Nuts!
Nuts on Early C. F. Martin Guitars
Ebony Nuts
While the nuts on most Martin guitars were made of ivory, many were made of ebony, especially on Style 15 and 17 guitars, but also on many Style 18 guitars including the OM-18.
It is less known that the many of the earliest and finest guitars made by C.F. Martin himself were made with ebony nuts.
Martin Stauffer c. 1820
1837 Hudson Street Martin
1840's koa Martin & Coupa
Nickel Silver Nuts
The nickel silver nut is a typical feature of 1840's Spanish Style Martin guitars.
1840's Martin Alternative X Spanish Guitar
Many Martin and Martin & Coupa guitars from the 1840's had nickel silver nuts, which I've noticed came in three different thicknesses, measured from the end of the fretboard to the headstock:
Early Spanish Martin & Coupa
11/64" metal nut
Hybrid X 1-28
9/64" metal nut
Pearl Rosette zig zag border size 1
11/64" metal nut
Pearl Rosette 1-28
1/8" metal nut
Ivory Nuts
Many of the ivory nuts on 19th century Martins were quite thin.
1870's Martin 2 1/2 - 26
Martin 1870's 1-28
1874 Martin 1-28
1894 Martin 0-42
The shapes of nuts varied quite a bit over the years, but tended to become more rounded and angled.
Martin 1897 1-21
Martin 1907 1-28
1913 Martin Foden Special Style E
1917 Martin 0-30
By the late teens, Martin nuts were thicker, finding the form they would continue with through later years.
1919 Martin 0-45
NUT WIDTHS
Early Martins Nut Width by Year
Panormo 1832 1 7/8
Schmidt & Maul 1847 1 7/8
Stauffer 1830 1 11/16
Martin 1837 Hudson St 1 13/16
Martin & Coupa 1 25/32
Martin & Coupa 1 29/32
Martin & Coupa Koa 1 13/16
Martin 1840 Spanish 3 1 7/8
Martin 1845 1-21 zig 1 7/8
Martin 1845 1-26 zz top 1 7/8
Martin 1845 1-28 pearl 1 7/8
Martin 1845 1-28 prl zz 1 13/16
Martin 1845 1-28 Span 1 7/8
Martin 1846 1 Spanish 1 7/8
Martin 1850 2.5-20 1 13/16
Martin 1850 2.5-24 1 3/4
Martin 1850 2.5-24 Gur 1 7/8
Martin 1850 ivory FB 1 25/32
Martin 1850 Renaissance 2
Martin 1855 2 - 23 lt D 1 13/16
Martin 1855 2-23 dk D 1 7/8
Martin 1855 2-27 1 27/32
Martin 1860 2 1/2 20 1 13/16
Martin 1860 2 22 1 13/16
Martin 1867 0-34 1 27/32
Martin 1870 1-28 1 7/8
Martin 1870 2 1/2 - 26 1 13/16
Martin 1870 2-27 1 13/16
Martin 1874 1-28/26 1 25/32
Martin 1880 0-34 1 13/16
Martin 1880 1-21 inl PG 1 7/8
Martin 1889 2-34 1 3/4
Martin 1890 1-21 heritg 1 7/8
Martin 1893 2.5-17 1 3/4
Martin 1894 1-26 1 7/8
Martin 1896 2 1/2 - 42 1 13/16
Martin 1898 1-21 #8275 1 7/8
Martin 1899 0-28 #8562 1 7/8
Early Martins Nut Widths by Size
Stauffer 1830 1 11/16
Martin 1850 2.5-24 1 3/4
Martin 1889 2-34 1 3/4
Martin 1893 2.5-17 1 3/4
Martin & Coupa 1 25/32
Martin 1850 ivory FB 1 25/32
Martin 1874 1-28/26 1 25/32
Martin 1837 Hudson St 1 13/16
Martin & Coupa Koa 1 13/16
Martin 1850 1-28 prl zz 1 13/16
Martin 1850 2.5-20 1 13/16
Martin 1855 2 - 23 lt D 1 13/16
Martin 1860 2 1/2 20 1 13/16
