One conservative way to tell if your Martin was built for steel strings is that if it has a belly bridge and was made before 1929, it was probably braced for them. (though a qualified repair person should evaluate the actual bracing).
Starting in October 1930, Martin began to stamp the style number directly after the body size on the neck block. For more information about Studio-1 Vintage Martin guitar, click here.
Solid Honduran Mahogany
The acoustic guitar market was changing rapidly by the 1930’s. Twelve-fret models were becoming more desirable than 14-fret instruments. Advances in recording technology were making acoustic guitars increasingly popular.
Adding to this mix, Brazilian rosewood was becoming more challenging to find in sizes large enough for Martin’s purposes. Martin started experimenting with other tonewoods to maintain their high standards and attract the most buyers.
Adirondack Spruce Top
A timeless acoustic guitar that marries traditional Martin style with modern features and playability. This battleship has a sleek and fast modern neck paired with the classic look of mahogany back & sides and forward-shifted scalloped spruce bracing.
The Adirondack Spruce top in this acoustic guitar provides a solid fundamental and vibrant sustain. This allows other species of wood on the back and sides- koa, perhaps, or cocobolo- to do their work and unleash a bloom of clear, complex and powerful nuance.
Like the best acoustic guitars, this Special 28 Style Adirondack VTS dreadnought is responsive to all playing styles. Whether approached fingerstyle or with a flat pick, this Martin delivers a beautiful tone that is articulate and expressive. For more information about Studio-1 Vintage Martin guitar, click here.
Mahogany Back & Sides
With its warm and powerful sound, mahogany is the perfect tonewood for a battleship. It delivers bright trebles, crisp midrange, and complex harmonics to bring your songs to life on stage or in the studio.
As the strings vibrate, the wood resonates with an expansive undertone to buoy and energize the clean and clear Adirondack spruce notes that ring out from the top end. This resonance gives the guitar a rich fullness, throbbing bass, and old-wood box resonance down in the body.
The Authentic Series is constructed in the traditional Martin way using hide glue and features a classic dreadnought shape with solid mahogany back and sides, an old-style X-brace, and scalloped bracing. The package includes period-correct details, including an ebony fingerboard, small abalone position dots, and a fossil ivory nut and saddle. Includes hardshell case.
Maple Neck & Fretboard
The Studio-1 Vintage Martin guitar features a maple neck with an Adirondack spruce fretboard. The fingerboard is bound with black Richlite, a composite that looks and feels like ebony.
1920s: Martin slowly transitions from the pyramid-long bridge to a standard rectangle bridge on 18 & and 28 series guitars (Style 17 models never had a pyramid bridge or transitioned earlier).
1930: All style 18 and higher models entirely switch to a clear nitrocellulose lacquer finish.
Fishman Prestige XT Electronics
The DRS1 is an intelligent new solid-wood dreadnought for the cost-conscious guitar buyer who wants traditional Martin quality. Its body is made from sapele, a durable African wood, and the neck is built with Stratabond, a composite of white birch dyed to look like ebony. For more information about Studio-1 Vintage Martin guitar, click here.
Modifications (especially pickups) harm a flat-top Martin, as they ruin the tone and value of the instrument. Some owners go to the extreme of re-topping their D-28es, which requires removing and replacing the old top with a new one. This makes a very nice guitar, but it’s not as collectible. Also, post-1934, Martins use non-adjustable truss rods, which means if the neck is not straight, you can’t repair it.
Gig Bag
Gig bags don’t protect your guitar like a hard case will, but they’re a good compromise for the short distances that many acoustic guitar owners travel. They’ll protect your pride and joy from dust and are much less expensive than a full-size acoustic guitar case.
Essentially, guitar-shaped padded fabric holdalls are inexpensive, take up very little space and can be squashed flat for storage. They’re great for occasional use, like walking to rehearsals or a music lesson, and they’re much lighter to carry than complex cases. Become a Gig Bag Dealer today.