C . F . MARTIN & CO .
The construction paths of the Custom Shop and that of the regular factory are based on very different modes and methods . For starters , the standard production manufacturing mode employs many team members spread out across a larger area of the factory , with smaller groups specializing in particular operations , e . g ., bending sides , carving braces , installing bindings , performing finish work , or other tasks . Interestingly , even within this production environment clients may still request certain details in a “ hybrid custom ” guitar that has standard manufacturing consistencies dialed into them ( a la the original tri-fold brochure ). For example , one fairly common request is a D-28 with an Adirondack top and a pearl inlaid head plate . The advantage for the client is that he can get those special ( but limited ) fea – tures without having to wait the long lead times associated with a Custom Shop build .
In the Custom Shop mode , that guitar would be built quite differently : it would be constructed using traditional , pre-heated hide glue , hand-shaped “ Authentic ” bracing patterns , and a host of other client-specified details executed by a small team . The instruments resulting from the two paths will share a common Martin “ DNA ”, but they may vary wildly in their aesthetics while also exhibiting sonic nuances and perform at different levels .
( A word is in order here regarding the use of the hide glue in the Custom Shop versus the
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