C.F. Martin & Company is celebrating its 175th Anniversary as the oldest surviving maker of guitars in the world. Currently the largest producer of acoustic guitars in the United States, the company is highly regarded for creating some of the finest instruments and introducing innovations that have become industry standards in the music products industry. The company, founded in the U.S., has been continuously family owned and operated for six generations. Currently headed by Chairman and CEO Christian Frederick Martin IV, the company has prospered as it has been handed down five times since it was started by German immigrant Christian Frederick Martin, Sr. in 1833.