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1961 Martin D-28, Brazilian Rosewood
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Serial #: 180243 Nut width: 1 11/16" Scale: 25 1/2" Neck depth, 1st/10th frets: .85/1.01
Materials: Solid bookmatched figured Brazilian rosewood back and sides; solid bookmatched Sitka spruce top; solid one-piece Honduran mahogany neck; solid ebony fingerboard; rosewood peghead veneer; solid ebony bridge with bone saddle; Pat. Pending Grover Rotomatic tuners; contoured tortoise pickguard, tortoise inlaid bridgepins.
Notes: We've cared for this guitar for almost half a century, but it's finally time to get her out singing again. If you're lucky, you could be her next duet partner.
The first dreadnought guitars were built by CF Martin in 1916, on special order for the Oliver Ditson Company. Named after a contemporary battleship design, the dreadnought was the largest production steel string guitar of its day. In 1930, Martin introduced its own dreadnought models, still retaining the 12 fret bodies of the Ditsons. Finally, in 1934 the company debuted the 14 fret square shoulder body, a model that has become Martin's most popular guitar, and the most influential flat top of all time.
Music legends Jimmy Rodgers and Hank Williams had just become the first inductees in the Country Music Hall of Fame when this handsome guitar rolled off the line in 1961. With back and sides of sumptuously figured Brazilian rosewood, this striking guitar boasts a soundboard of exceptionally fine grained Sitka spruce, deeply interlaced with crossgrain silk. The solid dark ebony fingerboard shows no divots, and has fine original fretwork in excellent condition.
All binding is original and tight to the body, and the original Pat. Pending Grover Rotomatic tuners remain fitted to the peghead. The original spruce bracing, maple bridgeplate, and tortoise inlaid bridgepins remain in place, along with a vintage correct ebony bridge with compensated saddle, installed some decades ago. Some normal fine age checking shows that the vintage true nitro lacquer finish is all original, and now ambered to a deep honey color. A bit of pick wear is visible at the soundhole near the guard, and the back and sides show some scattered incidental finish nicks for its long career. Apart from the usual tiny crack between the guard and bridge under the high E string, and a short finish-only crack on the bass side that does not go through the wood, we see no other cracks or repairs in the instrument.
The classic C profile neck has comfortable action, with a fresh high precision setup. Best of all, with tonewood now over sixty years old, the voice is clear and resonant, with powerful, ringing bass and vibrant sustain. A true powerhouse, the guitar has brilliant, bell-like projection, and volume to burn: a true banjo killer.
Pulled by Martin from regular production since 1967, true Brazilian rosewood only gets scarcer and more costly with each passing year. This iconic model has it all, and has defined the voice of the acoustic guitar for almost a century. One only: call now.
Setup: This instrument is strung with medium gauge bronze strings (.013-.056). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference.
Case: Period black Lifton case with gold plush lining.
