C.F. Martin/Southern California Music Company
Steel String Hawaiian Guitars
"M. Nunes & Sons" and "Rolando" Models 1350, 1400 and 1500
In July of 1916, with Hawaiian music all the rage, the C. F. Martin Co. shipped six samples each of Hawaiian koa wood guitars, with appointments generally similar to Martin's styles 0-18, 0-21, and 00-28, to the Southern California Music Company of Los Angeles, a chain of Southern California music stores, and one of Martin's largest accounts. SoCal provided Martin with the koa wood from Hawaii, and asked that the trim on these guitars, designed for playing in the Hawaiian style, be as close as possible to those of SoCal's popular ukuleles. To appeal to the Hawaiian market, SoCal asked that the Martin stamp be replaced with the Southern California Music Company stamp, and affixed decals on the headstocks bearing the name "M. Nunes & Sons, Hawaii" and labels inside with either the name "M. Nunes & Sons" or "Rolando". These early samples had koa wood back and sides and tinted spruce tops, but after seeing the samples, SoCal decided to offer all koa guitars, and to market the three models as the 1350, 1400, and 1500. The first of the new SoCal models was shipped in November of 1916.
These guitars, and those Hawaiian guitars designed at about the same time for the Oliver Ditson Company, were the first Martins to be built for steel strings. And while Martin had previously used fan bracing only for their gut string guitars built in the Spanish Style, and had since switched it's production to X-bracing, Martin curiously decided to build these early heavier steel string guitars with braces in the shape of a fan. The Model 1500, however, for reasons we may never know, has X bracing.
1916 Model 1400 #28, 1919 Model 1350 #14001, 1917 Model 1500 #181, and 1916 Spruce Top Sample with no serial number
The guitars designed for SoCal had serial numbers of their own. The Model 1400 shown here, from the very first batch, is number 28. The numbered guitars started with number 19, apparently allowing for the eighteen samples which were sent without serial numbers. The later Southern California Music Company Hawaiians have trim similar to a regular Martin, and Martin serial numbers. While earlier SoCals bear the Southern California Music Company name on the headstock, later examples have either both the SoCal and Martin names or the Martin name only.
The early Model 1350 and 1500 examples I've seen have the "Rolando Koa Wood Guitars" label, while the 1400 has the "M. Nunes & Sons, Royal Hawaiians" label inside. The later examples have the Martin stamp inside.
C.F. Martin/Southern California Music Company Sample Model 1350
This guitar is one of the six original samples with spruce tops which were requested of Martin by the Southern California Music Company, in a style similar to the Martin 0-18 but suited for playing in the Hawaiian style, with steel strings and fan bracing, similar to Hawaiian guitars made in the same year by Martin for the Ditson Company.
The sample Nunes also has the same single ring rosette seen on Ditsons and guitars made by Martin for several other firms, and a tinted spruce top similar to those seen on many Ditsons.
No serial number.
These samples have no serial number, while the regular production appears to begin with serial number 19, accounting for the six samples of each model.
These early guitars were made with Koa wood supplied by SoCal.
This sample instrument has the "M. Nunes, Hawaii" decal on the headstock of the guitar.
This sample has neither the Southern California nor the Martin stamp on the back of the headstock, however. There is neither a Martin nor SoCal stamp on the back strip inside the guitar.
C.F. Martin/Southern California Music Company Model 1350
1916 Southern California Music Company Model 1350
Fan style braces similar to a Ditson dreadnaught.
Stamped inside, "C.F. Martin & Co., Nazareth, PA"
Stamped on back of headstock "Southern California Music Company, Los Angeles"
Early examples have the "Rolando" label
Both the initial samples for the Model 1350 and the earlier 1350 with the Rolando label have a single ring rosette like many of the guitars Martin made for others such as Ditson, Wurlitzer, and Foden, but the later examples with Martin serial numbers have a standard Martin three ring rosette.
Rolando 1350
SoCal serial number 95
This early example has a Rolando label and a Hawaiian decal on the headstock without the Nunes name.
