Sold!
Description

The Martin D-1 acoustic guitar is a full dreadnought style body with a natural Semi-gloss finish, solid Sitka spruce top, mahogany back, sides, and neck, and the traditional Martin resonance which high quality spruce plus mahogany tonewoods produce. The most recent MSRP’s ranged around $1350, so the D-1 is not the most expensive or ornate Martin; however, with its tortoise pick guard, tortoise-bound body, and multi-stripe rosette, it is still a striking instrument. The rosewood bridge with white black-dot pins, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with Style 28 pearl-dot inlay, rosewood peghead, and three-per-side enclosed chrome Martin tuners finish the picture of a quality guitar, topped off, of course, with the C. F. Martin logo on the headstock which says it all.

The D-1 offered here was apparently manufactured in early 1997, according to the serial number (593710) and the Martin website. Structurally, the guitar is in excellent condition: straight neck, medium action (a bit over 3/32” at the 12th fret low E), little fret wear, flat top, solid bridge, tight tuners, and so on.

However, as the “D-1L” on the neck block plate indicates, this particular D-1 started life set up at the factory for left-handed play, and it has been converted to right-handed play and incidentally refinished and refurbished. It now has a new rosewood bridge, new Martin Nubone compensated saddle and nut, new Martin abalone-dot pins, and Martin D-18 tuners. It also has a new Fishman 201 Presys+ pickup system (PRO-SYS-201) for your gigs in Yankee Stadium.

Unfortunately, there were some negative results of this conversion as well: the whole guitar was amateurishly re-finished, I guess in an attempt to remove the footprint of the previous left-handed pickguard (which is still faintly visible). This process also required the re-finishing of the headstock, so the logo is an after-market decal. And finally there is a faint pattern on the back which looks like the guitar was left on bubble wrap before the new finish had totally cured (presumably this can be buffed out).

The playability and sound of this Martin D-1 still verify the quality promised by the name. Naturally, the body dimensions are similar to those of most dreadnoughts: 11 ½” wide at the upper bout, 16” at the lower bout, and 4 ½” deep. What distinguishes it from most guitars in its price range—including many newer Martin models—is the solid quality from top to bottom. It plays with as much resonance as you will get from an acoustic dreadnought, but it also has the after-market under-saddle passive pickup and jack in the end pin for even more power when needed. With or without an amp, it plays with the warm, balanced tone for which Martin is famous.

The hard shell case is a TKL thermoplastic shell with makeshift filler material—not very elegant, but light-weight and in very good condition. Naturally, the hardware is all intact and works perfectly, it fits the instrument perfectly, and it offers great protection to this solid guitar.

Buyer pays a flat rate of $55.00 for insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashier’s checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.

I believe that I have described this instrument fully and accurately. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions before offering to buy it, as its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing.

Thank you for your interest in this Martin guitar.

ALUMPSTER'S GUITARS

ALUMPSTER'S GUITARS

1997
Martin
Good
Hard
9 Years
ALUMPSTER'S GUITARS
ARTHUR H LUMPKIN
803-731-0515
Online Only
11:49 AM
24/7 by e-mail: akmgj@bellsouth.net. I'm old; I don't sleep much.

Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.

From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.

I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.