C.F. Martin announced it will use FSC-certified recycled Sitka spruce in one of its new cutaway guitars, the GPCPA4 Sapele, part of the company’s Performing Artist series.
The wood, which will be used on the tops of the guitars, is from dismantled Canadian bridges.
“Martin Guitar has long been committed to research and innovation to find alternatives to rare woods,” said Chris Martin, the company’s chairman and CEO. “The use of this recycled traditional tonewood will complement the Sapele wood that this guitar utilizes, allowing us to achieve the same structural integrity and traditional Martin sound.”
This makes Scott Paul, director of the forest campaign for Greenpeace, pretty happy.
“In order for a musical instrument manufacturing company to become more sustainable, they have to look at the primary resources from the planet that they’re using and get those resources in the most environmentally sustainable way,” Paul told triplepundit.com.
Martin has been at the forefront in tone testing and the development of alternatives for acoustic guitar construction, having introduced new models that utilize domestic woods such as ash, maple, walnut, cherry and red birch, among others. In addition, the company is researching and implementing alternatives for some models, including: patented High-Pressure Laminates for the popular X Series and Little Martin guitars; aluminum tops for the Alternative X models; Stratabond® birch laminate for neck blanks; Micarta® and Richlite®, unique fiber laminates, for fingerboards and bridges; and a shell laminate called Abalam that greatly increases the yield of precious abalone and mother of pearl for decorative inlays.
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
