Two Centuries Of History, And We’re Just Getting Started. A Martin isn’t just a guitar. It’s playable history; part of a long line of legendary instruments stretching back to the company’s beginnings in 1833. Our guitars were strummed by Civil War soldiers around campfires, helped shape the sound of modern music at the turn of the 20th century, and were played by music’s first superstars like Jimmie Rodgers and Gene Autry. Decades later, Martins floored the crowd at Woodstock, then took center stage on MTV Unplugged, and can be heard on countless classic and contemporary songs across all genres of music. Artists like Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Neil Young, John Mayer, Seth Avett, and many others all played Martins, creating much of the soundtrack of the last century. And who knows? With one of our instruments in your hand, you could help write the soundtrack for the next century.