Christian Frederick Martin

Who was Christian Frederick Martin?

Christian Frederick Martin, Sr. was a German-born American luthier who specialized in guitars. He made the first guitar in the United States in the 1830s.

Born in Markneukirchen, Germany to a family of cabinet makers, Martin became an apprentice of the guitar maker Johann Georg Stauffer of Vienna, Austria. Martin also became a foreman at Stauffer's workshop.

As a result of a dispute between the Cabinet Makers Guild, of which Martin was a member, and the Violin Makers Guild, Martin moved to the United States in 1833. On arriving in New York City, he set up shop at 196 Hudson Street on the Lower West Side. Martin’s first workshop housed a small production setup in the back room, and a retail music store up front. This shop was the forerunner of C. F. Martin & Company, which is still family-owned and operated, whose current CEO is CF Martin's great-great-great grandson, CF Martin IV as of 2014.

At the insistence of his wife, Ottilie Lucia Kühler, Martin moved the guitar shop in 1838 to Nazareth, Pennsylvania where it is still located.