Goya Martin Mystery

[danscanweb]

Hi. My first post. Unlikely to be my last. Nice to be in the company of fellow mandoloons.
I'm looking for absolutely any information on this thing or even opinion and wild speculation.
The label reads as follows:
Goya/Prepared and inspected by/C. F. Martin & Company/Made in Korea/Model# GM 23 Serial# 9208025

A style. Oval hole. Dark, dark red finish. White trim. Rather puurrrty, in my opinion.
I'll put up a picture if anyone asks.
I bought it over twenty years ago for less than $100.00. Until recently it just came out of the basement once in a while but I have become gripped by obsession and I'm actually learning how to play it. This has sparked my curiosity but I can't find any information about this baby anywhere. The only mention is a completed ebay sale with a picture that looks identical to mine.
I don't even know if it is a solid top or not. The only way to tell that I'm aware of is to look at the edge of the soundhole but mine has binding covering it. Anybody know other ways to determine this?
Trust me. I won't be offended by any comments that suggest it isn't the finest mandolin ever made. I already suspect as much.

Tremoloingly yours, Dan

[Eric F.]

I have become gripped by obsession

Haw! You've certainly come to the right place. I know Martin owned the Goya name for a time, but I can add nothing else that might enlighten you about your mando.
Perhaps someone else will chime in. Meantime, welcome to the Cafe.

[Tom C]

I believe MArtin was in co-hootz with mant pac-rim Cos.
I have a Sigma mandolin (f holes)that says the same thing-
Prepared and inspected by:
C. F. Martin & Company
Made in Korea
Model# SM-1S Serial# 951200-1

I can probably sell it for a token for a ride on the subway. No I can't.Tokens are not used anymore.

[Jim Garber]

You can find info here: Vintage Goya Guitars

From that site:

Goya instruments were originally produced in Sweden by the Levin Company that has been making guitars since the 1900's. Distributed by Hershman Musical Instruments Company of New York. Later Goya instruments were built in Korea from the early 1970's to 1996, and were distributed by the Martin Guitar Company, located in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. The Goya trademark was originally used by the Hershman Musical Instrument Company of New York City, New York in the 1950's on models built by Sweden's Levin Company (similiar models were sold in Europe under the company's Levin trademark). Levin built high quality acoustic flattop, classical, and archtop guitars as well as mandolins. A large number of rebranded Goya instruments were imported to the U.S. market. As a side note - Anders Wasén of Gothenburg, Sweden (where Levin/Goya was made) provides this additional information: H.C. Levin was from Sweden and as I was told worked in the United States as a trainee at the Martin Guitar Company. So did his son just before World War I (as he told me himself). H.C. went back to Sweden and formed the Levin Guitar company (Goya in the US).

So the connection would be in name and in the fact that Martin inspected it before selling it.

BTW Levin made some rather nice mandolins in Sweden. They usewd the Goya name because they felt that a more Spanish-sounding one would sell better.

Jim

[danscanweb]

Thanks all for the welcome and info.
I'm still trying to figure out if the thing is solid top or not.
My guess is that the Levin/Swedish part of the history has little bearing on my little Korean buddy but it's interesting anyway.
Tom C: That really does look like that Sigma has the exact same label fundamentally. You seem to suggest, humorously, that your's is not exactly a high quality instrument. Would you like to elaborate?
I'm far from an expert but in doing a little playing of some other mandolins I suspect what I have is a reasonable entry level instrument. I don't much care at this point but I am curious. I'm really not good enough at this point to justify buying anything. I'm going to give myself about a year. It sounds like a mandolin, stays in tune reasonably well, the intonation is on, no dead spots on the neck and the action is fine. Hey, I'm having a good time.
Anybody else have any thoughts?
This message board is just great. Thanks again.

[Patrick Gunning]

It sounds like a mandolin, stays in tune reasonably well, the intonation is on, no dead spots on the neck and the action is fine

If that's the case then you're fine. Doesn't matter if it's from Korea or wherever. The mandolin I played for the first two months was a "Cameo" that my dad picked up for 50 bucks at a pawnshop, it had (literally) a 1/4 inch action at the 12th. After a little more than a year and a half since that mando and I parted ways I think I still have some of the original calluses from that thing.

