PORT TOWNSEND — It’s unlikely that you could spend an hour downtown and not see at least one person walking down the street carrying a guitar — and during the summer, someone is playing a guitar on every block.
“There are a lot of artists, writers and musicians here, so a lot of people play the guitar,” said Crossroads Music co-owner Dan Gessner, adding that the local preference weighs toward acoustic instruments rather than electric.
Port Townsend’s local plethora of guitarists are in for a treat Saturday since Crossroads, 2100 Lawrence St., is hosting a guitar clinic featuring a demonstration by a representative of Martin guitars.
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., those who brings their steel string guitars — Martin or otherwise — will get a free set of new strings installed on their instruments.
Workshop
At 5 p.m., guitar expert Richard Starkey will discuss the care and feeding of a Martin or other acoustic guitar, sharing several decades of experience in all aspects of performance and maintenance.
The workshop will be informal, with Starkey answering questions about the history, construction and sound of Martin guitars, as well as providing performance tips.
He also will field questions about his name, which is coincidentally the real name of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr.
“I get questions about this every day,” he said. “I’m used to it.”
Starkey, 56, was not named after the famous moptop. His mother named him after a saint, he said.
Martin guitars
Martin, which was founded in 1833, and is still family-owned, is considered to be the gold standard for acoustic guitars.
Crossroads, a cozy shop that bears little resemblance to the urban guitar emporiums now popular, has about 20 Martins of various size, shape and price in stock.
As with many music stores, it offers people the opportunity for anyone looking to buy a guitar to come in and play the instrument to decide whether it is the right wand to perform their musical wizardry.
Martins are easy to play; the steel-reinforced neck can be adjusted for taste or to compensate for temperature fluctuations.
Gessner said this is one advantage Port Townsend guitarists have over those in other locations. The weather changes are less severe, so the guitar neck doesn’t require adjustment every time the seasons change.
What sets Martins apart is their rich tone, which is clear and unmistakable to audiences and musicians.
It is hard to describe.
As Gessner said, “How can you describe ‘blue’?”
You know a Martin when you hear or play one, Gessner said.
Any guitarist’s purchase of his or her first Martin can be seen as a rite of passage.
“Martin guitars are famous for their craftsmanship and attention to detail,” Starkey said. “Every Martin plays differently and sounds different, but the wood used and the way they are built have made them the standard of the industry.”
Martins were introduced in 1833, and vintage models from 1940 to 1970 are especially valuable.
But recent advances in manufacturing and technology have made the products more consistent since the parts can be created with greater precision.
The instruments are still assembled by hand, with 175 to 250 built each day.
At Crossroads, all-wood Martins range from $900 to $5,000, though a $500 model is built using laminated wood.
Gessner and his partner, Sara Lopez, have owned Crossroads for five years. This is the first promotional event to take place in the store.
“The guitar is so popular because it is a versatile instrument,” Gessner said. “It’s a lot more portable and easier to play than a piano, and you can make it sound good even if you only have a rudimentary knowledge of chords.”
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
