Singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett (1946-2023) regaled audiences for over five decades with songs about the faces and places he'd seen during his lifetime journey along the road less travelled. With Hemingway's eye for detail and Mark Twain's inclination for mischievous humor, Buffett's music tells the stories of the hustlers, the beach bums and the pirates from all corners of the world. Through it all are woven the themes of escapism, wanderlust and an unbridled curiosity that makes life a journey worth taking.
Back in 1998 when C.F.Martin produced the HD-18JB Jimmy Buffett Signature Edition guitar, the number of guitars in the Edition – 424 – honoured the legendary original Margaritaville Store and Café at 424 Fleming Street in Key West. Despite the sizeable production, the huge demand from Buffett’s legions of devoted fans (affectionately known as Parrotheads) and just plain folks resulted in the guitars selling out instantly. If only Margaritaville had been a couple of dozen blocks farther out on Fleming…
In the years since, Jimmy Buffett had been awfully busy for a guy who personifies carefree living on a Caribbean beach. In 1999, he released a new studio album, “Beach House on the Moon,” and followed it up with perhaps his finest live album ever, Buffett Live: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays.” He also authored the best selling book, “A Pirate Looks at Fifty.” In 2002, he released the reflective and evocative “Far Side of the World” on his own Mailboat Records label and – HD-18JB in hand - headed back out on tour, playing to packed houses throughout the United States.
For good measure, Jimmy also began to envision a new and very special Martin guitar. His idea was an “offshore” guitar, one that would stow easily and could handle some of the punishment of sailing on the high seas. The guitar would feature a body of genuine mahogany for durability and because he loves the tone. The appointments would be nautically inspired to capture the seafaring tradition. After lots of brainstorming and lots of dialog, C. F. Martin introduced in 2003 only 168 spectacular 000-JBS Shellback Jimmy Buffett Signature Editions.
“Shellback” is a time-honoured name for those ocean sailors who have crossed the equator. When a sailor reaches the equator for the first time, he or she pays allegiance to King Neptune in a shipboard ceremony of initiation as a Shellback. The Jimmy Buffett Shellback features a solid genuine mahogany top - as brown and tough as a Shellback - with the mahogany body.
In design and appointments, the Shellback ranks among the most uniquely beautiful guitars in the entire Martin Signature Edition series. The body design is Martin’s revered 000 12-fret, considered by many to be the most graceful and articulate of all steel-string shapes. The long 25.4” scale, “hybrid” scalloped top bracing, and bone nut and compensated bone saddle add power and richness to the voice. The genuine mahogany neck features 1 13/16” width at the nut, low profile shape and satin finish for playing comfort, and a solid tapered, squared headstock equipped with open geared gold-plated Gotoh® tuners with butterbean knobs for easy restringing.
The impressive tone on this guitar is equaled by its stellar looks. The polished black ebony headstock overlay showcases a gold foil ship’s porthole framing a sea and island scene – including the windswept palm featured on the original Jimmy Buffett signature guitar – inlaid in turquoise composite and various shades of pearl. The back of the headstock bears Martin’s historic logo, pressed into the wood. The black African ebony fingerboard sets sail with a ship’s wheel position marker inlaid at the 5th fret in pearl; small abalone dot position markers lead to Jimmy Buffett’s signature, inlaid between the 19th and 20th frets. A straight bridge in black ebony and abalone pearl-topped black bridge and end pins match the elegance of the fingerboard and headstock. The Shellback’s nautical imagery continues with unique “rope” wood marquetry that encircles the top. Tortoise coloured binding on the top and back contrast with black/white back and side purfling and complement the beveled and polished tortoise coloured pickguard. The rosette features a single ring of brilliant blue paua shell, bordered by fine black/white/black inlay.
This mint condition 000-JBS Shellback Jimmy Buffett Signature Edition also includes a “nautical chart” interior label, personally signed by Jimmy Buffett and Martin Chairman and CEO C.F. Martin IV, and numbered in sequence with notation of that model’s production total. The guitar also includes a special Geib™ style case with honey leatherette covering.