1969 was the last year Martin would use Brazilian Rosewood on their standard models, and this D-28 lucked out with a gorgeous set that would be the apple of any luthier’s eye today. Sitka Spruce on top, 28-style appointments, black pickguard, and a 1 11/16 inch nut all make for a good-looking Dread from the sixties with a slick setup. There are only so many Martins from this era that have remained with their original owners, and this is one of the few!

The voice has more balance and note separation than we’d expect from a Dreadnought, and the bass response is also more focused. Combined with extra clarity in the upper mids and trebles, that extra articulation makes for a great guitar for flatpicked solos and lead work. The slim neck also lends itself to fast playing, so if you like to tear it up like Bryan Sutton or Tony Rice this 1969 D-28 is an excellent candidate for the job. Our repair team have gone over every inch and have given it a clean and stable bill of health; plenty of life left to the saddle and the frets are freshly leveled, crowned, and polished.

A great Martin Dread with a vintage, opened up voice that’s less muddy and more articulate.

A Bluegrass champion has risen, just in time for the holidays! And it comes to us straight from the hands of a Bluegrass legend, Mr. Tim Stafford of Blue Highway fame. This 1946 Martin D-28 of Stafford’s has been one of his staple guitars for quite a long time, and now you have the opportunity to add it to your arsenal, instead. Featuring the kind of straight-grained Brazilian Rosewood that was then an industry standard (and now is all but impossible to find) and a darkly sunburst Sitka Spruce top, this D-28 is a jaw-dropper. This kind of vigorous, muscular tone, you know it’s a Bluegrass machine, with clean highs and a low-end that is big, but controlled. Almost 70 years old, this working relic plays like it’s 20, and is set up for Bluegrass-style attack. With all that bark, you’d think it was a three-headed dog–take one bite, and you won’t like the taste of anything else. According to Wayne Henderson, this guitar was retopped by Martin in the late 40s, when it was still a baby, so the top has been played in and fully opened up since then. This D-28 is true vintage, and bears the marks of musicmaking with pride.

Just when you think you’ve got the vintage Martin sound memorized, there comes a guitar like this 1957 D-21 to turn it on its head. Think of it this way: this D-21 has had 58 years in which to learn how to sound good–and brother, this guitar took notes. The voice that comes screaming out of this Brazilian Rosewood and Sitka Spruce box is true vintage, broken in, opened up, and raring to go. The trebles are crisp and sweet, and the bass rolls like a kettle drum. Flatpickers will have their solos explode across the airwaves with the great projection and sustain, and Traditional-style fingerpickers have a strong, articulate voice in which to express themselves and their favorite arrangements. And this isn’t just your run-of-the-mill Martin from the 50’s–this D-21 has recently had a tune up at the hands of our own Ken Jones, who has restored this guitar to the playing condition of its adolescence.

Ever wonder what gorgeous vintage woods could do with a new pair of legs? Cover many more miles of great music, that’s what. Now, you can rest assured that this D-21 is ready for another 30 years. All that warmth, that punchy growl, the big, loud bark–all of that has been preserved for the next chapter of its life–in your hands. This guitar comes with a Martin molded hardshell case.

The 1920’s were a good decade for Martin Guitars, and this 1926 00-18 is a fine example of the calibre of instrument America was producing at that time. The warmth, vigor, and bright tone of this 00 is very impressive; the guitar has completely opened up, given its almost centenarian status. For an instrument of this age, it’s in remarkable condition, with minimal play wear and only a minor crack that our own Ken Jones repaired. Pick this baby up out of its case, and you’ll be shocked at how light it is–and that lightweight construction translates into a Mahogany soundbox that has heaps and heaps of volume and a Adirondack Spruce top. Fingerstylists and Traditional musicians, this guitar will sing beneath your fingertips.

Every now and then, you get to play a guitar which just blows you away. When you put this 1927 Martin 0-28K Parlor in your hands, we guarantee that’s exactly what will happen. This is true vintage: 88 years old, and still going strong. This Parlor has had some work done along the way, most recently a new bridge and plate built and installed by luthier Bill Tippin, but its still just as warm and vigorous as it always was. The all-Koa body is a great example of this wood’s characteristics: the grain is tightly quilted, the color between burnt amber and caramel, and the tone is fabulously rich and energetic. This guitar has completely opened up, and plays extraordinarily easily; definitely a fingerstylist’s wet dream. Traditional Ivoroid bindings, Herringbone and Zigzag trim, and original tuners complete the image of the fabled pre-war Martin guitar. Think of all the generations of parlor guitars that came from this design–what we have here is one of the archtypes of the model. The guitar’s got great projection and trebles which sing and a sweet middle register. This guitar comes with a TKL hardshell case.