This example has a Martin headstock stamp.
1919 Southern California Music Company Model 1350
Martin serial numbers 14001 and 14003.
#14001
#14003
These later examples with Martin serial numbers have no headstock decal or inside label, but a SoCal stamp on the headstock.
In 1919, Martin began selling their less expensive guitars with rounded slots in the headstock. Previously, all Martins had square slots, a process that took extra time which was in short supply as as Martin's production was doubling yearly. Curiously, these two guitars, two serial numbers away and both from the same batch, have different style headstocks, which is not surprising if you follow Martin history. It also appears that two different stamps with slightly different typefaces were used on these two examples. No doubt, the necks were made first, and different styles appeared when the workers reached into the pile when it came time to attach a neck.
14003 and 14001
C.F. Martin/Southern California Music Company Model 1400
1916 Southern California Music Company "M. Nunes & Sons." Model 1400
This beautiful variation of a style 21 guitar made for the Southern California Music Company was marketed as the Model 1400, the middle of the three models produced by Martin for SoCal.
With an "M. Nunes and Sons" interior label and headstock decal, and a Southern California Music Co. stamp on the back of the headstock.
The Martin name is conspicously absent from this guitar.
From the first batch of production SoCal guitars, this was also one of the first batch of Martins to utilize all Koa wood construction. Interestingly, the vibrantly flamed koa is quite different from the plainer wood used on both the less expensive Style 1350 and the higher priced Style 1500.
Along with the early Ditson dreadnaught, also made with fan bracing, this was also one of the first production Martins made for steel strings.
The pyramid style bridge seen here is a later replacemement.
SoCal serial number 28.
C.F. Martin/Southern California Music Company Model 1500
1916 Southern California Music Company "Rolando" Model 1500
Beautiful original condition variation of a style 28 guitar made for the Southern California Music Company, and sold as the Model 1500, the top of the SoCal line.
With a "Rolando" paper label, Southern California Music Co. stamp on the center strip of the back, and a Martin stamp on the back of the headstock.
From the first batch of production SoCal guitars, this was also one of the first batch of Martins to utilize all Koa wood construction.
Along with the early Ditson dreadnaught, this was also one of the first production Martins made for steel strings.
Interestingly, while all other early Hawaiian steel string Martins have fan bracing, the early Style 1500 has X bracing, though it appears to have been made for Hawaiian playing. None of these early Hawaiians were actually set up for Hawaiian playing with high strings, but were meant to be played in the Hawaiian style with a nut extender.
Later examples of this model have standard Martin trim and Martin serial numbers.
SoCal serial number 181.
The early Rolando 1500 has the Martin stamp on the headstock, but a Southern California Music Company stamp on the back strip inside the guitar.
This early Rolando 1500 has the Hawaiian decal on the headstock without the words "M. Nunes" or "Hawaiian".
The Rolando 1500 also has a unique fretboard inlay not seen on any other Martin.
...and a back strip Marquetry different from other Martins as well, though similar to other Martins from the period.
Oscar Schmidt Rolando
It's been said that SoCal supplied Martin with sample SoCal ukuleles so that Martin might match the trim on the new Martin built models to existing instruments in the SoCal line.
This guitar, remarkably similar to those produced by Martin, with the exact same headstock decal, same "Rolando" label, similar marquetry, and similar koa body, but apparently made by Oscar Schmidt, leads me to belive that SoCal had this guitar produced before the Martin, and supplied a guitar such as this for Martin to replicate.
Unless SoCal moved to this cheaper version after the Martin. Which is possible, since the first sample Martin SoCals did have the "Nunes" label, not the "Rolando", and did not have the similar trim.
No serial number
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With careful examination, note at the bottom of the label above: "Oscar Schmidt, Inc. Jersey City" printed on a second label underneath:
I was wondering which of the Chicago makers built the guitar.
So you can imagine how surprised I was when I photographed the label and "Oscar Schmidt, Inc. Jersey City" popped up in front of my eyes on the camera display!
I never would have noticed this by inspecting the guitar in hand alone.
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