This post originally ran three years ago.
My brother, Bob, and I just returned from Nazareth, PA, where we took the Martin Memory-Maker Tour. The tour, which is free, is more commonly known as the
However, because Martin is in the memory-making business, I call it the Memory-Maker Tour.
Here are a few shots that I took on the one-hour tour, along with some comments and tips.
If you go, you'll learn a lot and you'll love it. Keep in mind, however, that you can't use a tripod, can't use a flash, and you must stay on the "path" that runs though the factory. That being the case, be prepared to take some fun shots as fond memories of your memory-maker tour.
Before going on, do you see the body, the neck, and the sound hole of a guitar on the floor in the picture above? And did you notice that the ceiling lights are shaped like a guitar? Kinda cool! These dudes love guitars!
Bring your very wide-angle lenses. I took this picture with my Canon 14mm lens. I also shot with my Canon 15mm lens and Canon 17-40mm lens.
Shooting in the factory is low-light photography. Don't be afraid to boost your ISO. After all, would you rather have a shaky shot or a shot with perhaps a bit of noise - which you can reduce in Lightroom, Aperture and Photoshop? Also, as my dad used to say, "If a picture is so boring that you notice the noise, it's a boring picture."
Details are everywhere - and details help to tell a story. I used Topaz Adjust on the picture on the right to boost the colors for an even more fun shot. The head of the guitar you see above is part of the inlaid guitar that's in the opening picture of this post.
When I was at the Martin factory in 1969, this robot guitar polisher was not part of the tour. Neither was the factory. The original factory is a few minutes away, and worth a visit.
These tables on positioned on the bridge of a guitar that's inlaid in the floor. I took this shot with my 15mm lens.
You go, you play! Here's a shot of my brother checking out one of the models. Sounded sweeeeet! The guitar and Bob!
The tour is a ton of fun! Sure, this is a silly shot. But heck, I think it's good to be silly every once in a while.
Finally, here's a cool quote:
"Music should stir fire in the hearts of man, and bring tears to the eyes of a woman
." – Ludwig Von Beethoven.
Rock on,
Rick
P.S. Here is what I looked like during my first visit to the Marin Guitar Factory. This picture was taken at Woodstock (August 1969) from what I can remember . . .
