Maury's Blog

Blueridge BR-180 vs. Martin D-45
The Blueridge BR-180 is one handsome acoustic guitar with a powerful voice. The gorgeous tonewoods are inlayed with high-color abalone pearl, making this stunning stallion stand out from the herd, as the top-of-the-line dreadnought in the Historic Series. The Martin D-45 is the flagship of C. F. Martin’s Standard Series, setting the standard for professional-level acoustic guitars. In this blog post we will compare and contrast these two exceptional examples of modern luthiery.

You might be surprised how many guitarists do not know the difference between a strap button and an end pin. Maury’s Music encounters this issue so often that we would like to set the record straight, with the hope that customers will not order the one thinking it is the other.

The clear, woody tones singing from the sound hole of an Auditorium-size acoustic guitar with mahogany back and sides and topped with Sitka spruce makes beautiful music indeed. The Blueridge BR-143 is just such an instrument. On paper, the BR-143 appears to be quite similar to the celebrated Martin 000-18. You know what? They actually are quite similar, with perhaps the biggest difference between them being the expense required to own a 000-18 compared to the amazingly affordable price of the BR-143.

The latest installment of Maury’s popular A vs. B series compares two popular guitar models, the Blueridge BR-163 from the Historic Series of traditional designs inspired by various pre-war Martin guitars, and the Martin OM-28 from the Standard Series, which upgraded in 2018 to get its own pre-war Martin styling. These two awesome Auditorium-size acoustic are similar, yet offer a unique playing experience from one another.

Maury has been a proud member of the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum since 2002 & he's attended every MartinFest. This year, Martinfest was officially cancelled again (for all the right reasons) - but many UMGF members & friends have also joined the Friendship & Music Facebook Group... and we've decided to get-together for a one-day jam. 

The Fretboard Journal Podcast Episode 332: Maury's Music!

The Contour Pick from Luxe by Martin
Maury appeared on Aaron Short Music to discuss the exciting new Contour Pick from Luxe by Martin. It is one impressive piece of swanky space-age gear! The entire show was devoted to discussing and demoing this ingenious, high-flying guitar pick that has now landed at Maury’s Music. It is ready and waiting to take off in your hand and launch your music to new heights of toneful clarity and increased depths of definition.  

C.F. Martin & Co. Appoints New CEO!

Leadership Transition Ensures Growth and Stability for America’s Legendary Guitar Maker

On behalf of the Board of Directors of C.F. Martin & Co., we are happy to announce that Thomas Ripsam has been appointed the company’s new Chief Executive Officer. Effective today, June 14, 2021, Mr. Ripsam succeeds longtime Chairman and CEO, Christian Frederick Martin IV, who assumes the role of Executive Chairman.

The terms “X-bracing,” “forward-shifted bracing,” and “scalloped bracing” are encountered all over the internet and often mentioned by Maury when discussing Martin guitars. But many people do not understand what these terms actually refer to and why they matter when it comes to the sound production of an acoustic guitar. And since Martin simplified their public spec sheets in recent years, there is even less information on their website concerning the details of what bracing is being employed to make their many different models.

Mahogany or Rosewood? The answer is “Yes!” Yes to both. We are now going to explore the marvelous qualities that make mahogany and rosewood the most revered tonewoods used to create world-class acoustic guitars, in this, our May edition of Maury's Music’s A vs. B.