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The Thrill of Playing a Historic martin guitar
For any passionate acoustic guitar enthusiast, the opportunity too play a museum-quality Martin guitar is a dream come true. Recently, Chris Buck had the chance to demo a 1928 Martin 0-42 for the latest edition of Guitarist, but the experience was tinged with memories of a notorious Hollywood guitar incident.
A Hollywood Incident That Shook the Guitar World
The infamous tale of Kurt Russell accidentally destroying a rare 145-year-old Martin guitar during the filming of the Hateful Eight has become a well-known story in music circles. The guitar, which was on loan from the Martin museum, met its untimely end, leaving the company outraged and prompting them to revise their policy on lending instruments for film productions.
Aftermath of the Incident
While Russell himself seemed unfazed by the incident, the repercussions were significant. martin’s decision to cease lending guitars for film sets has left a lasting impact on the industry. The remnants of the destroyed guitar were displayed publicly for the first time at the last NAMM show, and now, any discussion of museum-grade Martins brings a sense of tension among those involved.
Chris Buck’s Experience with the 1928 Martin
During his demo of the 1942 Martin 0-42, Buck couldn’t shake off the memories of the Russell incident. “I usually don’t feel intimidated by guitars, but handling a Martin that’s nearing its centennial is genuinely nerve-wracking,” he admitted. “Even in a controlled video shoot, the fear of an accident looms large…especially around me!”
Insights from playing a Historic Instrument
Despite his apprehension,Buck shared his thoughts on the experience of playing such a historically significant instrument. “It’s challenging to evaluate it solely as a guitar without getting swept up in the romance of its history,” he reflected.”Once I adjusted to its unique character, it resonated beautifully, reminiscent of every exceptional guitar I’ve encountered, with a natural compression and reverb.”
He continued, “The notes seemed to leap off the fretboard, filling the room in a way that belied its small size. The guitar’s condition and intricate inlays felt surprisingly modern, with the only clear nod to its age being the neck’s width.”
“While this made intricate lead work a bit tricky, the wider string spacing greatly facilitated fingerpicking, hinting at the type of music it likely produced in its early years,” Buck noted.“As someone who doesn’t frequently play acoustic guitar,I might miss some of the subtleties and nuances of such a historically important instrument.”
“The fact that it left such a lasting impression on me, especially after a day of playing numerous valuable instruments, speaks to the magic that exists within those strings.”
This particular Martin recently fetched an impressive £12,000 at auction.
For more insights, grab the latest issue of Guitarist, featuring interviews with legends like Brian May, Eric Johnson, and Rosanne Cash.
