1936 C. F. Martin 000-28 Natural Excellent

63171 – Friends, here is a remarkable and original prewar 000-28 that was a fixture on the Australian folk music scene through the 1970s and 80s. It was acquired from the family of the second and most recent owner who told me that Steve Gilchrist set up the guitar when her husband bought it and that was it. The next person to work on it was TJ Thompson who refretted, PLEKed and set it up it for me earlier this year. It is stamped “Made in the USA” in small letters on the back of the headstock indicating that it was earmarked for export from the beginning. This is effectively the first time this guitar has been for sale in the US. The 14-fret 000-28 model was introduced in 1934 at first as an OM-28 stamped with the 000-28 moniker and then as a refinement on the OM-28 design with a shorter scale (24.9” vs. 25.4”) and heftier neck profile. Like the OM-28, the 000-28 featured old growth, quarter-sawn Brazilian rosewood back and sides, bound top and bottom in ivoroid, Adirondack spruce top trimmed with fine herringbone detail, black and white rosette, ebony belly-down bridge and faux-tortoise pick guard. Position markers are elegant diamonds and snowflakes on an ebony fretboard, solid peghead with original G-98 6:1 tuners, rosewood faceplate with “CF Martin” decal. The back strip is zigzag. Bridge pins and endpin are white with black dots and look original. The width of the nut it 1-3/4” and string spacing at the bridge is 2-3/8”. It has the forward-X scalloped bracing of course. The tone is ridiculously rich and nuanced. The guitar is very responsive and articulate to fingerstyle, flatpicking and chording. The overall condition is superb as you can see from the photos. There are a few little dings on the front (from the original owner the seller assured me) and one area on the back where the finished reacted to the strap. It is otherwise clean and unmolested. My oh my. There were only 72 000-28s made in 1936. I’ve had one or two others in my 20 years of selling vintage guitars. This is a special guitar that deserves a special home.

Specs -

Status: Available
Builder: C. F. Martin
Year: 1936
Serial Number: 63171
Model: 000-28
Condition: Excellent
Wood Back & Sides: Brazilian Rosewood
Wood Top: Adirondack Spruce
Neck Wood: Mahogany
Neck Profile: Modified V