[acousticphd]

Dan,

There was a Goya mandolin or two in the last couple months on ebay that may have been from a similar period. Seems like one of them was even an A-oval from the Korean-made period. If you run a search of completed auctions you should find it.

[Tom C]

If it's like mine, it probably a laminated top,back and sides compared to solid. I'm not knocking it for being an entry level instrument but I really do not think there is any value behind it. I bought mine as a first mando when I did not know if I would play it or if it would sit in a corner. It treated me just fine. After the first year, playing it every day, I treated myself to my Flatiron F performer. After playing that everyday for 5 years, I got a BRW. I keep my sigma at a friend's who lives about 40minutes away for those times we unexpectingly get together and want to pick. He like fooling around with it too.

[Onesound]

I had one of those babys for several years. Not a bad mandolin, actually. Stayed in tune and easy to fret. Not a lot of volume. Recommended as a bang-around.

Cheers,
Brian

[danscanweb]

Sounds like both evaluations there "not a bad..", "entry level...treated me fine" are right in line with what I'm guessing. I really don't care about the "value" aspect in the monetary sense as even if I stick with it and upgrade at some point, I'll probably keep this as a "bang-around". I have a banger back-up acoustic guitar, violin and coronet so why would I be different here? Ever heard anybody, not under duress, say - I have too many musical instruments? Me neither.
Most of all, I want to make sure that I'm not deluded and that this is a suitable starter which seems confirmed. Heck, I even have a response from someone who had the same species. Thanks Brian, and everybody else. I thought it possible that the universal reaction would be - who cares about some beginner with some Korean junk - but look at all the helpful responses I have. Very cool.
That ebay reference seems likely to be the one I saw and it is virtually identical to mine. Mine seems to have a darker finish but that could be a photo effect. It went for $265.00 with bag which seems about right to me. In response to a bidder query, the seller says "It appears the Mandolin is made of solid wood." but doesn't say what he bases that on. Very little information but the pics are good. If anyone is curious, here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....me=WDVW

I'd still welcome any more info, opinion, whatever. Specifically, but not limited to:
Solid or laminate, still don't know how to tell.
What woods are used here, body bridge and board?
What year(s) were these made?
What does "inspected by Martin" actually mean? Really, do they just hire some Korean housewife at a buck a day to go - well it has 8 strings, must be a mandolin - or do they actually have real luthiers look them over?
Why can't I play like Sam Bush yet?

I have a more specific question but it seems suitable as a new topic. Perhaps I'll call it "Miracle Millimeter"

[PaulD]

I have a couple of thoughts here, but nothing concrete. As Jim's post indicates, Martin acquired Goya in the early '70s... '72-'74 is what I recall reading elsewhere when trying to find info on my Goya guitar.

It should make you happy to know, from the eBay auction, that it has

BINDING AND THE PURFING THAT IS ONLY USED ON EXPENSIVE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

I would guess that it's plywood; the grain pattern on the back of the eBay Goya looks "plywoody" to me anyway, but that's just a guess. You can probably tell for certain by comparing what you can see of the grain on the inside with the grain on the back. It won't match up line-for-line, but see if the species of wood looks the same and if the general grain pattern is similar. I don't know if that makes sense, but I think if you examine it you'll see what I mean (especially if you compare it to looking inside your other instruments).

I wonder if you can tell something about the top by how it's graduated? I've never looked at this, but I would think a plywood top would be consistent thickness throughout, whereas a carved top is normally thick in the center and tapers toward the recurve. If you can get a mirror in there you might be able to tell whether it's ply... if the top appears quartersawn and the inside is plainsawn, that would be a pretty good indicator!

You may be right about the "Inspected by Martin" statement, or it's possible they had a guy named Martin stationed in Korea to look at the instruments.

You're absolutely right... if it's playable and listenable it's a keeper regardless of how or when it was built.

Paul Doubek