Martin Shenandoah Guitars website is now online

[NoPicks]

Hello Everyone,

New Member here, and I come bearing a gift

https://www.martinshenandoahguitars.info/
As many of you here know, the individual fates of Tokai Gakki Company Ltd of Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture Japan and C.F. Martin & Co of Nazareth, Pennsylvania USA collided in 1972 when the two companies reached a mutual agreement to manufacture and market the Sigma brand of guitars in the United States. 12 years later, the first Martin Shenandoah guitar received a serial # at the time-honored factory in Nazareth and was released for sale. The website noted above is devoted specifically to guitars with the name Shenandoah displayed on the headstock. Martin "made" just over 22,000 of the hybrid Japan/US instruments, and their production ended late in 1992. After that, very small numbers of MIJ guitars were still being sold by the marketing people at Martin up until roughly the year 2000, and those few guitars are remarkably valuable clues to some very interesting changes in the relationship between Tokai and Martin. One of the secondary goals of the Shenandoah website is to explore that history. Priority #1 is for it to be an accurate, easy to use, one-stop reference for anyone who is holding a Shenandoah guitar in their hands and wants to learn more about it. Quickly. The site is completely non-commercial and you will find no PayPal button, or any other plea for money, there. All I want from you, fellow members (or anybody else, for that matter), is that you put it to good use as the tool it is intended to be, and perhaps get a chuckle or two from the Commentary page every once in a while

Almost all of the basic Who, What, Why, questions are addressed in A Note From The Webmaster, found at the bottom of every page on the site. A decade ago, there was a v.1 of this website. Life got in the way and that version was lost. This time around I'm in a position to do a better job than v.1 was ever even technologically capable of, much less as a repository of useful knowledge and occasional amusement. A few things remain that I think my fellow Tokai Forum members need to know. While I'm painfully aware that it's not my strong suit [/snark], I'll try my best to be brief and to-the-point as possible as I address them in turn

The source of a significant number of the pics shown on the website presents an ethical minefield for me as Webmaster of the site. The Shenandoah files that I have stored on my personal computer, most significantly the pics, are permitted by the Fair Use Doctrine of the copyright laws. The precise instant I post one of those pics on the Shenandoah website without permission from the person that took that pic, I have broken the law. Certainly in the legal sense. That is indisputable. There is also an excellent case to be be made that I have broken one of the few unspoken laws that is shared by the vast majority of human beings who inhabit the entire planet: Do Not Steal. No matter the language, no matter the culture, no matter the Scripture, the rule is the same: Do Not Steal. I agree with that rule. I am now in my 60's and life has taught me the wisdom of that rule more times than I can count, now. I feel the weight of knowing I have broken it every time I post an unattributed pic on the site. That's why there is a Contact button at the bottom of every single page on the webite. It was the best compromise I could come up with. I hope it's enough

A special note for guitar shops and other commercial entities:

If you've ever posted sale pics of a Shenandoah online during the past decade or so, there's a possibility that you recently received an e-mail inquiry about the Shenandoah website by now. I'm well aware that you're running a business not a charity and in the world of business, time is money. Now some total stranger with a dodgy e-mail address wants you to spend some of that precious time giving away something valuable for free, and to top it all off, they're asking about a mid-range (at best) line of guitars that struggle to break the $1000 mark. All I ask is that you take a few seconds to reflect on what really got you into the guitar business to begin with, then let your conscience be your guide. Beyond that one contact e-mail I will trouble you no further

One more thing, and this applies to all guitar shops etc. The only pics I'll ever ask for are of guitars that are already sold. If the listing is still active, my policy is that I won't ever ask to use those listing pics. It just feels like a bridge too far

Welp, that's about it. Constructive criticism is always welcome (check my sigline), so don't hesitate to contact me if you see an immediate, or potential, problem

Thanks

 

[Sigmania]

Congrats!

When I post pics on here I always try to link the source. Easy to do in most cases. Sometimes the links are broken.

Hopefully the worst that happens is they ask you to take a pic down if you did not get permission.

Good luck!

 

[Sigmania]

I haven’t been following Shenandoah’s but pretty sure I’ve never seen one with a torch in lay.

No diamond volute.

Seems interesting.

Rare Shenandoah MHD-28 by martin | eBay

 

[NoPicks]

I haven’t been following Shenandoah’s but pretty sure I’ve never seen one with a torch in lay.

