Madame De Goni’s Martin | Elderly Instruments

A look at the oldest known example of a Martin with an X-braced top.

Madame De Goni was a popular performer who traveled throughout the Americas between the 1840s and 1890s. A visit to C.F. Martin’s home inspired Martin to build her a custom size 1 guitar in 1843, and the instrument is the earliest known example of an instrument featuring an X-braced top. In this video, provided by Elderly Instruments, Martin Museum archivist Jason Ahner shows and discusses the guitar, highlighting its history, construction, and significance.

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