1967 Martin D-28S

The original design Martin Dreadnaught, for a fact. In 1917 Martin was asked by people in mandolin orchestras and other ensembles to provide a guitar that could carry a bass line, and nothing at that time was quite up to it. They came up with the biggest thing they could think of and named it after the naval battleships of the day, called Dreadnaughts, for “fear nothing”, and did they ever hit it. With its longer 25.4” scale, only recently in use by them on their then-new 000-size guitars, it had extra power, bolstered by a full 15-5/8” wide body with matching depth. Like all Martin guitars of the day the neck joined the body at the 12th fret and was 1-7/8” wide at the nut. By 1934 they succumbed to the demands of players for guitars with 14-fret necks and almost all of the 12-fret models faded away. Came the 1960s and The Great Folk Scare, and folks (and folkies) started asking for a return of some of the older models, and a few 12-fret Dreadnaughts were made to order in 1964. Within a few years the demand was so great that 12-fret D-28s were brought back into the regular line with the model designation D-28S, “S” being for “Standard”. Despite the fact that Martin had no custom shop back then someone must've twisted arms to get this one made, with a special solid peghead as opposed to the slotted pegheads that all 12-fret Martins had traditionally had. I can’t recall ever having seen another Martin like this in the sixty years I’ve been at it.

Brass Tacks Dep’t: This 1967 D-28S has very straight-grained Brazilian rosewood, not seen on Martins since the early 1940s. The cosmetic quality of Brazilian rosewood available started declining after WW II and went down from there but in the last few years that Martin used it, the very late 1960s, what they had was on rare occasion first quality and this guitar has it in spades. The top is of tight-grain Sitka spruce, with neck and fingerboard of Martin's usual best Honduran mahogany and Madagascar ebony. The original dot fingerboard inlays have been replaced with pre-war style diamonds and squares, no idea who did it; ditto the replacement gold-plated German Mini Schallers and an almost imperceptible coat of lacquer added overall. There are two older top cracks, very solidly repaired by parties unknown; they show some and should be left alone, part of the story. Overall playability tops tops, by us, medium low with an .012 gauge string set, perfect for everyone; frets nicely gone over by us as well. Original genuine ivory nut and saddle too and tortoise shell-slyle pickguard, has to be one of the last Martins to have this. Comes with recent pro-grade hard shell case. You just ain’t gonna find another anything like this fabulous 1967 Martin, nohow. $7995 w/hsc