No diamond volute

I caught that one too. There's a couple of things about that guitar that make it an interesting piece of the whole Shenandoah puzzle

1 - The model # has an M prefix, which puts it in the second group of 1993-1996 Shenandoahs. The brand on the back strip confirms this. The first group that comes from this short 3-year period had model numbers with an S prefix, and there are some telling signs that while both groups were MIJ it's quite possible that the change in model number prefixes also notes a change in supplier inside Japan. I may be making too much out of it, but there are some distinct differences between the two groups that point to an entirely different origin for at least some of the parts

2 - There was one (Nazareth assembled) Standard Production model that had a torch on the peghead as standard issue: the 000-2832. That model ran continuously from late-1983 all the way to the bitter end of 1992. Here's a pic of the peghead inlay on the 000



Now here's a pic of a different MHD-28 peghead, from my files



It's the same pattern, and the workmanship matches up pretty well too

BTW I just got my copy of the official Martin history, and found out something important that I didn't know before: the Shenandoahs were not the first Japan/USA hybrids assembled in the Nazareth plant. Check this out

 

[Sigmania]

Yep. That is what I was saying in the Sigma thread.

I wasn't sure about when they were made though.

I had a DR35N at one time. Solid back & sides as I recall.

 

[Sigmania]

The ones with this label, Sigma Martin USA, are solid back & sides from my experience.

I had a couple of them years ago.

I believe they came designated as a DR35N or DR28N

Pieces cut in Japan, assembled in the US like a Shenandoah.

Sigma Martin USA DR-35N 1981 | Reverb

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[NoPicks]

in the 80s,when tokai was so popular and their factories were so busy, tokai often asked the other companies to make the tokai guitars for them. those non-tokai made tokai guitar products often have the inconsistent specs, minor details of the other companies. you are talking about these minor spec issues?

Yes. There may be some indirect evidence for this in the 1990's Shenandoahs. This was a period of great transition for the Shenandoah line, since final assembly and finishing by Martin in Nazareth PA ended early in 1993 and production shifted entirely to Japan. Consider the following pics, and note how the fingerboard inlays changed

First we have two completely different patterns of inlay that show up on the same model, the D6032. The earliest known example was built in 1989 and the last was in 1992. What's really weird is that they seem to have started with the fancy 12th fret inlay, changed to dots at the 12th, and then changed back to the fancy 12th fret inlay. Now consider that there were supposedly a total of less than 40 of this model ever made...





The two guitars above were assembled in Nazareth PA from components made by Tokai

The one shown below is MIJ from some time after 1993 but is still labeled as a "Shenandoah by C.F. Martin & Co



Food for thought....

 

[Sigmania]

1992 is the first year I’ve seen Fenders made by Tokai as I recall. So that’s interesting.

And are you sure Tokai made those and not Terada or someone else?

1990s Terada built LP

Stafford/Tokai LS-450/Gibson R0 Les Paul Japan | Reverb


Looking at Cats Eyee it looks like production drops significantly in the mid 80s.

De-coding Tokai Acoustic Serial Numbers

 

[NoPicks]

are you sure Tokai made those and not Terada or someone else?

I think I'm on pretty firm ground with the Nazareth-assembled Shenandoahs. Tokai's own website confirms they were responsible for the sub-assemblies shipped to Nazareth. It is interesting, though, that they cite the years when that relationship started but not when it ended

After early 1993, nothing is certain. My working theory is that Tokai was responsible one way or another for production of the post-1992 Shenandoahs which were entirely MIJ, but again it's not quite as simple as that

Early MIJ "Shenandoah by C.F. Martin" label w/matching stamp on the backstrip. This model was listed in the 1994 catalog/price list and sold in the USA



There's a couple of things about this pic that stand out when compared to later MIJ Shens. First, note that the model number starts with a letter S prefix. The serial number is 6 digits with no letter prefix - same as the Nazareth-assembled guitars but it doesn't follow the same numbering scheme. The stamp on the backstrap has changed to incorporate the new MIJ Shen logo, which is also shown on the pegheads of these early MIJ guitars

Compare the above to the markings on an "M" series Shenandoah, which were apparently only sold in Japan. These guitars have no paper label at all, the model and serial numbers are stamped on the neck block in ink, and both model and serial number have an M prefix






A lifetime as student of fine woodworking suggests to me that the S model Shens and the M model Shens were not made in the same factory but I have no other evidence to prove it besides the differences shown above, plus the differences in the 12th fret inlay pattern shown higher up in this thread

As far as the Terada connection, I have only this

"Shenandoah" is a brand produced by Terada Musical Instruments under license by Kurosawa Musical
Instruments from Martin.

Unlike the "Shenandoah series" that was produced by Martin until 2010, it is a concept brand that can
be called "Martin Japan"

The quote comes from a listing for an MD-18 that Ishibashi Music sold earlier this year. I tried contacting them in an attempt to get permission to use copies of their pics of that guitar but they have not responded. Without that specific permission, I won't publish their pics on the website but I feel a little more comfortable quoting the text

 

[Sigmania]

I don't have the time at the moment to read through all of that, but the label at the top is Terada I believe. Are you saying that is a Tokai label?

