C. F. Martin 5-15T Flat Top Tenor Guitar (1950)
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Item # 13097
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C. F. Martin 5-15T Model Flat Top Tenor Guitar (1950), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 114594, natural mahogany finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, black gig bag case.
This Martin 5-15T is one of the smallest and daintiest of tenor guitars, in production from 1949 up into the early 1960s. It replaced the earlier 5-17T which had debuted in 1927, when small-bodied tenors appeared to be the next big thing. It turned out that as with 6-strings most players preferred a larger bodied instrument, but the diminutive size 5 tenor with its light and airy sound appealed to enough customers to stay in the line for well over 30 years. The only difference in the -17 and -15 designated models was the level of finish, which most players never even noticed.
This nice playing 5-15T was made in mid-1950, some years before Martin's 4-string sales got a boost from the "folk" era influence of the Kingston Trio. Still 112 of these all mahogany tenor guitars were sold in 1950, the model's first full production year. Despite having passed their early commercial peak by the 1950s tenor guitars continued to be made at Martin after most other manufacturers had given up on them. At $45 list price in early 1950 this would have been the best quality budget 4-string guitar in the world.
The 5-15T is a study in careful economy, the standard Martin appointments reduced to the minimum. There is no trim on the body besides a W/B/W sound hole ring and tortoise celluloid pickguard. The top, back, sides, and neck are all made of mahogany with a rosewood bridge and fingerboard on the 23" scale neck. The Brazilian rosewood-faced headstock has a small "C. F. Martin" decal logo.
While designed in the late 1920s for tenor banjoists getting pushed out of work by the preference for the guitar's mellower tone, tenor guitars have a range of possibilities still not fully explored even in the 21st century. Rabon Delmore used small tenor Martin models to play the deftly picked leads that characterize the Delmore Brothers' music, and many others have explored them since. The Martin tenor has always been the best available and even this small economy model has few peers for 4-string flat-top sonics.
Overall length is 34 1/2 in. (87.6 cm.), 11 1/4 in. (28.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 23 in. (584 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
Overall this is a nice, good playing example the smallest-body Martin tenor. The original thin lacquer finish has some dings, dents and scuffs overall with a couple of deeper scuff marks to the lower top. There are no crack repairs. The original rosewood bridge has been previously reglued, with a newer bone saddle fitted. Internally the first and third back braces have been reglued, the bracing and original small bridgeplate remain intact.
The original frets show some light wear, the original ebony nut is intact. The original Kluson tuners were replaced along the way with more recent Waverly openback pegs. This little style 5 has a nice punchy sound, more powerful than one might expect. It lives in a modern gig bag. Overall Excellent - Condition.
This Martin 5-15T is one of the smallest and daintiest of tenor guitars, in production from 1949 up into the early 1960s. It replaced the earlier 5-17T which had debuted in 1927, when small-bodied tenors appeared to be the next big thing. It turned out that as with 6-strings most players preferred a larger bodied instrument, but the diminutive size 5 tenor with its light and airy sound appealed to enough customers to stay in the line for well over 30 years. The only difference in the -17 and -15 designated models was the level of finish, which most players never even noticed.
This nice playing 5-15T was made in mid-1950, some years before Martin's 4-string sales got a boost from the "folk" era influence of the Kingston Trio. Still 112 of these all mahogany tenor guitars were sold in 1950, the model's first full production year. Despite having passed their early commercial peak by the 1950s tenor guitars continued to be made at Martin after most other manufacturers had given up on them. At $45 list price in early 1950 this would have been the best quality budget 4-string guitar in the world.
The 5-15T is a study in careful economy, the standard Martin appointments reduced to the minimum. There is no trim on the body besides a W/B/W sound hole ring and tortoise celluloid pickguard. The top, back, sides, and neck are all made of mahogany with a rosewood bridge and fingerboard on the 23" scale neck. The Brazilian rosewood-faced headstock has a small "C. F. Martin" decal logo.
While designed in the late 1920s for tenor banjoists getting pushed out of work by the preference for the guitar's mellower tone, tenor guitars have a range of possibilities still not fully explored even in the 21st century. Rabon Delmore used small tenor Martin models to play the deftly picked leads that characterize the Delmore Brothers' music, and many others have explored them since. The Martin tenor has always been the best available and even this small economy model has few peers for 4-string flat-top sonics.
Overall length is 34 1/2 in. (87.6 cm.), 11 1/4 in. (28.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 23 in. (584 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
Overall this is a nice, good playing example the smallest-body Martin tenor. The original thin lacquer finish has some dings, dents and scuffs overall with a couple of deeper scuff marks to the lower top. There are no crack repairs. The original rosewood bridge has been previously reglued, with a newer bone saddle fitted. Internally the first and third back braces have been reglued, the bracing and original small bridgeplate remain intact.
The original frets show some light wear, the original ebony nut is intact. The original Kluson tuners were replaced along the way with more recent Waverly openback pegs. This little style 5 has a nice punchy sound, more powerful than one might expect. It lives in a modern gig bag. Overall Excellent - Condition.