1993 Martin HD-28VS Prototype Excellent, Hard, $5,995.00

This guitar comes to us from the collection of Dick Boak, longtime Martin head of Artist Relations, creator and curator of the Martin Museum at their factory in Nazareth, PA, and much more in the world of everything notable about Martin. It was purchased in an employee sale years ago, and despite being a true prototype from their R&D Department, has got a Martin serial number. It is the very first production prototype for the Vintage Series recreation of the 12-fret sotted-head herringbone Dreadnaught, with scalloped bracing and period tuning gears. Except….. way better than that, this particular guitar has a solid peghead (way cooler overall in our considered opinion, not to mention so much easier to re-string), along with genuine German-made Schaller tuners, the best ever and something Martin hasn’t used at all in many years. The neck shape too is considerably better than what ended up being used in production, being a nice fat handful, much more true to the originals from the 1930s than the shallow-V currently in production. This guitar was spurred by the success of the Gene Autry D-45S Edition. Bottom line: an absolutely fabulous, robust, strong, loud, clear, 12-fret rosewood Martin Dreadnaught, in the very original style. Condition tops, hardly ever played since the day it was made. Rare, unique, spectacular, and important. $5995 w/hsc