 

[Sigmania]

And can you share where Tokai confirmed that those parts were made for the Shenandoah line and when?

The timing is everything with Tokai. Their production of Sigmas ended sometime in the mid to late 80s as I recall and they were then made in Korea, and the higher end stuff made by Terada I believe.

Kind of parallels what Tokai did with a lot of the Cat's Eyes production.

But Sigma and Shenandoah are Martin brands independent of Tokai and they used multiple OEM manufacturers over the years to produce them.

Would love to see the documentation and when exactly that was happening. I would have doubts that Tokai's involvement went beyond the 1980s.

 

[Sigmania]

All of the labels like this are Terada from everything I have read.

Sigma by Martin OOO-28V OM Acoustic Guitar Non-Export Japan Paper Gold Label Terada Factory w/ OHSC | Reverb

 

[Sigmania]

In fact, now that you mentioned it, 1984 is that last year I see any Martin guitars, or mention of Martins or even Martin strings or spray cleaner in any Tokai catalog.

Let me know if you know of any.

That makes me think the formal relationship ended shortly thereafter. Just a hunch. Wondering if you have anything solid to the contrary?

 

[NoPicks]

In fact, now that you mentioned it, 1984 is that last year I see any Martin guitars, or mention of Martins or even Martin strings or spray cleaner in any Tokai catalog.

Let me know if you know of any.

That makes me think the formal relationship ended shortly thereafter. Just a hunch. Wondering if you have anything solid to the contrary?

Would love to see the documentation and when exactly that was happening. I would have doubts that Tokai's involvement went beyond the 1980s.

All very good points. The Sigma label you showed is prompting me to seriously re-think everything I've taken for granted so far regarding the actual Tokai operation in Hamamatsu being the source for the parts that went into the first-generation Shens - the ones with the Martin-style serial numbers and a Made In USA stamp

I spent more than half of my life as a production worker in various industries and know very well that sub-contracting parts and/or sub-assemblies is something that is not uncommon, regardless of the name displayed on the product. It's beginning to look like I may have made too much of too little evidence

With that in mind, I think that moving my last couple of posts to this thread made perfect sense, and I completely support your decision

 

[Sigmania]

I think you have the right attitude. One thing I’ve had to learn in sorting through Tokai history is that you have to toss out your assumptions and see where the evidence leads you. I still make assumptions, but then I search for evidence to support it. If it’s not there I try a different hypothesis.

Be prepared to be surprised. I’ve been again and again.

Many of these companies either have non disclosure agreements or a gentleman’s agreement. They just don’t reveal their secrets. Especially to outsiders.

Good luck and let me know if you turn up anything. The Terada era for Sigmas is pretty incredible and I know almost nothing about it except that the guitars they made are stunning.

 

[Sigmania]

This seems interesting. I would not believe it wholesale but it may give you some leads as to where to look?

Shenandoah MD18 (S/N:M014012)

"Shenandoah" is a brand produced by Terada Musical Instruments under license by Kurosawa Musical Instruments from Martin 93. Unlike the "Shenandoah series" that was produced by Martin until 2010, it is a concept brand that can be called "Martin Japan"

Kurosawa is a music store in Japan that often commissions special orders like the Terada built Les Paul with the fancy headstock inlay that I posted above. You may reach out to them? Worth a shot.

You might also reach out to Ishibashi wrote that listing and mine them for information?

Good luck!

 

[Sigmania]

I am starting a different thread to gather examples of these to help sort out who made which ones.

The thread is here:

Martin Shenandoah Acoustics

 

[Sigmania]

Another tidbit...

Shenandoah MH00028 Natural [SN M024063] [06/13] | Reverb Brazil

"It is believed to be a model made by Terada Gakki after 1994, when a certain music store obtained a license from Martin."

That music store would be Kurosawa perhaps?

 

[Sigmania]

And I think this all helps me sort out something that had been baffling me...

I am now thinking that when Martin sold off this brand to Kurosawa in the early 1990s that it also so off the Sigma line? Speculative, but may explain all the over the top fancy Sigmas made in the 90s (?) That has always perplexed me. And seems the Sigma brand was sold again as they are being made in China these days it seems.

SIGMA Guitars

 

[Sigmania]

View attachment 36817

The neck block on that one looks a lot like this Terada built (?) SIGMA SEC2000J.

SIGMA Guitars




Which sort of looks like Tokais made at the Terashima factory, but they are different. Notably, the ones I am assuming were made at Tershima have a date in the serial number. And I have only been able to document them up to 1981 and then the examples I can find dry up.

Cat’s Eyes Serial Numbers Ending in Year Made 1975-1981 (Terashima Factory)

Tokai Cat's Eyes 1979 CE1200S