Martin 1860 2 22 1 13/16
Martin 1870 2 1/2 - 26 1 13/16
Martin 1870 2-27 1 13/16
Martin 1880 0-34 1 13/16
Martin 1896 2 1/2 - 42 1 13/16
Martin 1855 2-27 1 27/32
Martin 1867 0-34 1 27/32
Panormo 1832 1 7/8
Martin 1840 Spanish 3 1 7/8
Martin 1846 1 Spanish 1 7/8
Martin 1845 1-21 zig 1 7/8
Martin 1845 1-26 zz top 1 7/8
Martin 1845 1-28 pearl 1 7/8
Martin 1845 1-28 Span 1 7/8
Martin 1850 2.5-24 Gur 1 7/8
Martin 1855 2-23 dk D 1 7/8
Martin 1870 1-28 1 7/8
Martin 1880 1-21 inl PG 1 7/8
Martin 1890 1-21 heritg 1 7/8
Martin 1894 1-26 1 7/8
Martin 1898 1-21 #8275 1 7/8
Martin 1899 0-28 #8562 1 7/8
Schmidt & Maul 1847 1 7/8
Martin & Coupa 1 29/32
Martin 1850 Renaissance 2
Early Martins Nut Width by Year
Panormo 1832 1 7/8
Schmidt & Maul 1847 1 7/8
Stauffer 1830 1 11/16
Martin 1837 Hudson St 1 13/16
Martin & Coupa 1 25/32
Martin & Coupa 1 29/32
Martin & Coupa Koa 1 13/16
Martin 1840 Spanish 3 1 7/8
Martin 1845 1-21 zig 1 7/8
Martin 1845 1-26 zz top 1 7/8
Martin 1845 1-28 pearl 1 7/8
Martin 1845 1-28 prl zz 1 13/16
Martin 1845 1-28 Span 1 7/8
Martin 1846 1 Spanish 1 7/8
Martin 1850 2.5-20 1 13/16
Martin 1850 2.5-24 1 3/4
Martin 1850 2.5-24 Gur 1 7/8
Martin 1850 ivory FB 1 25/32
Martin 1850 Renaissance 2
Martin 1855 2 - 23 lt D 1 13/16
Martin 1855 2-23 dk D 1 7/8
Martin 1855 2-27 1 27/32
Martin 1860 2 1/2 20 1 13/16
Martin 1860 2 22 1 13/16
Martin 1867 0-34 1 27/32
Martin 1870 1-28 1 7/8
Martin 1870 2 1/2 - 26 1 13/16
Martin 1870 2-27 1 13/16
Martin 1874 1-28/26 1 25/32
Martin 1880 0-34 1 13/16
Martin 1880 1-21 inl PG 1 7/8
Martin 1889 2-34 1 3/4
Martin 1890 1-21 heritg 1 7/8
Martin 1893 2.5-17 1 3/4
Martin 1894 1-26 1 7/8
Martin 1896 2 1/2 - 42 1 13/16
Martin 1898 1-21 #8275 1 7/8
Martin 1899 0-28 #8562 1 7/8
Early Martins Nut Widths by Size
Stauffer 1830 1 11/16
Martin 1850 2.5-24 1 3/4
Martin 1889 2-34 1 3/4
Martin 1893 2.5-17 1 3/4
Martin & Coupa 1 25/32
Martin 1850 ivory FB 1 25/32
Martin 1874 1-28/26 1 25/32
Martin 1837 Hudson St 1 13/16
Martin & Coupa Koa 1 13/16
Martin 1850 1-28 prl zz 1 13/16
Martin 1850 2.5-20 1 13/16
Martin 1855 2 - 23 lt D 1 13/16
Martin 1860 2 1/2 20 1 13/16
Martin 1860 2 22 1 13/16
Martin 1870 2 1/2 - 26 1 13/16
Martin 1870 2-27 1 13/16
Martin 1880 0-34 1 13/16
Martin 1896 2 1/2 - 42 1 13/16
Martin 1855 2-27 1 27/32
Martin 1867 0-34 1 27/32
Panormo 1832 1 7/8
Martin 1840 Spanish 3 1 7/8
Martin 1846 1 Spanish 1 7/8
Martin 1845 1-21 zig 1 7/8
Martin 1845 1-26 zz top 1 7/8
Martin 1845 1-28 pearl 1 7/8
Martin 1845 1-28 Span 1 7/8
Martin 1850 2.5-24 Gur 1 7/8
Martin 1855 2-23 dk D 1 7/8
Martin 1870 1-28 1 7/8
Martin 1880 1-21 inl PG 1 7/8
Martin 1890 1-21 heritg 1 7/8
Martin 1894 1-26 1 7/8
Martin 1898 1-21 #8275 1 7/8
Martin 1899 0-28 #8562 1 7/8
Schmidt & Maul 1847 1 7/8
Martin & Coupa 1 29/32
Martin 1850 Renaissance 2
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