For over 170 years the C.F. Martin company has produced some of the finest flat-top acoustic guitars in the world. Martin's designs for the shape and construction of these instruments have influenced virtually every other manufacturer, and the flat-top guitar as we know it today is essentially the same as that established by Martin in the 1850s. At one time or another Martin's guitars have driven the sound of every kind of popular music, from country to pop, from bluegrass to rock 'n' roll, and with the current resurgence of acoustic music, Martin's premier guitars are once more finding a new generation of enthusiastic musicians. The Martin Book is a fresh view of this extraordinary guitar maker, pulling together many strands of musical and manufacturing lore into a fascinating whole that illuminates Martin's long and varied history. Dozens of specially commissioned full-color photographs show every kind of Martin model, some of which come from Martin's own unique collection. Meticulous listings for collectors and enthusiasts simplify the identification of Martin instruments and detail virtually every guitar that the company has produced since the early 1830s.