Martin

To this day, there are few vintage acoustic guitars more desirable (and expensive!) than a pre-WWII Martin.  As the market for these vintage instruments began to really take shape and accelerate in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, the pricing for these classic instruments quickly became prohibitive for many mere mortal Martin enthusiasts.  As a result, most of these poor dejected souls were relegated to a future of contenting themselves with the far less satisfying experience of dreaming about a pre-war Martin, rather than reveling in the joys of actually owning and playing one!  And thus the Fates seemingly smiled on Martin by presenting a rare opportunity to not only express sympathy for the legions of hopeful vintage buyers, but to also capitalize on the Martin legacy while satisfying what would soon reveal itself to be a massive gap in the market.  Beginning with the first HD-28V(R) in 1994, Martin has since introduced myriad vintage-inspired models within a variety of series (e.g., Vintage, Golden Era, and Marquis Series).  Sadly, most of these series are now discontinued; but, the Authentic Series, which is comprised of the most accurate recreations of vintage instruments Martin has produced, remains.

As Martin began refining the dreadnought design in the mid 1930s, beginning with the introduction of a 14-fret body clearance in 1934, there were a lot of tweaks made within a roughly 15-year period before they landed on the design that would become the standard for decades. One of the most significant changes occurred in 1938, when position of the X-brace was shifted 7/8” towards the rear. In concert with this rear-shifting of the X-brace, the positioning of the tone bars was also adjusted such that they more in line with the vertical. This change is widely considered to have resulted in a broader voice, particularly with respect to low end response. Even so, dreadnoughts built prior to this change are still reputed to have a very bold low end presence and a powerful overall dynamic range, as the still benefit from scalloped bracing that was otherwise phased out in late 1944. Another key change occurred in 1939, when Martin reintroduced the tongue brace, or what is otherwise known as the “popsicle brace,” to reinforce the area underneath the fingerboard. When Martin transitioned from a 12-fret design to a 14-fret design in 1934, they simply eliminated the tongue brace from the bracing pattern when compensating for the shorter body. As a result, they soon encountered some issues with top stability near the fingerboard tongue/neck joint; so, in response to the spate of warranty issues that ensued, the tongue brace was quietly reintroduced.

Fortunately, in the creation of the replica that is the D-28 Authentic 1937, Martin has since learned to compensate for things like the absence of tongue brace!  And, as reflected in this 2015 example, they have succeeded in mirroring the tonal nuances of the earlier 14-fret dreadnoughts, particularly with respect to a more prominent mid-range and overall well-balanced projection.   Meanwhile, Martin has also taken great pains from both a structural and aesthetic standpoint to ensure that the Authentic Series models are as accurate as possible, right on down to subtleties like, non-adjustable (but reinforced) necks, non finished edges on the fingerboard tongue, and a tastefully burnished finish.

With its Vintage Tone System (or torrefied) Adirondack spruce top, as well as highly-prized Madagascar rosewood back and sides, this D-28 Authentic 1937 is about as close as one can come to completely replicating pre-1938 Martin D-28, without paying the exorbitant premium for Brazilian rosewood. (At the time of writing this, a new Martin made with Brazilian rosewood has a of retail price of approximately $50,000!).  Thus, the Madagascar rosewood used for the back sides on this particular instrument creates a lot of appeal. For one, in light of increasing scarcity and skyrocketing premiums, Martin now uses Guatemalan rosewood in lieu of Madagascar. Meanwhile, this Madagascar rosewood is not only visually arresting, but it very closely mirrors the glassy response and harmonically rich sonic texture of Brazilian Rosewood. These sonic qualities are, in turn, well-suited to highlight the enhanced dynamic range and top end clarity associated with Adirondack spruce, as the punchy response of Madagascar rosewood better propels the top.  Indeed, these tonewoods in conjunction with the pre-war scalloped bracing deliver a voice that is broad and thunderously open, and where notes are liberated with ease and detail. With the application of the VTS process to the top factored in, this D-28 Authentic 1937 makes for a very impressive and highly expressive dreadnought with a healthy dose of voluptuous vintage vibe for the player to exploit.

Condition

Overall, this guitar has few cosmetic issues or structural issues to report. In viewing the body, which features a slightly burnished finish, one finds only a handful of very minor dents, consistent with respectful use. Perhaps most significantly, there is a fair amount of swirling in the finish on the headstock, as well as some finish chatter along the bass-side edge.  From a structural standpoint, we do note that there is some slight indication of binding separation at the waist on both sides of the top. This was stabilized with glue upon arrival, but one can still feel a little bit of relief.  EXCELLENT Condition

• 14-Fret Dreadnought Body
• Adirondack Spruce Top with VTS
• Adirondack Spruce VTS Forward-Shifted 5/16” Scalloped X-Bracing
• Madagascar Rosewood Back and Sides
• Antique White Body Binding
• Bold Herringbone Top Purfling
• Authentic Style 28 ZigZag Backstrip
• Antique White Heelcap and Endpiece
• Burnished Semi-Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer Body Finish
• Genuine Mahogany Neck with Dark Mahogany Stain
• Dovetail Neck Joint with Hide Glue Construction
• Authentic 1937 Modified V Neck Shape with Standard Taper
• Ebony Fingerboard with 20 Frets
• Abalone 1937 Long Pattern Diamonds and Squares Fingerboard Inlays
• 16” Fingerboard Radius
• Solid Headstock with 1937 Taper and Diamond
• Script Golden Era Headstock Overlay
• Madagascar Rosewood Headstock Veneer
• Vintage Gloss Nitrocellulose Neck Finish
• Authentic Ebony Belly Bridge with Glue-In Long Saddle
• Bone Nut and Saddle
• Beveled Faux Tortoiseshell Pickguard
• Nickel Waverly Open Gear Vintage Style Tuners with Butterbean Buttons
• 4” Scale Length
• 1 3/4” Nut Width
• 2 5/16” String Spacing at the Bridge
• Original Martin 12C640 Hardshell Case