Martin Unveils Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer Custom Editions
July 26, 2005
Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer have been
musical partners for more than 20 years. Over
those years, they released a slew of albums for both
children and their parents, won two Grammy
Awards, produced records for artists ranging from
Tom Paxton to Patsy Montana, penned more than
200 songs and played thousands of concerts. In short,
Cathy and Marcy have done it all and done it
extraordinarily well.
To celebrate this partnership,
C. F. Martin has created a pair of
guitars: the M3H Cathy Fink Custom Edition and MC3H
Marcy Marxer Custom Edition. These impressive
instruments showcase Martin's highly regarded M body
size (jumbo width and 000 depth) together with a
unique mix of tonewoods and appointments.
From the beginning, Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer
seemed destined to work together. Cathy hails from
Maryland, but began her musical career in Canada in the
early 1970s, playing folk music in coffeehouses and the
subway. A fine singer, guitarist, banjo player and yodeler,
she made her recording debut in 1975 with fellow
musician Duck Donald, with whom she toured for five
years and recorded three albums.
Marcy grew up in Michigan. Her gift for bluegrass and
old time music was obvious early, and she learned to play
guitar, mandolin, hammered dulcimer and button
accordion while still in high school. She
went to work for General Motors but
continued to play at every opportunity.
In 1978, after receiving theatre
training at the American Academy of
Dramatic Arts and the Ringling
Brothers Clown School, she devoted
herself to music full time.
The two met in 1980 at the
Toronto Folk Festival and the
connection was instantaneous. By
1983 they had begun writing songs
together and appearing on each
other's albums. Soon after, they
began performing together, often
in children's concerts that
enabled their instrumental
chops, wonderful harmonies
and sense of fun to shine. In
1989, they released a self-
titled album, and the
partnership became complete.
In the years since, the duo
has released a number of
notable albums, including
"Nobody Else Like Me," "A Voice
in the Wind" and "Changing
Channels." Their CD "Postcards"
won a Grammy nomination in 2003 for "Best
Traditional Folk Album." After several Grammy
nominations, they captured their first Grammy Award
in 2004 for their children's album "Bon Appetit" and
nabbed their second in 2005 as producers and artists
for "cELLAbration: A Tribute to Ella Jenkins."
Individually and together, they've produced more than
a dozen albums for other artists, served as studio
musicians, and created a series of instructional
materials and videos ranging from guitar and ukulele
for kids to how to sing harmony. They've performed at
the White House Easter Egg Roll, appeared on National
Public Radio, won several songwriting awards and have
been acknowledged for their work with children in the
Congressional Record. Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer
clearly love what they do and show no signs of slowing
down.
Befitting musicians so closely connected, the M3H
Cathy Fink Custom Edition and MC3H Marcy Marxer
Custom Edition sport identical specifications with one
major exception: Cathy's guitar is a non-cutaway, while
Marcy's has a rounded cutaway. The M size, mortise
and tenon construction and "Hybrid" scalloped
bracing give these guitars impressive volume,
outstanding string-to-string balance and - important
for musicians like Cathy and Marcy who play in a
variety of styles - uncommon versatility.
Premium solid tonewoods add to the
instruments' outstanding performance.
The tops are Adirondack red spruce
(highly coveted and particularly rare
in this size); the sides East Indian
rosewood; the three-piece backs
East Indian Rosewood on the wings
and a center wedge of flamed
Hawaiian koa. The combination
offers the best of all worlds: tight
bass, crisp trebles and full midrange.
Body appointments on both guitars
include fine pattern herringbone
around the top, Style 45 rosette
with a center ring of select green
abalone pearl and Style 45
multicolored mosaic back strips
bordered with black fiber.
Grained ivoroid binding is
accented on the sides and
back with fine black/white
line inlays, and the matching
grained ivoroid end piece is
framed by the same elegant
fine black/white line inlays.
The low profile neck, a
comfortable 1-11/16-inch at the
nut, is carved from genuine mahogany.
The polished African black ebony headplate provides an
ideal "canvas" for Martin's abalone "Torch" inlay, a
design that originated with the classic Style 45 Martins
of the 1920s and 1930s. The headstock also is equipped
with gold Schaller tuners with ebony buttons. The
matching African black ebony fingerboard features a
unique "two hands" inlay at the 12th fret to celebrate
Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer's partnership, along with
Style 42 snowflake inlays on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 15th and
17th frets. Both the headplate and fingerboard are
bound in grained ivoroid and trimmed with mitered
black/white fine line inlays. The nut and compensated
saddle are genuine bone.
Polished gloss lacquer body finish, vintage toner on
the top, a polished and beveled tortoise color pickguard,
and white bridge pins and endpin with abalone pearl
dots give these guitars timeless style. The neck is satin
finished for player comfort. To match Cathy and Marcy's
casual, comfortable fashion sense, these guitars are
delivered in blue denim-covered Geib style hardshell
cases.
Both the M3H Cathy Fink Custom Edition and
MC3H Marcy Marxer Custom Edition bear interior
labels personally signed by Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer
and Martin Chairman C.F. Martin IV, and are numbered
in sequence for that specific Custom Edition. Authorized
C.F. Martin dealers are now accepting orders for the
M3H Cathy Fink and MC3H Marcy Marxer Custom
Editions. Customers may specify left-hand instruments at
no additional cost or factory-installed electronics as an
extra-cost option. The names of participating Martin
dealers will be posted on the Martin website.
For more information, visit their web site at www.martinguitar.com. | 
