NAZARETH, Pa. (Winter NAMM, Hall D Booth 5602) – January 18, 2018 – C.F. Martin & Co.® (Martin Guitar) will introduce a 00-17 Authentic 1931 model, along with a D-18 Authentic 1939 Authentic Aged model, and a D-45S Authentic 1936 Aged model. Also debuting at Winter NAMM will be the D-42 Purple Martin and the D-45 Fire & Ice. All of these models are crafted with Martin’s traditional dovetail neck joint and hide glue. Additionally, Martin will offer its annual show special, the DSS-2018, and a new FSC®-certified acoustic-electric model, the OME Cherry. Whether you’re a collector, a vintage enthusiast, or an environmentally conscious shopper, there is something for everyone in Martin’s 2018 lineup.
Authentic Series
00-17 Authentic 1931
Meticulously reproduced with hide glue construction, dovetail neck joint, a genuine mahogany VTS (Vintage Tone System) top and genuine mahogany back and sides. Featuring a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge with an Authentic 1931 neck shape and heel, this 00-12 fret classic will appeal to players of all musical styles who love the vintage look and sound of mahogany. Remaining true to its origins as a Depression Era instrument, the 00-17 Authentic 1931 features authentic scalloped X-bracing, a Vintage Gloss finish, and historically accurate appointments, such as Golden Age Relic Nickel Side Mount tuners.
D-18 Authentic 1939 Aged
A new guitar that looks and sounds like it’s been played for 80 years, the Aged version of the acclaimed D-18 Authentic 1939 includes all of the goodness that comes with Martin’s Authentic Series instruments, like hide glue construction and hand-scalloped X-bracing—plus the Vintage Tone System (VTS) that ages the wood to replicate the sound of a vintage Martin. But we didn’t stop there. We’ve now taken this amazing model and methodically, painstakingly distressed it, inside and out, in all the right places. The result is a tactile, visual, and auditory experience that will transport you all the way back to the 1930s. And we know you’re going to like it there. Stock is limited.
D-45S Authentic 1936 Aged
The D-45S Authentic 1936 Aged is based on an extremely rare large body D-45 that was once displayed in the Martin museum. It features Brazilian rosewood back and sides, a pre-aged Adirondack spruce top, and period-correct Style 45 appointments, including gold tuners with hand-engraved butterbean knobs. A newly constructed masterpiece that looks and sounds like it’s been played for 80 years, the D-45S Authentic 1936 Aged includes all of the goodness instilled within Martin’s Authentic Series, like hide glue construction and hand-scalloped X-bracing. It also boasts the Vintage Tone System (VTS) that ages the wood to replicate the sound of a highly sought-after vintage Martin, both in tone and appearance.
FSC Certified
OME Cherry
Crafted entirely from FSC®-certified woods, including a Sitka spruce top, cherry back and sides, a mahogany high performance neck, ebony fingerboard and bridge, and an African blackwood headplate, the OME Cherry is Martin’s newest FSC guitar. The model includes gold open gear tuners and arrives stage ready with Fishman® Matrix VT Enhance™ electronics so you can rock out and sound as good plugged in as you do unplugged. As pioneers in sustainable guitar building, Martin proudly partners with the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) to bring you a line of great sounding, sustainable wood guitars. When you play this comfortable and classy orchestra model, you can be sure that Mother Earth will be cheering you on!
Limited Edition
D-42 Purple Martin
The D-42 Purple Martin is the third in the Purple Martin series and gets an upgrade from 41 to 42 Style appointments. The name “Purple Martin” is inspired by a native bird from Pennsylvania of the same name. Known for being social, the Purple Martin is a fitting choice for this instrument, and you’ll know why when you hear it sing! In addition to the bird inlay on the fingerboard and pickguard, the guitar also features the Pennsylvania state flower, the mountain laurel, by its side. The top is made from heavy bearclaw Engelmann spruce, and the back and sides are made from figured plum katalox. Other unique appointments on this limited edition model are Schaller Gold GrandTune® open gear tuners and bone colored Liquidmetal® bridge pins. The model is limited to just 50 guitars, each with a label signed by Chris Martin.
Special Editions
D-45 Fire & Ice
This Golden Era Style D-45 is the newest collaboration with renowned inlay artist Harvey Leach. This one-of-a-kind model is adorned with original artwork that symbolizes opposite forces, in the form of a phoenix and a dragon, coming together in battle. The inlay incorporates a technique developed by Leach called “Smoke & Mirrors,” and it is used on this model to portray the dragon being neutralized in ice. The model also features an Engelmann spruce top with heavy bearclaw, Madagascar rosewood back and sides, a European flamed maple headplate and binding, and a unique maple back strip woven with pearl. The tuners are Schaller Gold GrandTune® open gear, and the label is signed by Chris Martin and Harvey Leach. Martin is making only one of these rare beauties but will take special orders, so visit your authorized Martin dealer to get your hands on one.
DSS-2018
Each year Martin designs a new groundbreaking model known as the “show special” to help support 2018 trade shows, by making it available only to those Authorized Martin Dealers in attendance. The theme for 2018 is lightweight wood with a robust sound. The difference can not only be heard but also felt as you cradle and strum this featherweight acoustical innovation. Though large in size, the features that contribute to these tonal and weight benefits are a 2-way adjustable titanium truss rod, carbon fiber and titanium tuning gears, composite carbon fiber/VTS Adirondack bridgeplate and headplate, a carbon fiber ultra-thin pickguard, and Liquidmetal® pins that are disguised to look like bone. Liquidmetal® pins have been proven to increase sustain, harmonics, and volume output by several decibels, adding to the allure of this physics experiment. Mahogany and Adirondack spruce were chosen as the tonewoods for this slope-shoulder Dreadnought, along with flamed maple binding, for lightness and rich tone. While the elements of titanium and carbon fiber reduce weight and increase the natural sustain and harmonics of the DSS-2018, the high performance neck with ebony fingerboard is adorned with grained ivoroid snowflake inlay for a touch of elegance.
Further details on all of the new Martin Guitar models that will be featured at 2018 Winter NAMM are below and at www.martinguitar.com/new.
