New DNA Technology to Protect Martin Guitars from Counterfeiters

Cutting-edge technology will help ensure that one of the world’s oldest and most respected musical brands -- based in Upper Nazareth Township -- stays pure.

The and Applied DNA Sciences, or APDN, have reached an agreement that both sides say will go a long way toward ending the counterfeit trade of Martin Guitars.

The new high-tech security method will essentially mark each guitar with a distinctive “DNA” pattern or “tag” that cannot be duplicated by counterfeiters, company officials say.

“People around the world know the high level of quality that is
inherent in each and every guitar that features the C.F. Martin logo, and protecting our intellectual property is of vital importance as we face new counterfeit-related challenges at home and abroad,” Chris (C.F.) Martin IV, the company chairman and CEO, said in a statement.

APDN describes its "SigNature" DNA technology as “a botanical mark used to authenticate products in a unique manner that essentially cannot be copied, and provide a forensic chain of evidence that can be used to prosecute perpetrators.”

APDN will also participate in the annual Owner’s Day activities at Martin Guitar in Upper Nazareth Township Friday (Aug. 5). More than 3,000 guests are expected to attend the festivities, which are happening a day before .

A section of Sycamore Street near the guitar factory will be closed Friday to ensure the safety of the public and those who attend Owner’s Day.

Martin Guitar, which has been family owned and operated since it was founded in 1833, is one of the most famous musical brands in the world. Each guitar is handmade at the company’s guitar factory at 510 Sycamore Street.

For more information, visit www.martinguitar.com.