not knowing how to go about purchasing a Hawaiian guitar,
resourcefully wrote to his local, "big city" newspaper,
The Williamsport Sun in Williamsport, Pennsylvania,
late in 1926 asking them who made such instruments.
They promptly responded
on December 7, 1926:
They correctly directed
him to "the C. H. (sic) Martin Company, Nazareth, Pa.".
The distance from the
Martin guitar factory in Nazareth to Ralston is just 165 miles:
Earl wasted no time in
contacting Martin for their catalog and price list.
He selected their most
expensive Hawaiian Koa guitar,
the 0-28K model at $75.
He waited until after
his 25th birthday (the day after Christmas, 1926),
then went to the Ralston
General Store to order it up
as the new year of 1927
began.