Martin Guitars

The C.F Martin Story

For well over a century and a half, The Martin Guitar Company has been continuously producing acoustic instruments that are acknowledged to be the finest in the world.

The Martin Guitar Company has, through the years, managed to survive with each succeeding generation from C. F. Martin, Sr.'s Stauffer influenced creations of the 1830s to recent developments introduced by C. F. Martin IV. Continuous operation under family management is a feat bordering on the remarkable, reflecting six generations of dedication to the guitarmaker's craft. In or out of the music industry, C. F. Martin has few rivals for sheer staying power.

Throughout its colorful history, the company has adapted successfully to continual changes in product design, distribution systems, and manufacturing methods. In spite of the many changes, C. F. Martin has never veered away from its initial commitment to quality. The concern for producing the finest instruments possible in 1833 is especially evident today at Martin's expanded facility in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.

This lens will endeavor to highlight some of the finest Martin Instruments out there.

Enjoy!

Martin D-18 1937 Acoustic Guitar Natural

Martin D-18 1937 Acoustic Guitar Natural

This special edition D-18 acoustic guitar is Martin's loving recreation of the original 1937 guitar, now a highly sought-after collector's item. Crafted with mahogany back and sides, a solid Adirondack top with the X-brace and scalloped braces of the period, hide glue, vintage toner on top, ebony bridge with long saddle (2-5/16" string spacing), and a tortoise pickguard. The neck is also formed exactly as the original and reinforced with a traditional non-adjustable T-bar. Ebony fretboard (1-3/4" nut, 25.4" scale), small abalone position dots, fossil ivory nut and saddle, ebony bridge pins, 30's style hardshell case. The features and details add up to a true masterpiece of the luthier's art, with all the storied sound quality that graced the original pre-war guitar.

Martin D-18 1937 Acoustic Guitar Natural

Martin D-18 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

Martin D-18 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

The Martin D-18 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar is a traditional-style dreadnought that features a rosewood fingerboard and bridge with black binding and pickguard plus chrome-enclosed tuning machines. Solid mahogany back and sides combine with a large dreadnought guitar size to produce a loud, clear treble and a warm, moderate bass. Limited lifetime warranty. The D-18 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar includes a deluxe Martin hardshell case ($190 value).

Martin D-18 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

Martin J-40 Jumbo Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

Martin J-40 Jumbo Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

Designed by C.F. Martin IV with valuable input from players, this jumbo-size model combines the Grand Auditorium body profile with the dreadnought body depth. Features rosewood back and sides, scalloped bracing, abalone pearl rosette, bound ebony fingerboard, abalone hexagon position markers, a bound headstock with Style 45 'C.F. Martin' abalone pearl letters, and gold enclosed tuning machines. Include deluxe Martin hardshell case.

Martin J-40 Jumbo Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

Martin D-15 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

Martin D-15 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

With its mahogany construction and simple appointments, the Martin D-15 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar is reminiscent of the 15 Series guitars of the 1940s. This Martin dreadnought marks the reintroduction of mahogany-top guitars to Martin's line. Body and neck constructed from genuine mahogany with a rosewood fretboard. The mahogany body and top is much lighter in weight than rosewood, koa, or maple and yields a surprisingly strong, warm sound with an emphasis on clear, bright, airy trebles.

Martin D-15 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

Martin D-41 Dreadnought Guitar

Martin D-41 Dreadnought Guitar

Martin's reputation is not built on hype. It's built on generations of guitarists who recognize the vibrant, brilliant tone produced by peerless craftsmanship and quality woods. This gorgeous D-41 Dreadnought Guitar will show you exactly what we're talking about. A solid spruce top with Martin's unique bracing pattern is hand-joined to lustrous rosewood sides and the 2-piece back. Polychrome abalone inlays in the rosette and ebony fretboard, combined with full binding and gold hardware, make the D-41 as sumptuous to gaze upon as it is to play.

Martin D-41 Dreadnought Guitar

Martin HD-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic

Martin HD-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic

The Martin HD-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic is the re-creation of Martin's legendary herringbone style 28 guitars. It has a Sitka spruce top, solid rosewood back and sides, and mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard. Vintage appointments include herringbone top trim, a traditional zigzag backstrip, and Martin's famous scalloped X-bracing that allows the top to vibrate more freely, yielding a louder, more open tone. Limited lifetime warranty.

Martin HD-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic

Martin Madagascar / Adirondack Custom Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

Martin Madagascar / Adirondack Custom Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

The premium tonewood construction includes a solid Adirondack spruce top and Madagascar rosewood back and sides, resulting in sound that's unusually powerful and clear at any volume level. Adirondack spruce is a rare, much sought-after yet hard to find wood that Martin is able to procure in small quantities thanks to new sustainable forestry practices. This custom dreadnought's rich, bold sound exemplifies the traditional Martin tone. The appointments show meticulous attention to detail yet are in keeping with an instrument that's simply elegant in design. Mother-of-pearl dot inlays are set into the ebony fingerboard on the easy-playing, low-profile solid mahogany neck. Martin's traditional X- and scalloped bracing patterns are used in the instrument's architecture to produce a light yet incredibly strong guitar.

Martin Madagascar / Adirondack Custom Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

Martin 000-42 Marquis Acoustic Guitar Natural

Martin 000-42 Marquis Acoustic Guitar Natural

Revived after Eric Clapton's legendary performance on MTV Unplugged, the short-scale 14-fret 000-42 has reclaimed its well-deserved position in the Martin line. This special Marquis version combines East Indian rosewood back and sides and headplate with 1937 Golden Era features that include an Adirondack spruce soundboard, with original vintage Style 42 snowflake fingerboard inlays, a square tapered headstock with Golden Era decal, plus open-geared nickel tuning machines. With uncompromising tone, this Martin acoustic guitar epitomizes musical expressiveness.

Martin 000-42 Marquis Acoustic Guitar Natural