Martin 5-17 terz guitar case?
joe myers
I just, unbelievably, pulled a near mint 1940 Martin 5-17 guitar form
a thrift store for $49.
What a jem. I would like info on where to get a hard shell for this.
Are new hard shell style 5 size cases available?
any help would be appreciated.
Hojo2x
>I just, unbelievably, pulled a near mint 1940 Martin 5-17 guitar form>a
thrift store for $49.
Arghh! You lucky guy! I'll write you a check for $59 for it, right NOW!
Okay, okay, I'll make it $98. Double your money!
Seriously, congratulations. What a lucky find. The fact that I'm insanely,
poisonously jealous doesn't keep me from feeling happy for you.
Two possible sources for cases: the first place I would check would be with
Harptone cases, formerly an independent company but now a subsidiary of TKL.
It seems to me that they might already have a Martin "5" size case available.
The C.F.Martin Guitar Company itself does not have a "5" size case available,
and probably will not unless they decide to introduce a lower priced "5" model
into their regular lineup. A couple of years ago they made a limited run of
very expensive "5" models, but the cases for those were purchased in a batch
solely for that limited run, and they don't have any spares.
You might try calling Martin and working your way up the food chain until you
find someone who can tell you who made the cases for them for that run.
Chances are that it was TKL, since they make most of Martin's cases, including
the Geib-style cases at the high end and those flat lid hardshell cases at the
low end of the line. (I'm not sure who makes the thermoplastic Martin cases,
but it's probably TKL, as well.)
If it was indeed TKL who made the cases for the limited run of "5" guitars
Martin made a year or so ago, then you'd probably have to go to TKL's Cedar
Creek Case Company custom shop division to get one.
That can run into some serious bucks, but it's worth protecting the instrument.
The good news would be that they would already have the mold for the shell.
Be prepared to spend some real money on the case. The instrument itself is
worth at least $1500, so it's worth investing some of the money you saved (you
lucky dog!) in proper protection for it.
Ordering a totally new case shape and size can be fraught with difficulties,
but ordering something they've made before is pretty safe.
So check with Harptone first, if you can find their number, and if they can't
help you try Cedar Creek.
One more possibility: rumor has it that Martin MIGHT, in fact, reintroduce the
"5" size in a less expensive version, possibly at the Winter NAAM show.
Maybe.
Perhaps.
Could be, or could not.
Maybe next year. Maybe never.
That "terz guitar reintroduction" rumor has been floating around for a year or
two, which is why I'm hedging my comments even more than usual.
But what I think I would do in your circumstance is check with both Harptone
and Cedar Creek, get price quotes, and then wait for the Winter NAAM show to
see if Martin does unveil an attractively priced "5-1" or a "5-16" at that
trade show.
If they do, it'll probably be summer before you could get a case. But it might
be worth waiting for.
Hope this helps.
Wade Hampton Miller
El McMeen
"Hojo2x" <hoj...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20011206182219...@mb-fs.aol.com...
> Joe Myers wrote:
>
> >I just, unbelievably, pulled a near mint 1940 Martin 5-17 guitar form>a
> thrift store for $49.
>
> Arghh! You lucky guy! I'll write you a check for $59 for it, right NOW!
>
I hate him, too.
EM
Hojo2x
>>I just, unbelievably, pulled a near mint 1940 Martin 5-17 guitar
form>a>thrift store for $49.
I wrote:
>Be prepared to spend some real money on the case. The instrument itself is
>worth at least $1500, so it's worth investing some of the money you saved
>(you>lucky dog!) in proper protection for it.
Having gone back and re-read the thread, I realize I was thinking about the
spruce-topped Martin 5-18 when I quoted that value, as opposed to the
all-mahogany 5-17.
I'm sure it's still quite valuable, and obviously worth far more than the $49
Joe paid for it. But I don't know precisely what it is worth.
Be that as it may, I stand by this bit of advice:
>it's worth investing some of the money you saved in proper protection for it.
Wade Hampton Miller
Jerry Dallal
: So check with Harptone first, if you can find their number, and if they can't
: help
Can't help you? Can't help you?! This is Harptone you're talking
about--Brooklyn, New York. They'll help you.
Seriously, if it's not a stock item, they'll custom build. I just had
them do a custom concert uke case.
Hojo2x
>: So check with Harptone first, if you can find their number, and if
they>can't>: help
Jerry Dallal wrote:
>Can't help you? Can't help you?! This is Harptone you're talking
>about--Brooklyn, New York. They'll help you.
