1990 Martin D12-28 32 Excellent, Original Hard, $1,195.00
This 1989 Martin Shenandoah D12-2832 is a dreadnought style 12-string acoustic guitar with a natural finish solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides, and the resonance which vintage spruce plus rosewood tonewoods produce. While not the most ornate Martin, the Shenandoah model with its tortoise pick guard, multi-stripe bound body and rosette, and 14/20-fret ebonized rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots is a striking instrument—especially in this unusually pristine finish with the colorful patterned backstripe. The ebonized rosewood bridge has white black-dot pins, the nut and saddle are apparently bone, and the rosewood headstock and Martin enclosed chrome tuners finish the picture of a quality guitar--including, of course, the C. F. Martin embossed markings certifying that it was “Made in USA” in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
The playability and sound verify the quality promised by the name. It plays with as much power as you are likely to get from an acoustic 12-string, but still with the balanced tone for which Martin is famous. With over 25 years of seasoning of the spruce top and rosewood back and sides, this sound is just reaching its full potential. Add in the amplification which is apparently available through its piezo under-saddle pickup accessed through the end pin jack, and you will have a tone monster which will dominate virtually any jam. [Note: Since I don’t have an amplifier, I have not been able to verify that the factory pick-up is working perfectly.]
The D12-2832 offered here (serial number 497801) is in near mint condition, despite the fact that it has been played and enjoyed since 1990. Visually, the semi-gloss finish is stunning, and I can find relatively few of the small dings and scratches one would expect on even the most carefully maintained guitars: a few pick marks on the pick guard, some small dings on the top, and that’s about it. Structurally, the guitar is also near perfect: straight neck, action set comfortably low at 3/32” at the 12th fret low E (really excellent for a 12-string!), very little fret wear, flat top, solid bridge, beautiful figuring in the rosewood back and sides, and above all the Martin logo which says it all.
The Martin black case is apparently original and it shows a little of the results of 25 years of protecting the guitar, as the outside has a few scuffs around the edges. However, the hardware still works perfectly, it offers solid protection, and the familiar Martin green plush interior is in excellent shape, as seen in the pictures. All in all, it is the perfect complement to this excellent vintage guitar.
Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashiers and personal 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 bidding, 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 fine guitar.
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.