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Photo: Discover Lehigh Valley, PA from Lehigh Valley, PA, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
In Nazareth is the global headquarters for C.F. Martin & Company, which manufactures Martin guitars. Martin guitars are handmade instruments that once were made by artisans who apprenticed for years to learn their trade. Now, Martin Guitars are made largely on an assembly line monitored and assisted by workers, computers, and lasers. Assembly lines at Martin were instituted to lower costs, improve speed of production, and compete with foreign manufacturers, without which efforts it is said that the company would have ceased to survive. Take a tour and see how these famous guitars are made. Pre-registration (available on the website) is required.
C.F. Martin & Company, often referred to as Martin, is an American guitar manufacturer established in 1833 by Christian Frederick Martin. Founded in New York City, it relocated to Nazareth, Pennsylvania, where it has remained since, in 1839. It is highly respected for its acoustic guitars and also manufactures ukuleles; the company has historically also made mandolins, tiples, electric guitars, and bass guitars.