>Seriously, if it's not a stock item, they'll custom build. I just had >them
do a custom concert uke case.
Glad to hear it, Jerry. There was some confusion about a year or so ago, when
TKL took over the place and the elderly lady who'd run the Harptone office
since about the second Grover Cleveland administration chose to retire. Some
luthiers who'd dealt with Harptone for a long time (in some examples, for
decades) reported that they weren't getting the sort of service they'd been
accustomed to, and a lot of those guys switched to Cedar Creek at that time.
But it sounds like Harptone is back on track. Good to hear.
Two questions: do you have a phone number for Harptone handy and what, if I
might ask, did they charge for the uke case? Just curious.
Thanks.
Wade Hampton Miller
Jerry Dallal
: Two questions: do you have a phone number for Harptone handy and what, if I
: might ask, did they charge for the uke case? Just curious.
I don't have the #. Sorry. I worked through my local dealer. It was
custom. I paid around $150, and that was a great price for custom. Had
some fun with it, too. It was for a concert uke. Gary Filgate, co-owner
at Acoustic Outfitters in Stratham, NH, traced it out himself, very
carefully,... A few weeks later the case arrived. When I went to the
store I brought a tenor with me to see what would happen when it didn't
fit. When I saw his jaw drop, I had to 'fess us right away and pull out
the concert. Fit like a glove.
JimLowther
>I just, unbelievably, pulled a near mint 1940 Martin 5-17 guitar form
>a thrift store for $49.
I'll double your money. $100.00 cash!
;-)
Jim Lowther
Peter MacDonald
of the TKL hardshell cases for the Larrivee Parlor would fit? The
case is available from First Quality Musical Supplies (www.fqms.com).
Peter
Hojo2x
>I don't know the size of the Martin 5-17, but is it possible that one>of the
TKL hardshell cases for the Larrivee Parlor would fit?
Unfortunately, no. The Larrivée parlour is closer to the size of an old Martin
Size 2 or 2½, and as such is considerably larger than a Size 5. A 5-17 in a
Larrivée parlour case would rattle around like a dried pea in a pod, or (more
in keeping with traditional RMMGA imagery) like one of them teeth in Texas Tom
Risner's lower jaw....
Wade Hampton "Waiting For The Next One To Pop Loose" Miller
Tom from Texas
>Unfortunately, no. The Larrivée parlour is closer to the size of an old
>Martin
>Size 2 or 2½, and as such is considerably larger than a Size 5. A 5-17 in a
>Larrivée parlour case would rattle around like a dried pea in a pod, or (more
>in keeping with traditional RMMGA imagery) like one of them teeth in Texas
>Tom
>Risner's lower jaw....
>
>
>Wade Hampton "Waiting For The Next One To Pop Loose" Miller
>
they're still floatin' in the jar of moonshine for cleanin'. It's them uppers
that are loose...of course, if I's can get my head a shakin' just right, then I
can be fixin' ta make ma own rhythm section especialy when I combine it with
the two loose kneecaps.
Tom (justa settin' the record straight) from Texas
joe myers
Well, I believe I'll be keeping this one. I oiled the fingerboard, put
on a set of lights, and it sings like a bird. The most odd part of the
find is that two days before, in a different thrift store, I went home
with my tail between my legs as I saw the gentlemen a minute ahead of
me plop down a wopping 8$ for a pristine Martin Uke. I saw him show it
to his wife and she just made a disgusting face so I though he was
going to not buy it. I was wrong. He did not know what it was for
sure. So to find this 5-17 a mile away 2 days later at a different
store was nothing short of astounding to me. It did come with a very
old parlor case that is to big. As I told Wade, this little fellow is
giving my Dyer harp guitar a real run for playing hours right now, and
that cost a lot more than $49. I have discovered the magic of the
terz.
best
Joe Myers
http://www.joemyers.net
RJ Swanson
brown Gibson case for $400, and the guy was delighted!
"joe myers" <doob...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:25b97b01.01120...@posting.google.com...
Jack
Terz. Cousequently the cases must be avaioable, but most probably for more
than your 5 cost
joe myers
> That "5" size has just been re-issued by Martin as a 5 41. It is called a
> Terz. Cousequently the cases must be avaioable, but most probably for more
> than your 5 cost
>
Hi Jack,
Thanks for the info. I posted a separate thread that I have found an
new original Martin/Geib size 5 case on ebay. ($130)
So.. the search is over at a reasonable price. Yes, more than the
guitar though. Thanks again.
Joe Myers
http://www.joemyers.net